rec.autos.simulators

Bad GPL sound - IT'S THE CONTROLLER!!!!!!!!!

Mark Daviso

Bad GPL sound - IT'S THE CONTROLLER!!!!!!!!!

by Mark Daviso » Fri, 02 Apr 1999 04:00:00

Been having all sorts of problems with sound in GPL with my new SB PCI128.
Changed from TM ACM + AWE32 (no probs there).
Been getting that crackling sound that lots of PCI128 and SBLive users
complain about.
I've tried converting .wav files to higher quality, arseing around with
volume settings and numbers of sounds heard.  Nothing worked.  Unplugged the
T2, started GPL up - perfect sound.  I DON'T BELIEVE IT!

Does anyone know how to disable the game port of the PCI 128 so that I can
use my ACM card again?  I'm hoping this will solve my problems.
Alternatively, does anyone know if Papy plan to fix this well publicised
compatibilty problem between the game and what must be one of the most
popular families of soundcards today?

That's one mystery solved, but, as so often happens, the problem's just
changed shape.

Dang.

Mark
Reading, UK

schwab

Bad GPL sound - IT'S THE CONTROLLER!!!!!!!!!

by schwab » Fri, 02 Apr 1999 04:00:00

Hey Mark... I think you can right-click on My Computer, then go to
Properties. In Device Manager, you should be able to disable the Joy
port on the SB... Either disable it or remove it. Then install the old
ACM card. It should only then be active on the ACM.

Contrary to your findings, I have NOT had any problems with my SB LIVE
or my gameport on it. In fact, I find there to be less "shakes" than
with my old SB16. And the sound is terrific, especially with Patrick's
sounds.... they are UNREAL with the Live. Or should I say, REAL. In any
case, they are substantially better with the Live than the SB16.

Hope you get it sorted out! :-)

--Dave


> Been having all sorts of problems with sound in GPL with my new SB PCI128.
> Changed from TM ACM + AWE32 (no probs there).
> Been getting that crackling sound that lots of PCI128 and SBLive users
> complain about.
> I've tried converting .wav files to higher quality, arseing around with
> volume settings and numbers of sounds heard.  Nothing worked.  Unplugged the
> T2, started GPL up - perfect sound.  I DON'T BELIEVE IT!

> Does anyone know how to disable the game port of the PCI 128 so that I can
> use my ACM card again?  I'm hoping this will solve my problems.
> Alternatively, does anyone know if Papy plan to fix this well publicised
> compatibilty problem between the game and what must be one of the most
> popular families of soundcards today?

> That's one mystery solved, but, as so often happens, the problem's just
> changed shape.

> Dang.

> Mark
> Reading, UK

--
Dave Schwabe
The Aussie Toad -- Grand Prix Legends & Brabham site
http://users.wi.net/~schwabe
Brian Fo

Bad GPL sound - IT'S THE CONTROLLER!!!!!!!!!

by Brian Fo » Fri, 02 Apr 1999 04:00:00

What happens if you go into the gameport properties in the device manager
(under your soundcard), and check "disable in this hardware profile" rather
than unplugging the t2?  Unplugging my usb wheel didn't help my sound
problems, nor did disabling the gameport.  I'm taking mine to the largest pc
repair shop in town tomorrow, see what they can do.

Brian Fox
http://www.geocities.com/~foxman
If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal.


>Been having all sorts of problems with sound in GPL with my new SB PCI128.
>Changed from TM ACM + AWE32 (no probs there).
>Been getting that crackling sound that lots of PCI128 and SBLive users
>complain about.
>I've tried converting .wav files to higher quality, arseing around with
>volume settings and numbers of sounds heard.  Nothing worked.  Unplugged
the
>T2, started GPL up - perfect sound.  I DON'T BELIEVE IT!

>Does anyone know how to disable the game port of the PCI 128 so that I can
>use my ACM card again?  I'm hoping this will solve my problems.
>Alternatively, does anyone know if Papy plan to fix this well publicised
>compatibilty problem between the game and what must be one of the most
>popular families of soundcards today?

