MagicEngine

[ezra]

All the Hucard roms run perfect. When I boot a CD game it runs fine with sound effects but no .wav music. This occurs with all CD games. I've opened the games on two different CD drives and used both the Magic System and the System Cards. I get the same results everytime...no music. Anyone have any ideas?

[ethylene]

The idea that came to my mind is this. Check the PCE.INI file in a text editor. Find the line:

cd_audio_input_line=

Now check the LOG.TXT file. Make sure the device marked as:

(selected as CD input line)

is the correct one. If not, take the number next to the correct device and put it next to the variable in PCE.INI.

C2H4

[ezra]

Thanks for the help Ethylene. I've tried to designate the correct CD drive but it doesn't work. I've tried both my CD drives.
This happens with both burned games and originals.

There is an audio cable running between the CD drive and the soundcard. I've also tested with an audio CD.

Windows 98 reads the PC Engine disc as an Audio CD.

I'm useing ME 9.8
Win 98
Soundblaster 16
Acer 50x CD-ROM
HP 9100 CD-Writer

heres the log file for an original Lords of thunder

[SOUND INIT]
init sound timer... OK
init direct sound interface... OK
set cooperative level... OK
create primary buffer... OK
setup primary buffer: freq=44100 channels=2 bits=16... OK
alloc sound buffer... OK
play sound buffer... OK
check sound buffer... OK
init CD audio volume control... no control!

[BACKUP RAM]
loading backup RAM database index file : "C:\PCEngine TV\Magic Engine 9.8 Full\backup.idx"... OK
checking database... 1 bank(s) found
clear and initialize a new backup RAM

[CD-ROM INIT]
opening ASPI DLL... OK
scanning ASPI devices... found 2 CD-ROM drive(s)
CD-ROM timeout set to 0
create dummy rom... OK
searching game backup RAM in database [10000001|00000000]... not found
clear and initialize a new backup RAM

[HUCARD]
opening ROM file : "syscard3.pce"... OK
loading ROM... OK
searching game backup RAM in database [6D9A73EF|00000000]... not found
clear and initialize a new backup RAM

[CD]

[BOOT CD]
test unit... ready (250ms)
reading TOC...
- OK, 23 track(s) detected
track 1 [10]: 00 02 00 ( 0, 3590)
track 2 [14]: 00 49 65 ( 3590, 7478)
track 3 [10]: 01 41 53 ( 7478, 14404)
track 4 [10]: 03 14 04 ( 14404, 19045)
track 5 [10]: 04 15 70 ( 19045, 21295)
track 6 [10]: 04 45 70 ( 21295, 25839)
track 7 [10]: 05 46 39 ( 25839, 30330)
track 8 [10]: 06 46 30 ( 30330, 39269)
track 9 [10]: 08 45 44 ( 39269, 43738)
track 10 [10]: 09 45 13 ( 43738, 44948)
track 11 [10]: 10 01 23 ( 44948, 58395)
track 12 [10]: 13 00 45 ( 58395, 78434)
track 13 [10]: 17 27 59 ( 78434, 98457)
track 14 [10]: 21 54 57 ( 98457, 118543)
track 15 [10]: 26 22 43 ( 118543, 138743)
track 16 [10]: 30 51 68 ( 138743, 158885)
track 17 [10]: 35 20 35 ( 158885, 178994)
track 18 [10]: 39 48 44 ( 178994, 199087)
track 19 [10]: 44 16 37 ( 199087, 202820)
track 20 [10]: 45 06 20 ( 202820, 216220)
track 21 [10]: 48 04 70 ( 216220, 229551)
track 22 [10]: 51 02 51 ( 229551, 243280)
track 23 [14]: 54 05 55 ( 243280, 246869)
read sector 3590...3591 (2)
read sector 3590searching game backup RAM in database [70D557C3|7ABF01B9]... not found
clear and initialize a new backup RAM
...3717 (128)
read sector 3592...3593 (2)
read sector 5578...5705 (128)
play audio 7478...14404
read sector 3594...3721 (128)
play audio 19045...21295
pause audio... OK

[ethylene]

Hmm, I wonder what the

'init CD audio volume control... no control!'

is all about.

