Microsoft KB Archive/172686

Knowledge Base

ActiMates/SideWinder: Configuring Boca Expression Sound Cards

PSS ID Number: 172686

Article Last Modified on 11/21/2003

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The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft ActiMates Arthur 1.0
• Microsoft ActiMates Barney 1.0
• Microsoft ActiMates D.W. 1.0
• Microsoft ActiMates PC Pack 1.0
• Microsoft ActiMates PC Pack 2.0
• Microsoft SideWinder Force Feedback Pro

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This article was previously published under Q172686

SUMMARY

This article describes how to configure the Boca Sound Expression sound cards for use with Microsoft ActiMates characters or the SideWinder Force Feedback Pro joystick.

This information was tested with the following sound card drivers:

Boca Sound Expression 14.4
Driver version tested: Opti 929 v4.00.20
Date: 4-18-96
Sound Expression 28.8

MORE INFORMATION

Sound Expression 14.4

For information about how to configure your Sound Expression 14.4 sound card for use with ActiMates products or the SideWinder Force Feedback joystick, please see the "929 Chipset" section of the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

172697 ActiMates/SideWinder: Configuring Opti Sound Cards

To add or update the Boca Sound Expression 14.4 drivers, use the following steps:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Add New Hardware.
3. Click Next.
4. Click No, and then click Next.
5. Click Sound, Video And Game Controllers, click Next, and then click Have Disk.
6. Type the path to where the updated driver files are located, and then click OK.
7. Click the Boca Sound Expression 14.4 sound card, and then click OK.
8. Click Next.
9. Click Finish. If you are prompted to restart your computer, click Yes.

While the computer is restarting, you are asked if you want to load the real mode drivers for MS-DOS. You do not need to install MS-DOS drivers unless you boot to a command prompt to use applications that require sound, or use MS-DOS based games that don't operate properly in an MS-DOS window. You can load the real mode drivers later if you are not sure if they are needed.

Before Windows restarts, you should receive a New Hardware Found message stating that Windows has found new hardware and is installing the software for it.

Sound Expression 28.8

To configure your Boca Sound Expression sound card to work with the ActiMates PC Pack Transmitter and the Microsoft ActiMates software, or the SideWinder Force Feedback Pro joystick, make sure you have the latest sound card drivers available from Boca. Versions dated earlier than 3/29/96 may exhibit problems when used with the PC Pack Transmitter.

You may need to change the settings on this sound card for ActiMates products or the joystick to work properly. Specifically, your sound card's external MIDI port must be enabled for the device to work with your computer.

Use the following steps to make sure your external MIDI port is enabled:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. In Control Panel, double-click Multimedia.
3. On the Advanced tab, double-click MIDI Devices And Instruments to display the list of MIDI devices connected to your computer.
4. Click the MIDI for Sound Expression MPU-401 device. (If this device is not listed, click Cancel, and then skip to Step 8.)
   
   NOTE: If you have two external MIDI devices listed, for example both MIDI for External MIDI Port and MIDI for MPU-401, then your computer has two external MIDI ports. If you enable one of the external MIDI ports and it does not work, then enable the second external MIDI port and try using the device again.
5. Click Properties.
6. On the General tab, make sure Use MIDI Features On This Device is selected.
7. Click OK.
8. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
9. On the Device Manager tab, make sure View Devices By Type is selected.
10. Double-click Sound, Video And Game Controllers. You should see the following drivers listed:

    Gameport Joystick
    Sound Expression MPU-401
    Sound Expression SRS Sound Controller
    Sound Expression SRS Sound System

11. If any other drivers are listed, they do not correspond to this sound card. Either you have a second audio or MIDI port on the computer, or the drivers are improperly loaded.
    
    The important driver is the Sound Expression MPU-401 driver. This driver controls both the audio and the external MIDI, and must use an Input/Output (I/O) address range of 300-301, 310-311, 320-321, or 330-331. If none of these I/O ranges are in use, then you must change the Basic Configuration until one of these I/O ranges is present. If none of the Basic Configurations use this resource, it is likely that another sound card in the system is already using this range. The conflicting sound card may or may not be listed in Device Manager.
    
    The other drivers are important for proper sound card functionality and for sound generation. The Gameport Joystick driver only controls the joystick, and is not needed for ActiMates products.
12. Double-click the Sound Expression MPU-401 driver in the list.
13. On the Resources tab, locate the listing for Input/Output Range in the Resources Settings area. There may be more than one entry. For the external MIDI port to operate correctly, one of the Resource types must have one of the following Setting values:

    0300 - 0301
    0310 - 0311
    0320 - 0321
    0330 - 0331

14. If none of these I/O ranges are in use, then you must change the Basic Configuration until one of these I/O ranges is present. You may have to clear the Use Automatic Settings check box to change the Basic Configuration. If none of the Basic Configurations use one the required Input/Output ranges, it is likely that another sound card in the computer is already using this range. The conflicting sound card may or may not be listed in Device Manager.
15. Restart Windows.

ActiMates characters and the ActiMates software or the joystick should now function properly on this computer. If it does not, do the following:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. In Control Panel, double-click System.
3. On the Device Manager tab, double-click Sound, Video And Game Controllers.
4. Double-click the Sound Expression MPU-401.
5. Change the Interrupt setting. Some interrupt settings may not support the MPU-401. You may have to clear the Use Automatic Settings check box to change Interrupt setting.

Experiment with various configuration settings for the Sound Expression MPU-401 entry in the Sound, Video And Game Controllers device list. If this results in a device conflict, then change the settings for either the sound card or the conflicting device.

The third-party products that are discussed in this article are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

REFERENCES

For information about how to solve problems related to Microsoft ActiMates characters, use the ActiMates Troubleshooter located at the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/support/actimates/actitshoot/

For additional information or assistance with installing your sound card drivers and/or sound card, contact Boca Research at:

Technical Support: (407) 241-8088
Bulletin Board (BBS): (407) 241-1601 or (407) 241-1661
Internet: www.bocaresearch.com or ftp.opti.com

Additional query words: actimate acti mate mates acta barnie actamate actamates side winder forcefeedback feed back dw

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