



                         ES688 AudioDrive OS/2 Drivers

                                 Version 2.05

                            Software Release Notes

                               November 14, 1996




        About This Release

        ESS Technology is providing updated OS/2 drivers for the
        ES688 AudioDrive chip in this Software Release.  These drivers
        are complete updates to prior ESS releases for OS/2 Warp 3.0.

        This document provides:
        - a description of the changes to the drivers
        - installation notes

        Please read this document completely before you upgrade your
        system, and follow the instructions carefully.




        Release Information

        Product:        ES688 AudioDrive OS/2 Device Drivers,
                        Version 2.05

        Drivers:        ES688 (with OPL3), ES688 PnP

        OS:             OS/2 Warp 3.0

        Release Date:   November 14, 1996




        Release Description

        The ES688 AudioDrive OS/2 Drivers Software Release incorporates
        new changes done to the previous release, Version 2.04.

        Version 2.05 Changes

        1. WinOS2 driver increases the interrupt rate for SpeechViewer
           III.


        Version 2.04 Changes

        1. WinOS2 driver fixes the small buffer record/playback problem
           in SpeechViewer III.


        Version 2.03 Changes

        Limited MPU-401 support in ES688 PnP

        If MPU-401 is enabled, the OS/2 driver will send out MIDI data
        when MIDI files are played.  If MPU-401 interrupt is enabled,
        MIDI in data can be received.  A MIDI file has to be opened for
        the MIDI in data to be sent to the FM synthesizer.  MIDI record
        is not supported.  If a MIDI file is played while MIDI in is
        receiving, the MIDI file has priority.  After a stop command is
        sent to the MIDI file, MIDI in will continue generating FM
        music.  Note that the stop command is only sent when the MIDI
        file play is completed or rewound or there are switching between
        two MIDI files.


        Wave files contention handling

        The driver can handle some wave files contention if it is not
        already handled by MMPM/2.




        Known Problems

        1. Opening too many MIDI files makes the OS/2 system unstable.
           This problem is related to MMPM/2 and depends on system
           resource.  On systems with 8 Mbs memory, the limit is 3;
           16 Mbs, 6.

        2. Tempo in MIDI files may not be 100% accurate due to timing
           delay and MMPM/2 architecture.

        3. Running MCI commands "seek wave to #" and then "play wave" to
           a 16-bit wave file sometimes generates very loud static
           noise.  Likewise using "record wave from #" to record a
           16-bit wave file may generate wrong file.  It all depends on
           the seek position.

        4. Due to the nature of MIDI music, turning MIDI in on while the
           MIDI in data are coming may not generate the right sounds.
           It is recommended to stop the MIDI in source first before
           enable MIDI in.




        Installation Notes

        To install the new drivers successfully the following steps must
        be taken:

        1. Open an OS/2 Window and run the EINSTALL.EXE program on the
           installation disk by typing "A:EINSTALL."  The program first
           runs ESDETECT.EXE to auto-detect the chip, then calls
           ESUNINST.EXE to remove old drivers.  That program will create
           a backup of CONFIG.SYS named CONFIG.ESS and remove the audio
           device lines from CONFIG.SYS.  It also creates a backup of
           MMPM2.INI named MMPM2.ESS and removes the audio drivers
           information from MMPM2.INI.  In addition, it removes any
           other ESS driver information in COMPLIST.INI.  After then,
           the installation program calls Multimedia Application Install
           program, MINSTALL.EXE.

        2. When Multimedia Application Install program brings up, a
           check mark beside ES688 AudioDrive means that item is already
           selected.  To toggle selection, click the mouse on the item.
           If WinOS2 is installed in the system, you can select
           WinOS2/Windows Audio support also.  If not, make sure that
           item is not checked.  Click the Install button to start the
           installation.  Once the drivers are installed, shutdown OS/2
           and reset the computer for the new ES688 drivers to take
           effect.

        3. If the installation cannot be completed, read the logs
           EINSTALL.LOG in \MMOS2\INSTALL subdirectory and MINSTALL.LOG
           in \MMOS2\INSTALL subdirectory or root directory to find out
           the problem.

        4. Since this version of MINSTALL.EXE changes the icons of MIDI
           player and Digital Video player to that of Digital Audio
           player in the Multimedia folder, you may want to change them
           back to the originals.  To change the icon of MIDI player,
           right click MIDI player to bring up the menu.  Select
           Settings, select General, and click the Find... button.  In
           the Start Folder window, enter \MMOS2\INSTALL.  Click the
           Find button and a window of all found icons appears.  Select
           MIDIPLAY.ICO and click OK.  Close the MIDI player Settings
           notebook.  For Digital Video player, repeat the above steps
           but select VIDPLAY.ICO instead.

        5. If the MIDI plays are not smooth in WinOS2, you need to
           change the timer resolution.  Edit SYSTEM.INI in your Windows
           directory.  Under [timer.drv] are TIMERMax386Res and
           TIMERMax286Res.  You need to change the values to less than 8
           from the default of 10.

        For ES688 PnP, in a system with Plug and Play support the
        optimal settings will be used instead of the settings specified
        in CONFIG.SYS.  If you change the ES688 PnP settings in a
        system with no Plug and Play support, be sure to reset the
        computer for ES688 PnP to forget its previous settings.


        These are the files copied to your hard disk:

        \MMOS2
                ES688DD.SYS, ES688PP.SYS
                VAUDDRV.SYS
        \MMOS2\DLL
                CARDINFO.DLL
                ESSVSD88.DLL
                WININST.DLL
                WINRES.DLL
        \MMOS2\HELP
                ES688IN.HLP
        \OS2\BOOT
                CLOCK01.SYS
                CLOCK02.SYS
                TIMER0.SYS
        \WINDOWS
                AUDDRIVE.HLP
        \WINDOWS\SYSTEM
                AUDMPIO.DRV
                ES688WIN.386
                ES688WIN.DRV
                MIDIMAP.CFG
                MSMIXMGR.DLL
