Ian & Stuart's Australian Mac 1

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ Ian & Stuart's Australian Mac 1 / Ian and Stuart's One (Australia).iso / Mac FAQs / AV General faq < prev next >

Wrap

Internet Message Format | 1993-01-01 | 39KB

From jwang@soda.berkeley.edu Mon Mar 28 16:39:36 EST 1994 Article: 90698 of comp.sys.mac.hardware Path: news.itd.umich.edu!newsxfer.itd.umich.edu!elvis.umd.umich.edu!jobone!ukma!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!agate!soda.berkeley.edu!jwang From: jwang@soda.berkeley.edu (James Wang) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hardware Subject: * * * AV general FAQ [post] * * * Date: 28 Mar 1994 14:30:27 GMT Organization: Computer Science Undergrad Assoc, UCBerkeley Lines: 785 Message-ID: <2n6pm3$qqr@agate.berkeley.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: soda.berkeley.edu hmm, a netter asked the FAQ be posted to one representative newsgroup since he lacks FTP access and a 40K email would be expensive at his service provider. so, in the spirit of free information... here i go breaking my own word. MACINTOSH AV FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (GENERAL) ================================================= By: jwang@soda.berkeley.edu <James Wang> Version: 1.0 <March 28, 1994> ftp://soda.berkeley.edu/pub/jwang/av-general-faq.txt TABLE OF CONTENTS ================= (*) denotes new sections since last release. (+) denotes revised sections since last release. 1. SYSTEM HARDWARE 1. So, how do I get millions of colors? + 2. Why is the video display quality so poor? * 3. Why is the video capture quality so poor? * 4. Why is the audio capture quality so poor? + 5. Is there any difference between the Centris and Quadra 660AV? + 6. Why do I have a hard time reading 800K floppies? 7. My monitor won't work, where did sync-on-green go? 2. EXPANSION HARDWARE 1. Which third-party microphones work with the AV? + 2. What is wrong with my GeoPort Telecom Adapter? + 3. Can I clock-chip/crystal-swap my AV? 4. What are the expansion card varieties all about? * 5. Does the Houdini (486/DOS) card work in a 660AV? + 6. Is my AV upgradable to the Power Macintosh? 3. SYSTEM SOFTWARE 1. Can I run anything less than System 7.1? 2. Do I need System Update 2.0.1? 3. Which patches should I run on my AV? 4. Can I turn off 32-bit addressing? 5. Are there problems with Virtual Memory? 6. Where is the 040 Cache Switch control panel? * 7. Are there updates to the GeoPort or the Express Modem? 4. APPLICATIONS + 1. Is application X compatible with AV models? + 2. Which applications actually take advantage of the DSP? 3. Is my communication software GeoPort compatible? * 4. ApplePhone hangs up prematurely, what gives? * 5. Can the GeoPort juggle between voice/data/fax? + 6. Which hard disk drive utilities are AV-savvy? 5. MISCELLANEOUS 1. Is game X compatible with AV models? 2. Why do I get "No Co-Processor Installed" System errors? 3. Why don't I get any sound when playing audio CDs? + 4. There is a hidden movie on the InstallMeFirst CD-ROM? * 5. How can I get updates to the FAQ? + 6. Where can I get more information? LEGALESE ======== Copyright --------- This work is copyright 1993-94 by jwang@soda.berkeley.edu <James Wang>. Unmodified copies of the document may be freely distributed -- to other online services, for example -- for non-profit purposes only. Quoting from the FAQ is encouraged when attribution is given to the author and contributing writers where appropriate. Other forms of duplication and distribution without prior consent from the author is prohibited. Disclaimer ---------- This FAQ is provided as is, with no warranty of any kind, expressed or implied. I cannot be held responsible for any hardware damage or data loss that readers incur. Corrections, updates, and comments are always welcome at jwang@soda.berkeley.edu. INTRODUCTION ============ The Quadra 840AV and the Centris 660AV (renamed the Quadra 660AV) were introduced by Apple at the Boston MacWorld Expo on July 29, 1993. The two machines, codenamed Cyclone (840AV) and Tempest (660AV), introduced a new level of technology and integration for personal computing. The success of this initial trial of AV Technologies has culminated in its standardization across the first Power Macintosh line. The AV Macs have been, and will continue to play the cutting-edge role in the industry. Thanks to AV aficionados worldwide, the shortcomings of these marvels have been addressed by a generous supply of ingenuity from engineers, developers, and consumers alike. This FAQ is composed of bits and pieces that came out of USENET, e-mail correspondence, and trade