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PCI sound cards for OS/2 and eComStation

By Robert Fuchs© March 2003, Translation: Christian Hennecke

One of the most frequently asked questions in Usenet and other OS/2 forums is that for OS/2-supported PCI sound cards. This is basically due to the fact that practically no manufacturer is labelling its sound cards as OS/2 compatible and no longer offering OS/2 drivers.

As a result users usually need more information to be able to choose a suitable soundcard. With the following lists we intend to provide the necessary information as well as an overview of OS/2-compatible sound cards.

For the sound cards in question, please check if the available driver offers the features you need. This is required since several of the current PCI drivers do not offer the full feature set of former ISA drivers.

Note that the compatibility list in table 1 also includes models which are not available for sale any more (see Discontinued model column). That hardware is mainly listed for users of existing machines. It provides a definite statement regarding the hardware's compatibility and tells about the required sound drivers. Furthermore, this approach ensures a complete overview of all known OS/2-compatible sound cards.

The following tables are part of the German brochure »Sound cards on eComStation and OS/2, version 1.29«. The latest version of this brochure including the different tables is available in the service area of Team OS/2 Ruhr's web site.

An up-to-date English version is going to be available on the Internet in April 2003.

Please tell the author, if you know of a PCI sound card or PCI driver which is not as yet listed. Please use the online web form to do so.

Tab.1: OS/2- and eComStation-compatible PCI sound cards (Version: page rev. 1.16)
Vendor
Chipset
EAN code
OS/2-tested
Tested by
Discontinued model
Comment/URL
Approx. price on market entry in €
Hardware quality ****
(1 = best, 6 = worst)
AOpen
           http://www.aopen.nl    
AW 320 CS 4614 7 50519 01695 4
x
  
x
  
n/a
n/a
AW 230 CS 4280 7 50519 01481 3
x
  
x
  
30
n/a
                 
CreativeLabs
           http://www.creative.com    
CreativeLabs 5.1 Emu10K1 5 390660 050053
x
 Author    
90
 2-3
CreativeLabs 4.1 Ensoniq CT 5880 5 390660 053474        
40
n/a
CreativeLabs Sound Blaster PCI 512 Emu10K1 5 390660 041617
x
 Author    
65
3
CreativeLabs Soundblaster Live Player 1024 Emu10K1 5 390660 038198
x
  
x
  
75
3
CreativeLabs Live Platinum Emu10K1
n/a
x
  
x
  
199
n/a
CreativeLabs Soundblaster Live Emu10K1
n/a
x
 Driver developer
x
  
n/a
n/a
CreativeLabs Soundblaster 128 Ensoniq CT 5880 // Ensoniq ES 1371
n/a
       No drivers available for other Ensoniq chipsets. Drivers for the Ensoniq CT 5880 chipset are only available for IBM Software Choice or eComStation customers.
19
n/a
                 
Diamond
           http://www.diamondmm.com    
Diamond Sonic Impact S90 Aureal AU 8820
n/a
x
 Author
x
  
n/a
n/a
                 
Genius
           http://www.genius-europe.com    
SoundMaker Value 5.1 C-Media CMI 8738
n/a
        
n/a
n/a
SoundMaker Value 4.1 C-Media CMI 8738
n/a
        
n/a
n/a
Genius Sound Maker 64 Aureal AU 8820 4 710268 700142
x
 Author
x
  
50
2
                 
Hercules
           http://www.hercules.com    
Hercules Muse XL C-Media CMI 8738
n/a
        
30
n/a
Hercules Fortissimo II Crystal CS 4624
n/a
    
x
  
80
n/a
Hercules Game Theater XP 6.1 Crystal CS 4630
n/a
x
      
n/a
n/a
Hercules Fortissimo III 7.1 Crystal CS 4624
n/a
        
69
n/a
Hercules Digifire 7.1 Crystal CS 4624 3 362934 731434        
99
n/a
                 
                 
Yamaha
           http://www.waveforce.com/    
Yamaha Wave Force 192 XG (Model WF192XG D) Yamaha YMF 724E 4 013175 141337
x
 Author
x
  
60
2
Yamaha Wave Force 192 digital (Model WF192 D) Yamaha YMF 724F 4 013175 148732
x
 Author
x
 For operating the sound card the patch patchymf.zip by Daniela Engert, which is available at Hobbes, is required in addition to the driver.
85
2
                 
