(v1.45) 7/20/93
The driver ("vapivp11.drv", "vapi22.drv" or "vapi24s.drv") allows you to use
your Voyetra VP-11, V-22 or V-24s MIDI interface with any standard Windows
3.1 or Multimedia Windows application that supports MIDI.
This document will help you install and configure the appropriate driver.
It also contains important information on using your V-series interface with
different types of Windows MIDI applications.
Installation:
-------------
Installation of the driver is fairly straightforward. Besides this document
file ("readme.wri") the disk should also contain these three files:
1) "oemsetup.inf"
2) "vapi22.drv", "vapi24s.drv" or "vapivp11.drv"
3) "midimap.cfg"
To install a V-series Windows driver:
1) If you obtained the Voyetra V-series Windows driver on a disk, insert the
disk into one of your floppy drives.
Or, if you obtained the driver via our FTP site, copy the three necessary
files to either a floppy disk or to a temporary directory on your hard
drive (for example, C:\VDRIVERS).
Remember to use pkunzip to decompress them!
2) From the Windows Control Panel, run the Driver applet.
3) From the Driver applet, choose "Add..."
4) From the Add dialog box, highlight "Unlisted or Updated Driver" and
click [OK].
5) From the Install Driver dialog box, type in the drive letter of the
floppy drive containing the driver disk and click [OK].
Or, if you downloaded the drivers from our FTP site and copied them to a
directory on your hard drive, type in the drive and directory where those
files are located (C:\VDRIVERS, etc.) Click [OK].
6) From the Add Unlisted Or Updated Driver dialog box, click [OK].
7) In most cases, the installation will then present you with a Driver
Exists message box, giving you the option of overwriting your current
MIDI maps with a new one that will route MIDI data on channels 1-10 to
output port 1 of the V-22 or V-24s. The purpose of this MIDI map is to
make it as easy as possible to use your V-22 or V-24s to play MIDI files
from "multimedia" applications like the Media Player, presentation
programs, etc.
If you're not sure whether you want to install this MIDI map, see the
later section "MIDI Mapper Considerations".
8) The "Voyetra V-22 (or V-24s) Setup" dialog box will appear. Select the
correct I/O Port and Interrupt for your interface. The V-series
interfaces, as shipped, default to I/O Port (Address) 330 and Interrupt
(IRQ) 2. Unless you've physically changed the jumper settings of your
interface, you can select the default values. If you have changed the
jumper settings, enter the correct values. Click [OK].
For more information on the I/O Address and IRQ jumper settings, refer to
your V-22 or V-24s Users Guide.
9) You will then be presented with a message box verifying that the Voyetra
driver has been added and prompting you whether you want to re-start
Windows so that the new driver can take effect. Click [Restart Now].
10) After re-starting Windows, run the Driver applet, highlight the Voyetra
driver in the list of installed drivers, and choose "Setup". From the
Setup dialog box, choose "Test".
If anything other than "Driver OK" appears in the Status area, see "Hardware
Conflicts" below.
Installing multiple interfaces (V-24s/V-22):
--------------------------------------------
For the V-24s and V-22, you may now use more than one interface in your
computer. Here is how to install Windows drivers for two V-24s cards:
a) Install one V-24s or V-22 card and get it working properly with
Windows. Follow the directions that came with the interface. If you
already have one working, go to the next step.
b) Install the second card in your computer. It must be set to different
interrupts and I/O addresses than the first one. Refer to the
V-24s/V-22 manual for instructions on how to do this.
Note: It may be difficult to find two interrupts to install two
V-24s/V-22 cards such that they don't conflict with some other
peripheral in your system.
As far as i/o addresses are concerned, we suggest you first try
putting the secondary V-24s at $310. If you have an Ethernet
card at $310, try $230.
c) Make sure that the first interface is still working correctly. If not,
the second one may not be set to a different irq or i/o address. Also
at this point you might want to make sure that other peripherals in
your system are still working. In particular, you might want to test
any FAX/modems, modems, serial ports and mice that you have.
d) Now install the driver for the second V-24s. This will be similar to
the way you installed the driver for the first one, with the following
important exception: when Windows displays the "Install Driver" dialog
box, instead of entering "a:\" or "b:\", you must enter "a:\multi" or
"b:\multi".
If you followed the above procedure correctly, you will be presented with a
list box containing a number of drivers. Choose "Voyetra V-22 Midi card #2"
or "Voyetra V-24s MIDI Card #2" as necessary.
When you are presented with the Setup box, select the address and interrupt
of the secondary card.
Now everything should be running smoothly. You will now have to configure
your MIDI software to access the new MIDI Output ports you have just
installed. For example, if you installed a second V-24s, when you open the
MIDI driver configuration window in your Windows sequencer, you will now be
presented with 8 output ports, four inputs and two SMPTE readers from your
two V-24s cards, plus whatever other drivers you may have installed!
At this point, the Media Player and other multimedia applications that use
the MIDI Mapper won't send data to the second V-24s. This is probably how
you will want to leave it, since there aren't many uses for multiple ports
with the MIDI Mapper. If you feel like experimenting, go ahead! Just fire
up the MIDI Mapper applet from the Control Panel.