publications. Please excuse me for any errors and omissions, and please let me know when you spot them! ====================== SYSTEM HARDWARE (1.0) ====================== So, how do I get millions of colors? (1.1) ------------------------------------------- Either AV is capable of displaying millions of colors on many types of monitors. Refer to the concise video section in the Hardware Overview from noah@apple.com <Noah Price> for a given display. You may have to drop the screen resolution and restart (smaller desktop) to enable the "Millions" option in the Monitors control panel. ftp://soda.berkeley.edu/pub/jwang/av-overview.txt Why is the video display quality so poor? (1.2) ------------------------------------------------ First of all, make sure the video input options matches your television signal. Check especially that the NTSC/PAL/SECAM options are correctly set. The TV/LaserDisc and VCR filter modes can also make a difference. If you only have 1MB of video memory or VRAM, you probably have noticed line-doubling in the video window when displayed at full screen. This is because there isn't enough memory for 640x480 pixels at 16 bits per pixel. Both AV models sport a dual-frame-buffer architecture, where the VRAM is split 50/50 between video and standard Macintosh graphics. If you own a 840AV, adding another 1MB of VRAM (4x256K SIMMs) is a good idea. For the budget conscious, one option is to lower the video memory requirement by resizing the video window (try ~480x360, aspect ratio may vary). FusionRecorder can even vary the capture region, very handy for letterboxed movies. Moving video windows partially off screen achieves the same effect. However, video capture using this second option is not desirable since the region off screen comes out as garbage. A third alternative now exists for AV's with 1MB of VRAM: you can view (and capture) full screen if you step down the video to the gray-scale color space (8-bit vs 16-bit) using the AV Digitizer Options extension. This unofficial product of Apple also controls video transparency and inverse gamma correction. ftp://sumex-aim.stanford.edu/info-mac/cfg/av-digitizer-options.hqx Why is the video capture quality so poor? (1.3) ------------------------------------------------ Without additional compression hardware, the AV's cannot digitize full motion video at full screen, or 30 frames per second (fps) at 640x480. For the best results, remember the following cost-effective tips: 1) optimize the hard drive for a large contiguous block of free space (post-compression needs extra scratch space on top of the storage of uncompressed frames. 2) run only the Finder and your capture application; allocate all but 1 or 2MB of RAM (QuickTime scratch) to the capture program; virtual memory should be off. 3) select "Best" as the frame rate limit, this saves as many frames as possible without getting duplicates (which happens if you pick too high a rate); change the rate only if the digitizer can keep up and you are trying to conserve disk space. On a stock AV, capture results are likely to be similar to those listed below. For professional quality results, the user can consider options such as high-performance SCSI-2 hard disks with high sustained transfer rates (the Micropolis AV, for example), or DAV-ready compression cards. Post- (Average FPS) Frame Size: Compression: Save To: 660AV 840AV :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: full off disk 1 840AV or (640x480) off memory 1 Power AV on disk 3 results on memory 7 appreciated half off disk 3 (320x240) off memory 3 on disk 8 on memory 19 quarter off disk 10 (160x120) off memory 10 on disk 24 on memory 30 Why is the audio capture quality so poor? (1.4) ------------------------------------------------ QuickTime 1.6.1 allowed direct digital capture of audio CD tracks over the SCSI bus in conjunction with an Apple CD300, CD300i or CD300 Plus. Using any QuickTime aware application, users selecting a CD track file via the File Open dialog are asked to "import" them as audio QT movies with a number of sampling options. However, stereo samples reveal that QuickTime swaps the left and right channels at random. For now, users can reduce the number of swaps by lowering the sampling frequency, or eliminate them altogether by switching to mono. QuickTime 2.0, due to be released this Summer, will fix this important bug. Another problem with CD imports arises when the sample depth is set to 8-bits. During playback of these movies on the AV, a large amount of static is introduced, apparently due to the re-sampling for the 16-bit audio output channel. On 8-bit audio machines, these movies playback