>That's one mystery solved, but, as so often happens, the problem's just
>changed shape.

>Dang.

>Mark
>Reading, UK

Mark Daviso

Bad GPL sound - IT'S THE CONTROLLER!!!!!!!!!

by Mark Daviso » Fri, 02 Apr 1999 04:00:00


>What happens if you go into the gameport properties in the device manager
>(under your soundcard), and check "disable in this hardware profile" rather
>than unplugging the t2?  Unplugging my usb wheel didn't help my sound
>problems, nor did disabling the gameport.  I'm taking mine to the largest
pc
>repair shop in town tomorrow, see what they can do.

I'm afraid I'm working with far older hardware than you, Brian.  All I can
say is that whatever the problem was, unplugging the T2 and using keyboard
worked for me.  Not that that helps much.  GPL with keys?  No thanks.
Others have said that reducing audio hardware accelleration in Win98 works
for them, some have said modifying the .wavs to be 16 bit rather than 8 bit
worked, and yet still others found that playing with volume settings did the
trick.
Hope you find a solution.

Mark
Reading, UK

Matthew Birger Knutse

Bad GPL sound - IT'S THE CONTROLLER!!!!!!!!!

by Matthew Birger Knutse » Fri, 02 Apr 1999 04:00:00


> Been having all sorts of problems with sound in GPL with my new SB PCI128.
> Changed from TM ACM + AWE32 (no probs there).
> Been getting that crackling sound that lots of PCI128 and SBLive users
> complain about.
> I've tried converting .wav files to higher quality, arseing around with
> volume settings and numbers of sounds heard.  Nothing worked.  Unplugged the
> T2, started GPL up - perfect sound.  I DON'T BELIEVE IT!

> Does anyone know how to disable the game port of the PCI 128 so that I can
> use my ACM card again?  I'm hoping this will solve my problems.
> Alternatively, does anyone know if Papy plan to fix this well publicised
> compatibilty problem between the game and what must be one of the most
> popular families of soundcards today?

> That's one mystery solved, but, as so often happens, the problem's just
> changed shape.

> Dang.

> Mark

Posted on this a while ago!
Check all connections in your T2, make SURE the contacts are good - if
neccessary rewire and re-solder.
I discovered this while making switches for a split-axis setup.

Matt

--
-----------------------------------------
Matthew Knutsen

"The Art of Legends" - GPL add-ons
www.cheekracing.electra.no/GPL/
-----------------------------------------

Ken Bear

Bad GPL sound - IT'S THE CONTROLLER!!!!!!!!!

by Ken Bear » Sat, 03 Apr 1999 04:00:00

I second schwabe's sentiments - with my previous Turtle Beach Montego I had
the shakes in GPL pretty bad, and the new sounds were ok but didn't sound
that great to me.  Also had problems with NR99.  But, with the Live I got
the other day the shakes are GONE in GPL, the new sounds are SPECTACULAR,
and NR99 works.

If you can, I'd think about exchanging the SB 128 for the Live.  I've seen a
lot of problems out of the SB PCI 64's and 128's, and had problems with my
motherboard's integrated SB PCI64 myself.  Never figured it out because the
Ensoniq Audio PCI's that these are ALL based on seemed to work well, but
that wasn't my experience with the "new and improved" version.

--
Ken

"If I went 'round claiming I was Emperor because some
 moistened bint lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away" - anonymous
peasant

Go #43 and #44!

volksy (at) geocities (dot) com
volksy (at) yahoo (dot) com


>Hey Mark... I think you can right-click on My Computer, then go to
>Properties. In Device Manager, you should be able to disable the Joy
>port on the SB... Either disable it or remove it. Then install the old
>ACM card. It should only then be active on the ACM.

>Contrary to your findings, I have NOT had any problems with my SB LIVE
>or my gameport on it. In fact, I find there to be less "shakes" than
>with my old SB16. And the sound is terrific, especially with Patrick's
>sounds.... they are UNREAL with the Live. Or should I say, REAL. In any
>case, they are substantially better with the Live than the SB16.

