Soundscape Troubleshooting Procedure

(This information is supplied by Ensoniq Corp. We are providing it as a service to our customer.)
(Gateway 2000 is not responsible for any errors or omissions herein)

Adding new hardware and software to your computer requires ensuring that there are no conflicts with your existing system. If you have difficulty with the installation procedure or are unable to make the card work, a conflict may be present. There are three major configuration settings to consider: I/O Port Address, Interrupt Request (IRQ) lines, and Direct Memory Access (DMA) channels.

To resolve conflicts, it is important to know the settings of other cards in your system. It is best to remove other sound cards and peripherals currently in your system, including the mouse, fax-modem, etc. before trouble shooting an installation. This will allow you to determine which peripheral is conflicting with Soundscape and make adjustments accordingly. Many peripherals come with setup software similar to Soundscape which lets you see and change the current configuration. There are also utility programs that investigate and report on the configuration of your system and its peripherals. For example, many of them can tell you what IRQ a particular device uses. Soundscape software ver. 1.1 has IRQ and DMA tests to help assist in installation. It is best to make a record of the settings used by all the peripherals in your system for reference when installing new hardware and software or troubleshooting problems.

This guide has been written to walk you through the steps necessary for effective troubleshooting. It is a step-by-step process, but does not need to be followed in the order that it was written. For example, if Soundscape seems to function properly in DOS, you can skip to section 6 for Windows troubleshooting. If you are not sure if Soundscape is working at all or are not sure what section most applies to you, it would be best to follow these instructions step by step.

This guide also contains an appendix located in the back of the guide. Once you have identified an error, refer to the appendix number mentioned to resolve this error; then repeat the section on that error for assurance that the error has been resolved.

Table of Contents

Section 1.	Hardware Connections
Section 2	Boot/Power Up Errors
Section 3	DOS Utility SSINIT
Section 4.	Testing WAV and MID files under DOS
Section 5.	Testing Soundblaster emulation
Section 6.	Testing WAV and MID files under Windows
Section 7.	About your MIDI Mapper
Section 8.	About your Sound Mapper
Section 9.	Testing for conflicts under Windows
Section 10.	Sound Applications under Windows
Appendix A	Base port address not found
Appendix B	Resolving Interrupt Conflicts
Appendix C	DMA Conflicts

Hardware Connections:

The first thing that should always be checked are the actual hardware connections. Be sure that Soundscape is connected to a set of headphones or amplified speakers and that they are plugged into the center jack labeled "OUT" on the Soundscape card. Also, be sure that the speakers are turned on and the volume is turned up to a reasonable level.

Boot/Power Up Errors:

When the system first boots, it initializes Soundscape. After initializing, Soundscape produces a "DONE" message. This message usually scrolls by rather fast and you may not always be able to see it. However, if there is an error, your system will stop and give you a message. The headings labeled A through G below are the different error messages that can be encountered during this initialization in order from most common to least common:

1. Timeout waiting for Acknowledge.
   This error message is typically generated when you have an IRQ conflict with the Base port IRQ. To resolve an interrupt conflict, please refer to Appendix B of this guide.

2. Card not at I/O port.
   Note: This error message has been removed in software ver 1.1

   This error message means that the Jumper setting for JP2 does not correspond to the software setting that Soundscape has for the Base port address. For setting Base port values, please refer to Appendix A of this guide.

3. Timeout waiting for Rx ready or Tx ready.
   This message is very uncommon. It could be an interrupt conflict, base port conflict, or an improperly seated board. First, follow the instructions on Interrupt conflicts found in Appendix B, followed by the instructions on Base port conflicts found in Appendix A. If this does not work, try pulling Soundscape out and reseating the board in another ISA bus slot. If the error persists, contact your technical support department for further assistance.

