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Sound Card State Selector TM Version 2.30 Copyright July 1993 - March 1996 All Rights Reserved ZittWare 7599 Chevy Chase Dr. Suite 106 Austin, TX 78752 World Wide Web home Page: http://www2.msstate.edu/~jdz1 Sound Card State Selector, herein referred to as SNDSTATE, is dis- tributed under the Shareware concept and it is not free. The program(s) may be used for a Trial Period of thirty days. At the end of this trial period you must do one of the following: * Send in the required registration fee OR * Delete all programs from your use. Copying of this program in welcomed and encouraged provided the following guide lines are followed: * The program package or archive is not copied or distributed after June 15, 1995. * All of the files contained in this package remain intact and unaltered. * None of the files are altered or modified without prior written permission of the Author. * No fees are charged to anyone except for the following: 1. Disk Duplication/Costs. 2. Shipping. 3. Downloading fees. 4. Membership fees. This program package may be placed on ANY BBS granted the above conditions are met. DISCLAIMER: SNDSTATE is offered to the Public without warranty and is offered as-is. The author takes no responsibility implied or otherwise to the loss/damage of data or information. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. What is SNDSTATE? SNDSTATE is designed to complement the software present in many sound card packages. It is a program that will either save or restore the mixer settings of the PAS: Pro Audio Spectrum-16 Pro Audio Studio Media Vision Fusion 16 Logitech SoundMan SBPro: Sound Blaster Pro Media Vision Deluxe SB16: Sound Blaster 16 Sound Blaster 16 ASP Sound Blaster AWE32 GUSMAX: Advanced Gravis UltraSound Max to or from storage for later retrieval. Throughout this document, the ProAudio Spectrum, Studio, Fusion and Soundman will be referred to collectively as a PAS card. The Sound Blaster Pro will be referred to as a SBPro and the Sound Blaster 16 and AWE32 will be referred to as a SB16. The Ultrasound Max will be referred to as a GUSMAX. SNDSTATE provides a means of restoring and saving the settings of these sound cards to or from disk using batch files without any interaction by the user. It also provides a Graphical User Interface, GUI, for modifying most of mixer and volume settings of these cards. A list of these settings appear below. Mixer Settings (Input, Output, Default): FM (also called MIDI) (2)(4) Internal Mixer (3) External Audio (Line-In) (2)(4) Internal CD-ROM Audio (2)(4) Microphone (2)(4) PCM Internal PC speaker (1) SoundBlaster DAC Cross Channel settings (3) Sound Settings: Loudness Switch Enhanced Switch Bass (1) Treble (1) Volume Left (2) Volume Right (2) Mode (3) Filter setting RealSound setting (3) NOTE: All the settings above are supported by the SNDSTATE GUI when using a PAS16 sound card. (1) Denotes settings that are supported by the SNDSTATE GUI when using a SB16 sound card. (2) Denotes settings that the SNDSTATE GUI supports when using a SBPro or SB16 sound card. (3) Denotes settings not supported by the SNDSTATE GUI when using a PAS sound card; however, SNDSTATE does store these settings on disk. (4) Denotes settings that the SNDSTATE GUI supports when using a GUSMAX sound card. SNDSTATE will also save, restore, and display the following settings when using a SBPro: Voice Volume Input Source Input Filter Output Filter Voice Mode SNDSTATE also supports the advanced features of the SB16 cards. These features are: Mixer Switches (both input and output) Input and Output Gains Automatic Gain Control All features except the Input and Output Gain controls are supported by the SNDSTATE GUI.The Input and Output Gain controls are saved and restored with the other mixer settings. SNDSTATE will support and display the additional features of the GUSMAX card. These additional features are: Input Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) Gain Wave Output Volume Internal Loopback Volume Loopback Enable All Mute Controls What are the requirements for SNDSTATE? The system requirements for SNDSTATE are shown below: MS-DOS 3.0 or Higher. IBM AT, 286, 386, 486, or other 100% compatibles. A Proaudio Spectrum 16, Proaudio Studio, Fusion 16 CD-ROM kit, Logitech SoundMan, Sound Blaster Pro, Sound Blaster 16, Sound Blaster AWE32, or Gravis Ultrasound Max. (*) Some free disk space. In addition to these requirements, the SNDSTATE GUI requires a VGA card capable of 640x480x16. A mouse is highly recommended when using the SNDSTATE GUI. (*) It is presently unknown if SNDSTATE will work consistently with other sound boards from other manufacturers. SNDSTATE should work with 100% compatibles of the boards above. How do I use SNDSTATE? The program is run by the simply typing SNDSTATE