Please read the SOUND-HOWTO (available from sunsite.unc.edu and other Linux ftp 
sites). It contains much more information than this file.

VoxWare v3.0-proto-950402 release notes
---------------------------------------

This version is almost final v3.0. All features I have planned to
include in v3.0 are there but most of them are completely untested
(see experimental.txt). The only main feature still missing is
Ensoniq SoundScape support.

You will need to create additional device files using the script at the
end of ./linux/Readme. Also recompile all mixer programs since there are
some new channels that are not enabled in mixers compiled with older
soundcard.h.

I have got many patches from various persons during last year. Most of
them are still on my mailbox and they should be included in versions
after v3.0 (I will not add aditional features before v3.0 is ready).

   ====================================================
-  THIS VERSION ____REQUIRES____ Linux 1.1.83 OR LATER.
   ====================================================

-  THIS VERSION MAY NOT WORK WITH Linux VERSIONS RELEASED
   AFTER 2nd Apr 1995. If this version doesn't compile with
   your kernel version, please use the sound driver version
   included in your kernel.
-  THIS IS AN ALPHA TEST VERSION. AT THIS TIME I REALLY MEAN IT.
   THERE ARE MUCH FEATURES THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN TESTED.
-  Ensoniq SoundScape support is included in this version but.
   However it's disabled since it doesn't work yet.
-  This is Linux only version. It should work in other operating systems
   (SCO, UW, FreeBSD and NetBSD) too but may require some fixes before
   it compiles.

You will need the snd-util-2.5.tar.gz and snd-data-0.1.tar.Z
packages to use this driver. They should be in the same
ftp site or BBS from where you got this driver. For
example at nic.funet.fi:pub/OS/Linux/*.

If you are looking for the installation instructions, please
look at linux/Readme.

Supported soundcards
--------------------

Gravis Ultrasound (GUS)
GUS MAX
GUS with the 16 bit sampling daughtercard
PAS16
Windows Sound System compatible soundcards
ECHO-PSS (cards based on the PSS architecture by Analog Devices.
    Including Orchid SW32, Cardinal DSP16 among others).
    (Initial support included in this version (see experimental.txt).
MediaTriX AudioTriX Pro (the effect daughter card must be initialized
     using DOS if you have it. Otherwise OPL3 and MPU modes will be silent).
Ensoniq SoundScape (coming soon)
MV Jazz16 based soundcards (ProSonic, 3D etc). SoundMan Wave works
partially if you initialize it using DOS.

In addition all Sound Blaster models and clones (up to AWE32) work if
you want to use them.

The Emu synthesizer chip of AWE32 is not and will not be supported. The same is
true with the ASP chip also. Creative Technology will not release detailed
information about them so it's not possible to support them.

===========================================================================
If your card is compatible with SB, MPU401 or Windows Sound System, it
may work with the driver even if it's not listed in the above list. In this
case it may require initialization using DOS. Just start DOS and cold
boot to Linux (etc.) by hitting ctrl-alt-del. 
===========================================================================

Compatibility with the earlier versions
---------------------------------------

This version is backward compatible with the version 2.X. All programs
compiled with sys/soundcard.h of v2.X should work without problems.
PROGRAMS COMPILED WITH THE sys/soundcard.h OF THIS VERSION WILL NOT
WORK WITH v2.X DRIVER. BE CAREFULL WHEN DISTRIBUTING BINARIES COMPILED 
FOR THIS VERSION.

Contributors
------------

This driver contains code by several contributors. In addition several other
persons have given usefull suggestions. The following is a list of major
contributors. (I could have forgotten some names.)

	Craig Metz	1/2 of the PAS16 Mixer and PCM support
	Rob Hooft	Volume computation algorithm for the FM synth.
	Mika Liljeberg	uLaw encoding and decoding routines
	Greg Lee	Volume computation algorithm for the GUS and
			lot's of valuable suggestions.
	Andy Warner	ISC port
	Jim Lowe	FreeBSD port
	Anders Baekgaard 	Bughunting and valuable suggestions.
	Joerg Schubert	SB16 DSP support.
	Andrew Robinson Improvements to the GUS driver
	Megens SA	MIDI recording for SB and SB Pro.
	Mikael Nordqvist  Linear volume support for GUS.
	Mikael Nordqvist  	Linear volume support for GUS.
	Ian Hartas		SVR4.2 port
	Markus Aroharju	and
	Risto Kankkunen		Major contributions to the mixer support
				of GUS v3.7.
	Hunyue Yau	Mixer support for SG NX Pro.
	Marc Hoffman	PSS support.
	Rainer Vranken	Initialization for ProSonic 16.

There are propably many other names missing. If you have sent me some
patches and your name is not in the above list, please inform me.

If you have some problems
=========================

It's likely that you have some problems when trying to use the sound driver
first time. Soundcards don't have standard configuration so there are no
good default configuration to use. Please try to use same I/O, DMA and IRQ
values for the soundcard than with DOS.

Please don't send me messages that complain just "My soundcard don't
work with Linux/BSD or SYSV".

It would be nice to know what happens. Do you get an error message or do you
get garbled sound or what? There are about a half dozen of things that may
go wrong with the sound driver. It's hard to quess which has happened.



In general the easiest way to diagnoze problems is to do "cat /dev/sndstat".

If you get an error message, there are some problems with the driver setup:

	- "No such file or directory" tells that the device files for
	the sound driver are missing. Use the script at the end of
	linux/drivers/sound/Readme.linux to create them.

	- "No such device" telss that the sound driver is not in the kernel.
	You have to reconfigure and recompile the kernel to have the sound
	driver. Compiling the driver doesn't help alone. You have to boot
	with the newly compiled one before the driver becomes active.
	The Linux-HOWTO should help in this step.

The following errors are likely with /dev/dsp and /dev/audio.

	- "No such device or address". This error message should not happen
	with /dev/sndstat but it's possible with the other sound devices.
	This error indicates that there are no suitable hardware for the
	device file or the sound driver has been compiled without support for
	this particular device. For example /dev/audio and /dev/dsp will not
	work if "digitized voice support" was not enabled during "make config".
	
	- "Device or resource busy". Propably the IRQ (or DMA) channel 
	required by the soundcard is in use by some other device/driver.

	- "I/O error". Propably an IRQ or DMA conflict. Look
	at the kernel messages in /var/adm/notice for more info.

	- "Invalid argument". The application is calling ioctl()
	with impossible parameters. Check that the application is
	for sound driver version 2.X or later.

In general the printout of of /dev/sndstat should tell what is the problem.
It's possible that there are bugs in the sound driver but 99% of the problems
reported to me are caused by somehow incorrect setup during "make config".

Hannu

Regards,

Hannu Savolainen
hannu@voxware.pp.fi

Snail mail:	Hannu Savolainen
		Hiekkalaiturintie 3 A 8
		00980 Helsinki
		Finland
FAX:		+358 0 341 6272

NOTE!	I propably don't answer to Snail mail or FAX messages. Sending answer
	to each of them is simply too expensive and time consuming. However I
	try to reply every email message I get (within a week). If you don't 
	get response, please check how your address is written in the message
	header. I can't answer if I don't have a valid reply address.
