CD-DA Game Audio (Redbook) in MS-DOS 6.22 \ VOGONS

CD-DA Game Audio (Redbook) in MS-DOS 6.22

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First post, by janskjaer

Posted on 2013-12-26, 11:28

janskjaer Offline

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I'm not getting any audio from the game's CD when the game is running. I can see that the CD is playing it (the CD activity is spinning at a steady pace), but I'm only getting game sound effects from the sound card.
I've loaded my CD driver and MSCDEX v2.23 in the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files as shown below:

[Extract from AUTOEXEC.BAT]

1PATH=C:\;C:\DOS;C:\SOUND\AWE32
2
3C:\DOS\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD001
4C:\DOS\SMARTDRV.EXE /X
5
6SET CTCM=C:\SOUND\AWE32
7SET SOUND=C:\SOUND\AWE32
8C:\SOUND\AWE32\CTCM.EXE
9C:\SOUND\AWE32\AWEUTIL.COM /S

[Extract from CONFIG.SYS]

1DEVICE=C:\CDROM\VIDE-CDD.SYS /D:MSCD001 /P:1F0,14 /P:170,15 /P:1E8,12 /P:168,10
2DEVICE=C:\SOUND\AWE32\CTCM.EXE

When running the game under Windows 95's DOS mode, I also don't get the audio. However, if I run the game in Windows 95, I do hear the CD audio playing. What am I doing wrong? Obviously MSCDEX isn't to blame as it loads correctly in all situations. Could it be the DOS driver I am using to load the CD? Or the SB16/AWE32's configuration isn't correctly set to utilise MSDCEX?

Last edited by janskjaer on 2013-12-26, 11:41. Edited 1 time in total.

DELL Dimension XPS M200s
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:64MB RAM
:MS-DOS 6.22 / Win95b
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Reply 1 of 7, by Forevermore

Posted on 2013-12-26, 11:34

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I know it sounds dumb, but is the CDDA cable plugged into your sound card?

So many combinations to make, so few cases to put them in.

Reply 2 of 7, by janskjaer

Posted on 2013-12-26, 11:43

janskjaer Offline

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Forevermore wrote:
I know it sounds dumb, but is the CDDA cable plugged into your sound card?

Yes it is, and I did check this before testing the scenario in Windows 95, to which the CD audio plays.

I only have the Analog audio cable though (4-pin), and not the Digital audio cable (2-pin). Although this shouldn't make a difference. It must be driver-related because the hardware is in the same state when testing between MS-DOS 6.22 and Windows 95 (I have a dual-partition setup). Can anyone recommend another DOS generic CD driver I can try?

Reply 3 of 7, by Mau1wurf1977

Posted on 2013-12-26, 11:59

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janskjaer wrote:

When running the game under Windows 95's DOS mode, I also don't get the audio. However, if I run the game in Windows 95, I do hear the CD audio playing. What am I doing wrong?

It's 99% a mixer issue.

Under DOS the AWE needs the CD mixer setting manually enabled. There are some tick boxes on the right hand side when you run MIXERSET (or is it SETMIXER) 😊

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Reply 4 of 7, by janskjaer

Posted on 2013-12-26, 19:18

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I'm not familiar with the MIXERSET or SETMIXER. Is it a feature or an application? Either way, I'm not able to find it in my current driver set (unless someone tells me the application's filename).

I downloaded the Creative SB16/AWE32 Basic Disk Driver from here:
here

According to the readme, there is a DOS mixer included. However, when trying to install the drivers, it says I don't have enough conventional memory to run the Setup, even though I have over 500k left.

Reply 5 of 7, by Mau1wurf1977

Posted on 2013-12-26, 19:31

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I see you have a dual boot system in your signature?

Check out this video installation guide:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9GSYgarPs4

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Reply 6 of 7, by janskjaer

Posted on 2013-12-26, 20:27

janskjaer Offline

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I wanted to try and edit my last post before someone replied but you beat me to it 😁

I was able to download and install the driver under DOS. It's labelled as an SB16/AWE32 basic driver. Indeed, it does have the MIXERSET application and those checkboxes you mentioned. By default, they were already ticked. I tried the game with the new Creative drivers and IT WORKS!!! I have CD Audio. The only trouble I have now is, these drivers don't seem to see my AWE32 daughterboard correctly so I can't play MIDI music through it. What I will try to do is go back to the original drivers and bring in the MIXERSET application to them. However, it's asking for the AUXDRV.DRV file to be loaded, which the other set of drivers don't do. I expect this .DRV to be loaded in order to play the CD audio. I'll have a tinker around with it and see what I can do...

EDIT: Solved it. I just used the latest drivers installed but made reference to the AWEUTIL and CTCM utilities to recognise the AWE32 daughterboard. It then adds the mapping address 'E620' to the BLASTER parameter and can play the MIDI audio. Thanks very much for your help. I would've never have solved it as I knew nothing about MIXERSET.

Reply 7 of 7, by Mau1wurf1977

Posted on 2013-12-26, 20:55

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Hey, awesome outcome 😀

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