Leatek
                
Leatek WinFast 4xSound C-Media CMI 8738
n/a
   Driver developer    
n/a
n/a
Leatek WinFast 6xSound C-Media CMI 8738
n/a
   Driver developer    
49
n/a
                 
Lenco
           http://www.lenco.de    
Lenco MXS 9555 MP3 ESS ES 1978S 8 711902 009825
x
 Author
x
 Sound card is not recommended due to bad driver. (Patch patchymf.zip from Hobbes and ESS Maestro 2E (ES1978S) driver required.)
35
3
                 
Terratec
           http://www.terratec.de    
Terratec 128 i PCI ESS Solo 1 4 017273 613604
x
 Author    
25
3
TerratecDMX Fire 1024 Crystal CS4624 4 017273 613833
x
 Author    
65
n/a
Terratec SixPack 5.1+ Crystal CS 4630 4 017273 613949        
75
n/a
Terratec Xlarate Aureal Aureal AU 8820 4 017273 613901
x
 Author
x
  
65
1
Terratec Voices System Gold Aureal Aureal AU 8820 4 017273 617428
x
 Author
x
  
75
2
Terratec Office + Aureal Aureal AU 8820
n/a
    
x
  
75
2
Terratec Aureon 5.1 Fun C-Media CMI 8738
n/a
        
39
n/a
                 
                 
Trust
           http://www.trust.com/    
Trust Sound Expert Digital Surround 5.1 (part no. 12667) C-Media CMI 8738
n/a
x
 Driver developer    
n/a
n/a
                 
Typhoon
           http://www.anubisline.com    
Typhoon Gold 3D Digital Audio PCi Aureal AU 8820 4 019337 506402
x
 Author
x
  
49
2
Typhoon Acoustic Six 5+1 CMedia CMI 8738-6CH
n/a
        
n/a
n/a
                 
TNC Industrial Co.
                
TNC Europe/EuroMax Computer GmbH with CS 4280 Crystal CS 4280
n/a
x
  
x
  
15
n/a
TNC Europe/EuroMax Computer GmbH with CS 4614 Crystal CS 4614
n/a
x
  
x
  
15
n/a
                 
Zoltrix
           http://www.zoltrix.com/    
Zoltrix Nightingale Optical 4.1 PCI C-Media CMI 8738
n/a
x
 Driver developer    
n/a
n/a

Abbreviations

x yes/supported/available
/ no/not supported/not available
n/a no information available
**** Rating by author

Tab.2: OS/2- and eComStation-compatible sound card chipsets (PCI) (Version: page rev. 1.16)
Vendor
Aureal
Avance Logic
Crystal
CreativeLabs
C-Media
Ensoniq
Ensoniq
ESS
ESS
ESS
ESS
ESS
ESS
Yamaha
Yamaha
IBM/Innotek ALSA driver
Chipset
 AU8820 ALS4000 CS 4630, CS4614, CS4624,CS4280 EMU 10 CMI8738, CMI 8738b,CMI8338a,CMI8338b ES1371 CT5880 ES1938, ES1946, ES1969 ES1948 ES1968 ES1978 ES1980,ES1988,ES1989, ES 1930 Win-OS/2 driver for ESS PCI sound cards without included Win-OS/2 driver YMF724D (bzw. E) YMF724F (DS-1), YMF740C (DS-1L), YMF744B (DS-1S), YMF754 (DS-1E)  
alternative description
 A3D, Vortex1             Solo1 Maestro1 Maestro-2 Maestro-2e Allegro-1 (ES1988+ES1989), Maestro-3 (ES1980)   DS-1 DS-1, DS-1L, DS-1S, DS-1E Creative Labs EMU 10, Avance Logic ALS4000, SigmaTel STAC9721/23, C-Media CMI8738, Crystal CS4281
alternative driver
/
/
/
 IBM/Innotek ALSA driver IBM/Innotek ALSA driver
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
 generic Win-OS/2 driver
/
/
  
Driver version
 1.0 1.01 3.11 0.80 Beta 0.19 Beta 2.0 2.0 1.17 1.0 Beta 1.0 Beta 1.0 Beta 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.04
                                 
