Questions and answers from the official Terratec FAQ (dated 981228) have been implemented if applicable. These topics have been marked with a small Terratec logo.

EWS and softsynths 2000-03-12

Contribution from Achim

On the Seer website (www.seersystems.com) you can find a fix for Dream based soundcards like the EWS to make them work in conjunction with softsynths like like Reaktor and Reality (it should work with other softsynths as well). For your convenience you can download this fix by clicking here.

Documentation by Seer Systems:

The Dream DSP is used in quite a few multiple-output sound cards, typically in conjunction with a stereo codec chip which guarantees game compatibility.
If you're using a multi-channel audio sequencer such as Cubase, Cakewalk, or Logic, then you'll probably do best to route your Seer synth's output through the stereo codec, and reserve the Dream chip for multi-channel recording. This will make your system configuration much more straightforward than trying to run a Seer synth and an audio sequencer together on the same Dream chip.

However, if you are running a version of Reality prior to version 1.56 and if you need to run your Seer synth through the Dream outputs, download the DreamDspFix.reg file. Then make sure to select the WAV drivers for the Dream chip. The DirectSound drivers do not coordinate properly with the Seer drivers at this time. Future versions of the Seer synthesis engine (versions 1.5.6 and higher) will automatically install this fix, and will also insure interoperability with the DirectSound drivers for the Dream chip.

Installing the Fix

Before starting, make sure that you are not running any Seer program (Reality, SurReal or SeerMusic).
The fix will not take effect if you're running a Seer program while you install the fix.

This file is only a few K in size, so it will come down very quickly. You may run it directly from the web, or you may choose to save it to your hard disk, then locate it and double-click on it. If you're running Windows 95, the changes will take place immediately. If you're running Windows 98, it will ask if you want to accept the changes before completing.
For your peace of mind, all the changes are made only to the Seer area of the registry, no changes are made to the card drivers or Windows subsystem directly.

When using a higher version than 1.01A of Pinnacle Studio 400 (e.g. after upgrading to version 1.03 and 1.04) , the program won't start anymore. You get an error message that it cannot connect to MFC42.DLL.

Solution

This DLL appears to exist in both the WINDOWS\SYSTEM folder and the EWS64 folder. Do the following:

• Startup your computer in DOS mode (under Windows this DLL can't be replaced, as it is in use).
• Rename the MFC42.DLL in the WINDOWS\SYSTEM folder to for example MFC42_orig.DLL
• Copy the MFC42.DLL from the EWS64 folder to the WINDOWS\SYSTEM folder
  Command: copy C:\EWS64\MFC42.DLL C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
• Reboot your computer. Studio 400 should work now.

Symptoms:

• No sound transmission and/or receival.

Solution

The Audio-Wizard in Netmeeting does not 'know' the Terratec card. However: it works fine with the right setting.

• While executing the Audio-Wizard, make sure you set the Record-device and Play-device both to 'Codec'.
• At the end of the wizard you get the message that Netmeeting does not support the EWS. Don't bother, just finish the wizard.
• In Netmeeting adjusting mic and audio level seems not possible. Go to your Control Panel and move the wave and out-sliders: you will see the sliders in Netmeeting probably move as well (but  if they don't: never mind).

We suspect a conflict somewhere between the EWS-software and Crescendo, the midi plugin for MSIE and Netscape. While playing midi-files over the internet through Crescendo, sometimes the browser suddenly crashes. The strange (and even somewhat funny) thing is, that if you start Cubasis AV after that, this program cheerfully finishes the midi song. You can't even bring it to stop without shutting down Cubasis.

Another user confirmed the problem with Crescendo to us. More people having the same trouble?

Nothing to worry about. System Monitor is fooled by things that are doing lots of buffering (eg rebirth, EWS-Player). It isn't actually using 100%, because you can run multiple instances, all playing wav files simultaneously, it still uses 100% according to sysmon, but there is no speed loss.

This is probably due to the virtual MIDI drivers. Make sure that the virtual MIDI drivers in the MIDI sequencer program are only configured for in- OR output (see also new version of software help).

This error appears to be caused by graphics card drivers. So far, this error has only occurred on systems with Matrox G200-based AGP cards. At present, the problem can only be solved by changing the DirectSound settings of the synthesizer listed in the Device Manager. Set the DirectSound mode to Game Mode.

This error message is displayed on some systems. You can, however, ignore the message because the help system's functionality is not diminished at all.

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Latest update on page: 19-04-99

Latest update on page: 19-04-99