Conference wrksys::alphastation

It looks like there's a good chance that we have the problem
isolated.  It appears that newer revs of the Analog Devices
AD1845 have defined a previously reserved CSR bit to mean
that audio samples should be byte swapped.  The audio driver
included with Multimedia Services for Digital UNIX didn't
explicitly clear that bit, so its value is undefined.
(Although Murphy seems to be guaranteeing that it always
get set to indicate byte swapping.)

Preliminary testing with a patched driver indicates that
it does actually fix the problem.  We'll be generating a 
final verison patched driver for distribution through
the normal channels and I'll also try to post a pointer here
so that folks can pull it over the network.

Thanks to Gordon Frye for chasing this down (and the
folks that donate their failing systems to the cause).

Tom

anonymous ftp from lsssrv.zko.dec.com
>cd pub/mme_kits
>binary
>get MME_as255_patch.tar

*******************
	Multimedia Services V2.2 patch P01 readme file
	           February 17, 1997

This patch provides a fix for an audio problem on the Alphastation 255
(IPMT Case HPXL10JTU).  The nature of the problem is that the audio
output is completely unusuable, sounding like white noise.  All AS255
systems contain an AD1845 chip on the motherboard module.  Those
systems which contain revisions of this chip greater than 0.6, will
experience the problem.  The revision number of the chip is found at
the end of the last printed line on the chip, preceded by a dash.

The patch is provided in the form of a Bourne shell (/bin/sh) script
and two kernel objects, one for Digital UNIX V3.x, and one for
Digital UNIX V4.x.  The script replaces the appropriate kernel objects,
depending upon which version of Digital UNIX is installed, and upon
which version of Multimedia Services is installed, or if Multimedia
Services is not installed.

To apply the patch, su to root, create a directory, untar the patch kit
into that directory, and cd to that directory.  Insure that your path
includes "/bin", and "/usr/sbin".

As the last step of installing the patch, the kernel must be rebuilt, and
the system rebooted.

Configurations Supported by This Patch:

AlphaStation 255 (although the patched driver will run on all AlphaStations
       with Microsoft Sound Board compatible hardware).
Digital UNIX V3.2D-2 and above.
On Digital UNIX V3.x, Multimedia Services V1.6 through V2.2.
Digital UNIX V3.x installations may be patched even if Multimedia Services
is not installed (if desired).
On Digital UNIX V4.x, Multimedia Services V2.0A through V2.2.

Any questions or problems with this patch, please contact
your Digital Software Support Center or Chip Dancy via email:
[email protected]

I'm running NT v4.0 and have the same problem as .13 and .18, volume is either
"off" or "too loud".
I didn't see an answer to this problem. Is it a driver problem? If so, is there
a new driver somewhere?

Mike

    Any answer to .39 ?
    
    Also, which CONTROL PANEL icon do you use to install the driver for the
    AS255 sound card...for systems running NT 3.51 or NT 4.0 ?
    
    Thanks,
    
    Bill

re .-1 

On the Windows NT 4.0 volume control, you can click on "options/properties",
and you can then add the line-in, wave, and synth mixer controls to the
volume control app. Click OK. Now you can independently reduce the
volume for each of the sources. I find that when I reduce the wav setting
to approx. 1/4 volume, the master volume control then works much better.
If desired, you can turn off the mixer control displays again, since they will
retain their state.

--RS

    You use the Multimedia icon on the Control Panel to install the Sound
    Driver.  Click on Add, then select Other/Unlisted and use the floppy if
    you have a Digital Personal Workstation, otherwise just select Windows
    Sound System and install off the NT CD.  If you want the full duplex
    version of the Windows Sound System driver (for conferencing
    applications for example), you can select Other/Unlisted and install it
    off the Light & Sound Pack CD.
    
    Tom