VOGONS


First post, by Karm

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Hi to all!

I'm got a Soundblaster 16 in my old 486 machine and added a EWS64xl to the setup.
First I tried it under DOS, which didn't work, because (I think) of the setting.
After checking under win95 that the card wasn't broken(everything worked with soundblaster 16, EWS64XL and all possible Midi configurations)
I tried it again under dos, using the original ewsinit.exe a p4b soundfont, the fmon software and setting everything to the same jumpers as in win95 using the ews64cfg tool. I had to use the mixer.ini from vogons, because with my ews64sw.ini I didn't get any sound.

Result:
- Stereo Sound under DOS with the SB16(just connecting to the SB16 via Speaker or Line in)
- Stereo Sound under DOS with the EWS64XL using SB Pro Setting(switched Audio)
- Mono Sound:
- Using the SB16 Settings connecting to the EWS64XL Line in (Just left channel)
- Using the EWS64XL Midi Port 2(MPU-401) (sound, but very quiet on right channel)
- No Sound:
- Using the EWS64XL Midi Port 1

I have a db50xg connected to the EWS64XL so, if I'm not wrong this is working but the Soundfont is not. Didn't test to which port the DB is connected, so it could be the other way around.

Other Problems:
- cannot setup the sb16 correctly, because some software of the EWS64xl resets the autoexec.bat to the ews64xl BLASTER Settings every time. So the sb16 Diagnose didn't recognize the SB16.

I tried to use the crystal mixer software c32mix, but it doesn't look like it makes a difference. Will just be recognized, if the BLASTER Variable is setup correctly.

Does someone has an idea to this problem? Or could explain to me the possible syncIn, OutputOut values in the mixer.ttm? I think it is possible that the problem lies there, but I'm not sure.

Would be great if someone could help.

Karm

Reply 1 of 7, by Karm

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Found the error, was a mixture of the Soundblaster Pro bug (occuring everytime the card is set to Soundblaster Pro, CS32Mix doesn't help with this 🙁 )
and the volume set by the SB16(volume has to be maxed for line in to the EWS64) and the EWS64(wrong value on right channel, somewhere in the ttm file)

using the cs32mix results also in a reset of the sb16 mixer presets, so it had to be set manually after the start.

The BLASTER reset in the autoexec.bat could just be prevented by overwriting the changed one, after every start.

One problem left is getting Sound in Windows 3.1. Will try the WSS Driver, because I just have win95 drivers for the EWS (are there some for win3.x as well?)
Second problem: Can't change the volume of the Midi/Daugtherboard part (not in the mixer ttm file or with the c32mix tool)
Does someone knows the different routing options for the mixer.ttm file?

I hope that this will be helpful in the future. Maybe someone has some infos on these issues.

Karm

Reply 2 of 7, by elianda

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A few years back we wrote this:
http://www.vogonswiki.com/index.php/EWS64

Also checkout the linked threads and regarding the TTM file:
http://www.vogonswiki.com/index.php/Example_. … r_EWS64L/XL/XXL
In this config FM and the Dream Synth are routed to the Crystals FM and the external Wavetable to CD. This is important for the correct choice in the mixer.
See end of section DOS Support for the CS32MIX line.

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Reply 3 of 7, by Karm

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Hi Elianda!

Thanks for the help. I read all the solutions and used the CS32Mix line, after some shifting around the lines it works now (had to put it between the initialization of my Soundblaster and setting up the mixer, because otherwise one of the mixer settings (CS/EWS64XL or SB) reseted to default. (most of the time the SB mixer)

I used the ttm file from the site, because mine, (which I created under Win95) didn't work as it should. But had to deinstall Win95 because it crashed my Dos/Win3.1 system.
Could you provide me with some ttm files, because I tried to get my wavetable/CD-Rom FM Mixer and the instruments loaded into RAM to work.
Right now everything except the Midi-1 Port is working so I think there is a problem with the routing (switched the IRQs no effect).

In the wiki are no TTM values, and I couldn't find values for MidiRoute OutputOut1 and SynInput so I think there should ly the problem somewhere. But I don't know where and how to fix it.

Reply 4 of 7, by elianda

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You can find various mixer files here: ftp://retronn.de/driver/TerraTec/EWS/64XL/mixerfile/

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Reply 5 of 7, by Karm

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Hi Elianda!

Thanks, for those resource page. Was looking for something like this, since the TerraTec FTP is down.
Found also a lot of different mixer files, but so long I didn't have any luck getting the Midi1 Output to work.
Will try it with an RA50 and check if the whole output/input is corrupt or if there are wrong settings, or if it is something with playing sound from the RAM.

Reply 6 of 7, by Karm

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UPDATED Post:
Hello again...
Some Updates regarding the EWS Problems:

I managed several things:

DOS:
Stereo Sound SB16
Stereo Sound EWS64XL (Using SBPro or WSS, had to use the Port 534 not 604)
Stereo Sound at Midi2 ( EWS Daugterboard)
Stereo Sound at Midi1 (Using SoundSet)

Not Tested again Midi 1 using external (will test in the future)

Windows 3.1:
Stereo Sound SB16
Stereo Sound EWS64XL (Using Crystal Driver for WSS 2.0)
Stereo Sound FM Midi from EWS64XL
Stereo Sound Roland-MPU401 (equals Dos Midi1 or Midi2, could be Setup in Windows)

not tested MIDI 1 external

Windows 95:
Stereo Sound SB16
Stereo Sound EWS6XL (Using EWS64 Driver)
Stereo Sound at Midi 2
Stereo Sound at Midi Synthesizer(Midi 1 intern - Soundbanks)
Stereo Sound FM Midi

Not Tested: Midi 1 External

How to achive it:
Make sure to use the right EWSINIT(2.11) and EWSMIXER(2.7) Version with the newest EWS ROM(2.11)!
For me the 64VoiceSynth Setting didn't work under Dos using the EWSINIT 2.07 Version! (and EWS64CFG(=EWSMIXER) 2.4)
Routing: 64VoiceSynth -> CoDec in the TTM File.

For install the EWS64XL under Windows 3.1 use the standard Crystal Driver Version 1.8
(the other one which had a 2.x number, but was released at the same date, it didn't work)
It is just possible to choose one of the Midi output, because there is just one Roland-MPU401 driver.
Make sure not to use the crystal Dos driver, which comes with it, if you are using a second card, because it will reset for example the BLASTER variable to the Crystal card (started in the config.sys, it will override your autoexec.bat settings, if you want to use it, you could put the driver at the end of the autoexec.bat)

Reply 7 of 7, by Jo22

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Hi, may I ask you a favor ? I'm curious if the EWS64 works in MOD4WIN direct-hardware mode..
I heard it works in Win9x but never heard anything about Windows 3.1 compatibility.
That's probably because official drivers were for Win95+.

It can be obtained here: http://www.kay-bruns.de/mod4win/betatest.html
It's the "MOD4WIN 2.40 - last beta with GUS/EWS64 support" version.
That's the direct link for the file, I guess.

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