MIDI MAPPER considerations:
---------------------------
Windows uses an application called the MIDI Mapper to route different
channels of a MIDI file to different output devices. The primary purpose of
the MIDI Mapper is to provide Windows with a "virtual output device" so that
you can play MIDI files conforming to Microsoft's Multimedia Authoring
Guidelines with "multimedia" and "MCI layer" applications like the Media
Player, MacroMedia Action!, Compton's Encyclopedia, Voyetra's Jukebox for
Windows, etc.
Most MIDI sequencers don't even use the MIDI Mapper to route MIDI data.
Rather, they allow you to route individual tracks to any of the available
output devices right from the program itself. Therefore, if you primarily
use Windows for sequencing, not multimedia, chances are you don't really
care about the MIDI Mapper at all.
When you install the V-series Windows drivers for the first time, you will
be presented with a message box that reads
"The required midimap.cfg driver is already on the system.
Do you want to use the current driver or install a new driver?"
You can either choose "New" or "Current":
"New":
------
If you intend to use your VP-11/V-22/V-24s as part of your "multimedia"
setup with a General MIDI-compatible synthesizer and you don't care about
overwriting your existing MIDI maps.
If you choose "New", the installation will create a new MIDI map that
will route MIDI data on channels 1-10 to output port 1 of the VP-11,
V-22 or V-24s. This will allow you to connect a General MIDI-compatible
synthesizer (like a Roland Sound Canvas) to output port 1 and use it
transparently with the types of multimedia applications mentioned above.
A word of caution: Unfortunately, Windows does not provide a way to add a
new MIDI Map to the existing ones; it only allows you to overwrite the
existing MIDI maps with new ones.
If you choose to install the new MIDI map for the VP-11, V-22, or V-24s,
this will overwrite any current MIDI Mapper configurations.
"Current":
----------
If you don't want to overwrite your existing MIDI maps. You can manually
create your own "multimedia" MIDI map for your VP-11, V-22 or V-24s by
running the MIDI Mapper and assigning Source Channels 1-10 to output
port 1 of the VP-11, V-22 or V-24s. If you're not sure how to create
your own MIDI map, refer to the Microsoft Windows User's Guide.
Hardware Conflicts:
-------------------
- "Card Not at I/O Port" Error Message
If, when you choose "Test", you receive a "Card Not at I/O Port" error
message, it probably indicates that either you've specified an incorrect
I/O Address, or there is an I/O Address conflict.
Since I/O Address conflicts are relatively rare, first double-check the I/O
Address setting of the Setup window and the interface itself to make sure
they both agree. If, after doing this, you still receive the error message,
refer to the V-22 or V-24s Users Guide for information on resolving I/O
Address conflicts.
- "No Interrupts" Error Message
If "Test" gives you this message, this may indicate an IRQ conflict or
mismatch. In this case, make sure you have specified the correct interrupt
setting. If so, consult your MIDI interface Users Guide for information on
resolving hardware conflicts.
General note on using configuration dialogs:
--------------------------------------------
Since it could crash Windows, you are not allowed to use the V-22 and V-24s
configuration dialogs while any of the MIDI ports are open. This means you
must close any sequencers or other MIDI applications.
Likewise, you can't open any MIDI applications while you are configuring a
V-series driver.
You don't have to worry about messing something up accidentally, you will
always get an error message when you try to do one of these things.
Using the V-24s' SMPTE features in Windows
------------------------------------------
Reading SMPTE:
Unfortunately, Microsoft's Windows MIDI Driver Protocol does not provide a
standard way to send SMPTE time code to an application. To overcome this,
the V-24s Windows driver converts incoming SMPTE code to MIDI Time Code
(MTC), which most Windows-based sequencers and many other advanced music
applications can read.
Note: Windows MCI layer applications (Media Player, most current
"multimedia" applications, etc.) cannot read SMPTE time code.
The V-24s driver presents three MIDI input ports to a sequencer: two of them
are the V-24s' physical MIDI input ports; the third is a "virtual" MIDI port,
the V-24s' SMPTE reader. When the V-24s is locked to SMPTE, this third input
port will send MIDI Time Code to the application.
To use the V-24s SMPTE reader with your Windows sequencer:
Note: As used below, the term "sequencer" is used to refer to any advanced
Windows music application that supports MTC sync.
1) If your tape is not already striped with SMPTE time code, stripe it using
the method outlined in the next section.
2) Connect the output of your tape deck's SMPTE track to the V-24s SMPTE In.
3) From your sequencer, enable the input device called "Voyetra V-24s SMPTE
Reader". The method for doing this will vary from sequencer to sequencer.
For example, in Cakewalk Pro for Windows, this is done by choosing
"MIDI Devices" from the Settings menu.
Once your sequencer has enabled the V-24s SMPTE reader, the System Monitor
LED on the V-24s will be turned off. If the LED continues to flash every
two seconds, it means that the sequencer hasn't properly enabled the V-24s
SMPTE reader.