at the Operating System (OS) prompt. SNDSTATE can be run in a combination of ways. The command-line options are shown below: SNDSTATE [-R|-S|-V] [filename] [/SBP] [/MAX] [/Q] [/M] First, there is a full interactive mode by simply running the program without any arguments. You will then be prompted on whether to Restore, Save, View, or Abort. Enter either a R, S, or V or you will abort the program. Next, you will be asked for the filename you wish to operate on. Type in the filename and press Enter. You may include PATH designations. If you need to restore a file and are not sure of the complete filename, type the filename as you know it and a wildcard (*) at the point you are unsure of the filename. SNDSTATE will attempt to complete the filename by finding the first file matching what you have entered. If you are Restoring a file, the program checks to see if the file exists as you typed it. If it does not find the setting file, it will abort with an error message. Otherwise, the program will ask you to verify the restore operation. If you are Saving a setting file, SNDSTATE will ask you to confirm the save operation. If you confirm, SNDSTATE will then check to see if a file with the same name exists. If it determines that a file by that name already exists, SNDSTATE will ask you to verify replacement of the old file. You can force a partial interactive by specifying a -R or -S, as the first argument, to restore or save respectively. You will then be prompted for a filename. You can take it one step further and make the next argument a filename such as PROAUDIO/DEFAULT.P16. Then the program will only ask you to verify. [NOTE: The /M and /Q features are only available in the REGISTERED version.] The /Q option stands for /Quiet mode. When this option is used with a -R or -S option and a filename, the program will run quietly without printing any messages or waiting for input. Use this feature in the AUTOEXEC.BAT to load your custom settings. For example: SNDSTATE -R C:\PROAUDIO\GENERAL.P16 /Q /M In this example, SNDSTATE will restore the file named GENERAL.P16 in the directory C:\PROAUDIO with both quiet and smooth options enable. Provided that file exists, the program will run without error messages or confirmation prompts. If the file does not exist, it will print an error message. [NOTE: The /M and /Q features are only available in the REGISTERED version.] The /M option is the smoothing option. The option smoothes the transition when changing the states of the card. Use it when there is a "click" noticed when executing SNDSTATE. The /SBP option is used to force SNDSTATE to run when there is a Sound Blaster Pro in the system but is not correctly detected. It will force a SBPro reset that will return the SBPro to a valid state. This will reset the entire SBPro card and an attempt will be made to keep your old settings intact. This option is intended to be used if SNDSTATE does not accurately detect a SBPro in the system. The most common symptom of this problem is shown when the SBPro is detected as a Sound Blaster 16. If this occurs, just rerun SNDSTATE with the /SBP option. The purpose of the /MAX option is to force detection of the GUSMAX when another soundcard is detected. This is particularly useful when there is a GUSMAX and another soundcard in the same system. Using the SNDSTATE GUI The SNDSTATE GUI is invoked by the command line switch, -V. If you have a graphics card capable of 640x480x16 colors and either MVSOUND.SYS, SBPro, SB16, or GUSMAX; SNDSTATE should come up with a LED DIGIT display with bar graphs showing the current settings of your card. Each display is either a percentage or an error code, with the error code shown as EE. An error means that the value retrieved by the program was in error or that your sound card does not support this mixer. The keys allowed by the GUI are listed below in Tables 1a and 1b with their functions for various cards. If the File menu is brought up, you may either Restore or Save a setting file or you may exit the GUI. If a mouse driver is installed before SNDSTATE is executed, you may use that mouse in the GUI. The supported settings of the card can be changed by placing the cursor on the desired value on the bar graph and clicking the left mouse button. By holding the left mouse button down, the setting may be modified by moving the mouse to the left or right. You may use the mouse with a save or restore option to select the "OK" or "Cancel" buttons in the Dialog boxes that pop up in the middle of the screen. Clicking the left mouse button in the black area between a stereo mixer, will temporarily lock both sides of the mixer together while the mouse button is down. Use this feature when you want to have both channels at the same value. Table 1a. Graphical User Interface Key