[Info-vax] OpenVMS and audio

[MG]

For those who frequent the OpenVMS Hobbyist forum, this will be
largely a  rehash for you.  (See the following thread, below:
<http://www.vmshobbyist.org/forum/viewthread.php?forum_id=50&thread_id=599>.) 
  So, hereby I'm reviving this subject again.

Recently I installed a non-Ensoniq audio card in a DS10 and
installed MMOV.  The card is a Genius/KYE "SM-Live Value 5.1,
Audio 5.1 Channel Acceleration Card" (literally quoted from
the box, I bought it brand-new; it's furthermore advertized
to be "Windows 7 Capable", so quite new).  The chipset is a
CMI8738, 6 channel, from C-Media Technology.  I can't locate
the part number, it might be on the card (which is in the
system at the moment, but hopefully this will be enough in-
formation; I can also provide pictures).

I've installed this card after having unsuccessfully tried a
Creative Labs Ensoniq AudioPCI ES1370 card (P/N: 400-104-
3201, non-Compaq branded, naturally; an old card from an old
PC system, from around 1997).

Anyway, the Genius card seems to be supported under VMS Alpha
V8.4, in so far it shows up in the SDA CLUE hardware config-
uration inventory.  However, I have not been able to actually
try it out, yet.

This is how it's recognized in the SDA:

-----------------[ BEGIN OF DATA ]-----------------
2000 EC ADA: 16 Philips Sound
FFFFFFFF.81CFFD10 88FFFFFFFF.85BF
------------------[ END OF DATA ]------------------


But then, I ran into this:

-----------------[ BEGIN OF DATA ]-----------------
$ MCR SYSMAN IO AUTOCONFIGURE /LOG
[...]
%IOGEN-E-LOADERR, error configuring device ADA0, driver SYS$CMIDRIVER.EXE
-RMS-E-FNF, file not found
------------------[ END OF DATA ]------------------


If and when this card will eventually work, it shouldn't be hard
to find this card. It's all over auction sites (e.g. eBay) and at
very good prices, too.

The driver (SYS$CMIDRIVER.EXE) seems to be available in VMS I64
installations, in the directory SYS$COMMON:[SYS$LDR], but not with
Alpha by the looks of it.

This gives me the strong impression that this is a 5 V PCI model
of that rare (16-bit 'terminal bell' 'beeping') 'audio option',
the "HP PCI audio card for Integrity Servers" (P/N: AD317A)?  If
so, then I guess there's indeed no Alpha driver and I might as
well take the card out again.

Unfortunately I can't try this in one of my I64 systems is, since
this is a 5 V card, while my card cages only offer 3.3 V slots and
so therefore an rx2620 PCI card cage won't accommodate it.


Here's the driver image file in question, should it interest you
or somehow prove useful:

-----------------[ BEGIN OF DATA ]-----------------
$ ANALYZE /IMAGE SYS$COMMON:[SYS$LDR]SYS$CMIDRIVER.EXE


Analyze Image 23-DEC-2011 16:42:44.92
Page 1
SYS$COMMON:[SYS$LDR]SYS$CMIDRIVER.EXE;1
ANALYZ I01-55

This is an OpenVMS IA64 (Elf format) shareable image file

Image Identification Information, in section 7.

Image name: "SYS$CMIDRIVER"
Global Symbol Table name: "SYS$CMIDRIVER"
Image file identification: "DW V8.4-100330"
Image build identification: ""
Link identification: "Linker I02-37"
Link Date/Time: 30-MAR-2010 20:51:55.89

Image Transfer Information, in segment 5.

Main Transfer
Entry Address: 0000000000028060 (segment 3.)
GP Value: 0000000000230000
EXE$INITIALIZE Transfer
Entry Address: 0000000000028060 (segment 3.)
GP Value: 0000000000230000


Analyze Image 23-DEC-2011 16:42:45.02
Page 2
SYS$COMMON:[SYS$LDR]SYS$CMIDRIVER.EXE;1
ANALYZ I01-55

Image Activation Information, in segment 6.

