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diff --git a/sys/i386/isa/sound/Readme.cards b/sys/i386/isa/sound/Readme.cards new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fe17aa06 --- /dev/null +++ b/sys/i386/isa/sound/Readme.cards @@ -0,0 +1,845 @@ +Configuring VoxWare 3.0 (for Linux) with some most common soundcards +==================================================================== + +NOTE! This document may contain some error. Please inform me + if you find any mistakes. + +Read this before trying to configure the driver +----------------------------------------------- + +There are currently many cards that work with VoxWare. Some of the cards +have native support while the others work since they emulate some other +cards (usually SB, MSS/WSS and/or MPU401). The following cards have native +support in VoxWare. Detailed instructions for configuring these cards +will be given later in this document. + +Pro Audio Spectrum 16 (PAS16) and compatibles: + Pro Audio Spectrum 16 + Pro Audio Studio 16 + Logitech Sound Man 16 + NOTE! The original Pro Audio Spectrum as well as the PAS+ are not + and will not be supported by VoxWare. + +Media Vision Jazz16 based cards + Pro Sonic 16 + Logitech SoundMan Wave + (Other Jazz based cards should work but I don't have any reports + about them). + +Sound Blasters + SB 1.0 to 2.0 + SB Pro + SB 16 + NOTE! The ASP chip and the EMU synth of the AWE32 is not supported + since their manufacturer doesn't release information about + the card. However both the AB16ASP and the AWE32 work with + VoxWare just like a SB16. Also see the comment about some + unsupported cards at the end of this file. + SB16 compatible cards by other manufacturers than Creative. + You have been fooled since there are no SB16 compatible + cards in the market (July95). It's likely that your card + is compatible just with SB Pro but there is also a non SB + compatible 16 bit mode. Usually it's MSS/WSS but could also + be a proprietary one like MV Jazz16. + +Gravis Ultrasound (GUS) + GUS + GUS + the 16 bit option + GUS MAX + GUS ACE (No MIDI port and audio recording) + +MPU-401 and compatibles + The driver works both with the full (intelligent mode) MPU-401 + cards (such as MPU IPC-T and MQX-32M) and with the UART only + dumb MIDI ports. MPU-401 is currently the most common MIDI + interface. Most soundcards are compatible with it. However + don't enable MPU401 mode blindly. Many cards having native support + in VoxWare have their own MPU401 driver. Enabling the standard one + will cause a conflict with these cards. So look if your card is + in the list of supported cards before enabling MPU401. + +Windows Sound System (MSS/WSS) + Even Microsoft has discontinued their own Sound System card, they + managed to make a standard. MSS compatible cards are based on a + codec chip which is easily available from at least two manufacturers + (AD1848 by Analog Devices and CS4231/CS4248 by Crystal Semiconductor). + Currently most soundcards are based on one of the MSS compatible codec + chip. The CS4231 is used in the high quality cards such as GUS MAX, + MediaTriX AudioTriX Pro and TB Tropez (GUS MAX is not MSS compatible). + + Having a AD1848, CS4248 or CS4231 codec chip on the card is a good + sign. Even if the card is not MSS compatible, it could be easy to write + support for it to VoxWare. Note also that most MSS compatible cards + require special boot time initialization which may not be present + in VoxWare. Also some MSS compatible cards have native support in + VoxWare. Enabling the MSS support with these cards is likely to + cause a conflict. So check if your card is listed in this file before + enabling the MSS support. + +6850 UART MIDI + This UART chip is used in the MIDI interface of some (rare) + soundcards. It's supported by VoxWare in case you need it. + +Yamaha FM synthesizers (OPL2, OPL3 and OPL4) + Most soundcards have a FM synthesizer chip. The OPL2 is a 2 + operator chip used in the original AdLib card. Currently it's used + only in the cheapest (8 bit mono) cards. The OPL3 is a 4 operator + FM chip which provides better sound quality and/or more available + voices than the OPL2. The OPL4 is a new chip which has a OPL3 and + a wave table synthesizer packed on the same chip. VoxWare supports + just the OPL3 mode directly. Most cards having a OPL4 (like + SM Wave and AudioTriX Pro) support the OPL4 mode using MPU401 + emulation. Writing a native OPL4 support to VoxWare is difficult + since Yamaha doesn't give information about their sample ROM chip. + + Enable the generic OPL2/OPL3 FM synthesizer support if your + card has a FM chip made by Yamaha. Don't enable it if your card + has a software (TRS) based FM emulator. + +PSS based cards (AD1848 + ADSP-2115 + Echo ESC614 ASIC) + Analog Devices and Echo Speech have together defined a soundcard + architecture based on the above chips. The DSP chip is used + for emulation of SB Pro, FM and General MIDI/MT32. + + There are several cards based on this architecture. The most known + ones are Orchid SW32 and Cardinal DSP16. + + VoxWare supports downloading