Sequences. +---------+---------------------+---------------------+-----------------------+ | Key | ProAudio | SoundBlaster Pro | SoundBlaster 16 | |Sequence | compatible cards | compatible cards | compatible cards | +---------+---------------------+---------------------+-----------------------+ | Alt-B | Bass | | Bass | | | | | | | Alt-E | External Audio In | External Audio | External Audio | | | | | | | Alt-F | Brings up File Menu | Brings up File Menu | Brings up File Menu | | | | | | | Alt-H | Enhanced Stereo | Voice Mode | Output Mixer Switches | | | | | | | Alt-L | Filter | Input Filter | Left Input Mixer | | | | | Switches | | | | | | | Alt-M | Microphone | Microphone | Microphone | | | | | | | Alt-N | Internal Speaker | | Internal Speaker | | | | | | | Alt-O | Loudness | Output Filter | Automatic Gain | | | | | Control | | | | | | | Alt-P | Pulse Code Modulator| | | | | | | | | Alt-R | Frequency Modulator | MIDI Volume | MIDI Volume | | | | | | | Alt-S | Sound Blaster DAC | Voice Volume | Voice Volume | | | | | | | Alt-T | Treble | | Treble | | | | | | | Alt-U | Mute | Input Source | Right Input Mixer | | | | | Switches | | | | | | | Alt-V | Main Volume | Main Volume | Main Volume | | | | | | | Alt-X | Exit | Exit | Exit | | | | | | | ESC | Exit | Exit | Exit | | | | | | | Down | Next Setting | Next Setting | Next Setting | | | | | | | Up | Previous Setting | Previous Setting | Previous Setting | | | | | | | Left | Decrease Setting | Decrease Setting | Decrease Setting | | | | | | | Right | Increase Setting | Increase Setting | Increase Setting | +---------+---------------------+---------------------+-----------------------+ Table 1b. Graphical User Interface Key Sequences continued. +---------+---------------------+ | Key |Gravis Ultrasound Max| |Sequence | compatible cards | +---------+---------------------+ | Alt-B | | | | | | Alt-E | Line In | | | | | Alt-F | Brings up File Menu | | | | | Alt-H | Right ADC Input | | | Source | | | | | | | | Alt-L | Loopback Enable | | | | | Alt-M | Microphone | | | | | Alt-N | Internal Loopback | | | Volume | | | | | Alt-O | Left ADC Input | | | Source | | | | | | | | Alt-P | | | | | | Alt-R | MIDI Volume | | | | | Alt-S | Input Gain | | | | | Alt-T | | | | | | Alt-U | Mute | | | | | | | | Alt-V | Wave Volume | | | | | Alt-X | Exit | | | | | ESC | Exit | | | | | Down | Next Setting | | | | | Up | Previous Setting | | | | | Left | Decrease Setting | | | | | Right | Increase Setting | +---------+---------------------+ Additional Sound Blaster Pro Information The Sound Blaster Pro has some features that may not appear entirely logical. When recording, you may select one of three sources as an input. This source is called the input source and maybe one of three sources: the Microphone, Compact Disc, and the Line-in. Generally when a mono recording is done at sample rates less than 18000 Hertz, the low-pass filter should be enabled. When the sampling rate for a mono recording is between 18000 and 36000 Hertz, the high-pass filter should be used. When recording in stereo or sample rates faster than 36000 Hertz, no filter should be used. Leaving the filter on when recording stereo samples will effectively reduce your sample to a mono sample. These filter settings are guidelines for obtaining better recordings. When using high sample rates or stereo signals, is it also recommended that the output filter be turned off, otherwise leave the filter on. In general, the stereo switch (or Voice Mode) is used only by application programs. When using SNDSTATE for general applications, the stereo switch should be disabled. Additional Sound Blaster 16 Information The Sound Blaster 16 has some features that need to clarified. The SB16 has a feature called Automatic Gain Control (AGC). This is used to help maintain the microphone input signal at a reasonable level. There is also an Output Mixing Control. This control is used to remove certain devices from the output to mute them. This does not affect the device's mixer volume. There is also Input Mixing Control which allows you to control which device is connected to which channel in the mixing path. In the SNDSTATE GUI, the tone controls (Bass and Treble) are shown as monophonic mixers. In truth these controls are really stereo and are saved or restored that way. For the purposes of the GUI, and average of the left and right channels are displayed. When you change these controls, both the left and right channels are set to the same value. Additional Gravis Ultrasound Max Information Before you can use SNDSTATE with a GUSMAX, you must have the correct ULTRA16 environment variable in your startup files. For more information on this, please see your sound card's reference material. With this variable SNDSTATE will detect your soundcard. The GUSMAX has many advanced features. This card features a mixer called Loopback, when enabled (via