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Text File | 1996-09-09 | 22KB | 463 lines

****************************************************************************** DISCLAIMER The following software TSR code will provide SoundBlaster (TM) emulation under DOS for an end-user who owns a multimedia accelerator add-in card utilizing the NV1 Multimedia Accelerator. This program is "AS IS" with NO SUPPORT AVAILABLE OR PLANNED. If you elect to use the program, please read this documentation completely. Any feedback would be appreciated. Please email feedback to nvdossb@nvidia.com. The NV1 Multimedia Accelerator is ideally suited for providing concurrent acceleration of 3D and 2D graphics, video, digital input, and audio. The NV1's audio engine outputs high quality multi-channel digital audio and advanced MIDI wavetable synthesis utilizing the PCI bus. In addition to its advanced wave table synthesis and DirectSoundTM capabilities, this TSR, in conjunction with the MIDI and FM bank files, provides SoundBlaster ProTM digital compatibility, OPL2 FM compatibility, and General MIDI (MPU-401) support. The TSR operates correctly with the vast majority of DOS-based games that expect an ISA-based sound card. This solution, in conjunction with Microsoft's announcement regarding a VXD driver which supports SoundblasterTM in a DOS box, could eliminate the requirement for any additional hardware beyond the NV1 and its support chips. **************************************************************************** MANUAL INSTALLATION Now that you have read the preceding information and wish to use this DOS TSR, please follow these instructions. Step 1 If you already possess a SoundBlaster compatible card, your current configuration of using the NV1 Line Out to your SB Line In (or vice versa) is the best solution and should be used as is without any modification. If you do decide to use the TSR when a compatible ISA card is already in your system, the TSR will route all SoundBlaster (TM) data to the NV1. Step 2 Rename your current RM.EXE and MIXER.EXE files to RM.BAK and MIXER.BAK respectively,which presumably had been copied to your C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND directory during the initial installation. Step 3 Copy the new RM.EXE and MIXER.EXE files to your Windows command directory (usually C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND). Also copy the FM bank file (NV_FM.BNK) to your Windows configuration directory (usually C:\WINDOWS\CONFIG). The TSR uses a Win95 environment variable called WINBOOTDIR to locate the FM and MIDI bankfiles. If you wish to use a DOS-based mixer to adjust your volume levels, copy MIXER.EXE into your Windows command directory as well. Be sure to save your original MIXER.EXE by renaming it to MIXER.BAK. Step 4 Edit the DOSSTART.BAT file located in the C:\WINDOWS directory. This file is executed by Windows whenever you start a new DOS session. The file should contain the following lines: SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 T4 P330 SET NVMIDI=P330 SET NVJOY=ON RM.EXE Exit and save this file. The new BLASTER line tells the TSR what SoundBlaster (TM) settings should be used. This follows the standard format: A[io port] I[irq] D[dma] T[card type] P[MPU401 port]. The default settings are Port 220, IRQ 5, DMA 1, and MPU401 Port 330. If you need to change these settings, edit the BLASTER line and reload your DOS session. The TSR must be reloaded in order to recognize any new changes to the BLASTER values. Note that the TSR only supports certain combinations of settings: A = 220 I = 2, 3, 5, 7, or 10 D = 1 or 3 P = 