DSP algorithms to these cards. + +MediaTriX AudioTriX Pro + The ATP card is built around a CS4231 codec and a OPL4 synthesizer + chips. The OPL4 mode is supported by a microcontroller running a + General MIDI emulator. There is also a SB 1.5 compatible playback mode. + +Ensoniq SoundScape and compatibles + Ensoniq has designed a soundcard architecture based on the + OTTO synthesizer chip used in their professional MIDI synthesizers. + Several companies (including Ensoniq, Reveal and Spea) are selling + cards based on this architecture. + +MAD16 and Mozart based cards + The Mozart (OAK OTI-601) and MAD16 Pro (OPTi 82C929) interface + chips are used in many different soundcards, including some + cards by Reveal and Turtle Beach (Tropez). Purpose of these + chips is to connect other audio components to the PC bus. The + interface chip performs address decoding for the other chips. + +Audio Excell DSP16 + Support for this card is made by Riccardo Faccetti + (riccardo@cdc8g5.cdc.polimi.it). See aedsp16.c for more info. + +Crystal CS4232 based cards such as AcerMagic S23 + CS4232 is a PnP multimedia chip which contains a CS3231A codec, + SB and MPU401 emulations. There is support for OPL3 too. + (Unfortunately the MPU401 mode doesn't work). + +Turtle Beach Maui and Tropez + VoxWare supports sample, parch and program loading commands + described in the Maui/Tropez User's manual. There is no initialization + code for Maui so it must be initialized using DOS. Audio side of Tropez + is based on the MAD16 chip (see above). + +Jumpers and software configuration +---------------------------------- + +Some of the earliest soundcards were jumper configurable. You have to +configure VoxWare to configure VoxWare use I/O, IRQ and DMA settings +that match the jumpers. Just few 8 bit cards are fully jumper +configurable (SB 1.x/2.x, SB Pro and clones). +Some cards made by Aztech have an EEPROM which contains the +config info. These cards behave much like hardware jumpered cards. + +Most cards have jumper for the base I/O address but other parameters +are software configurable. Sometimes there are few other jumpers too. + +Latest cards are fully software configurable or they are PnP ISA +compatible. There are no jumpers on the board. + +VoxWare handles software configurable cards automaticly. Just configure +the driver to use I/O, IRQ and DMA settings which are known to work. +You could usually use the same values than with DOS and/or Windows. +Using different settings is possible but not recommended since it may cause +some trouble (for example when warm booting from an OS to another or +when installing new hardware to the machine). + +VoxWare sets the soft configurable parameters of the card automaticly +during boot. Usually you don't need to run any extra initialization +programs when booting Linux but there are some exceptions. See the +card specific instructions (below) for more info. + +The drawback of software configuration is that the driver needs to know +how the card must be initialized. It cannot initialize unknown cards +even if they are otherwise compatible with some other cards (like SB, +MPU401 or Windows Sound System). + +What if your card was not listed above? +--------------------------------------- + +The first thing to do is to look at the major IC chips on the card. +Many of the latest soundcards are based on some standard chips. If you +are lucky, all of them could be supported by VoxWare. The most common ones +are the OPTi MAD16, Mozart, SoundScape (Ensoniq) and the PSS architectures +listed above. Also look at the end of this file for list of unsupported +cards and the ones which could be supported later. + +The last resort is to send _exact_ name and model information of the card +to me together with a list of the major IC chips (manufactured, model) to +me. I could then try to check if your card looks like something familiar. + +There are much more cards in the word than listed above. The first thing to +do with these cards is to check if they emulate some other card/interface +such as SB, MSS and/or MPU401. In this case there is a chance to get the +card to work by booting DOS before starting Linux (boot DOS, hit ctrl-alt-del +and boot Linux without hard resetting the machine). In this method the +DOS based driver initializes the hardware to use a known I/O, IRQ and DMA +settings. If VoxWare is configured to use the same settings, everything should +work OK. + + +Configuring VoxWare (with Linux) +================================ + +VoxWare sound driver is currently a part of Linux kernel distribution. The +driver files are located in directory /usr/src/linux/drivers/sound. + +**************************************************************************** +* VoxWare MUST BE CONFIGURED AND COMPILED WITH THE KERNEL. TRYING * +* TO COMPILE IT ALONE WILL _NOT_ WORK. * +* * +* ALWAYS USE THE SOUND DRIVER VERSION WHICH IS DISTRIBUTED WITH * +* THE KERNEL SOURCE PACKAGE YOU ARE USING. SOME ALPHA AND BETA TEST * +* VERSIONS CAN BE INSTALLED FROM A SEPARATELY DISTRIBUTED PACKAGE * +* BUT CHECK THAT THE PACKAGE IS NOT