4) Set-up your sequencer to sync to MIDI Time Code (MTC) by choosing the
proper sync mode, frame rate, and offset as per the manufacturer's
instructions. Some sequencers, such as Cakewalk for Windows, will call
this sync mode "SMPTE/MTC". Others will simply call it "MTC".
5) Start syncing to SMPTE as per the sequencer manufacturer's instructions.
Once the V-24s detects SMPTE timecode, its System Monitor LED will remain
lit. If the LED stays off, it either means that the V-24s probably isn't
receiving good time code, or that the V-24s isn't properly connected to
your tape deck. Refer to the V-24s Users Guide.
Generating SMPTE:
-----------------
Since Windows MIDI Driver Protocol does not provide a standard way for an
application to tell a MIDI interface to generate SMPTE, it is not possible
in most cases to generate SMPTE directly from an application. Instead, you
can use the Driver applet's Setup window to generate SMPTE with the V-24s.
To generate SMPTE with the V-24s:
1) Connect the input of your tape deck's SMPTE track to the V-24s SMPTE Out.
2) If you are currently running a MIDI program, exit the program.
3) From the Windows Control Panel, run the Driver applet.
4) From the Drivers applet, highlight the V-24s driver in the list of
installed drivers and choose "Setup".
5) From the Voyetra V-24s Setup window, choose "Generate..."
6) From the V-24s SMPTE Generation window, select the desired Frame Rate
and, if necessary, enter a Generator Offset value in the format
HOURS:MINUTES:FRAMES.
The Generator Offset is the SMPTE time with which the generated time code
will start. For example, if you enter 1:0:0, the V-24s will generate SMPTE
time code starting at 1 hour.
7) Start recording with your tape deck and choose "GEN" to start generating
SMPTE.
The "Amount Generated" will keep a running display of how much SMPTE time
code has been generated.
8) Choose "STOP" to stop generating SMPTE.
Using the Audio Click Detector:
-------------------------------
When the Audio Click Detector is enabled, a MIDI note message at pitch 60
will be generated when an audio click occurs in the V-24s click detect input.
This may then be used to convert an audio click track to a tempo map, if your
sequencer supports this. Refer to your sequencer manual under "Beat Learn"
or "Tap Tempo".
For information on hooking up and using the click detector hardware, refer
to the V-24s manual.
To enable the click detector, call up the configuration box and select
"SMPTE..." This will call up the SMPTE features dialog. From here, click
on "Audio Click Detect" to enable or disable this feature.
To get a clean trigger from the audio input, you may have to adjust the
"Lockout Interval". This is set from the SMPTE features dialog, by typing
in the "Click Lockout" field. Units are milliseconds, and legal values are
10 to 1270.
Refer to the V-24s manual for more on this.
Other Advanced SMPTE Options:
-----------------------------
The reader rate, MTC out, Stalled Timecode Detector and Freewheel time (Max
Dropout) are all controllable from the SMPTE features dialog. These feature
are fully explained in the V-24s manual.
Revision history
----------------
New features for version 1.45:
1) Some of the Setup dialog boxes have been changed slightly, so they won't
match the illustrations in the documentation exactly. For the V-22 and
V-24s, the main Setup box has a new field added: "Rx Buffer". The VP-11's
Custom Config dialog box has a new field: "Persist". These will be
explained below.
2) "Rx Buffer" setting for the V-22 and V-24s. This edit control lets you
adjust the size of the MIDI Input buffer for best performance.
Previously this could only be changed by editing the SYSTEM.INI file.
If you are having difficulty uploading large system exclusive blocks,
you may want to try increasing this value, up to 30K or so.
3) "Persist" setting for the VP-11. If you are having trouble uploading
sysex information in 386 Enhanced mode, try increasing this value to 200
or so.
If you are running on a fast computer in Standard mode, you can get
slightly better performance by DECREASING the Persist setting a smaller
number (i.e.: 1).
(There was no version 1.44)
New features added in version 1.43
----------------------------------
1. The independent MIDI input ports on a V-22 & V-24s are recognized
correctly by all Windows software.
New features added in version 1.42
----------------------------------
1. The Windows drivers now support "Multiple Clients".
This means you can play the Media Player and another program, i.e.
sequencer, at the same time thru one port of a V-22 or V-24s.
2. Bug fix: previously, sometimes the MIDI In of the Windows driver would
get 'lost', and there would be a 1/4 second delay.
3. Bug fix: previously, large multitracks (i.e. 2" & 1") had some problems
with V-24s SMPTE when "getting up to speed".
4. The configuration boxes of the Windows drivers have been revamped to be
less ugly, and have better keyboard interfaces.
5. There is now an esoteric option "MidBuf". This controls the size of the
MIDI Input Buffer in Windows. It is similar to the RX Buffer Setting in
our MIDI Data Analyzer. To change this, edit "system.ini" in the
interface settings, put in MidiBuf=xx, where xx is the number of bytes.
[vapi24s.drv]
MidBuf=3000
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