just fine. Is there any difference between the Centris and Quadra 660AV? (1.5) -------------------------------------------------------------------- None if you discount the front panel name sticker. Although several of components have been changed since the AV's birth, all of these changes (detailed below) predated the name alteration. Early AV used a SIMM for their 2MB SuperMario ROMs, current production models mount the ROM chips on the mother board directly and usually lack the ROM SIMM slot, which would be situated in the center of the mother board, orthogonal to the RAM SIMM slots. Apple also decided to switch the SuperDrive in use since the Mac IIx for economic and supply reasons for all models. New AV's are equipped with the newer, less complicated manual-inject (but still auto-EJECT) floppy drives. The new covered drives (same as the PowerBook models) require you to push floppies in a bit further before the disk is grabbed, thus their matching face plates sport a recessed center. 840AV owner mano@panix.com <Manoel Felciano> reports that new AV units will be shipping with the CD300 Plus, a tray based drive replacing the caddy-based CD300 and CD300i. GeckO1@applelink.apple.com <Clinton Bauder> elaborates: ".. The CD300+ firmware does a much better job of supporting disconnect/ reconnect than did previous Apple CD drives. The 5.0 CD-ROM driver supports SCSI Manager 4.3 and will allow disconnects on an CD300+ but not on older drives. On 4.3 capable machines I/O to all CD-ROM drives is asynchronous (ie the processsor gets time back while doing a transfer) but on a CD-300+ the SCSI Bus itself is free during this time so that it can be used by other devices on the bus. I don't know of any shipping products that make much use of this but it will eventually help to improve copies from a CD (including digital audio) and other operations which require using both the CD-ROM drive and another SCSI device at the same time." ftp://ftp.apple.com/dts/mac/sys.soft/cdrom/macintosh-cd-rom-setup.hqx Why do I have a hard time reading 800K floppies? (1.6) ------------------------------------------------------- Whatever the reason is, it is NOT the new manual-inject floppy drives. The official Apple statement blames mass-formatted DSDD (double sided, double density) disks, whose track alignment is no longer tolerable by the AV's NewAge floppy controller. High density (1.44MB) floppies are NOT affected. Apple also advises against using the cheaper composite RAM SIMMs since they are almost guaranteed to wreck havoc on the floppy and the overall system due to extra electrical load and timing. To identify composite SIMMS, hades@coos.dartmouth.edu <Brian V. Hughes> writes: "The only SIMMs that are considered 'composite' [with repect to] the 72-pin SIMM specification are 16MB SIMMs that use 32 4M-bit DRAMs rather than 8 16M-bit DRAMs. 8MB SIMMs that use 16 4M-bit DRAMs are not composite, just like 32MB SIMMs that use 16 16M-bit DRAMs are not composite." If you have a floppy that cannot be read, see if changing the Sound Out rate helps (try anything but the 24KHz required for the DSP). If there is a non-AV Mac nearby, transfer the data to a high-density disk or use file-sharing. A successful re-format of the disk in question on the AV often "fixes" the problem for good. If you have Symantec's CopyDoubler or a similar product, you can avoid read failures by turning off floppy verification during the copy process. My monitor won't work, where did sync-on-green go? (1.7) --------------------------------------------------------- The built-in video ports of previous Quadra and Centris models provided synchronization signals on the green output pin, but both the 660AV and the 840AV lack this "sync-on-green." This is not a problem with Apple monitors since they rely on sync signals on separate pins of the video port. However, various third-party monitors require sync-on-green. If you have a monitor that stopped working, contact the manufacturer for a possible replacement cable or connector. ========================= EXPANSION HARDWARE (2.0) ========================= Which third-party microphones work with the AV? (2.1) ------------------------------------------------------- "Ordinary" microphones (including the original Apple microphone) won't work with the AV because the output is not strong enough. AV expect a line-level signal which simplifies audio input. The PlainTalk mic has a built-in preamp that draws power through the tip of the longer (0.75" versus 0.5") stereo mini-jack. Jabra (619.622.0764, 800.EAR.2230) offers the EarPhone AV, a combination ear/microphone along with PlainTalk-savvy dialer software