MUCH OLDER (OR NEWER) THAN THE * +* KERNEL YOU ARE USING. IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE KERNEL/DRIVER * +* INTERFACE CHANGES BETWEEN KERNEL RELEASES WHICH MAY CAUSE SOME * +* INCOMPATIBILITY PROBLEMS. * +* * +* IN CASE YOU INSTALL A SEPARATELY DISTRIBUTED SOUND DRIVER VERSION, * +* BE SURE TO REMOVE OR RENAME THE OLD SOUND DRIVER DIRECTORY BEFORE * +* INSTALLING THE NEW ONE. LEAVING OLD FILES TO THE SOUND DRIVER * +* DIRECTORY _WILL_ CAUSE PROBLEMS WHEN THE DRIVER IS USED OR * +* COMPILED. * +**************************************************************************** + +To configure the driver, run "make config" in the kernel source directory +(/usr/src/linux). Answer y to the question about Sound card support (after +questions about mouse, CD-ROM, ftape, etc. supports). Sound config options +will then be asked after some additional questions. + +After configuring the kernel and sound driver, run "make dep" and compile +the kernel following instructions in the kernel README. + +The sound driver configuration dialog +------------------------------------- + +All config information of the sound driver is written to file +linux/drivers/sound/local.h. You may save the old version is this file and +use it again in case you want to use the same config later. In this case +just answer n to each question made by the sound config program and put +the original local.h back before running "make dep". +Don't do this if the version number of the sound driver has changed. In this +case you have to enter the configuration information again. + +If you already have the sound driver installed, consult printout of +"cat /dev/sndstat" when configuring the driver again. It gives the I/O, +IRQ and DMA settings you have used earlier. + + +The sound config program (linux/drivers/sound/configure) starts by making +some yes/no questions. Be careful when answering to these questions since +answering y to a question may prevent some later ones from being asked. For +example don't answer y to the first question (PAS16) if you don't really +have a PAS16. Don't enable more cards than you really need since they +just consume memory. Also some drivers (like MPU401) may conflict with your +SCSI controller and prevent kernel from booting. If you card was in the list +of supported cards (above), please look at the card specific config +instructions (later in this file) before starting to configure. Some cards +must be configured in way which is not obvious. + +So here is the beginning of the config dialog. Answer 'y' or 'n' to these +questions. The default answer is shown so that (y/n) means 'y' by default and +(n/y) means 'n'. To use the default value, just hit ENTER. But be careful +since using the default _doesn't_ guarantee anything. + +Note also that all questions may not be asked. The configuration program +may disable some questions dependig on the earlier choices. It may also +select some options automaticly as well. + + "ProAudioSpectrum 16 support", + - Answer 'y'_ONLY_ if you have a Pro Audio Spectrum _16_, + ProAudio Studio 16 or Logitech SoundMan 16 (be sure that + you read the above list correctly). Don't answer 'y' if you + have some other card made by Media Vision or Logitech since they + are not PAS16 compatible. + "SoundBlaster support", + - Answer 'y' if you have an original SB card made by Creative Labs + or a full 100% hardware compatible clone (like Thunderboard or + SM Games). If your card was in the list of supported cards (above), + please look at the card specific instructions later in this file + before answering this question. For an unknown card you may answer + 'y' if the card claims to be SB compatible. + + Don't enable SB if you have a MAD16 or Mozart compatible card. + + "Generic OPL2/OPL3 FM synthesizer support", + - Answer 'y' if your card has a FM chip made by Yamaha (OPL2/OPL3/OPL4). + Answering 'y' is usually a safe and recommended choice. However some + cards may have software (TSR) FM emulation. Enabling FM support + with these cards may cause trouble. However I don't currently know + such cards. + "Gravis Ultrasound support", + - Answer 'y' if you have GUS or GUS MAX. Answer 'n' if you don't + have GUS since the GUS driver consumes much memory. + Currently I don't have experiences with the GUS ACE so I don't + know what to answer with it. + "MPU-401 support (NOT for SB16)", + - Be careful with this question. The MPU401 interface is supported + by almost any soundcard today. However some natively supported cards + have their own driver for MPU401. Enabling the MPU401 option with + these cards wil cause a conflict. Also enabling MPU401 on a system + that doesn't really have a MPU401 could cause some trouble. If your + card was in the list of supported cards (above), please look at + the card specific instructions later in this file. + It's safe to answer 'y' if you have a true MPU401 MIDI interface + card. + "6850 UART Midi support", + - It's safe to answer 'n' to this question in all cases. The 6850 + UART interface is so rarely used. + "PSS (ECHO-ADI2111) support", + - Answer 'y' only if