So the audio CD plays fine in Windows.... have you installed Creative's drivers for the SB16? I have a very similar card, an AWE64, and here's the [SOUND INIT] portion of my LOG.TXT for a CD game:

[SOUND INIT]
init sound timer... OK
init direct sound interface... OK
set cooperative level... OK
create primary buffer... OK
setup primary buffer: freq=44100 channels=2 bits=16... OK
alloc sound buffer... OK
play sound buffer... OK
check sound buffer... OK
scanning sound card... found 1 sound card(s)
checking sound card mixer ("AWE64G Mixer [220]" v4.38)...
+SPEAKERS: vol = 74 [00000000/0000FFFF]
-WAVEOUT [ 0] vol = 74 [00000000/0000FFFF]
-SYNTHESIZER [ 1] vol = 74 [00000000/0000FFFF]
-COMPACTDISC [ 2] vol = 74 [00000000/0000FFFF] (selected as CD input line)
-LINE [ 3] vol = 100 [00000000/0000FFFF]
-MICROPHONE [ 4] vol = 72 [00000000/0000FFFF]
-PCSPEAKER [ 5] vol = 0 [00000000/0000FFFF]
+WAVEIN:
+VOICEIN:
master audio volume... 100 (74)
fx audio volume... 100 (74)
cd audio volume... 100 (74)

My guess is that you don't have the Creative drivers and/or mixer utility installed... am I right?

Just out of curiosity, is your card an ISA or a PCI?

[dmichel]

[ezra]

I tried ME 9.9 beta 4 but still no music. I get the same result from Yame. Here is the suond portion for 9.9beta 4. Looks like even more trouble.
I'll try the creative drivers riht now

[SOUND INIT]
init sound timer... OK
init direct sound interface... OK
set cooperative level... OK
create primary buffer... OK
setup primary buffer: freq=44100 channels=2 bits=16... OK
alloc sound buffer... OK
play sound buffer... OK
check sound buffer... OK
scanning sound card... found 1 sound card(s)
checking sound card mixer ("VIA Audio (WAVE)" v5.0)...
+SPEAKERS: vol = 100 [00000000/0000FFFF]
-WAVEOUT [ 0] vol = 86 [00000000/0000FFFF] (selected as CD input line)
-SYNTHESIZER [ 1] vol = 100 [00000000/0000FFFF]
-ANALOG [ 2] vol = 0 [00000000/0000FFFF]
-MICROPHONE [ 3] vol = 49 [00000000/0000FFFF]
-LINE [ 4] vol = 40 [00000000/0000FFFF]
-COMPACTDISC [ 5] vol = 86 [00000000/0000FFFF]
-ANALOG [ 6] vol = 49 [00000000/0000FFFF]
-ANALOG [ 7] vol = 49 [00000000/0000FFFF]
-TELEPHONE [ 8] vol = 49 [00000000/0000FFFF]
-WAVEOUT [ 9] vol = 74 [00000000/0000FFFF]
+WAVEIN:
master audio volume... 100 (100)
fx audio volume... 74 (74)
cd audio volume... 85 (86)

[BACKUP RAM]
loading backup RAM database index file : "C:\DOWNLOADS\MAGIC ENGINE 9.9 BETA 4\backup.idx"... not found

[CD-ROM INIT]
scanning NT scsi drivers...
- D: error!
- E: error!
checking CD-ROM drives... no adapter found!
opening ASPI DLL... OK
scanning ASPI devices...
- drive 0: adapter=0, unit=0, lun=0 [type=5]
- drive 1: adapter=0, unit=1, lun=0 [type=5]
select drive 0
CD-ROM timeout set to 0
create dummy rom... OK
searching game backup RAM in database [10000001|00000000]... not found
clear and initialize a new backup RAM

[dmichel]

[ezra]

Hey, I was giveing you guys the wrong info. I'm not using a sound card. I'm useing on-board sound from an ASUS A7V-E motherboard... the audio cable runs from the back of my CDDrive to the motherboard. When I check my System properties the sound driver installed is
"VIA AC'97 Audio Controller (WDM)".

Also when I boot my PC there is a DOS message in the backgroud of the Windows splash screen tha sz
"Please Enable Sound Blaster Pro i BIOS settins First!"
I checked my CMOS but can't find anything related to this.

I know i may be asking to rack you brains alittle but if you can see what I'm doing wrong please help. btw did i mention the same thing happns with YAME.

Thanks

[ezra]

When I play a PCE game with Magic Engine the CD music comes out of the from headphone jack. That's better than before but the computer generated sounds come from the speaker-out on the back of my PC (motherboard as I have on-board sound) nothing from the Line-out jack. The only way to get the full sound as it stands is to use a Y-adapter but that would kill the sound Q.
Any suggestions are welcome.