that provides hands-free telephone operation. Apple offers a bundle that includes an EarPhone AV and a GeoPort Telecom Adapter (part number B1926LL/A). You can also purchase it separately from MacWarehouse for ~$100. rustman@netcom.com <Rusty H. Hodge> noticed my previous assumption that the Jabra device contained a bone-conducting microphone: "It is a in the ear walkman style earpiece with a microphone on the outside. It is also prone to a lot of feedback, that is why it must be used with something like the ApplePhone application [...] The reason many folks say that the Jabra earphone sounds hollow is because its microphone is listening to the same things that your ear hears. The person next to you will be louder to the caller than you; reflected sounds of your voice are often the strongest sounds to its microphone [...] We got the best speech results by just sitting it on the desk. Of course, it was just an omnidirectional microphone at that point... (and microphone technique theory says that putting the microphone flat against a table will significantly reduce picked up reflections - notably from the table.)" What is wrong with my GeoPort Telecom Adapter? (2.2) ----------------------------------------------------- A number of adapter owners have reported that their pods regularly emit a buzzing sound and stop working after an initial connection. This might be a problem caused by large grounding voltage differentials between the pod and the computer. The safest thing for the user to do is to get a replacement if the warranty is still in effect. Another common complaint of the GeoPort Telecom Adapter is its 9600 baud limit and abysmal upload transfer rates. The pod actually can operate reliablly at 14.4K baud. However, Apple chose to label the adapter as a 9600 baud device due to a bug in the Express Modem software that slows down uploading (only) of precompressed files when the V.42bis internal compression option is turned on. The command string "ATS46=136" turns off the V.42bis option for a more reasonable upload rate of ~1200 cps. Can I clock-chip/crystal-swap my AV? (2.3) ------------------------------------------- The answer is yes for both models. "Clock-chip" and "crystal-swap" refer to various methods that replace the factory oscillator (which determines the processor and bus speed) with faster ones that still operate within the processor's safety margins. WARNING: these modification procedures are not for the inexperienced, and will immediately void your warranty. If you elect to perform the upgrade yourself, please read two outlines that detail the procedures in detail. ftp://sumex-aim.stanford.edu/info-mac/info/hdwr/ centris-610-clock-mod-11.txt ftp://sumex-aim.stanford.edu/info-mac/info/hdwr/ crystal-speedup-history-21.hqx For the electronic neophyte, KS Labs (614.373.0353) offers Alacrity kits priced at $165 each which are easy and safe to install (no soldering). Output Enablers (oe@well.sf.ca.us) is about to release a similar product, the Zippy Clip, for $50. What are the expansion card varieties all about? (2.4) ------------------------------------------------------- The 660AV contains a single multi-purpose slot that can be populated by either a Processor Direct Slot (PDS) or a 7" NuBus card via an optional adapter. The 840AV contains 3 NuBus slots, but no Processor Direct Slot. In addition, both models support a Digital Audio Video (DAV) connector that provides a high-speed path to and from the raw digitized video and audio data produced by the computer. The PDS in the 660AV is unique of a non-bus-mastering variety, any card plugged in cannot take over the system. This eliminates the 660AV from the list of machines upgradable to the PowerPC via a PDS card. The 660AV, and the 610, is also only designed to accept half-sized (7") NuBus expansion cards via an adapter. However, if you are not using the CD-ROM drive bay, you can make room for a full-sized card by moving the internal hard drive (the bracket may have to be moved as well) over to the middle. Does the Houdini (486/DOS) card work in a 660AV? (2.5) ------------------------------------------------------- jws@apple.com <Jim Stockdale> answers: "It works, though there is a screen brightness issue when the PC is active. The video output circuitry of the 660AV is slightly different than the other Quadras, causing a difference in the operation of the video switching circuitry of the Houdini. The PC video will be brighter than the Mac video, because the PC video is "over-driving" the Mac monitor. There could be some long term reliability issues caused by over-driving the video." In other words, you are welcome to try