you have Orchid SW32, Cardinal DSP16 or some + other card based on the PSS chipset (AD1848 codec + ADSP-2115 + DSP chip + Echo ESC614 ASIC CHIP). + "16 bit sampling option of GUS (_NOT_ GUS MAX)", + - Answer 'y' if you have installed the 16 bit sampling daughtercard + to your GUS. Answer 'n' if you have GUS MAX. Enabling this option + disables GUS MAX support. + "GUS MAX support", + - Answer 'y' only if you have a GUS MAX. + "Microsoft Sound System support", + - Again think carefully before answering 'y' to this question. It's + safe to answer 'y' in case you have the original Windows Sound + System card made by Microsoft or Aztech SG 16 Pro (or NX16 Pro). + Also you may answer 'y' in case your card was not listed earlier + in this file. For cards having native support in VoxWare, consult + the card specific instructions later in this file. Some drivers + have their own MSS support and enabling this option wil cause a + conflict. + "Ensoniq Soundscape support", + - Answer 'y' if you have a soundcard based on the Ensoniq SoundScape + chipset. Suach cards are being manufactured at least by Ensoniq, + Spea and Reveal (note that Reveal makes other cards also). + "MediaTriX AudioTriX Pro support", + - Answer 'y' if you have the AudioTriX Pro. + "Support for MAD16 and/or Mozart based cards", + - Answer y if your card has a Mozart (OAK OTI-601) or MAD16 + (OPTi 82C928 or 82C929) audio interface chip. These chips are + currently quite common so it's possible that many no-name cards + have one of them. In addition the MAD16 chip is used in some + cards made by known manufacturers such as Turtle Beach (Tropez), + Reveal (some models) and Diamond (latest ones). + "SoundBlaster Pro support", + - Enable this option if your card is SB Pro or SB16. Enable it + also with any SB Pro clones. Answering 'n' saves some amount of + memory but 'y' is the safe alterative. + "SoundBlaster 16 support", + - Enable if you have a SB16 (including the AWE32). + "Audio Excel DSP 16 initialization support", + - Don't know much about this card. Look at aedsp16.c for more info. + +Then the configuration program asks some y/n questions about the higher +level services. It's recommended to answer 'y' to each of these questions. +Answer 'n' only if you know you will not need the option. + + "/dev/dsp and /dev/audio supports (usually required)", + - Answering 'n' disables /dev/dsp and /dev/audio. Answer 'y'. + "MIDI interface support", + - Answering 'n' disables /dev/midi## devices and access to any + MIDI ports using /dev/sequencer and /dev/music. This option + also affects any MPU401 and/or General MIDI compatible devices. + "FM synthesizer (YM3812/OPL-3) support", + - Answer 'y' here. + "/dev/sequencer support", + - Answering 'n' disables /dev/sequencer and /dev/music. + +Entering the I/O, IRQ and DMA config parameters +----------------------------------------------- + +After the above questions the configuration program prompts for the +card specific configuration information. Usually just a set of +I/O address, IRQ and DMA numbers are asked. With some cards the program +asks for some files to be used during initialization of the card. For example +many cards have a DSP chip or microprocessor which must be initialized by +downloading a program (microcode) file to the card. In some cases this file +is written to a .h file by the config program and then included to the driver +during compile. + +Instructions for answering these questions are given in the next section. + + +Card specific information +========================= + +This section gives additional instructions about configuring some cards. +Please refer manual of your card for valid I/O, IRQ and DMA numbers. Using +the same settings with DOS/Windows and VoxWare is recommended. Using +different values could cause some problems when switching between +different operating systems. + +SoundBlasters (the original ones by Creative) +--------------------------------------------- + +It's possible to configure these cards to use different I/O, IRQ and +DMA settings. Since the available settings have changed between various +models, you have to consult manual of your card for the proper ones. It's +a good idea to use the same values than with DOS/Windows. With SB and SB Pro +it's the only choice. SB16 has software selectable IRQ and DMA channels but +using different values with DOS and Linux is likely to cause troubles. The +DOS driver is not able to reset the card properly after warm boot from Linux +if Linux has used different IRQ or DMA values. + +The original (steam) Sound Blaster (versions 1.x and 2.x) use always +DMA1. There is no way to change it. + +The SB16 needs two DMA channels. A 8 bit one (1 or 3) is required for +8 bit operation and a 16 bit one (5, 6 or 7) for the 16 bit mode. In theory +it's possible to use just one (8 bit) DMA channel by answering the 8 bit +one when the configuration program asks for the 16 bit one. This may work +in some systems but is likely to cause terrible noise on some other systems. + +NOTE! Don't enable the SM Games option (asked by the configuration program) + if