***************************************************************************** Important Suggestions to the Marc 8 Midi Driver Version 4.05 ***************************************************************************** Contents: 1. The first installation of the Marc 8 Midi and related drivers 2. Update from older drivers to driver version 4.05 3. What's new ? 4. Attention: Windows System Sounds 5. Attention: Multicard Users ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. The first installation of the Marc 8 Midi an related drivers * If you want to install a Marc 8 Midi at the first time, then go ahead as follows: - Switch of your computer and open the cover. - Put one or more (max. 4) Marc 8 Midi's into free PCI slots. - Close the cover and switch on you computer. - Start Windows95/98 and follow the instructions on the screen. - First, the Windows operation system may not find a driver, because it doesn't exists at the root directory of you installation disk. - Search for the language directory of you choice und click "Ok." - Under Windows95b/c it may happens, that you have to choose the correct installation directory once again. - After you have installed the drivers, the Marc 8 Midi Sound System is ready for action. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2. Update from older drivers to driver version 4.05 * If you have installed one ore more Marc 8 Midi(s) and related drivers so go ahead as follows: - Start Windows and remove all Marc 8 Midi entries at device managers device list. (recommend for users with one card only) O R - Start Windows in SAFE MODE (recommend for users with more than one card) - if you want to remove an older Marc 8 Midi driver, then start the Marc 8 Midi Uninstaller (MARC8MUI.EXE), which is located in root directory of you installation disc and (after a successful installation) in windows system directory. - Restart your Windows and follow the instructions on screen. (see also "1. The first installation of the Siena an related drivers") ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. What's new ? Version 4.05: * ASIO: performance improved when used with more than one card * ASIO/GSIF: When using an ASIO/GSIF application, the driver overrides user's clock and start/stop synchronization settings with appropriate values. (these user settings are applicable for MME/DirectSound applications only). Now, the driver restores the user settings again, when the last ASIO/GSIF application has finished. * On some computers a driver error could stop recording and playback after appr. 1h. This error is solved with this version. Version 4.04: * Marc 8 Midi Manager Software now uses the registry branch "HKCU" (User related) to store it's settings. Version 4.03: * Record CPU Load decreased by 25% * The samplerate that is used to capture input level data decreases depending on the number of cards installed down to a minimum 11.025 Hz. Version 4.02: * Because of legal reasons the name "Siena" cannot be used anymore. The existing hardware and related drivers are now part of the product "Marc 8 Midi". * MME Interface: synchronous buffer return improved Version 4.01: * Improved ASIO - Driver takes full control of the Monitor Settings (see Siena Manager) The appropriate user settings will be partial overwritten, when an ASIO/GSIF application is running and restored, when an ASIO/GSIF session has finished. - The Driver checks the availability of the activated ASIO devices, when a ASIO application starts the driver. If another application uses activated ASIO devices, the driver pops up the ASIO setup dialog to gives you the opportunity to deactivate such used devices. - Uninstaller (sienaui.exe) now removes ASIO application related driver settings. (activated devices, buffersize, streaming priority) * 32 Bit Audio Data Transfer Format for MME applications * Problem with trucated error messages solved. Now these messages can be read completely. * Previous version didn't save the monitoring setting correctly - solved. Version 4.00: * GSIF Support * MIDI SysEx Record Problem sovled * possible blue screen while ASIO/MIDI initialization killed * Improved ASIO performance Version 3.05: * ASIO: Offset between record and play tracks with Steinberg Cubase VST removed * ASIO: general interaction problems with Emagic Logic Audio removed Version 3.0 * ASIO 2.0 support with "Direct Monitoring" and hardware supported monitor volume fading. - the supported hardware volume range is -72.07dB .. 0dB - please note that Cubase VST 3.7 R2 sets the monitor volume to lower -72.07dB if you press the VST monitor button for the first time. (you can hear nothing). Just move the volume fader once to get the correct monitor volume. * The ASIO streaming performance with emagic Logic Audio doesn't work optimal. Emagic told us that this would be better with the new 4.5 version which coming soon. * Warning/Error messages about Sample/Device Conflicts default changed to disabled. If you encounter problems like these: - Your Playback/Record doesn't start - Your Playback/Record takes the wrong samplerate - Your application reports an error like "Unknown external error" the turn the error messages on! (Siena Manager - Settings) * New DirectSound option "Available devices limited to:" implemented: (see Siena Manager - Settings - DirectSound) If you use an application which is not capable to determine a DirectSound Playback Device, now you have the opportunity to setup your desired device here. But - this device will be the ONLY one which you can use by DirectSound! Choose "No device