Copyright: MediaCheck 1.0-7.26.96


Contents
MediaCheck

Overview

Using MediaCheck

Setup Tips

Digital Audio WAV Test

MIDI Input Test

MIDI Output Test

Internal MIDI Synthesizer Test

Advanced Button

Voyetra Contact Information

For Help on Help, Press F1


Overview

MediaCheck™ provides an easy way to test and troubleshoot the digital audio and MIDI features of your computer. By selecting the appropriate button, you can test all or one of these features. A series of displays takes you step-by-step through the testing process. If, for some reason one of the multimedia devices is not working, MediaCheck confirms there is a problem and then provides troubleshooting tips to help you get the system up and running again.

MediaCheck also provides setup tips for connecting an external MIDI keyboard to your computer. Once the MIDI cable is installed you can use the MIDI Input and MIDI Output tests to confirm that the system is operating properly.

When troubleshooting a multimedia computer it is often necessary to view the installed sound card drivers if changes need to be made to the drivers’ configuration. Locating these drivers can be quite cumbersome. The Advance button in MediaCheck instantly displays a detailed listing of all of your computer’s sound card drivers. From here you can instantly access the drivers’ configuration dialog box and view status information. This informs you if the driver is working properly or not. This screen also provides access to the Windows MIDI and Sound Mapper applications.

MediaCheck takes the “trouble” out of troubleshooting your multimedia PC.

See also…

Using MediaCheck


Setup Tips

The Setup Tips section provides general information on setting up your multimedia system.

To view Setup Tips:

•	Click the Setup Tips button located at the bottom of the screen.


Digital Audio WAV Test

The Digital Audio WAV Test provides a quick check of the digital audio playback capabilities of your multimedia system.

To run the Digital Audio WAV Test:

1	Click the Digital Audio WAV Test button at the bottom of the screen. A digital audio file plays and you are asked whether or not you can hear it.

2	Click the correct answer.

•	If you choose Yes, then it is assumed that your system is functioning properly and MediaCheck moves on to the next test area.

•	If you choose No, then a number of troubleshooting tips are suggested. Complete each of the troubleshooting tips. The test .WAV file continues to repeat. If you are successful with one of the tips, then you should hear the .WAV file. If not, click the Advanced button to view more information on your systems’ .WAV drivers.


MIDI Input Test

The MIDI Input Test provides an easy way to check that MIDI data is being received from an external source such as a MIDI keyboard.

To run the MIDI Input Test:

1	Be sure your MIDI keyboard is connected to your computer. This is usually done by connecting a MIDI Connector Cable to the joystick port on the computer’s sound card.

2	Click the MIDI Input Test button located at the bottom of the screen and follow the
on-screen instructions.

3	Click the correct answer for the questions asked.

•	When the keyboard is played, one of the 16 lights should illuminate. For example, if the keyboard is transmitting on MIDI Channel 1, the Channel 1 light illuminates.

•	If none of the MIDI input lights are blinking, click the No button and follow the troubleshooting tips.

NOTE

Each of the 16 lights represent a MIDI input channel, this helps you to determine which channel your MIDI keyboard is transmitting on.


MIDI Output Test

The MIDI Output Test provides an easy way to check that MIDI data is being transmitted successfully from your computer to an external source such as a MIDI synth.

To run the MIDI Output Test:

1	Be sure your MIDI keyboard is connected to your computer. This is usually done by connecting a MIDI Connector Cable to the joystick port on the computer’s sound card.

2	Click the MIDI Output Test button located at the bottom of the screen. A MIDI file is played, through the MIDI output port on the computer, and you are asked whether or not you can hear it.

3	Click the correct answer.

•	If the keyboard is turned on and connected properly you should hear music coming from the keyboard.

•	If you can’t hear music playing from your keyboard, click the No button and follow the troubleshooting tips.


Internal MIDI Synthesizer Test

Most multimedia computers have a MIDI synthesizer built in. This enables games and other multimedia applications to play music. Unlike digital audio, MIDI does not put a lot of strain on the system’s processor. In addition, the file sizes are much smaller.

