VoxWare v3.5-alpha4 release notes
---------------------------------
IMPORTANT! This version of the driver is compatible only with Linux versions
1.3.58 and later. It may work with earlier ones as a loadable
module but...
Also this is an ALPHA test version which has not been tested
with all cards. At least AEDSP16 support will not work. PAS16
and PSS supports have not been tested. /dev/dsp and /dev/audio
playback with standard GUS sounds scrambled. 16 bit mode of
SB16 doesn't work.
Please read the SOUND-HOWTO (available from sunsite.unc.edu and other Linux ftp
sites). It contains much more information than this file.
*****************************************************************
* NEW! VoxWare home page is http://personal.eunet.fi/pp/voxware *
* The file Readme.cards contains card specific instructions *
* about configuring various cards. *
*****************************************************************
There are some programming information (little bit old) in the
Hacker's Guide
(ftp://nic.funet.fi/pub/OS/Linux/ALPHA/sound/snd-sdk-doc-0.1.ps.gz).
Believe me: The file is really there. The directory is just hidden and
you have to cd into it before the file is visible. Note: This directory
was accidently removed some time ago but it's now back.
I have got many patches from various persons during last year. Some of
them are still on my mailbox and they should be included in versions
after v3.0 (I will not add aditional features before v3.0 is ready).
====================================================
- THIS VERSION ____REQUIRES____ Linux 1.3.58 OR LATER.
====================================================
- THIS VERSION MAY NOT WORK WITH Linux VERSIONS RELEASED
AFTER end of Feb 1996. If this version doesn't compile with
your kernel version, please use the sound driver version
included in your kernel.
You will need the snd-util-3.0.tar.gz and snd-data-0.1.tar.Z
packages to use this driver. They should be in the same
ftp site or BBS from where you got this driver. For
example at nic.funet.fi:pub/OS/Linux/*.
If you are looking for the installation instructions, please
look at linux/Readme.
Supported soundcards
--------------------
Gravis Ultrasound (GUS)
GUS MAX
GUS with the 16 bit sampling daughtercard
PAS16
Windows Sound System compatible soundcards
ECHO-PSS (cards based on the PSS architecture by Analog Devices.
Including Orchid SW32, Cardinal DSP16 among others).
(NOTE! WSS mode may not work (DMA channel setup problem)).
MediaTriX AudioTriX Pro (OPL4 and the optional effect daughtercard
require special initialization. There is a program (setfx) in
the snd-util-3.0.tar.gz package which does it).
Ensoniq SoundScape (works but needs some improvements)
MV Jazz16 based soundcards (ProSonic, 3D etc).
SoundMan Wave
Mozart (OAK OTI-601 interface chip) based soundcards.
MAD16 (an interface chip by OPTi) based soundcards (TB Tropez ???).
(NOTE! The MAD16 looks similar to the Mozart chip. It could be a good
idea to configure MAD16 cards as Mozart ones. The MAD16 driver doesn't set
up MPU401 which the Mozart one does.
CS4232 based cards such as AcerMagic S23.
In addition all Sound Blaster models and clones (up to AWE32) work if
you want to use them.
The Emu synthesizer chip of AWE32 is not and will not be supported. The same is
true with the ASP chip also. Creative Technology will not release detailed
information about them so it's not possible to support them.
If you want to get support for AWE32 or ASP, please contact Creative Labs.
Ask _politely_ if they are going to support Linux. Maybe they change
their policy if there is enough demand.
===========================================================================
If your card is compatible with SB, MPU401 or Windows Sound System, it
may work with the driver even if it's not listed in the above list. In this
case it may require initialization using DOS. Just start DOS and cold
boot to Linux (etc.) by hitting ctrl-alt-del.
===========================================================================
Compatibility with the earlier versions
---------------------------------------
There have been some changes in soundcard.h after v2.5 of the driver
(v2.90 is compatible with this one). Binaries compiled with this version
of soundcard.h will not work with v2.0 and earlier.
Contributors
------------
This driver contains code by several contributors. In addition several other
persons have given usefull suggestions. The following is a list of major
contributors. (I could have forgotten some names.)
Craig Metz 1/2 of the PAS16 Mixer and PCM support
Rob Hooft Volume computation algorithm for the FM synth.
Mika Liljeberg uLaw encoding and decoding routines
Andy Fingerhut New ulaw conversion tables (ulaw.h)
Jeff Tranter Linux SOUND HOWTO document
Greg Lee Volume computation algorithm for the GUS and
lot's of valuable suggestions.
Andy Warner ISC port
Jim Lowe,
Amancio Hasty Jr FreeBSD/NetBSD port
Anders Baekgaard Bughunting and valuable suggestions.