230, 300, or 330 Step 5 Exit Windows95 and choose to restart system in MS-DOS mode. The DOSSTART.BAT files should execute. At this point you should be ready to try a game and use the DOS TSR for SB and MIDI. Some games may not autodetect the correct IRQ and DMA settings, but the game will work if the correct values are manually set. When in doubt, manually configure your sound settings for SB Pro and MIDI, using the above definitions shown in step 4. Note that the TSR will not operate within a Windows95 DOS box. TROUBLESHOOTING Although we are offering no support for this TSR, there are a number of helpful hints to remember in order to maximize compatibility with your DOS applications. * Often the choice of IRQ will affect compatibility. IRQ5 has been shown to be the most compatible choice with most apps, followed by IRQ2. IRQ7 has known problems with most motherboards, so should be avoided whenever possible. If your application fails to detect a sound card or fails with a DOS extender error, try changing the IRQ setting. * Some applications have problems running when EMM386 is present in the system. If your game does not require low memory management, it is always better to run with just HIMEM.SYS loaded. This is especially true when running applications that use DOS extenders, such as DOS/4GW. Games that require EMS (and therefore MUST use a memory manager such as EMM386) do not seem to be affected. * In some cases, you may be required to increase the DMA buffers provided by EMM386. If an application fails with an 'insufficient DMA buffer' size error, increase your buffer settings by adding the D=64 parameter to the EMM386 line in your CONFIG.SYS. * If the audio quality is marginal when SoundBlaster Pro (TM) is selected, you may want to try selecting the original mono SoundBlaster (TM) setting. The reduction in data being transferred (mono vs stereo) may clean up the resultant audio. * Many applications offer to "autodetect" your sound card for you when installing the game. Be careful that the settings they detect (IRQ, DMA channel, etc) match the settings with which you've configured the TSR. You may need to manually enter the correct settings for the game to detect the card correctly. * There may be slight compatibility issues when using the latest UNIVBE VESA drivers (v5.2) and the FM emulation provided by this TSR. In addition, if you use the "alternate frame buffer" option of UNIVBE (-a option), you should add a -p option to the RM.EXE line to force the TSR to use system memory for storing the MIDI bankfile (independent of card type). COMPATIBILITY TESTING NOTES The following is a partial snapshot of passing DOS-based, tested applications from our QA database for reference Title SB ----- -- 1830 P 1942 The Pacific Air War P Use Sound Blaster Orig only. 3D Body Adventure P 3D Dinosaur Adventure P Select Sound Blaster, not SBPro. A D&D Collector's Edition P A10 Tank Killer P Absolute Zero P Aces of the Deep P Aces of the Pacific P Aces Over Europe P Advanced Civilization P Adventure Math P Game detects Adlib card AD&D Gateway...Frontier P AD&D Pools of Darkness P AH3 - Thunderstrike P Alone In The Dark P America Adventure P Anvil of Dawn P Apache P Arena: The Elder Scrolls P Armored Fist P MIDI Passed at Roland MT-32/LAPC-1 Ascend P Ascendancy P Astrofire P Must use SB IRQ2 ATF P Bailey's Bookhouse P Battle Arena Toshinden P BattleBugs P OK at 800x600 BattleChess P BattleChess 4000 P SB Support only; SBPro assumes OPL4 and hangs BattleDrome P BattleIsle 2200 - CD P Beneath a Steel Sky P Berenstain Bears Learn... P Betrayal at Krondor P Bioforge P EMM386 enabled, causes