the Loopback Enable switch), the soundcard will automatically connect the output of the ADC (wave recorder) to the input of the Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC or wave input), that means you can hear the recording in real time without going through the computer. This card also has the ability to record from 1 of 4 difference sources. These sources are Line-in, Microphone, MIDI, and Card Output. In theory, this means you could record a WAV file of a MIDI file your playing, which means you could effectively convert a .MID file to a .WAV file without any additional software. SNDSTATE naming conventions SNDSTATE supports many different types of sound cards which have many different features. For this reason, a general guideline for file extensions has been adopted. These file extensions are guidelines and may be changed as the user sees fit. Table 2 shows the adopted file extensions below. Table 2. Adopted SNDSTATE file extensions. +-------------------+----------------+ | Sound Card Family | File Extension | +-------------------+----------------+ | ProAudio | .P16 | | | | | SoundBlaster Pro | .SBP | | | | | SoundBlaster 16 | .S16 | | | | | Ultrasound Max | .MAX | +-------------------+----------------+ As an example, you own a ProAudio Studio, and you would like to save the new file as GENERAL. Your saving file name would be GENERAL.P16. If you leave off the extension on any filename, SNDSTATE will automatically append the adopted extension to your filename. If you do not want an extension, put a "." at the end of your filename. If you use an extension in your filename, SNDSTATE will not append one. Miscellaneous Information and Contacting Me As a shareware author, I am _ALWAYS_ interested in any ideas, comments, or improvements that can be made to SNDSTATE. If you have any ideas for improvements to SNDSTATE, please do not hesitate to contact me personally. By keeping close contact with my users, I hope to expand SNDSTATE to be an important and versatile tool for you, the user. REGISTRATION As stated above this is a Shareware Package. To continue to use it after the trial period you MUST send me a registration fee of $15US + $5US for shipping and handling. Canadian and Foreign order will require add- itional costs for shipping and handling. A invoice form is included in this package as REGISTER.FRM or use the registration option in the SNDSTATE GUI. Registering SNDSTATE will get the user the following benefits: * A more efficient, latest version of SNDSTATE which will -AT LEAST- include: + Quiet operation mode. This is helpful for initial setups in the AUTOEXEC.BAT during startup or in .BAT (batch) files. + Smooth transition mode, to eliminate the "click" when the settings are updated + Removal of all Shareware messages and limitations. + Removal of the Registration option in the GUI. * A neat, well written printed manual which will include some tips and ideas for the uses of the program. * A list of the all SNDSTATE's error codes. * Notification of any significant address or technical changes. * Discounts on this and other new versions of Zittware products. Site and Network Licenses are available, contact the address below for more information. Online registration is possible. See REGISTER.FRM for more information. The current U.S. address to send this fee is: ZittWare c/o John Zitterkopf 7599 Chevy Chase Dr. #106 Austin, TX 78752 If you have any questions, comments, problems, or just want to talk, I presently have numerous Electronic Mail (E-Mail) addresses. If you have access to INTERNET try the following addresses in the order they appear: jdz1@Ra.MsState.Edu zitt@aol.com zittware@bitnova.com If you do not receive a response within 72 hours, please try another address. If you have an account on America Online, my USERID is Zitt. If you have another E-mail accounts like CompuServe, MCImail, FidoNet, etc., there should be a way to mail out to INTERNET addresses. For more information on this, see SUPPORT.TXT. I will do my best to answer any mail I get. Acknowledgments * MS-DOS is a trademark of Microsoft. * The Proaudio Spectrum 16 and Fusion 16 are trademarks of Media Vision. * The Logitech Soundman is copyrighted product distributed and sold by Logitech. * The Sound Blaster Pro, Sound Blaster 16, and Sound Blaster AWE32 are trademarks of Creative Technology Ltd. * The Ultrasound Max is a product of Advanced Gravis. * Many thanks to Media Vision for their PAS-SDK, -without it- this project would not have been possible. * Melissa Zitterkopf for her help and patience. {You know I can't leave the wife out} * Shane Zehnder as one of my better friends and programming help. * Bitnova for online credit card registration and the support areas. They can be reached at http://www.bitnova.com or (510) 581-0600. * And last but not least, All the Beta Testers.