at your own risk. Is my AV upgradable to the Power Macintosh? (2.6) -------------------------------------------------- Yes. To standardize AV Technologies, every Power Macintosh includes 2 GeoPorts, PlainTalk capabilities (though the software is only included with AV models), and 16-bit stereo sound in/out, effectively the audio half of AV standard. In addition, The Power AV editions include a PPC Processor Direct Slot (PDS) card with video in/out and 2MB of VRAM. Owners of the 660AV or 840AV may purchase logic board upgrades to the 6100 and 8100 respectively. To retain AV functionality, users should opt for the 6100AV and 8100AV since the AV Options card are not being offered as a separate product. However, tests show that the 32-bit AV card performs poorly when compared to the 64-bit regular video card. To those considering the upgrade, it is worth to note that although the RAM SIMM speed requirement remained the same, users will need to install 72-pin memory modules in identical pairs on all PowerPC computers due to the 64-bit data bus width. Apple is also due to release a PDS card with a PowerPC 601 for several Macs, but neither AV's. The 660AV has a non-bus-mastering variety of the PDS; if pluged in, the 601 will not be able to control the rest of the system. The 840AV does NOT have a PDS at all. ====================== SYSTEM SOFTWARE (3.0) ====================== Can I run anything less than System 7.1? (3.1) ----------------------------------------------- No. Minimally, you need a combination of System software version 7.1 and System Enabler 088 (now at version 1.1). ftp://ftp.apple.com/dts/mac/sys.soft/7.1.system.enablers/ system-enabler-088.hqx Do I need System Update 2.0.1? (3.2) ------------------------------------- No. But SU 2.0.1 does include the latest versions of Apple HD SC Setup (7.2.2) and Disk First Aid (7.2), both quite useful to AV owners. They are also available separately as (smaller) individual archives. ftp://ftp.apple.com/dts/mac/sys.soft/7.system.updates/ system-update-2-0-1-image.hqx ftp://ftp.apple.ocm/dts/mac/sys.soft/utils/hd-sc-setup-7-2-2.hqx ftp://ftp.apple.ocm/dts/mac/sys.soft/utils/disk-first-aid-7-2.hqx Which patches should I run on my AV? (3.3) ------------------------------------------- Several System-level patches have been made available to the Internet community. At the time of writing, sumex-aim list the following under the /info-mac/cfg directory: av-cache-tuner.hqx av-digitizer-options.hqx av-patches.hqx (includes AV Resource Manager Tuner and AV Turbo ROM) av-serial-enhancement.hqx av-speedup-10.hqx save-the-disk-131.hqx Version 1.3.1 of sAVe the Disk (by Michael Thies) is a vast improvement over version 1.2.1 and functionally replaces all other extensions that deal with the disk thrashing problem, including ones not easily found on the Internet like AV Boost from AOL. From the Read Me: <<<<< sAVe the Disk 1.3.1 is a FreeWare system extension (aka INIT) which will alleviate the excessive disk drive hits experienced by owners of AV Macs in the following circumstances: 1) Several Resource Manager operations flush the whole file to disk each time the length of a resource file is changed. This significantly degrades performance if many such changes occur in succession, e.g. while linking programs, using ResEdit or running resource compilers. 2) The disk cache built into the system writes back more data than necessary when flushed. This does not affect proper operation of the disk cache (nor does it help it :^) but results in superfluous disk activity and thus a slow down of file operations. 3) Each time a sound channel is allocated (disposed) some information is read from (written to) the file DSP Preferences. Applications which follow Apple's recommendations create and destroy such a channel for each single sound they produce and thus slow down while they torture your hard disk. This problem becomes most obvious with games. Note that the extension AV Speedup 1.0 (developed by Matt Gough and Brian Stroud) addresses only the first set of problems. AV Resource Manager Tuner and AV Cache Tuner (by Steve Kiene, MindVision Software) improve the Resource Manager and the disk cache respectively. Their functionality has been integrated into sAVe the Disk, which adds a solution for the sound related disk trashing, too. >>>>> AV Turbo ROM, also from Steve Kiene, accelerates system performance by copying the ROM to the faster RAM. This cuts down access time to the Toolbox and other trap calls. The obvious drawback is that you lose 2MB of valuable RAM storage. Also, this patch has been reported to conflict with System 7's built-in virtual memory and