you are not 101% sure that your card is a Logitech Soundman Games + (not a SM Wave or SM16). + +SB Clones +--------- + +First of all: There are no SB16 clones. There are SB Pro clones with a +16 bit mode which is not SB16 compatible. The most likely alternative is that +the 16 bit mode means MSS/WSS. + +There are just few fully 100% hardware SB or SB Pro compatible cards. +I know just Thunderboard and SM Games. Other cards require some kind of +hardware initialization before they become SB compatible. Check if your card +was listed in the beginning of this file. In this case you should follow +instructions for your card later in this file. + +For other not fully SB clones yoy may try initialization using DOS in +the following way: + + - Boot DOS so that the card specific driver gets run. + - Hit ctrl-alt-del (or use loadlin) to boot Linux. Don't + switch off power or press the reset button. + - If you use the same I/O, IRQ and DMA settings in Linux, the + card should work. + +If your card is both SB and MSS compatible, I recommend using the MSS mode. +Most cards of this kind are not able to work in the SB and the MSS mode +simultaneously. Using the MSS mode provides 16 bit recording and playback. + +ProAudioSpectrum 16 and compatibles +----------------------------------- + +There are nothing special with these cards. Just don't enable any +other cards in case you don't have them also. The PAS16 has +a SB mode so the driver config program will prompt for the SB settings +do. Use I/O 0x220 and DMA1 for the SB mode. Ensure that you assign different +IRQ numbers for the SB and PAS16 modes. + +With PAS16 you can use two audio device files at the same time. /dev/dsp (and +/dev/audio) is connected to the 8/16 bit native codec and the /dev/dsp1 (and +/dev/audio1) is connected to the SB emulation (8 bit mono only). + +Gravis Ultrasound +----------------- + +There are many different revisions of the Ultrasound card (GUS). The +earliest ones (pre 3.7) don't have a hardware mixer. With these cards +the driver uses a software emulation for synth and pcm playbacks. It's +also possible to switch some of the inputs (line in, mic) off by setting +mixer volume of the channel level below 10%. For recording you have +to select the channel as a recording source and to use volume above 10%. + +GUS 3.7 has a hardware mixer. + +GUS MAX and the 16 bit sampling daughtercard have a CS4231 codec chip which +also contains a mixer. + +Configuring GUS is simple. Just enable the GUS support and GUS MAX or +the 16 bit daughtercard if you have them. Note that enabling the daughter +card disables GUS MAX driver. + +With just the standard GUS enabled the configuration program prompts +for the I/O, IRQ and DMA numbers for the card. Use the same values than +with DOS. + +With the daughter card option enabled you will be prompted for the I/O, +IRQ and DMA numbers for the daughter card. You have to use different I/O +and DMA values than for the standard GUS. The daughter card permits +simultaneous recording and playback. Use /dev/dsp (the daughtercard) for +recording and /dev/dsp1 (GUS GF1) for playback. + +GUS MAX uses the same I/O address and IRQ settings than the original GUS +(GUS MAX = GUS + a CS4231 codec). In addition an extra DMA channel may be used. +Using two DMA channels permits simultaneous playback using two devices +(dev/dsp0 and /dev/dsp1). The second DMA channel is required for +full duplex audio. +To enable the second DMA channels, give a valid DMA channel when the config +program asks for the GUS MAX DMA (entering -1 disables the second DMA). +Using 16 bit DMA channels (5,6 or 7) is recommended. + +If you have problems in recording with GUS MAX, you could try to use +just one 8 bit DMA channel. Recording will not work with one DMA +channel if it's a 16 bit one. + + + +MPU401 and Windows Sound System +------------------------------- + +Again. Don't enable these options in case your card is listed +somewhere else in this file. + +Configuring these cards is obvious (or it should be). With MSS +you should propably enable the OPL3 synth also since +most MSS compatible cards have it. However check that this is true +before enabling OPL3. + +VoxWare supports more than one MPU401 compatible cards at the same time +but the config program asks config info for just the first of them. +Adding the second or third MPU interfaces must be done manually by +editing sound/local.h (after running the config program). Add defines for +MPU2_BASE & MPU2_IRQ (and MPU3_BASE & MPU3_IRQ) to the file. + +CAUTION! + +The default I/O base of Adaptec AHA-1542 SCSI controller is 0x330 which +is also the default of the MPU401 driver. Don't configure the sound driver to +use 0x330 as the MPU401 base if you have a AHA1542. The kernel will not boot +if you make this mistake. + +PSS +--- + +Even the PSS cards are compatible with SB, MSS and MPU401, you must not +enable these options when configuring the driver. The configuration +program handles these options itself. (You may use the SB, MPU and MSS options +together with PSS if you have another card on the system). + +The