4. Soundscape S-2000 Board not detected:
   This error can sometimes be a port address conflict; however, it is more likely than not that the card is not seated properly or is located in a malfunctioning bus slot. Try removing the card and then reseating it. If this does not work, try putting the card in another bus slot. If the problem persists, contact your technical support department for further assistance.

5. No error message at all, but system locks:
   This could be any of the above problems. Start by following each of the suggestions above. This error has also been found in PCI bus machines where the IRQ being used for Soundscape has actually been reserved for the PCI bus in the system BIOS. Consult the manufacturer of your computer for information on changing your BIOS settings. This IRQ needs to be made available for ISA bus use instead of PCI bus use. If the error persists, contact your technical support department for further assistance.

6. Set Blaster Environment Variable does not exist or is poorly constructed:
   This message is generated when the "SET BLASTER" variable in the autoexec.bat file is either missing, out of order, or has invalid parameters. Its order in the autoexec.bat file should be exactly as follows:

   SET BLASTER=A220 Ixx Dx T1
   SET SNDSCAPE=C:\SNDSCAPE
   C:\SNDSCAPE\SSINIT /I (or GM for software v. <1.2)
   

   THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE!

7. Timeout waiting for DMA complete:
   This message is generated because of a DMA conflict. To change DMA channels, please refer to Appendix C of this guide.

   If there are no error messages when booting, most likely the card is initializing fine and probably is not conflicting with anything in your system. There is one exception to this rule. It is possible that there is an IRQ conflict with your WAVE playback device. This can be tested simply by playing a WAV file. We will do this later in our testing procedures.

DOS Utility SSINIT:

Run the SSINIT program from within the SNDSCAPE directory. The first screen that loads is the quick setup screen. Check to see that the Master, Synth/Music, and Wave/Sound volumes are set to default values.

Master:	127
Synth/Music:	100
Wave/Sound:	127

Note: In order to change these values, you must have a mouse loaded.

In software ver 1.1, this is the area where you can test for IRQ and DMA conflicts. This is done simply by clicking on the advanced button and then using the appropriate menu across the top of your screen.

Under the hardware setting screen, you can change your IRQ and DMA settings. You can also enable and disable your joystick port and the Sound Blaster emulation portion of the card.

Note: The base port and wave port address need hardware jumper changes also for changes to take effect. Refer to Appendix A for more information on this.

Testing WAV and MID files under DOS

Testing the card's ability to test both WAV files and MID files from DOS can be accomplished by using a DOS utility found in the SNDSCAPE directory.

If during the course of these tests you encounter any error messages, please make a note of them and contact your technical support from were you purchased Soundscape.

If you are using software version 1.03.05:

Once in the SNDSCAPE dir:

1. Type in the word "DRIVER" then press enter.
2. Enter the songs directory by typing "cd songs"
3. Type in "play island"
   This should play a MIDI file titled island.
4. Step back one dir by typing "cd.."
5. Enter the sounds directory by typing "cd sounds"
6. Type in "daplay doorbl".

This should then play a WAV file that sounds like a door bell.

If you are using software version 1.10.01 or later:

Once in the SNDSCAPE dir:

1. Type in the word "DMTEST" then press enter.
2. Follow the instructions on the screen for testing both MIDI and Digital Audio devices.

Once these tests are complete and you are satisfied that your system can play both these types of files in DOS, you should continue on to the next step.

First, you will need to reboot you computer.

Testing Soundblaster emulation:

The best way to test Soundscapes Soundblaster emulation is by running the WOLF3D program. This program is guaranteed to work, therefore giving you an answer as to whether or not the SB emulation is working. If you do not have WOLF3D, download it off of our BBS at 610-647-3195.

If this program does not run, contact your technical support department for further assistance.

Testing WAV and MID files under Windows:

You next need to test the ability for Soundscape to play both WAV and MID files.

Following are the instructions to test both MID and WAV files under windows.