>Hope you get it sorted out! :-)

>--Dave


>> Been having all sorts of problems with sound in GPL with my new SB
PCI128.
>> Changed from TM ACM + AWE32 (no probs there).
>> Been getting that crackling sound that lots of PCI128 and SBLive users
>> complain about.
>> I've tried converting .wav files to higher quality, arseing around with
>> volume settings and numbers of sounds heard.  Nothing worked.  Unplugged
the
>> T2, started GPL up - perfect sound.  I DON'T BELIEVE IT!

>> Does anyone know how to disable the game port of the PCI 128 so that I
can
>> use my ACM card again?  I'm hoping this will solve my problems.
>> Alternatively, does anyone know if Papy plan to fix this well publicised
>> compatibilty problem between the game and what must be one of the most
>> popular families of soundcards today?

>> That's one mystery solved, but, as so often happens, the problem's just
>> changed shape.

>> Dang.

>> Mark
>> Reading, UK

>--
>Dave Schwabe
>The Aussie Toad -- Grand Prix Legends & Brabham site
>http://users.wi.net/~schwabe

Mark Daviso

Bad GPL sound - IT'S THE CONTROLLER!!!!!!!!!

by Mark Daviso » Sat, 03 Apr 1999 04:00:00


>Hey Mark... I think you can right-click on My Computer, then go to
>Properties. In Device Manager, you should be able to disable the Joy
>port on the SB... Either disable it or remove it. Then install the old
>ACM card. It should only then be active on the ACM.

OK schwabe, thanks.  The AWE32 had a jumper to disable the gameport and I
hadn't realised that disabling the PCI128 in software would work.
Got the ACM and 128 working together now and all is well.
Next time I open up the T2 I'll make sure all my contacts are good too on
Matthew Knutsen's advice.

Cheers

Mark
Reading, UK

NOMAD

Bad GPL sound - IT'S THE CONTROLLER!!!!!!!!!

by NOMAD » Sun, 04 Apr 1999 04:00:00

Hate to start a new thread with this but I will.  How do you make the T2 a
split-axis?  Is it just wiring?


Spa 3:22.79 (Honda)
ICQ 3002944
The HotSeat
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~sf5j-rdyn/


>Posted on this a while ago!
>Check all connections in your T2, make SURE the contacts are good - if
>neccessary rewire and re-solder.
>I discovered this while making switches for a split-axis setup.

>Matt
>> Reading, UK

>--
>-----------------------------------------
>Matthew Knutsen

>"The Art of Legends" - GPL add-ons
>www.cheekracing.electra.no/GPL/
>-----------------------------------------

Michael E. Carve

Bad GPL sound - IT'S THE CONTROLLER!!!!!!!!!

by Michael E. Carve » Sun, 04 Apr 1999 04:00:00

On Sat, 3 Apr 1999 15:16:56 +0900 NOMAD! <sf5j-r...@asahi-net.or.jp> wrote:
% Hate to start a new thread with this but I will.  How do you make the T2 a
% split-axis?  Is it just wiring?

Looks like this needs to be in a general r.a.s. full feature FAQ.
Anyway, the following is my stock reply and is actually an old post to
r.a.s. on the subject:

From: jsi...@spam.not.welcome (LavaBoy)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.simulators
Subject: Re: Seperate axis on a T2? (long)
Date: 7 Oct 1998 20:48:44 GMT

In article <tMFS1.23486$K02.13855...@news.teleport.com>,

 <mcar...@teleport.com> wrote:
>On Thu, 1 Oct 1998 13:37:51 -0500 Scott Moore <smo...@dnsonline.net> wrote:
>% After lots of practice with GPL, I think a seperate brake and throttle =
>% axis would be a great help. Does anyone know of a way to accomplish this =
>% with a T2? I'd certainly like a NASCAR Pro, but my money is going to =
>% system upgrades(16 FPS in traffic ain't cutting it :-) ). Any help on =
>% this issue is appreciated.