PSS driver enables MSS and MPU401 modes of the card. SB is not enabled +since it doesn't work concurrently with MSS. The driver loads also a +DSP algorithm which is used to for the general MIDI emulation. The +algorithm file (.ld) is read by the config program and written to a +file included when the pss.c is compiled. For this reason the config +program asks if you want to download the file. Use the genmidi.ld file +distributed with the DOS/Windows drivers of the card (don't use the mt32.ld). +With some cards the file is called 'synth.ld'. You must have access to +the file when configuring the driver. The easiest way is to mount the DOS +partition containing the file with Linux. + +It's possible to load your own DSP algorithms and run them with the card. +Look at the directory sound/pss_test for more info (in the VoxWare-3.0.tar.gz) +package. + +AudioTriX Pro +------------- + +You have to enable the OPL3 and SB (not SB Pro or SB16) drivers in addition +to the native AudioTriX driver. Don't enable MSS or MPU drivers. + +Configuring ATP is little bit tricky since it uses so many I/O, IRQ and +DMA numbers. Using the same values than with DOS/Win is a good idea. Don't +attemp to use the same IRQ or DMA channels twice. + +The SB mode of ATP is implemented so the the ATP driver just enables SB +in the proper address. The SB driver handles the rest. Yoy have to configure +both the SB driver and the SB mode of ATP to use the same IRQ, DMA and I/O +settings. + +Also the ATP has a microcontroller for the General MIDI emulation (OPL4). +For this reason the driver asks for the name of a file containing the +microcode (TRXPRO.HEX). This file is usually located in the directory +where the DOS drivers were installed. You must have access to this file +when configuring the driver. + +If you have the effects daughtercard, it must be initialized by running +the setfx program of snd-util-3.0.tar.gz package. This step is not required +when using the (future) binary distribution version of the driver. + +Ensoniq SoundScape +------------------ + +The SoundScape driver handles initialization of MSS and MPU supports +itself so you don't need to enable other drivers than SoundScape +(enable also the /dev/dsp, /dev/sequencer and MIDI supports). + +SoundScape driver uses the MSS compatible codec of the card. It's important +to note that /dev/dsp0 (/dev/dsp is linked to /dev/dsp0 by default) +doesn't work with SoundScape (yet). The 'ssinit' program needs /dev/dsp0 so +that's the reason why it's there. It's possible that 'primary' pcm channel +becomes supported later. Currently the card's firmware doesn't contain +support for it. + +With 3.0 of VoxWare you have to change your system to use /dev/dsp1 by default +so execute: cd /dev;rm dsp;ln -s dsp1 dsp after you have installed VoxWare +3.0 (first time). + +The configuration program asks two DMA channels and two interrupts. One IRQ +and one DMA is used by the MSS codec. The second IRQ is required for the +MPU401 mode (you have to use different IRQs for both purposes). +The second DMA channel is required for initialization of the microcontroller. +You have to use separate DMA channels. + +The SoundScape card has a Motorola microcontroller which must initialized +_after_ boot (the driver doesn't initialize it during boot). +The initialization is done by running the 'ssinit' program which is +distributed in the snd-util-3.0.tar.gz package. You have to edit two +defines in the ssinit.c and then compile the program. You may run ssinit +manually (after each boot) or add it to /etc/rc.d/rc.local. + +The ssinit program needs the microcode file that comes with the DOS/Windows +driver of the card. You will need to use version 1.30.00 or later +of the microcode file (sndscape.co0 or sndscape.co1 depending on +your card model). THE OLD sndscape.cod WILL NOT WORK. IT WILL HANG YOUR +MACHINE. The only way to get the new microcode file is to download +and install the DOS/Windows driver from ftp://ftp.ensoniq.com/pub. + +Then you have to select the proper microcode file to use: soundscape.co0 +is the right one for most cards and sndscape.co1 is for few (older) cards +made by Reveal and/or Spea. The driver has capability to detect the card +version during boot. Look at the boot log messages in /var/adm/messages +and locate the sound driver initialization message for the SoundScape +card. If the driver displays string <Ensoniq Soundscape (old)>, you have +an old card and you will need to use sndscape.co1. For other cards use +soundscape.co0. + +Check /var/adm/messages after running ssinit. The driver prints +the board version after downloading the microcode file. That version +number must match the number in the name of the microcode file (extension). + +Running ssinit with a wrong version of the sndscape.co? file is not +dangerous as long as you don't try to use a file called sndscape.cod. +If you have initialized the card using a wrong microcode file (sounds +are terrible), just modify ssinit.c to use another microcode file and try +again. It's possible to use an earlier version of sndscape.co[01] but it +may