static. Biomenace P Blake Stone P Blood Bowl P Bloodwings-Pumpkinhead's Rev P Bodycount P Only X-axis worked on this game. Bug in the game. BrainDead 13 P Slight skipping (same as SB) Brix P Bug Adventure P Bureau 13 P Use LAPC option (no GMIDI option) Buzz Aldrin's RaceIntoSpace P Caesar II P Cannon Fodder P Castles P MT-32 Support Castles II-Seige P Set for SB Chaos Control P Civilization P MT-32 Support, some instruments different, sound ok though. Comanche Max. Overkill P Comanche can't run with EMM386 (not NV prob). Roland MT-32/LAPC-1 only not GM Command & Conquer P Corridor 7 P Creature Shock P OPL3 only. MIDI OK. Crusader No Remorse P Cyberia - CD P Low clicking when EMM386.EXE is installed. CyberMage P Daemonsgate P Dark Forces P Dark Sun P Darkseed P Dawn Patrol P Day of the Tentacle P Death Gate P IRQ 2,5 Select SB only. DeltaV P Descent P Don't use IRQ2 for SB (this fails on any SB). Autodetect fails Descent II P Destruction Derby P Desert Strike P Discworld P Disney's Be Our Guest P With EMM386, you may get an error message, "DMA buffersize is too small, set D=32. Dominus P SB FM only at IRQ 7 (hardcoded into game). Doom P May not work with all version of EMM386. Doom 2 P May not work with all version of EMM386 Dracula Unleashed - CD P VESA Fails; VGA passes if use -VGA switch Dragon's Lair P Dragon Lore - CD P Dreamweb P Drug Wars - CD P Druid: Daemons P App leaves notes hanging on exit (happens on RAP as well) Duke Nuke'm II P Duke Nuke'm 3D P Dune II P Earth Siege P EcoQuest P Ecstatica P EF 2000 P Eight Ball Deluxe P Empire Deluxe Masters Ed. P Empire II P Epic Pinball P Don't recommend quality setting higher than High Quality Extractors P Must use any DOS4GW after 1.6 (provided with demo) F-15 Strike Eagle III P F14 Fleet Defender P Use GM only. Fade to Black P Falcon 3.0 P Digitized speech is scratchy. Fatty Bear's Bday Surprise P FIFA International Soccer P FIFA Soccer '96 P Flash Traffic - CD P Flashback P Use IRQ 5 only. Flight Assignment A.T.P. P Flight Simulator 5.0 P Set use extended memory option to no. Flight Unlimited P Freakin' Funky Fuzzballs P Front Lines P Full Throttle P FX Fighter P Gabriel Knight - DOS P Galleons P Goblins 2 P Goblins Quest 3 P Great Naval Battles Vol. III P Hammer of the Gods P HardBall 4 P HardBall 5 P Harpoon Classic 1.5 P Use IRQ5. Headline Harry P Heimdall P Hell, A Cyberpunk Thriller P Heretic P May not work with all versions of EMM386 Hexen P Scratchy digital fx with EMM386.EXE Hi-Octane P Use SB+FM, SB only is also ok. Highway Hunter P Inca II P Incredible Toons P Indiana Jones...Fate...Atlan P Indianapolis 500 P Indy Car Racing P Requires Papyrus 1.04 patch. Inferno - CD P Jack in the Dark P Jack Nicklaus Golf P Jagged Alliance P Jazz Jackrabbit P May not work with all version of EMM386. Jill of the Jungle P Game doesn't exit if IRQ2 chosen (happens with any SB) JumpStart Kindergarten P Jungle Strike P Kid Works 2 P Kids Zoo P Select Sound Blaster, not SBPro. King's Quest 7 DOS Demo P VESA support Lands Of Lore P Legend of Kyrandia P Need to hardcode SB settings in PLAYER.INI Leisure Suit Larry 6 P Lemmings 1 P Lemmings 2-The Tribes P Lemmings 3-Chronicles P Use IRQ 5. Links 386 Pro P Lord of the Rings-Enhanced C P Lords of the Realm P Lost Eden P Lure of the Temptress P Magic Carpet - CD P Magic Carpet 2 - The Netherw P Magic Carpet Plus - CD P Mario Teaches Typing II P Master of Magic P Master of Orion P Mechwarrior 2 P MegaMan X P MegaMaze P MegaRace CD P Mig-29 P Digitized speech is scratchy Millennia Altered Destinies P Mortal Kombat 3 P Use IRQ's 2 and 5. Mortal Kombat II P Nascar Racing P NBA JAM Tournament Edition