>I have heard (haven't verified it) that the T2 doesn't have the
>necessary wires in its cable.  So you will need to get new cabling and
>connectors to pull this off.  But check out Lew's Wheels for a great
>schematic <http://www.monmouth.com/~lw4750/electric.htm>

That is partly true, you end up having to add 1 wire that runs from your
pedals to the joystick jack along the pedals joystick chord.
I just dug into the connector to find what color wire at right pin, then
spliced into it earlier in the cable.

Not too terribly hard a project if you are familiar with soldering, I did it to
my old style T2 (which uses the adaptor in Win95), thanks to the terrific
info provided by another newsgroup reader to me when I asked this same
question here sometime last year.

Below is the e-mail he sent back to me which I used with great results,
your mileage may vary. Big thanks to Grant Reeve again for providing
me with the details on how to do this. I hope he doesn't mind me posting
the info here for all to benefit, I tried to verify by mail but never
reached him. I snipped the e-mail addresses to protect the innocent from
SPAMBOTS. This is especially useful with GPL, and really improved my ability
to trail brake!

Hope this helps other T2 owners out there who are not too afraid to try this,
but please do this at your own risk, we take no responsibility if this doesn't
work for you and you end up messing up your wheel. My T2 was pretty old anyhow.
<insert standard disclaimer>

--John

---Cut here----
Email Message From: Grant Reeve

Hi John :)

At 14:25 16/04/98 -0700, you wrote:

>I posted a response on the r.a.s. newsgroup but also sending you e-mail
>in case you don't see it. Posting there would probably help people in
>the future if they look up this info on Dejanews, but if you would like
>to e-mail me the info instead that is fine also.

I haven't looked at r.a.s yet today so i guess i haven't had a chance to
see your message there as yet. I'll reply in email anyway.

>I have a T2 with the old style (I have to use the adaptor) Joystick2
>pedal axis.

same here, but all the difference really is is that pins 6 and 11 are
swapped by the adapter, while the newer T2's have pins 6 and 11 wired
the right way around in the first place.

>I'm wondering how difficult it was just to split the pedal axis?

as long as you're OK with soldering stuff it should be fine. Also it helps
to have a multimeter or something to check which wires are connected to what
and stuff.

>Did you need to run any new wires into the pedals or just rewire the
existing?
>I have replaced both pedal pots in the past and my guess would be that
instead
>of the two pots being wired in series as they are by default you would
>just wire them independent +5v to each pot?

I run an extra wire from the pedals to the plug since there's no spare wires
in the cable.
You can use the same +5v. you split the wire connecting them in series to
another joystick axis, and attach a second +5v to the other pot which
didn't have a +5v wire.

>Please pass on the details to the splitting process, I think splitting the
>two pots would eliminate much of the jumpiness I see in my pedal axis.

You'll probably find the jumpiness is still there. I do.

ok, after this is a rather large set of details on what i did, whcih i
wrote the other night to someone else but it's easier to just cut and
paste because it applies in general:) He made a comment that my second
ascii wiring diagrams should be labled "Friendly Pedal Guy" and "Friendly
Pedal Guy with Strange Hat" :)

---------------------

What I have done is used a double pole double positon switch to allow
me to switch between both pedals on one axis (the normal one), and
the pedals on two seperate axiis. It works very well.

I've got one of the older T2's that requires an adapter, so the two normal
axiis it uses are Joystick 1 axis 1 for steering, and Joystick 2 axis 1 for
pedals. The adapter simply passes through all the pins, while swapping
Joystick 2 axis 1 with Joystick 1 axis 2. So with all the wiring i did, i've
used both pedals on J2-A1 (Joystick 2 axis 1 - will save me typing!), and
when split, the gas on J2-A1 and brake on J1-A2, knowing that the adapter
swaps them over. If you have a newer T2 you'll be wanting to swap all wiring
to the right pins from the start.

I see you're referring to axis 0 instead of axis 1 like i am:) so when i say
axis 1 i guess i'm meaning your axis 0.

The switch i made, when it has the two pedals on one axis, also connects
the +5v pin directly over to J1-A2 so that there is some kind of reading
on this third axis, which means i can flick the switch and recalibrate,
just like that, voiding any need to fiddle around with removing the 3 axis
joystick from the Win95 control panel and adding a 2 axis one and back again
all the time.