sound wierd. + +Btw, The driver may complain something about "sscapeintr()" after +running ssinit. You should just ignore these messages. + +MAD16 (Pro) and Mozart +---------------------- + +You need to enable just the MAD16 /Mozart support when configuring +the driver. _Don't_ enable SB, MPU401 or MSS. However you will need the +/dev/audio, /dev/sequencer and MIDI supports. + +Mozart and OPTi 82C928 (the original MAD16) chips don't support +MPU401 mode so enter just 0 when the configuration program asks the +MPU/MIDI I/O base. The MAD16 Pro (OPTi 82C929) has MPU401 mode. + +TB Tropez is based on the 82C929 chip. It has two MIDI ports. +The one connected to the MAD16 chip is the second one (there is a second +MIDI connector/pins somewhere??). If you have not connected the second MIDI +port, just disable the MIDI port of MAD16. The 'Maui' compatible synth of +Tropez is jumper configurable and not connected to the MAD16 chip. +It can be used by enabling the stand alone MPU401 support but you have +to initialize it by using the MS-DOS SNDSETUP program. + +There are some other OPTi chips which may be used in soundcards such as +82C930 and MAC32. These chips are not supported by VoxWare yet. Please +contact me if you have a soundcard which uses these chips. + +Some MAD16 based cards may cause feedback, whistle or terrible noise if the +line3 mixer channel is turned too high. + +If you have a MAD16 card which have an OPL4 (FM + Wave table) synthesizer +chip (_not_ an OPL3), you have to apped line containing #define MAD16_OPL4 +to the file linux/dirvers/sound/local.h (after running make config). + +MV Jazz (ProSonic) +------------------ + +The Jazz16 driver is just a hack made to the SB Pro driver. However it works +fairly well. You have to enable SB, SB Pro (_not_ SB16) and MPU401 supports +when configuring the driver. The configuration program asks later if you +want support for MV Jazz16 based cards (after asking SB base address). Answer +'y' here and the driver asks the second (16 bit) DMA channel. + +The Jazz16 driver uses the MPU401 driver in a way which will cause +problems if you have another MPU401 compatible card. In this case you must +give address of the Jazz16 based MPU401 interface when the config +program prompts for the MPU401 information. Then look at the MPU401 +spesific section for instructions about configuring more than one MPU401 cards. + +Logitech Soundman Wave +---------------------- + +Read the above MV Jazz spesific instructions first. + +The Logitech SoundMan Wave (don't confuse with the SM16 or SM Games) is +a MV Jazz based card which has an additional OPL4 based wave table +synthesizer. The OPL4 chip is handled by an on board microcontroller +which must be initialized during boot. The config program asks if +you have a SM Wave immediately after asking the second DMA channel of jazz16. +If you answer 'y', the config program will ask name of the file containing +code to be loaded to the microcontroller. The file is usually called +MIDI0001.BIN and it's located in the DOS/Windows driver directory. The file +may also be called as TSUNAMI.BIN or something else (older cards?). + +The OPL4 synth will be inaccessible without loading the microcontroller code. +Also remember to enable MPU401 support if you want to use the OPL4 mode. + +NOTE! Don't answer 'y' when the driver asks about SM Games support + (the next question after the MIDI0001.BIN name). However + aneswering 'y' is not dangerous. + +Sound Galaxies +-------------- + +There are many different Sound Galaxy cards made by Aztech. The 8 bit +ones are fully SB or SB Pro compatible and there should be no problems +with them. + +The older 16 bit cards (SG Pro16, SG NX Pro16, Nova and Lyra) have +an EEPROM chip for storing the configuration data. There is a microcontroller +which initializes the card to match the EEPROM settigs when the machine +is powered on. These cards actually behave just like they have jumpers +for all of the settings. Configure VoxWare for MSS, MPU, SB/SB Pro and OPL3 +supports with these cards. + +The config program asks if you want support for the mixer of +SG NX Pro. Answer 'y' to these questions if you have one of the above 8 or +16 bit Aztech cards. + +There are some new Sound Galaxies in the market. I have no experience with +them so read the card's manual carefully. + + +Reveal cards +------------ + +There are several different cards made/marketed by Reveal. Some of them +are compatible with SoundScape and some use the MAD16 chip. You may have +to look at the card and try to identify origin of the card. + +Diamond +------- + +The oldest (Sierra Aria based) soundcards made by Diamond are not supported +(they may work if the card is initialized using DOS). The recent (LX?) +models are based on the MAD16 chip which is supported by VoxWare. + +Audio Excel DSP16 +----------------- + +See comments in aedsp16.c. + + +PCMCIA cards +------------ + +Sorry, can't help. Some cards may work and some don't. + +TI TM4000M notebooks +-------------------- + +These computers have a built in sound support based on the Jazz chipset. +Look at