available" if you don't wish a DirectSound support at this card. This option is very(!) important for the Sampler Output of NemeSys GigaSampler! Choose your GigaSampler Output HERE and take care that no other application is using this GigaSampler Device - whether or not GigaSampler is running! Proper DirectSound Setup for NemeSys GigaSampler: - Set Latency manually to 1ms or 2ms (exactly) More about "Working with GigaSampler" and "Working with multiple applications at the same time" see at www.sekd.com within the next few days (today: 05-05-2000) * Possible Hang or Blue Screen on Windows Start/Shutdown solved. Version 2.10 * Some Users told us about the driver message "Card memory check failed" on Windows Start. (most of them are AMD-Users). This problem was caused by an incompatibility between the PnP BIOS and the Siena PCI Controller. In consequence the audio data couldn't read/write from/to the Siena RAM. This driver version is able to walk around this problem but at cost of the IRQ sharing. Therefore you may get the error message "IRQ could not be occupied" or another system component which uses the same IRQ like the Siena will not work. In this case change the IRQ of the Siena to another value which is not used by another system component. Do this by using the PnP BIOS or WIN9x. OR: Choose the resource display of the Siena in windows device manager. There deactivate the option "Set automatically" (or whatever means the same) and change the START VALUE of the FIRST memory range so that the last two digits are "00" and the last two digits of the END VALUE of the FIRST memory range are "7F". e.g. Before you changed the values: DE000080-DE000100 After you have changed the values: DE000000-DE00007F The most simple method to get it successful done is: Just click once at the down arrow within the value input field. Please make sure that your change not results a resource conflict. (see the bottom window in this dialog). Click "Ok" multiple and restart windows. * Possible Hang or Blue Screen on Windows Start/Shutdown solved. Version 2.09 * DirectSound driver problem solved, which was the cause of very strange appearances and possible system crashs while using DirectSound applications. * Additional DirectSound Option "Restrict Playback Format" implemented: (see Manager - Settings - DirectSound) In interaction of some DirectSound Applications and the DirectX System it may occur, that the hardware driver is used with another sample format by DirectX that requested by the application. A realtime sample format converting is the consequence. This may have a negative influence to the sound quality and the overall system performance. So, if you get the impression that it didn't sounds like you expect (like a bad format converting), please close your application, open the Siena Manager and set the sample format you need in "Settings - DirectSound - Restrict Playback Format". This setting forces the DirectX System to use the hardware driver with this sample format only. Therefore a realtime format converting by DirectX will not happen. But, if an application uses another sample format than you have set, the realtime format converting of DirectX will be done again. Version 2.08 * Full featured "BusSync" between multiple Siena's. This allows a Start/Stop and Clock Synchronization. You need a BusSync cable for 2 or 3 or 4 cards which you can get from SEK'D. * Midi Input problem while running wave audio solved * Developers Interest Only: - Call of several waveOut-function by DevId Version 1.03 * Installation problem under Window95 (not Windows98) solved * Improved hardware functionality tests * Improved Midi Device Reset * Improved Midi In Performance ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4. Attention: Windows System Sounds * After the first installation of an audio device driver, Windows NT switchs on the Windows System Sounds per default. The system will playback these sound if a message box appears or a windows will be minimized or maximized. The use of this system sounds may cause some problems in conjunction with running audio applications. * Per default the driver takes care of a synchronous start and stop of all devices of the Marc 8 Midi. This is a really important feature for each multichannel harddiskrecording program but it may cause conflicts with the windows system sounds. If a running playback- or recording session will be interrupted by a system sound (because of a message box or window actions) the playback- or recording session will STOP too and the related audio application will hang (under specific circumstances) in a undefined state. You can solve this behaviour by switching off the system sounds (Control Panel->Sounds) or by deactivating the Start/Stop Synchronization Option of the Marc 8 Midi driver. (see Marc 8 Midi Manager - Settings - Synchronization) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5. Attention: Multicard Users * If you get an error message at windows start which shows an hardware initialization error, please remove ALL card from you computer and test each card alone. This is the only safe way to find out the defect card! Please request your hardware dealer to Exchange of the defect card against a new one. * NEVER disable or remove a Marc 8 Midi entry from windows device manager's list! This may cause problems in interaction with the Marc 8 Midi Manager and Driver. System crashs may be the consequence. This problem will be solved in the next driver update. * Please install a driver update ONLY like described under 2. Leipzig 03-18-2003