I am not entirely sure if it's healthy to connect the +5V directly to a
joystick axis like that - but this is the equivalent of no resistance,
so i would expect it to be fine. Maybe we should wire a 36 KOhm resister
instead of just a direct +5V connect.

You will have to hack'n'slash into the plug at the computer end of the
T2 cable, it's molded plastic that has probably melted slightly and fused
with the black outer casing of the two cables going into the plug. But that's
the only part that's fused so I was able to cut open the molded casing of
the plug relatively cleanly at that end to cut it away from the cables, then
i was able to slide it off revealing the gory horror of the innards of the
plug. Gory, because they've encased all the wiring and stuff in a soft
plastic, which makes it bloody painful to get access to wires and things!
More on this later in the email.

I've cut a nice little notch in the side of my pedal base about 5cm from
the cable out, where i will mount the switch properly, but I don't have
small enough screws for the switch as yet so i just have the switch dangling
loose.

OK I suppose you're wondering where all the wiring diagrams are and stufF:)
well, i've been writing all the other bits first because i was being lazy.

I based all this on some info i found at some guy's web page, i think it
might have been called "wally's world of sims" or something, but i ended
up using my own wiring and stuff, because he had a lot of unneccesary
crap, and felt like improving it to suit myself.

First i'll give a pin-out of the joystick port, for your usual soundcard:

Pin | Description
  1   +5 V
  2   Joystick 1 Button 1
  3   Joystick 1 Axis 1
  4   common ground for buttons
  5   common ground for buttons
  6   Joystick 1 Axis 2
  7   Joystick 1 Button 2
  8   +5 V
  9   +5 V
 10   Joystick 2 Button 1
 11   Joystick 2 Axis 1
 12   MIDI TXD
 13   Joystick 2 Axis 2
 14   Joystick 2 Button 2
 15   MIDI RXD

Naturally we're ignoring the MIDI pins.

If you're T2 is a newer one without the adapter, please swap all my
references to pins 11 and 6.

OK, here is a really corny ascii diagram of how the wiring currently
is configured in your T2 pedal base. I hope you've got a fixed-width
font in your email program:)

btw - all references to pin 8 here actually only mean "+5V". Since
there's 3 +5V pins it could really be any one of them, it doesn't matter.

     ______________
    /              \
    |  ___         |  ___
    X-/   \        X-/   \
gas   | G |          | B |  brake
    X-\___/        X-\___/
    |              |
    |              \_
    |                \
    /                |
   /                 |8
  /                  |
 /   ----------------|--
 | 1 \ o o o o o o o X / 8
 |  9 \ o o X o o o o / 15
 |     -----|---------
 |          |
 \__________/11

And now here's the wiring with the double position double pole switch
wired in. When the switch is in the Left position, the axiis will be
on one axis going to pin 11, with a fixed resistance going to pin 6.
When the switch is in the Right position, the axiis are split, gas on
pin 11, brake on pin 6. If you trace all the wiring you should understand
how the wiring is all done. Let me know if it's confusing or the diagram
is a mess or something.

The wires don't actually connect where they are crossing over each
other, btw.

 /--------------\
 |       _______|___________
 |      /       |           \
 |    /-|-------|-\        /+\
 |    | X   X   X |        | |  36 KOhm resistor or thereabouts
 |    |      \    |        \+/
 \------X   X \ X-----------/
      \-|---|-|-|-/
switch  |   | | |
        \___|_|_|__
     _______/ | |  \
    /         | |  |
    |  ___    | |  |  ___
    X-/   \   | |  X-/   \
gas   | G |   | |    | B |  brake
    X-\___/   | \--X-\___/
    |         |    |
    |         |    \_
    |         |      \
    /         |      |
   /          \__6   |8
  /              \   |
 /   ------------|---|--
 | 1 \ o o o o o X o X / 8
 |  9 \ o o X o o o o / 15
 |     -----|---------
 |          |
 \__________/11

The switch basically is inserted into the wire that currently
connects the two pots ...

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