Soundscape S-2000 Release Notes version 1.20.03

Date: 01/03/95


This document describes changes made to the Soundscape software v 1.20.03

**Installation**
1) When you first run the installation program it will display a dialog
asking you if you have a PCI BIOS.  If you have a PCI BIOS or are unsure 
then you should change your default MIDI IRQ.  In most cases IRQ 10 is a
safe choice.

**Compatibility Note** 
Some older DOS programs (usually games) do not allow you to specify an 
alternate IRQ and assume IRQ 2/9.  If you have any software that does this 
then you will need to make a change in your BIOS.  Typically, the PCI BIOS 
allows you to allocate one or more IRQs for use with either the PCI bus or 
the ISA bus.  By default, many of the BIOSs use IRQ 9 as the PCI IRQ.  To 
resolve a conflict you must tell the PCI BIOS to use a different IRQ.

This can generally be accomplished by going to the PCI settings screen of
the BIOS setup program.  Once there, most setup programs give you a set of
IRQs that can be switched between the PCI bus and the ISA bus.  The basic
idea is to set IRQ 9 to the ISA bus and while each manufacturer may 
implement this differently the common selections are:

IRQ 9		ISA/PCI
IRQ 9		Available/Used -> where Used allocates the IRQ to the ISA 
				  bus.
IRQ 9		Free/Used      -> where Used allocates the IRQ to the ISA
				  bus.

For additional information consult the BIOS documentation that comes with
your PC.

2) The software will remove any previous reference in your AUTOEXEC.BAT of
the following:
	SSINIT
	SNDSCAPE environment variable
	BLASTER environment variable

It will then place the new Soundscape startup information at the TOP of your 
AUTOEXEC.BAT.  

**Firmware**

1)The software now addresses the MIDI volume problem that was present 
in v1.20.0x.
In earlier versions of 1.20.0x if the synth volume was set to 0 occasionally 
you would hear buzzing from the synthesizer.

2)The MIDI routing bug in 1.20.0x has been fixed.
In earlier versions of 1.20.0x the ability to use an external synthesizer from
DOS was not implemented correctly.

v1.20.02
**Installation**
1) Installation program will now check for a previous CD-ROM install.
If it detects Soundscape CD-ROM drivers in your CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT 
it will not overwrite them.

**SSInit**
SSInit now downloads both the General MIDI firmware and the FM firmware.  
Previous versions of Soundscape software required the Soundscape card
to be redownloaded when switching between GM and FM mode.  This is no longer 
necessary.

The SSInit command-line interface has changed.  To initialize the Soundscape
card type SSINIT /I.  This is done at boot-up time.

The Hardware Test page has changed.  To Test your current hardware
settings select Hardware Tests, then select either IRQ or DMA Test.  These
tests will show conflicts with the current hardware settings.  If there is a
conflict, it can be resolved by making changes on the Hardware Settings page
in SSInit.

The Synth Settings screen has been removed.

A MIDI Settings screen has been added to SSInit.  Under DOS MIDI data can go 
to either the internal synth or the external MIDI port. The MIDI settings 
screen allows you to route your MIDI data to either the Internal Synth or
External MIDI port.  The default for the MIDI routing is the Internal 
Synthesizer.

**MT32**
A new utility has been added to allow switching between the General MIDI patch
set and the MT32 patch set.  To switch between the patches you need to run 
the MT32 command.  The arguments for MT32 are as follows:

MT32 [ ON | OFF ] [ /? ]
Where ON switches to the MT32 patch set, OFF switches to the General MIDI set.
MT32 without any arguments returns the current patch set.


**Firmware**
The intermittent noise that was present in the 1.20.0x Sound Blaster emulation
has been eliminated. 

**Windows**
SSINITGM.DLL has changed to handle the new firmware.

TAPIPKB3.DRV has changed to handle the new firmware.