1. Open the Soundscape program group in your program manager.
2. Open the Audio Station program.
3. Look for the component that looks like a mixer. Check to see that the Master, Synth, and Wave volumes are set at least 3/4 of the way to the top. If they are not, click on the default button located to the left of this component.

   Note: If this component is not visible, click on the button at the top that looks like a mixer to activate the mixer.

4. Find the component the looks like a tape deck and is labeled DAT.
   1. click on the playlist button
   2. choose a WAV file
   3. click on OK
   4. click on play

   This should play sounds like buzzers and bells. These types of files are called WAV files. If these files do not play, please refer to section 8 and section 9 of this guide.

   If these files play fine, the next step would be to play a MID file.

   Playing a MID File:

5. Find the component that resembles a 3.5" disk drive and says General Midi.
   1. click on the playlist button
   2. choose a MID file
   3. click on OK
   4. click in play

   This should then play a music file. If it does not, please refer to section 7 and section 9 of this guide.

MIDI Mapper:

If you are experiencing trouble playing MIDI files, next you would want to look at the MIDI MAPPER.

1. Open the MAIN program group
2. Open Control Panel
3. Open MIDI MAPPER
4. The name should say Extended Midi (or Soundscape Synth for software versions <1.3). If it does not, change it so that it does.

Sound Mapper:

If you are experiencing trouble playing WAVE files, next you would want to check Sound Mapper.

1. Open the MAIN program group
2. Open Control Panel
3. Open Sound Mapper
4. At the bottom of this screen, it should be labeled:

Playback: Soundscape Playback
Recording: Soundscape Record

For software versions <1.3, it should read:

Playback : Soundscape (wave) Wave out
Recording: Soundscape (wave) Wave input

If they are not set to the previous, make the necessary changes.

Ignore this step if using software version 1.3 or higher

Testing for conflicts under Windows:

1. Open the MAIN program group
2. Open the Control Panel
3. Open Drivers

   There should be two Soundscape drivers there. Choose the driver titled:

   Soundscape DVD MIDI, WAVE, AUX

4. Click on setup

From the Soundscape setup screen, you need to pay attention to the status areas of this screen. These status areas are titled:

Primary Wave Record/Playback Status
Midi Synth and Secondary Wave playback Status

Both of these should be followed by a Driver OK message. If they do not, following are the possibilities of what else it could say:

1. No Interrupts:

   This message implies exactly what it says, there is an IRQ problem. For resolving interrupt conflicts, refer to Appendix B of this guide.

2. HW Init Failure:

   This message means that when your computer went through its startup, Soundscape did not initialize properly. This could be caused by a base port conflict or an improperly seated board. Refer to Appendix A of this manual for resolving this conflict.

3. DMA Services not available:

   This message can sometimes be a difficult one. First, always try another DMA channel. If this does not solve the conflict and you feel comfortable in editing your windows system.ini file, look at your 386ENH section for the Microsoft Virtual DMA driver. This driver can cause a DMA conflict with the VVDMAD.386 driver that Soundscape loads. If you are uncomfortable with this procedure or the error still persists, contact your technical support department for further assistance.

If both status areas say driver OK, then continue on to the next step.

Sound applications under Windows:

Note: If you are using software ver. 1.1 or later, you can ignore this step.

There are numerous games/multimedia applications that run under windows. Some of these applications require an additional DMA channel to be enabled in order to play their WAVE files. If you are experiencing lack of sound with specific Windows apllications, try the following steps to correct this incapability.

1. From the drivers control panel, look for the section titled WAVE A and WAVE B
2. If your primary DMA channel is 1, the default, put WAVE A at 0
   If the primary is something else, put WAVE A at something different than this.

Be sure that whatever DMA channel you choose for WAVE A is not a DMA channel that is being used by another device in your system. For example, a SCSI controller card frequently uses DMA 0. If you are not sure what is using DMA channels in your system, use a DMA test utility or contact the manufacturer of your computer for further assistance.