Joerg Schubert SB16 DSP support.
Andrew Robinson Improvements to the GUS driver
Megens SA MIDI recording for SB and SB Pro.
Mikael Nordqvist Linear volume support for GUS and
nonblocking /dev/sequencer.
Ian Hartas SVR4.2 port
Markus Aroharju and
Risto Kankkunen Major contributions to the mixer support
of GUS v3.7.
Hunyue Yau Mixer support for SG NX Pro.
Marc Hoffman PSS support.
Rainer Vranken Initialization for Jazz16 (ProSonic, MV3D, SM Wave).
Peter Trattler Initial version of loadable module support for Linux.
JRA Gibson 16 bit mode for Jazz16
Davor Jadrijevic MAD16 support
Gregor Hoffleit Mozart support
Riccardo Facchetti Audio Excel DSP 16 (aedsp16) support
There are propably many other names missing. If you have sent me some
patches and your name is not in the above list, please inform me.
Sponsors etc.
-------------
The following companies have greatly helped development of this driver
in form of a free copy of their product:
Novell, Inc. UnixWare personal edition + SDK
The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc. A SCO OpenServer + SDK
Ensoniq Corp, a SoundScape card and extensive amount of assistance
MediaTriX Peripherals Inc, a AudioTriX Pro card + SDK
Acer, Inc. a pair of AcerMagic S23 cards.
In addition the following companies have provided me sufficial amount
of technical information at least some of their products (free or $$$):
Advanced Gravis Computer Technology Ltd.
Media Vision Inc.
Analog Devices Inc.
Logitech Inc.
Aztech Labs Inc.
Crystal Semiconductor Corporation,
Integrated Circuit Systems Inc.
OAK Technology
OPTi
Ad Lib Inc. ($$)
Music Quest Inc. ($$)
Creative Labs ($$$)
If you have some problems
=========================
Read the sound HOWTO (sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/docs/...?).
Also look at the home page (http://personal.eunet.fi/pp/voxware). It may
contain info about some recent bug fixes.
It's likely that you have some problems when trying to use the sound driver
first time. Soundcards don't have standard configuration so there are no
good default configuration to use. Please try to use same I/O, DMA and IRQ
values for the soundcard than with DOS.
If you get an error message when trying to use the driver, please look
at /var/adm/messages for more verbose error message.
In general the easiest way to diagnoze problems is to do "cat /dev/sndstat".
If you get an error message, there are some problems with the driver setup:
- "No such file or directory" tells that the device files for
the sound driver are missing. Use the script at the end of
linux/drivers/sound/Readme.linux to create them.
- "No such device" telss that the sound driver is not in the kernel.
You have to reconfigure and recompile the kernel to have the sound
driver. Compiling the driver doesn't help alone. You have to boot
with the newly compiled one before the driver becomes active.
The Linux-HOWTO should help in this step.
The following errors are likely with /dev/dsp and /dev/audio.
- "No such device or address". This error message should not happen
with /dev/sndstat but it's possible with the other sound devices.
This error indicates that there are no suitable hardware for the
device file or the sound driver has been compiled without support for
this particular device. For example /dev/audio and /dev/dsp will not
work if "digitized voice support" was not enabled during "make config".
- "Device or resource busy". Propably the IRQ (or DMA) channel
required by the soundcard is in use by some other device/driver.
- "I/O error". Almost certainly (99%) it's an IRQ or DMA conflict.
Look at the kernel messages in /var/adm/notice for more info.
- "Invalid argument". The application is calling ioctl()
with impossible parameters. Check that the application is
for sound driver version 2.X or later.
In general the printout of of /dev/sndstat should tell what is the problem.
It's possible that there are bugs in the sound driver but 99% of the problems
reported to me are caused by somehow incorrect setup during "make config".
For owners of TI TM4000M notebooks
----------------------------------
There appears to be some kind of conflict between the sound support
(MV Jazz), mouse port and VoxWare. You could try to configure kernel
with the C&T 82C710 mouse port support disabled.
Hannu
Regards,
Hannu Savolainen
hannu@voxware.pp.fi
(or Hannu.Savolainen@cctap.carel.fi in case the above bounces)
Snail mail: Hannu Savolainen
Hiekkalaiturintie 3 A 8
00980 Helsinki
Finland
NOTE! I propably don't answer to Snail mail or FAX messages. Sending answer
to each of them is simply too expensive and time consuming. However I
try to reply every email message I get (within a week). If you don't
get response, please check how your address is written in the message
header. I can't answer if I don't have a valid reply address.
VoxWare home page is http://personal.eunet.fi/pp/voxware
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