P NBA Live '95 P Need for Speed P NHL 96 P NHL Hockey *95 P Noctropolis P Omar Shariff Bridge P Use IRQ7. (Game hardcoded to use IRQ7) One Must Fall 2097 P Orion Conspiracy P Out Of This World P Better video performance with 5MHz SB sound setup Oxyd Magnum! P Panzer General P Must rem out the univbe in the PG.BAT. PC Globe Maps N Facts P Use MT-32 not General MIDI. Peter Pan P PGA Tour Golf 486 P Phantasmagoria P DOS version Pinball Fantasies P Powerslave P Primal Rage P Prince of Persia 2 P Putt Putt Goes To The Moon P Putt Putt Joins the Parade P Quarantine P Need to use newer DOS4GW than demo provides (>1.6) Rags to Riches P Railroad Tycoon P Raptor P If using EMM386, may need to use D=64 option Rebel Assault P Red Barron/A-10 Tank Killer P Relentless P Use Roland MT32 choice Renegade 2 P Return To Zork P IRQ's 2 and 5 will work on SB, SB Pro or SB Compatible Ripper P Rise Of The Robots P Rise of the Triad P R. Scarrey's Best *hood Ever P R. Scarrey's Busy Town - CD P R. Scarrey's How things... P Sam-N-Max P Sango Fighter P Scary Poems for Rotten Kids P Science Adventure II P Scooter's Magic Castle P Screamers P SealTeam P Shadow Sorcerer P Shadowcaster P Shadows of Darkness P Need to disable EMM386. Silent Service II P Silverball P SimCity 2000 P SlipStream 5000 P Solar Winds P Space Adventure P Select Sound Blaster, not SBPro. SpaceAce P SpaceQuest 6 P Spectre PC P Speed - CD P Use SB FM (not SBPRO FM). Speed Racer P Use MT32/LAPC option Spell It 3 P Spellbound P Star Control II P Star Crusader P Star Trek 25 Anv. (Interplay P Use MT-32. Star Trek Final Unity P Turn off UNIVESA in SETUP. Star Wars Tie Fighter P Star Wars X Wing P Steel Panthers P Stonekeep P Subwar 2050 P Super Street Fighter II Turb P SuperHero League of Hoboken P Do not use Roland MT-32/LAPC-10 option. Supreme Warrior P SVGA Air Warrior P Recommend use IRQ 2 Syndicate-Plus P Disable EMM386. Use IRQ2. System Shock P TekWar P Terminal Velocity P Do not use IRQ 7. Terminator Rampage P Defaults to IRQ7 in INSTALL; Requires 590k Terra Nova - SFC P TFX P The Adventurers P The Chaos Engine P The Civil War P SB Pro is auto-detected at 5. Disable EMM386. The Dig P The Discoverers P The Fortress Of Dr. Radiaki P The Grandest Fleet P The Incredible Machine P The Incredible Machine II P The Seventh Guest P Thinkin' Things Collection 2 P Thinking Things P Tom Landry's Football P Tony LaRussa Baseball 3 P Need Stormfront Studios ver 1.1. Do not use IRQ7. Top Gun - Fire at Will P Traffic Department 2192 P Treehouse P Tubular Worlds P Ultima VIII: Pagan P Ultima VII: The Black Gate P Use MT-32 or LAPC-1. Ultima VII:The Forge of Virt P Supports only MT-32 and LAPC-1. Ultimate Backgammon P Ultimate Domain P Game requires IRQ 7 (hardcoded into game). Ultimate Football P Under A Killing Moon P Undersea Adventure P Select Sound Blaster, not SB Pro for the Music Test. Unnecessary Roughness P US Navy Fighters P Use IRQ 2 or 5. SB or SB Pro. MIDI @ 330 only (game bug). USS Ticonderoga P Virtual Pool P Virtuoso - CD P Voyeur P Warcraft II - Tides of Darkn P Warcraft, Orcs & Humans P Do not use IRQ7. Warlords II P Must use IRQ 7 (hard coded into game) WasteLand (Interplay CD) P Wayne's World P App is hardcoded to use IRQ7 only Wetlands P Where...Is Carmen Sandiego P Willy Beamish P Wing Commander II P Support for true Roland SCC Wing Commander III P Wing Commander IV P Wings of Glory P Wipeout P Wolf Pack P Wolfenstein 3D (Share CD) P World Cup Golf - CD P World Tennis Championship P Use MT-32 option X-Com Terror From the Deep P X-Com Ufo Defense P Setup says LAPC-1 which works OK with GM Xargon P Zorro P Zurk's Learning Safari P