If all of the above instructions have been followed and everything seems to be set up correctly, but the error still persists, contact your technical support department for further assistance.

Appendix A -- Base port address conflicts/not found:

In order to resolve these types of conflicts, you will need to be able to physically access the card.

1. Check to see what the jumper settings are for JP2.

   This setting needs to correspond to software setting for the Base port value. This software value can be found in the SSINIT program from DOS.

   1. From the SNDSCAPE dir, type "SSINIT"
   2. Press "A" for advanced
   3. Press "ALT H" for hardware
   4. Look at the value for the base port

   Following is a chart that specifies what each jumper setting equates to in base value:

   Pins 1-2 and 3-4	=320H
   Pins 3-4	=330H default setting
   Pins 1-2	=340H
   None	=350H

2. Make sure that the Soundscape card is properly seated.

3. Change the base port address to another setting by making both a jumper change and a software change.

If none of the above has any effect, contact your technical support department for further assistance.

Appendix B -- Resolving Interrupt Conflicts:

There are two ways that you can resolve an interrupt conflict. One is under DOS, the other under Windows. The windows method (software ver. 1.03.05 only) gives more information as to what IRQ is causing the conflict, however, sometimes windows can lock in the process of making these types of adjustments. Always try resolving a conflict from under DOS first. If this does not prove beneficial, follow the instructions for Windows.

DOS:

1. From the DOS prompt, go into the SNDSCAPE directory
2. Type "SSINIT"
3. Hit "A" for advanced

   From here, you can test for DMA conflicts and IRQ conflicts. (software ver 1.1 only)

4. Press "Alt H" for hardware settings
5. From here, the IRQ's settings are visible
6. Make necessary adjustments and Reboot

Windows:

1. Open the Main program group
2. Open Control Panel
3. Open Drivers
4. Double click on the second Soundscape driver labeled: Soundscape DVD MIDI, WAVE, AUX

   You will then see a screen that has two status areas, a primary and a secondary. Both of these areas need to say Driver OK. When an interrupt conflict is present, this will say "No Interrupt."

5. Determine which status area has the conflict and then make an adjustment to that IRQ accordingly.
6. Click on the test button then to see if the new IRQ is acceptable. Repeat procedure until DRIVER OK message is displayed.
7. Close drivers and restart windows.

If none of the above suggestions resolved your conflict, there is a good chance that you have to many components in your system using IRQ's. Map out your IRQ's for all other components to determine where this conflict might be. Make adjustments to these other devices accordingly to free up additional IRQ's.

Appendix C - DMA Conflicts:

If the Digital Audio coming from the Soundscape card sounds like you are talking through a fan or you get an error message leading towards a DMA conflict, there might be another component in your system that is using the same DMA channel as Soundscape. Some common components that use DMA are other sound cards, SCSI hard drives and CD ROM drives, and Scanners. It is best to always know what these other devices are set at before making any changes. Contact the manufacturer of that component for assistance on what DMA their device uses.

DMA channels can be changed in two ways, from DOS and also from windows. Software ver 1.1 has DMA testing therefore is the preferred method of adjusting DMA's.

From DOS:

1. Go in to the SNDSCAPE dir by typing "cd SNDSCAPE"
2. Type "SSINIT"
3. Press "A" for advanced
4. From here, the DMA test is available. (Software ver 1.1 only)
5. Press "alt H" for hardware settings
6. By pressing "D" for DMA, your DMA value can be changed
7. Exit and save your changes

To change Soundscape's DMA Channel under Windows:

1. From Windows, open the MAIN program group
2. Open control panel
3. Open drivers
4. Locate the driver labeled "Soundscape DVD MIDI, WAVE, AUX" and double click

   In the upper right hand corner, you will find an area labeled DMA Chan.

5. Change this setting to something other than its current setting
6. Close the drivers applet
7. Restart Windows and see if the error persists

If this does not solve the problem, contact your technical support department from where you purchased Soundscape.

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