confirmed to be incompatible with the RAM Doubler extension. AV Digitizer Options, an unofficial Apple product, offers transparency, color space, and gamma lookup control for the AV's video digitizer. AV Serial Extension, sanctioned by Apple, performs the following: <<<<< This extension enhances the functionality of your Macintosh Quadra 840AV, Macintosh Quadra 660AV, or Macintosh Centris 660AV. Specifically, the extension corrects certain reported problems. These include (a) difficulties when printing with the LaserWriter Select 310 printer; (b) a possible system error when both the serial port and an AppleTalk network connection are being used heavily; and (c) a possible system crash when simultaneously receiving a fax and transferring files over a network. >>>>> Can I turn off 32-bit addressing? (3.4) ---------------------------------------- No, both of the AV architectures are 32-bit only. There was a post in comp.sys.mac.announce that described a forthcoming 24-bit AV Enabler. Unfortunately, if you read carefully, you'll notice it was nothing but a temporally displaced April Fool's joke. (flames to L.H.Wood@lut.ac.uk :-) Are there problems with Virtual Memory? (3.5) ---------------------------------------------- Yes, users may experience trouble during certain printing operations and CD audio imports if System 7's Virtual Memory is turned on. Where is the 040 Cache Switch control panel? (3.6) --------------------------------------------------- It's on the Tidbits disk, either part of the System 7.1 Install floppy set or under the System Install folder on your InstallMeFirst CD-ROM. Are there updates to the GeoPort or the Express Modem? (3.7) ------------------------------------------------------------- The 68040 GeoPort software has been updated to version 1.2, available only at AppleLink (ask your local dealer). There is also the GeoPort 1.0 for Power Macintosh installer at ftp.apple.com, which does NOT work on the 660AV or 840AV. Express Modem 1.5.1 contains mostly interface improvements (it does not fix the upload bug, however), as well as the latest Express Fax package (fixed the bug that inverted faxes when the monitor is set to more than 256 colors, and added the V.17 high speed reception option). The 1.5.1 installer, which requires GeoPort 1.2 or later, can be retrieved via gopher to info.hed.apple.com, as: USA Service, Support and Training/ Apple SW Updates/ Network and Comm. Software/ Express Modem 1.5.1.hqx <HQX> =================== APPLICATIONS (4.0) =================== Is application X compatible with AV models? (4.1) -------------------------------------------------- Known AV-incompatible applications & upgrade paths ("|" means ftp-able): Adobe Premiere (1) Adobe 415.961.4400, 800.447.3577 Adobe Type Manager 3.6 Adobe TS 408.986.6505, 800.642.3623 DPI-on-the-Fly 2.6 NEC 800.366.0476 Easy Open none Vendor Empower (2) Magna 408.282.0900 FAXstf 3.0 STF 816.463.2021, 816.463.7958/FAX FileGuard 2.8 ASD 909.624.2594 | GlobalFax 2.0.8 Global V 800.736.4821, 415.390.8334/BBS Norton Utilities 2.0.6 Symantec 503.465.8440 OmniPage Pro (3) Caere 408.395.7000 PC Exchange 1.0.3 Apple 800.769.2775, ext 6535 RAM Doubler (4) Connectix 415.571.5100, 800.950.5880 | Ray Dream Designer 3.0.3 Ray Dream 415.960.0767 Retrospect 2.0b Dantz 510.849.0293 SAM 3.5.9 Symantec 503.465.8420 | SoundEdit Pro 1.0.5 Macromedia 415.252.2000, 800.945.4061 | Stacker (5) Stac 619.431.6712 | Suitcase II 2.14p1 Symantec 503.465.8440 Swivel 3D 2.0.4 Macromedia 415.252.2000, 800.945.4061 (1) call Adobe or Adobe BBS for new AV-compatible plug-ins (2) incompatible with HD SC Setup 7.2.x, works with 3rd-party drivers (3) incompatible with GeoPort, works if GeoPort extensions are disabled (4) incompatible with AV Turbo ROM extension and AV DSP Power plug-in (5) fixed with HD SC 7.2.2, "disconnect" Stacker before updating driver ftp://ftp.apple.com/dts/mac/sys.soft/utils/hd-sc-setup-7-2-2.hqx ftp://pmail.globalvillag.com/pub/software/ ftp://sumex-aim.stanford.edu/info-mac/gui/suitcase-214p1-updt.hqx ftp://sumex-aim.stanford.edu/info-mac/grf/util/ ray-dream-designer-30x-to-303-updt.hqx ftp://sumex-aim.stanford.edu/info-mac/snd/util/soundedit-pro-105-updt.hqx There are two main causes for the incompatiblities. If the application crashes and burns immediately on launch, it is probably not 32-bit clean. If the program happens to be sound related, it is very likely dependent on the Apple Sound Chip (ASC), which was removed from the AV architecture. In either case, contact the publisher for possible fixes. Which applications actually take advantage of the DSP? (4.2) ------------------------------------------------------------- The