[Kaminari]

The embedded AC97 is a good soundchip which shouldn't cause you any specific trouble. I would check too things: the BIOS of your motherboard and the driver of the soundchip. Either way, go to http://download.asus.com.tw/mb_alllist.asp and search for the A7V-E in the Socket A section.

[ezra]

I did two things. First I went to the Asus site and DLed the VIA sound driver for 98SE. I then tried to update the driver but windows kept telling me this is the same driver I'm already using so it would'nt update. I checked back with the site and DLed the sound driver patch for Win 98...the site offered no description for the patch except for the name. So after DLing I extracted to an .exe file and used it and restarted. At that point i start Magic Engine, it goes to black screen and hangs the PC and Yame starts with Sound initialization error pop-up and runs the game without any sound.

My next step was to get rid of the patch somehow...so I tried to reinstall the driver in its original form after DLing an unpatched copy. Before that and cause I'm so impatient I enabled the Sound Blaster Emulation in the BIOS by reading the manual... OK now to reinstall the sound driver. Windows now tells me that the driver is not designed to work with the sound hardware (previous to useing the patch it told me this driver was the same one already installed so there was no need to update).

I avoided updateing the motherboard BIOS as that has greater potential for more complications. So in writing this I see I made the mistake of enableing the Sound Blaster emulation before fixing the problem i just created.

I'm hoping that windows is seeing the onboard sound chip as a sound blaster needing the sound blaster driver so thats why it did not recognize the VIA driver as a match. I'm also hopeing the VIA patch wasn't a firmware update for the sound chip cause that takes this to a whole other level.

I'll troubleshoot further by disableing the SB emulation and see if Windows matches the VIA driver to the sound chip. failing that I'll try to use the creative SB driver. I suspect the solution to my original problem was to simply enable the SB emulation. Right now I have no sound at all. I think thats a good sign cause as soon as i fix the general sound problem the Magic Engine problem should also be fixed That shouldn't take long but i wont be at my PC for another 10 hrs so i thought i'd throw this at y'all.

I'm not asking anyone to troubleshoot my PC, thats my own problem. But if anyone has experience with Magic Engine hanging at black screen when executed, please just offer your insites.

[ethylene]

Hey, ezra, sorry that you're in Update Hell

This thought crossed my mind:

I have a motherboard here with a VIA southbridge and AC '97 codec sound. It has three audio connectors:

- TAD
- CD IN 1
- CD IN 2

Is it possible you have the CDROM audio cable hooked up to a different connector than you think? One that is un-muted in Windows, and muted in MagicEngine? Explaining why you get CD sound in Windows but not in MagicEngine?

Just a thought... good luck!

[ethylene]

...I wouldn't try the Creative drivers. They'll be expecting an actual, physical card. You should be able to get the right drivers from ASUS.

Did you look at LOG.TXT to see at what point MagicEngine locks up?

[Kaminari]

[ezra]

Well it seems my original dilema is solved. I changed the audio cable from CD1 to CD 2 and I get the CD music from the back of the PC just as ethylene said. No more black screen from Magic Engine though. Maybe something happened after forcieng the sound chip driver about 6 times. i removed the VIA 97 device in Device Manager 3 times and each time my PC blue screened, after pressing any key everything resumed and the device was gone. I then reset and i'm promted to install a driver for the NewHardware. Thats were i force it... and also when simply updateing.

Now, although I get the CD music from the games i don't get any computer generated sound effects at all. And no sound at all when playing .avi or .mpg or anything.

Here are my options:1 reinstall Win 98SE
2 update the BIOS

I'm afraid to update the BIOS but I would prefer to do that. As reinstalling the OS would be a copp out and I would learn nothing.

NOTE:the patch name is "VIA Audio Driver 1.40a--Audio Patch Driver for Windows 98/ME/NT40/2000/XP". I'm running 98SE. I understand that one OS is different from the other, but the difference between 98 and 98SE? I guess different enough to matter. I'm not dumb but I hope you can see why I used it for my 98SE.

If infact is was a bad move would the BIOS update help. If not how do I reverse the changes the patch made? Speculation of what the patch did is welcome as it would get my wheels turning and increase my familiarity with OSs.

Thanks for the time everyones already given me. Funny how the problem was just the audio cable