Features
                                
Wave
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Max. wave channels 64
n/a
n/a
 32
4
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
/
n/a
n/a
n/a
MIDI (OPL3-FM)
/
/*
x
x
x
/*
/*
x
/*
/*
/*
/*
/
/*
/*
/*
MIDI wavetable
x
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
RTMIDI (MPU401) Play & Rec.
/
/
n/a
x
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
digital Play & Rec. (S/P DIF)
/
/
/
/
x
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
4 channel audio output
/
/
/
/
x
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
Win-OS/2 sound support
/**
/**
x
/**
/**
/**
/**
x***
x***
x***
x***
x***
 x
/**
/**
/**
DOS sound support
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
/
/
/
/
APM support
/
n/a
x
/
x
n/a
n/a
x
/
/
/
/
/
n/a
n/a
/
Full duplex
x
x
n/a
x
x
/
/
x
x
x
x
x
/
/
/
/
Odin-compatible (e.g.: Win32 RealPlayer 8)
x
x
x
x
x
n/a
n/a
/
/
/
/
/
/
n/a
n/a
x
VPC-compatible
/
x
/
x
x
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
x
                                 
Included software
                                
Joystick driver
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
Mixer
x
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
Mixer standard
                                
IOCTL90
/
x
x
x
x
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
x
IBM mixer
x
/
/
/
/
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
/
x
x
/
                                 
System requirements according to manufacturer
 Warp 3 red-spine and higher OS/2 Warp 4.0 and eComStation Warp 3 blue-spine and higher Warp 4 and higher Warp 3 red-spine and higher Warp 3 red-spine and higher Warp 3 red-spine and higher Warp 3 red-spine and higher Warp 3 red-spine and higher Warp 3 red-spine and higher Warp 3 red-spine and higher Warp 3 red-spine and higher Warp 3 red-spine and higher
/
/
 OS/2 Warp 4.0 and eComStation
System requirements (unsupported by manufacturer)
/
 Warp 3 red-spine and higher Warp 3 red-spine (without Win-OS/2) and higher Warp 3 FP 40
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
 Warp 3 red-spine and higher
                                 
Driver developer
 Aureal IBM/Innotek Crystal Sander van Leeuwen Rüdiger Ihle IBM IBM ESS ESS ESS ESS ESS ESS IBM IBM IBM/Innotek ALSA
Homepage chip manufacturer
/
 http://www.avance.com http://www.cirrus.com http://www.creative.com http://www.c-Media.com.tw/ http://www.emu.com http://www.emu.com http://www.esstech.com/ http://www.esstech.com/ http://www.esstech.com/ http://www.esstech.com/ http://www.esstech.com/ http://www.esstech.com/ http://www.yamahayst.com http://www.yamahayst.com http://www.Innotek.de
Filename
 OS2-a3d.zip uniaud.exe uniaudio_gpl_compiledbinaries.zip cwos2311.zip sblive080.zip C-Media019.zip ensoniq.exe ct5880.exe 1938_OS2_117.zip M2OS2-10.ZIP M2OS2-10.ZIP m2eos210.zip 198x_OS2_v200E2.ZIP d81t06a.zip pciymf.exe + Daniela Engert's patch pciymf.exe uniaud.exe uniaudio_gpl_compiledbinaries.zip
Sources
                                
Homepage chip manufacturer    
x
        
x
      
x
        
IBM Device Driver Pak On-Line   Software Choice       Software Choice Software Choice             Software Choice Software Choice Software Choice
Hobbes
x
x
  
x
x
      
x
x
x
  
x
    
x
others www.commtalk.de ->File Library   IBM Device Driver Matrix for ThinkPad T20-T22                 IBM Device Driver Matrix for IBM IntelliStation (Mod.6565-E1G, P3) IBM Device DriverMatrix for IBM IntelliStation PC300PL (Type 6565, 6566)      
                                 
