Using SoundBlaster 2.0 clones (such as the Media Vision ThunderBoard Card) with OS/2 Warp --------------------------------------------- (Resume: type "patch sbos2.fil /a") Several sound cards claim to be SoundBlaster 2.0 compatible (8-bit) but Warp does not work with them. These cards include the Media Vision Thunderboard. My own card is a card which provides 16-bit sound in "Windows Sound System" mode through the AD1848 chip and 8-bit Sound Blaster 2.0 support (mainly for DOS games) through the MediaVision Thunder chip. I get 16-bit sound under Warp with the "Business Audio (AD1848)" driver, so there is no need for me to use the SB 2.0 mode. Nevertheless, I managed to get the SB 2.0 mode to work under Warp! Here's how. First, I found the file tbos2.zip on the net which contains the OS/2 2.1 driver made by Creative Labs and patched by MediaVision. This is what MV writes: "As many of you know, Media Vision has perfected Sound Blaster compatibility and all of our sound cards that claim 100% Sound Blaster are, in fact, compatible at the hardware level. Paradoxically, the SoundBlaster driver that ships with OS/2 2.1 (SBD2.SYS) does not work with the Media Vision ThunderBoard nor the SoundBlaster section of the Pro AudioSpectrum 16, even though the hardware is the same. Here's the reason why: When Media Vision cloned the original Sound Blaster (calling our clone 'ThunderBoard'), we added some extra features. For example, the ThunderBoard has the ability to record at up to 22KHz. We needed a way to check whether the card in the system was a Sound Blaster or a ThunderBoard to determine whether or not to allow the enhanced functionality. The method we came up with was to have a 'hidden' version number. The first time a program asks a ThunderBoard (TB) for its version number, the TB returns the same value the Sound Blaster returns. The second time, the TB returns its own version number (which is different from the Sound Blaster version number.) The Sound Blaster people discovered our trick and now they put a _double_ version check into their code to detect the ThunderBoard. We think that's a fair and reasonable thing to do, as long as they don't crash the user's system or do anything else destructive. Claims that the ThunderBoard isn't 100% compatible are obviously misleading. The OS/2 driver peforms a double version check and so it's possible to bypass the second check and allow the ThunderBoard to work. All that is necessary is to change a single byte. We're telling you which byte it is here so that you can verify the change or perform it yourself. We've also supplied a patched version so that you can avoid the details and just start using the driver". Unfortunately, the OS/2 2.1 driver does not work under Warp. So I compared both the 2.1 driver and the Warp driver and found the spot which had to be patched. And sure enough, it worked! Your mileage may vary though. It depends on your sound card, if it's "compatible" enough with the original SB 2.0... So, no guarantees, but the least you can do is give it a try. First, make sure you've installed the MMPM/2 SoundBlaster driver. I.e., startup Selective Install and choose "Sound Blaster (ISA and MCV)" under the Multimedia part of the screen. Be sure to use enter the correct IRQ, DMA and I/O port for your sound card. When the Selective Install program has finished, go to an OS/2 command window and perform these commands: (assuming you've unzipped the contents of this archive to C:\TMP) [C:\]cd \tmp [C:\TMP]patch sbos2.fil /a This will change one byte in the file SBD2.SYS. Now reboot your computer and you should have sounds. If your sound card does not use dipswitches for setting the IRQ, DMA and I/O port, you may have to boot DOS and use the DOS utility supplied with your sound card. That program will configure your sound card (they have to agree with what you chose in the installation of the Warp driver). I can run this DOS program even from a DOS box but you may have to boot to pure DOS. If your sound card uses dipswitches, you may not have a DOS utility to configure your card. You won't have to boot DOS then. Jacco de Leeuw (leeuw@fwi.uva.nl) MISCELLANEOUS NOTES (copied from the Mediavision text): * Digital audio appears to work fine. * FM synthesis (MIDI player) doesn't appear to work. We don't know why. If you get it to work, let us know. * In theory, this driver should work on the Sound Blaster section of the PAS 16. This would allow you to have two Sound drivers working at the same time in MMPM. We have not tested this. If you get it to work, let us know. If you can't get it to work, we don't want to know. * The ThunderBoard does not have a MIDI interface! Do not waste your time or money trying to use a MIDI connector box. * Since we have only patched this driver and don't have the ability to modify the original source code, do not expect any bug fixes or changes to come from Media Vision. * Media Vision's Tech Support department will not be able to assist you with this driver. If you have comments or questions about this driver send them to: Internet: 75300,2772@compuserve.com CompuServe: Media Vision [75300,2772] FAX: (510) 226-2582, Attn. OS/2 engineering * Many people have asked whether Media Vision will write a ThunderBoard driver for OS/2. The answer is 'probably not'. We recommend that our ThunderBoard customers upgrade to the Pro Audio Spectrum 16. Prices in computer specialty stores have been as low as $139. That's an excellent price! And the PAS 16 is fully supported under OS/2. Even the SCSI interface. If you'd like to learn more about Media Vision's products, call our Sales department. Media Vision, Inc Main: (800) 348-7116 or (510) 770-8600 3815 LaurelView Ct. Sales: (800) 845-5870 Fremont, CA 94539 FAX: (510) 770-8648 or (510) 770-9592 Customer Service and Tech Support: (800) 638-2807 or (510) 770-9905 ISV Relations and Developer Assistance: (800) 472-6147 BBS: (510) 770-0968 2400 (510) 770-0527 9600 There are a total of 8 lines and all lines support 8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit, 300 - 14,400 bps CIS: GO MEDIAVISION or send CIS mail to 75300,2772 European Customers: Media Vision Technology GMBH Raiffeisenalle 16 8024 Munchen-Oberhaching Germany Main: 89-61381-175 Tech Support: 89-61381-167 FAX: 89-61381-174