AV DSP Power plug-in for Adobe Photoshop 2.5 and later, developed by Spectral Innovations, accelerates a number of operations and filters: Resize, Rotate, Skew, Perspective, RGB/CMYK Mode Change; Blur, Despeckle, Sharpen, Unsharp Mask, Find Edges, Fragment, Emboss. ftp://sumex-aim.stanford.edu/info-mac/grf/util/ photoshop-av-dsp-filters.hqx Note: when active, this plug-in is incompatible with RAM Doubler. Other DSP-savvy programs in current release include: Deck II 2.0.3 OSC 415.252.0460 DigiTrax 1.0 Alaska 800.500.3320 Painter X2 1.0 Fractal 408.688.8800, 800.647.7443 VideoFusion 1.5 VideoFusion 419.891.1090 Is my communication software GeoPort compatible? (4.3) ------------------------------------------------------- Several users could not, initially, get their terminal emulators (ZTerm being the most frequent example) to acknowledge the Express Modem. The solution is to leave the Express Modem on and select "Use Express Modem" in the control panel, and to make sure the GeoPort is selected rather than the Modem port inside the communication program. Further more, American Online users report consistent carrrier drops when connected. It seems the AOL service has not upgraded to V.32bis. Some sites offer 9600 connections while most are only 2400 ready. Until AOL finishes their upgrade process, use the following modem initialization strings (or command strings): "ATS37=9S46=136" if you want to try a 9600 connection, or "ATS37=6S46=136" if you have to fall back to 2400. Either command also turns off data compression. Prodigy users are just plain out of luck due to two problems -- "1) Prodigy is not 32-bit clean, and the AV are 32-bit mode only, and 2) Prodigy makes sync serial calls at interrupt time, a no-no that is finally fatal with the new DMA serial driver." -- from noah@apple.com <Noah Price> ApplePhone hangs up prematurely, what gives? (4.4) --------------------------------------------------- Even though the ApplePhone program is now described as only a demo and not a full-fledged telephony tool, there is still no valid reason given for the faulty carrier drop detection problem. The answering machine often hangs up suddenly while the other person is still speaking. At other times, the answering machine would continue to record even after the other party has disconnected. Can the GeoPort juggle between voice/data/fax? (4.5) ----------------------------------------------------- Sak Wathanasin <sw@network-analysis-ltd.co.uk> writes: ".. the AV Geoport software is capable of discriminating between fax and data calls (though not voice apparently), sometimes... As long as I use a fax modem to call, it will detect that it's a fax call. So, I can call from my PB with fax or ARA, and the Geoport will route the call to Express Fax or ARA, but if I use a desktop fax machine, the AV thinks its a data call and routes it to ARA (:-(). No amount of twiddling with the settings on my desktop fax machine will convince the AV Geoport software that it's really a fax call." LineShare, an extension that offers the ability to logically partition communication ports between data and fax, does NOT work with GeoPorts since Apple's Express Fax software doesn't emulate a Class 2 fax modem as required by LineShare. Which hard disk drives and utilities are AV-savvy? (4.6) --------------------------------------------------------- SCSI Manager 4.3 was designed to relieve many SCSI bottlenecks. Built into the ROM for AV models, the extension provides, among other things, asychronous transfer mode and SCSI connect/disconnect. These features, if supported by appropriate drivers, can greatly increase throughput by overlapping various operations that were previously sequential. Apple's HD SC Setup (now at version 7.2.2) supports SCSI Manager 4.3's native mode for full speed. However, it only works with Apple's drives. Devices with non-4.3-savvy drivers operate under a much slower compatible mode, not to mention the same performance bottlenecks as before. Users can either choose from the following third-party drive utilities or apply a patch that gets around the drive signature checking of HD SC Setup: Anubis 2.5 CharisMac 916.885.4420, 800.487.4420 Hard Disk Toolkit 1.5 FWB 415.474.8055 Micronet Utilities 6.0.0 Micronet 714.453.6000, 714.453.6063/BBS SCSI Director Pro 3.0.1 Transoft 805.565.5200, 800.949.6463 ftp://sumex-aim.stanford.edu/info-mac/disk/apple-hd-sc-setup-722-patch.hqx ==================== MISCELLANEOUS (5.0) ==================== Is game X compatible with AV models? (5.1) ------------------------------------------- Some games just dropped dead with the AV because of their strict 32-bit