Match Control
Algorithm: EQUAL
Major ID: 10675.
Minor ID: 3544974370.
Global Pointer: 0000000000230000
Link flags
Call SYS$IMGSTA
Image has main transfer
Image has pointer to EXE$INITIALIZE
Traceback records in image file
Traceback records in DSF
Debug records in DSF
Shareable Image List
SYS$BASE_IMAGE
SYS$PUBLIC_VECTORS
Component List, Image / Current System Version
SYS$K_VERSION_BASE_IMAGE (3.0 / 3.0)
SYS$K_VERSION_MEMORY_MANAGEMENT (3.0 / 3.0)
SYS$K_VERSION_IO (6.0 / 6.0)
SYS$K_VERSION_PROCESS_SCHED (2.0 / 2.0)
SYS$K_VERSION_SYSGEN (1.64 / 1.64)
SYS$K_VERSION_STABLE (1.64 / 1.64)
SYS$K_VERSION_MISC (1.64 / 1.64)
SYS$K_VERSION_CPU (2.0 / 2.0)
SYS$K_VERSION_VOLATILE (1.64 / 1.64)
SYS$K_VERSION_MULTI_PROCESSING (2.16 / 2.16)

Elf Header Information, at file address 0.

Class: ELF-64
Data: Little-endian byte order
Elf Header Version: 1.
OS ABI: OpenVMS
OS ABI Version: 2.
Type: Shareable
Machine Architecture: IA_64
Elf File Version: 1.
VMS Completion Code: SUCCESS


Analyze Image 23-DEC-2011 16:42:45.27
Page 3
SYS$COMMON:[SYS$LDR]SYS$CMIDRIVER.EXE;1
ANALYZ I01-55

PROGRAM SEGMENT SUMMARY Table at file address 00000048, 7. segments, 56. by
tes each, 392. total bytes

Number Type Virtual Address Memory Size File Address
File Size Flags
0. LOAD 0000000000010000 000000000000B9F0 0000000000000200
= Memory Size X-R------Res------------Shr---
1. LOAD 0000000000020000 00000000000011D8 000000000000BC00
= Memory Size --R------Res------------------
2. LOAD 0000000000024000 00000000000005D8 000000000000CE00
= Memory Size -WR------Res------------------
3. LOAD 0000000000028000 00000000000009D0 000000000000D400
= Memory Size XWR---Ini---------------------
4. LOAD 000000000002C000 00000000000001F8 000000000000DE00
= Memory Size --R---Ini---------------------
5. LOAD 0000000000030000 0000000000000428 000000000000E000
= Memory Size -WR------------------Sho------
6. DYNAMIC 0000000080000000 0000000000001910 000000000000E600
= Memory Size --R---------------------------

Key for Flags: X (Execute), W (Write), R (Read), Nwr (No write but 
relocations),
Ini (Initialization code), Res (Resident),
Vec (Vector), Pro (Protected), Nwf (No write but fixups), Sho (Sh
ort data), Shr (Shared), Nrc (No recovery code)

SECTION SUMMARY Table at file address 00014000, 10. sections, 64. b
ytes each, 640. total bytes

Number Type Name File Address
File Size Flags
0. NULL 0000000000000000
0000000000000000 ------------------------------
1. STRTAB .shstrtab 0000000000013E00
0000000000000071 ------------------------------
2. STRTAB .strtab 0000000000013C00
0000000000000001 ------------------------------
3. VMS_TRACE .debug_line 0000000000010000
0000000000002903 ------------------------------
4. VMS_TRACE .trace_abbrev 0000000000012A00
0000000000000087 ------------------------------
5. VMS_TRACE .trace_info 0000000000012C00
0000000000000B4D ------------------------------
6. VMS_TRACE .trace_aranges 0000000000013800
00000000000000E0 ------------------------------
7. NOTE .note 0000000000013A00
00000000000001A0 ------------------------------
8. NULL $LINKER RELOCATABLE_SYMBOL 0000000000000000
0000000000000000 ------------------------------
9. STRTAB .dynstr 000000000000E890
0000000000000023 -A----------------------------

Key for Flags: W (Write), A (Alloc), E (Execute), S (Strings), I (Info 
link), L
(Link order), O (OS-specific processing),
G (Group), Sho (Short), Nrc (No recovery code), Gbl (Global), Ovr
(Overlaid), Shr (Shared), Vec (Vector),
64b (Allocate 64bit address), Pro (Protected)


Analyze Image 23-DEC-2011 16:42:45.74
Page 4
SYS$COMMON:[SYS$LDR]SYS$CMIDRIVER.EXE;1
ANALYZ I01-55

The analysis uncovered NO errors.


ANALYZE/IMAGE SYS$COMMON:[SYS$LDR]SYS$CMIDRIVER.EXE
------------------[ END OF DATA ]------------------


Lastly, am I right with my assumption (i.e. that this is indeed the
driver for that rare I64 audio option), can anyone confirm it?

Has anyone here also ever attempted to write a new audio drivers?  I
have actually been researching and looking into that.  Instead of PCI
support, I'll be working on USB audio (which will be most convenient
for Hobbyists and won't require giving up a PCI slot).

  - MG