Quick Summary
=============
The AlphaStation 255 *does* have hardware support for sound included
on the main system board.
Thanks to everyone for the prompt, accurate and useful responses!
-Kenneth
Original Query
==============
|What sound hardware should be included in an AlphaStation 255/300?
|
|My system can "beep", but beyond that there's not much in terms of
|sound. I've looked inside the system unit, but see only a display
|board.
|
|I've checked Digital's web pages (www.workstation.digital.com/products/
|mmedia/mmsound.html), and found this:
|
| Microsoft and Microsoft Compatible Sound Card
|
| The Microsoft and Microsoft Compatible Sound Card is a single ISA card
| which adds 16-bit stereo audio to your workstation. The Microsoft and
| Microsoft Compatible Sound Card can record, compress, and playback
| voice, sound and music. It supports full duplex operation for
| simultaneous record and playback.
|
|==> This audio solution is included on all AlphaStation systems.
|
|
|Should my AS/255 have come with a Microsoft or Microsoft Compatible
|Sound Card?
Responses (slightly edited)
===========================
.----------
|From: Paul Watson <phwatso_at_cooper-energy-services.com>
|Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 11:34:32 +0000
|
|It is there but is integrated with the mother board,
|it may however not be configured as it is an ISA device to configure you
|have to be at the chevron prompt i.e. before booting up enter:
|
|isacfg -init
|init
|add_sound
|init
*** Beware if you perform the above commands. See below for another
*** individual's comments on using 'isacfg' ... -khj
|then power off and on again when it boots up you should here a crackle
|sound as the sound card initializes.
|
|To make much use of the card you will have to install the MME driver and
|sound applications.
.----------
|From Knut.Hellebo_at_nho.hydro.com Sat Mar 21 18:03:54 1998
|Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 13:19:03 +0100
|
|Check what happens if you try to install the MME (MultiMEdia
|Services) runtime and/or development subsets. If you can install the
|MMEMSBxxx subset and the verification procedure gives you sound,
|you are home free (perhaps the names of the subsets have changed
|in 4.0x but the essence is the same)
|
|From: Paul A Sand <pas_at_unh.edu>
|Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 08:33:30 -0500
|
|Mine did. Do you have three small single-pin connectors at the
|right side of the rear panel? They are next to the ethernet connector
|on mine.
|
|Sound isn't great here, but it
.----------
|From: Paul Tyler <pct_at_ansto.gov.au>
|Date: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 09:54:20 +1100 (EST)
|
|The audio hardware is on the system board itself in our 255/233s. I suspect
|the same for the 255/300. Often however the firmware is not initialised
|or the correct sound drivers are not installed. It is a
|"Microsoft and Microsoft Compatible Sound Card".
|
|The following fix we got for an alphastation 200 back in Feb 96. I suspect
|some of these commands are on the dangerous side so I'm not taking any
|responsibility for them. They worked for us, but I've also used them
|where they have wrecked the isa configuration and I've had to rebuild it.
|Also this may not be the correct solution for you.
|
|It might be a good idea to note ALL the settings first so you can fix any
|disasters.
|
|At the boot prompt (firmware prompt), the sound card should be configured.
|You can check this with isacfg, on the alphastation 200 it was
|isacfg -slot 2.
|
|If it is not configured, then the command "add_sound" will simply add
|the sound card parameters. Then type "init" to restart the firmware and
|reboot.
|
|If it is configured, it may be incorrectly configured. I'd stongly
|recommend getting in touch with Digital at this point. They told us
|on the alphastation 200 to type the following, but this resets the
|entire ISA configuration and is therefore DANGEROUS:
| isacfg -init
| init
| add_sound
| init
|
|
|I kind of remember having this trouble with one 255/233 either on delivery
|or during a firmware update and just typing "add_sound" fixed it, but that
|was a while ago and unfortunately I can't the incident logged anywhere.
.----------
|From: Steve Gwynn <steve.gwynn_at_mci.com>
|Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 16:36:10 -0700
|
|My 255 has a Microphone jack and an audio jack on the back panel.
|I plugged in the headset that came with the system, and noises come out.
|Just turned it on.
.----------
|From: Andrew Leahy <A.Leahy_at_st.nepean.uws.edu.au>
|Date: Sat, 21 Mar 1998 17:03:05 +1100 (EST)
|
|It should have a MS sound board... hint: look for audio jacks on the back
|of the machine! You'll also ned to install DEC's Multimedia Services
|subset (which should come on your install CD's).
.----------
|From: Olle Eriksson <olle_at_cb.uu.se>
|Date: Wed, 18 Mar 1998 12:42:15 +0100
|
|Yes but you will need the Multimedia Services Software to use it.
.----------
|From: Girish Phadke <pgirish_at_binariang.maxisnet.com.my>
|Date: Thu, 19 Mar 1998 17:01:17 +0800
|
|AS255 includes the hardware for sound card.
|You will have to load following subsets if you have not already loaded them
|1) Microsoft sound driver ( This comes loaded on preloaded system)
|2) Multimedia run time s/w ( Same as above)
Received on Sun Mar 22 1998 - 18:39:25 NZST