the instructions for MV Jazz (above). It's also important to note +that there is something wrong with the mouse port and sound at least on +some TM models. Don't enable the "C&T 82C710 mouse port support" when +configuring Linux. Having it enabled is likely to cause mysterious problems +and kernel failures when sound is used. + +Others? +------- + +Since there are so many different soundcards, it's likely that I have +forgotten to mention many of them. Please inform me if you know yet another +card which works with Linux, please inform me (or is anybody else +willing to maintain a database of supported cards (just like in XF86)?). + +Cards not supported yet +======================= + +First of all. There is an easy way to make most soundcards to work +with Linux. Just use the DOS based driver to initialize the card +to a _known_ state. Then ctrl-alt-del to Linux. If Linux is configured +to use the sama I/O, IRQ and DMA numbers than DOS, the card could work. + +Don't get fooled with SB compatibility. Most cards are compatible with +SB but that may require a TSR which is not possible with Linux. If +the card is compatible with MSS, it's a better choise. Some cards +don't work in the SB and MSS modes at the same time. + +There are some cards which will be supported by VoxWare sooner or later +(currently at least cards based on the ESS chipset). Such cards are +so common that there is some idea in writing the driver. Check the +VoxWare home page (http://personal.eunet.fi/pp/voxware) for latest +information. + +Then there are cards which are no longer manufactured and/or which +are relatively rarely used (such as the 8 bit ProAudioSpectrum +models). It's extremely unlikely that such cards never get supported. +Adding support for a new card requires much work and increases time +required in maintaining the driver (some changes need to be done +to all low level drivers and be tested too, maybe with multiple +operating systems). For this reason I have made a desicion to not support +obsolete cards. It's possible that someone else makes a separately +distributed driver (diffs) for the card. Version v4.0 will be much more +modular so making separately distributed drivers will be easier with it. +(The bad news is that v4.0 will not be available before late -96). + +Writing a driver for a new card is not possible if there are no +programming information available about the card. If you don't +find your new card from this file, look from the home page +(http://personal.eunet.fi/pp/voxware). Then please contact +manufacturer of the card and ask if they have (or are willing to) +released technical details of the card. Do this before contacting me. I +can only answer 'no' if there are no programming information available. + +Some companies don't give low level technical information about their +products to public or at least their require signing a NDA. + +I have also made decicion to not accept code based on reverse engineering +to VoxWare. There are three main reasons: First I don't want to break +relationships to sound card manufacturers. The second reason is that +maintaining and supporting a driver withoun any specs will be a pain. The +third reason is that why shoud we help such companies in selling their +products to Linux users when they don't want to sell to Linux users +at all? + +Unfortunately many of the leading soundcard manufacturers are not willing +to co-operate with Linux/Unix community. For example: Creative Technology +doesn't give information about the ASP chip and the Emu synth chip of AWE32 +and SB32. Turtle Beach don't give information about any of their +products. MediaVision requires NDA before they are willing to +give information about the Jazz16 chip (fortunately Logitech gave +the info about SM Wave). + +So at least the above three companies are out until they are willing to +release documentation about their products (the situation is the +same with many DOS based freeware/shareware games and utilities). If +you want to use Linux/Unix with their cards, please don't try to push +me. It's a better idea to contact the manufacturer and explain that +you want to use your card with Linux/Unix. You could also try to sell +your card to somebody else and then buy a card that is supported by VoxWare. + +However it's possible that things change and a driver gets written +for some of the banned cards. Please, don't send me messages asking if +there is any plans to write a driver for the cards mentioned above. I +will put any news to the VoxWare www home page (see below). + +There are some common audio chipsets that are supported yet. For example +the ESS chips and Sierra Aria. It's likely that these architectures +get some support in future but I can't make any promises. Just look +at the home page for latest info. + +Information about unsupported soundcards and chipsets is welcome as well +as free copies of soundcards, SDKs and operating systems. + +If you have any corrections and/or comments, please contact me. + +Hannu Savolainen +hannu@voxware.pp.fi +VoxWare www home page: http://personal.eunet.fi/pp/voxware + |
