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Experimental BBS Explossion 3
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1994-02-17
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The following is a high level overview of Sound Cards and how they
function under OS/2. This document is not an endorsement of any
particular sound card.
OS/2 terms:
Multi-instance: the ability for more than one application at once
to open the sound card. This is important if you want to do any
serious activity with multimedia. For instance, a multi-instance
driver will allow you to open the digital audio editor and hear
system sounds or open a MIDI application. Without this, you must
close each application down before starting another (very
inconvenient).
----------------------------------------------------------------------
MediaVision (PAS 16)
(Spectrum, Studio, and Basic).
The OS/2 drivers for this card have the most function of any sound
card. They are multi-instance, support simultaneous MIDI and audio
playback and are quite stable.
Mediavision offers an excellent os/2 mixer (called promix/2) which
allows one to change volume, bass etc.**
Since the Mediavision card is also SoundBlaster compatible, you can
load the SoundBlaster driver for Windows while simultaneously
accessing the hardware with OS/2.
The differences between cards is that the Studio has improved
signal/noise ratios (i.e. improved sound) and the BASIC does not
have a SCSI port. The SCSI port on the PAS16 works with popular
CD-ROMs like the Toshiba 3401B and Texel drives.*
*Although the PAS-16 hardware interface supports ~600KBS, the OS/2
driver performs rather poorly and really achieves only between 200-300KBS.
If you have a PAS16 and would like to see better SCSI drivers, please
send me a note (Linden deCarmo 71726,12 or internet lad@vnet.ibm.com).
**Mediavision recently started shipping a new pas16 card which has a mixer
chip that the OS/2 driver cannot recognize. MV is working on a fix for
the card but you want want to ask your dealer which mixer chip is on the card
The PAS16 cards with the unsupported chip are have the following model number
on the board:
Model 650-0082-03
where the critical number is the "0082." In addition, if you look at the
chips on the card, the suspect chip has the following part ID:
MVA-508B.
These cards are ISA only.
------------------------------
Creative Labs
(Sound Blaster, Pro, 16 and 16 ASP)
The SB drivers that ship with 2.1 are all single instance and can
only play one MIDI or WAVE file at a time. Creative Labs has newer drivers
available on their BBS which support multi-instance. In addition, there is an
MMPM/2 CSD available in os2user with nearly equivalent multi-instance drivers,
and the upcoming OS/2 Service Pack for 2.1 will contain the multi-instance drivers.
Creative Labs also has beta drivers available for simultaneous playback of MIDI and
PCM on the SB16 card.
An os/2-based mixer is available in os2user (sbmix) with similar functionality to the
mediavision mixer.
You cannot access the card simultaneously under OS/2 and DOS.
The SB16 ASP does offer hardware compression and decompression
which can ease the burden on the CPU.*
If you have an older SB card (i.e. pre-2.0) and receive a SYS1201
on boot up, you must upgrade the DSP module (available from
Creative Labs).
The CD-ROM interface on this card is proprietary, however, it
support many popular CD-ROM drives.
These cards are ISA only except for the Pro which is also Microchannel.
-----------------------------
IBM Maudio card
The Maudio drivers are multi-instance.
There is no OS/2 mixer currently available.
It utilizes a DSP (digital signal processor) so advanced hardware
compression and decompression is possible.
This card is not SoundBlaster compatible.
ISA and Microchannel versions are available.
-------------------------------
Thinkpad 750c audio
The 750c drivers are multi-instance and offer simultaneous MIDI + PCM
playback.
There is no OS/2 mixer currently available.
This card is not SoundBlaster compatible.
ISA only (since the 750C is ISA only).
--------------------------------------------
Gravis Ultrasound.
Gravis has been working on drivers for a LONG time. However, there are
no tangible results to announce. Fortunately, I've been working with an
internet user and he's written a driver in a matter of weeks. The drivers
should go beta soon, and when they do, I'll refresh this file on sites where
it can be obtained. These drivers will be multi-instance.
ISA only.
-------------------------------------------
Business Audio (Compaq, MS Sound System, Everex, Toshiba etc.)
Stay tuned. Something should be happening soon.
----------------------------------------------
IBM Windsurfer
The Windsurfer is a 3-in-1 type of card. It offers telephony, fax and audio
support via its powerful Mwave Digital Signal Processor. Previously, only
windows drivers were available for the card, but due to demand, OS/2 drivers
are gradually being released.
Right now, telephony only drivers are available from the pspbeta forum.
Audio drivers will be available some time in the future.
Microchannel + ISA versions available.
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Portable Audio Solutions.
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DSP Solutions
Drivers for the DSP Solutions Port-A-Sound parallel port device are available
from the DSP BBS. Honestly, I don't know if these drivers are multi-instance
or not.
I need to do some checking.
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Arkay Technologies
Drivers for the Arkay Technologies parrallel port audio device are available
from Arkay.