To run the Internal MIDI Synthesizer Test:

Click the Internal MIDI Synthesizer Test button. A MIDI file plays a drum part on channel 10.

•	If you hear drums, click Yes and move onto the next test.

•	If you hear a sound “like a piano playing a strange melody” click No.

When you click No, MediaCheck plays a MIDI drum part on channel 16. If you don’t hear anything at this point, then there may be a problem with the internal synthesizer or its driver. Follow the on-screen instructions on how to resolve this type of problem.

MIDI files transmit their information on different channels and each channel is assigned a different musical instrument sound. Typically drum sounds, are fixed to either channel 10 or 16. This can sometimes cause a problem.

For example, a game may play a MIDI file with its drum information programmed on channel 16, but the internal synthesizer is set to play its drum sounds on channel 10. This would cause the music to sound strange. Usually the multimedia application provides a way to fix this. MediaCheck can help by confirming which channel your computer’s internal synthesizer has drums mapped to.


Advanced Button

The Advanced button launches SoundCheck.™ This application displays all of the sound card drivers currently installed. The status of each driver is displayed to inform you if there is a problem such as an address or interrupt conflict with the hardware and software. For more information on SoundCheck and its functions, click the Help button in SoundCheck.

To launch SoundCheck:

•	Click the Advanced button at the upper right of the screen.


Using MediaCheck

MediaCheck can be used to troubleshoot the multimedia functions on your PC. You can test all the functions or just the one you are having trouble with. For example, you may want to run a complete test before your run a multimedia application, or you may just want to run the MIDI Input Test if you had just hooked up your external MIDI keyboard to the computer.

To run the complete test:

•	Click the Begin button when you see the first message display.

To run any individual test:

•	Click the button of the test you would like to perform, located at the bottom of the MediaCheck interface.

Once a test has started, you are prompted with questions to help determine that your system is working correctly. Click the appropriate answer for each question.

NOTES

•	If your system is working correctly, “Test Passed” appears under the test button you just ran.

•	If your system is not working correctly, “Test Failed” appears under the test button you just ran.

•	If a test has not be run yet, “Not Tested” appears under that test button.


MIDI Connector Cable

A MIDI Connector Cable allows you to use the joystick port on your sound card as a MIDI interface. One end of the cable has a multipin connector which attaches to the sound card. The other end of the cable has two connectors — MIDI In and MIDI Out — which are connected to the MIDI keyboard.

The MIDI connector cable can be purchased at any computer store or from Voyetra Technologies.

You can reach Voyetra at:

1-800-233-9377 	in the USA

914-966-0600 	outside the USA


Digital Audio WAV

In digital audio (stored as .WAV files), the hard drive is the storage medium; it serves the same function as tape does in a conventional tape recorder. Digital audio files contain actual recorded sound. This could be the sound of your voice or a dog barking. In fact, any sound that you can hear can be recorded as a .WAV file!

Digital audio files can be quite large. They have the possibility to range from 1.3MB up to 5.1MB of disk space per minute.


MIDI - Musical Instrument Digital Interface

MIDI is a protocol which allows musical instruments and computers to communicate. These files do not actually contain sound. Instead, they are a set of instructions that tell a synthesizer which sounds to make and when to make them. In this sense, a MIDI device is like a player piano and a MIDI sequence is like the perforated paper roll that controls it. If one of the holes instructs the piano to play the middle C key, the piano will do so. MIDI files are recognized by the computer as .MID files.


Voyetra Contact Information

Registration and Sales: Customer Technical Support: Fax: BBS: CompuServe® e-mail: CompuServe: America Online® e-mail: America Online® Keyword: Internet: World Wide Web:	(inside the USA) 1.800.233.9377 (outside the USA) 914.966.0600 914.966.0600 914.966.1102 914.966.1216 76702.2037 Go Voyetra Voyetra@aol.com Voyetra info@voyetra.com http://www.voyetra.com
Voyetra Technologies  •  5 Odell Plaza  •  Yonkers  •  NY 10701-1406 • USA