architecture, while a number of games became mute because the programmers wrote directly to the Apple Sound Chip (ASC), which is not part of the AV. Contact the publisher should you discover a particular game doesn't like your new AV. To check if a specific game is known to be incompatible with AV models, look over the list maintained by lev@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov <Brian S. Lev>: ftp://soda.berkeley.edu/pub/jwang/av-games.txt Why do I get "No Co-Processor Installed" System errors? (5.2) -------------------------------------------------------------- noah@apple.com <Noah Price> answers: "There are several reasons you could be getting a 'No FPU' error message on a Mac _with_ an FPU. That alone should not alarm you. It can be caused by applications that are not fully 68040 cache compatible. To test this theory, use the Cache control panel from your Tidbits disk to turn of the 040 cache and see if things improve. This error is sometimes caused spuriously in the same way you get a bus error, illegal instruction error, or address error (i.e., processor jumps into never-never land, and the first thing it tries to execute determines the error). Bad DRAM can cause this." Why don't I get any sound when playing audio CDs? (5.3) -------------------------------------------------------- Because CD Remote (or whichever control program you are using) did not know about Sound Manager 3.0 (built-in for AV models), which introduced a new input mixer panel in Sound control panels 8.0 and later. Select the Sound In pop-up menu and click the Options button, select the CD-ROM drive as input and check Playthrough and you should now be able to hear your audio CDs. There is a hidden movie on the InstallMeFirst CD-ROM? (5.4) ------------------------------------------------------------ If you own a North American model of the AV (with Speech Recognition) check out this monster (91MB) tucked away in the Preferences folder. You'll have to open a QuickTime movie player first and use the standard File Open dialogue box since the movie is invisible. How can I get updates to the FAQ? (5.5) ---------------------------------------- Besides FTP access, Internet users may now try the following two finger services at the Open Computing Facilities of Berkeley: jwang.av-dir@ocf.berkeley.edu jwang.av-faq@ocf.berkeley.edu Fingering the first service item will perform a directory list of all AV files available for FTP at soda, including a dummy file that lists the latest modification date and version: total 88 -rw-r--r-- ... 0 Jan 21 19:47 940130::FAQ-version::0.3d -rw-r--r-- ... 12903 Jan 11 10:26 av-announce.txt -rw-r--r-- ... 10724 Dec 24 00:25 av-dsp-faq-101.txt -rw-r--r-- ... 6174 Jan 11 12:17 av-games.txt -rw-r--r-- ... 28587 Jan 31 00:03 av-general-faq.txt -rw-r--r-- ... 12735 Dec 23 17:36 av-overview.txt -rw-r--r-- ... 15765 Jan 14 03:00 av-technology-wp.txt If the version listed is higher than what you have, fingering the second item will automagically fetch and display the FAQ itself - on the standard out, use it in conjuction with a pager or pipe it to a file: finger jwang.av-faq@ocf.berkeley.edu | more finger jwang.av-faq@ocf.berkeley.edu > your.copy For non-Internet surfers, current versions of the FAQ should be mirrored at the following online services (you are welcome to upload to others): American Online, thanks to hiramw@aol.com Ziff/Net, thanks to 72511.240@CompuServe.COM <Craig O'Donnell> E-mail me if none of the above solutions suits you, I'll get back to you with a personally autographed edition! Where can I get more information? (5.6) ---------------------------------------- For information not contained in this FAQ, check what else is available for ftp at soda.berkeley.edu, in /pub/jwang: av-announce.txt ( original press-release in csma ) av-dsp-faq.txt ( a separate AV DSP-specific FAQ ) av-games.txt ( list of AV-incompatible games ) av-general-faq.txt ( the latest version of this FAQ ) av-overview.txt ( Noah Price's hardware overview ) av-technology-wp.txt ( Apple propaganda "white paper" ) There is also an active AV mailing list. To subscribe to MacAV-L, send the following command in the BODY of mail to LISTSERV@UAFSYSB on BITNET or LISTSERV@UAFSYSB.UARK.EDU on the Internet: SUB MACAV-L your.firstname your.lastname If you only want the daily digests (one long e-mail message instead of dozens of short ones), send the following after your subscription: SET MACAV-L DIGESTS I would also recommend the comp.sys.mac.* hierarchy of newsgroups, for the sheer size of its audience if nothing else. Similar corresponding forums exist on other online services as well in case help is needed.