Availability
                                
Freeware
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
    
x
eCS/IBM Software Choice customers only  
x
x
x
  
x
x
            
x
x
x
Comment
 Chipset manufacturer has been taken over this sound chip is supported by the IBM/Innotek ALSA driver (http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/)       older driver version maybe at Hobbes; driver was free up to version 1.01   no recording via microphone ESS Maestro 2 drivers cannot be guaranteed to work with an ESS Maestro 1 chipset. - Feedback required! very bad driver very bad driver, ESS ES 1968 driver and Daniela Engert's ESS Maestro 2e patch required driver for all ESS 198x chipsets, download: ftp://64.152.86.249/pub/audio/pci/allegro-1/ in contrary to information on IBM driver site (or in Hobbes archive) this is a driver for Win-OS/2 only older driver version maybe at Hobbes; driver was free up to version 1.01 older driver version maybe at Hobbes; driver was free up to version 1.01 this is supported by the IBM/Innotek ALSA driver, Sigmatel STAC9721/23 in connection with Intel ICH 8XX chipset supported exclusively
driver quality ****
(1 = best, 6 = worst)
2
3
2
3
2
4
4
3
4
 4-5 4-5
n/a
n/a
4
4
3

Abbreviations

x yes/supported/available
/ no/not supported/not available
n/a no information available
* Software-MIDI possible using TiMidity
** output of system sound possible via generic Win-OS/2 driver
*** possible if ESS Win-OS/2 sound drivers installed (http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/)
**** Rating by author

Tab.3: OS/2- und eComStation-compatible AC-97 sound card chipsets (PCI)
Vendor
Analog Device
Crystal
SigmaTel
Via
Via
Avance Logic
Chipset
 AD 1881, AD1881a, AD1885, AD1887 CS2499 STAC9721/23 Via KT133 Via KT 266-KT400 ALC 650
alternative description
 SoundMax          
alternative driver
            
drivers.
 3.13 5.0 1.00 2.10 11.10.02 1.20
             
Features
            
Wave
x
x
x
x
x
x
Max. wave channels
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
MIDI (OPL3 FM)
x
/*
/*
/*
/*
/*
MIDI wavetable
/
/
/
/
/
/
RTMIDI (MPU401) Play & Rec.
/
/
/
/
/
/
digital Play & Rec. (S/P DIF)
/
/
/
/
/
/
4 channel audio output
/
/
/
/
/
/
Win-OS/2 sound support
x
x
/**
/**
/**
/**
DOS sound support
/
/
/
/
/
/
APM support
n/a
x
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Full duplex
x
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Odin-compatible (e.g. Win32 RealPlayer)
x
x
x
n/a
n/a
n/a
VPC-compatible
/
/
x
n/a
n/a
n/a
             
Included software
            
Joystick driver
/
/
/
/
/
/
Mixer
x
/
/
/
/
/
Mixer standard
            
IOCTL90  
x
x
x
x
n/a
IBM mixer
x
        
n/a
System requirements according to manufacturer
 Warp 3 FP42 Warp 4 FP13 Warp 3 blue-spine and higher OS/2 Warp 4.0 and eComStation
n/a
 Warp 3 XR_W017 or XR_W32 and higher Warp 4 revision 9.023 or higher, eCS
System requirements unsupported Warp 3 FP26 red-spine Warp 4 FP 10 Warp 3 red-spine (without Win-OS/2) and higher
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
             
Driver developer
 Analog Devices, Inc. Crystal IBM/Innotek Via Andrew Belov Avance Logic
Homepage chip manufacturer
 http://www.analog.com/ http://www.cirrus.com
n/a
 http://www.viaarena.com http://www.viaarena.com http://www.realtek.com.tw/
Filename
 ad188xos2_313.zip aftp1aos.exe uniaud.exe uniaudio_gpl_compiledbinaries.zip 68mu210b.zip 823xac97.zip os2warp4.exe
Sources
            
Homepage chip manufacturer
x
x
  
x
  
x
IBM DDPak     x (SWC only)      
Hobbes
x
  
x
  
x
  
others   IBM driver Device Driver Matrix ThinkPad T23+T30        
             
Availability
            
Freeware
x
x
x
x
x
  
eComStation / IBM Software Choice customers only    
x
      
             
Inst./De-install program
x
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Comment
 driver requires an Intel ICH 8xx chipset (e.g. 815,820 ) driver requires an Intel ICH 8xx or Via KT xxx chipset IBM/Innotek ALSA driver requires a Sigmatel STAC9721/23 with Intel ICH 8XX chipset Chip VT82C686A Chip Via Tech. 8233/8233C/8233A/8235 driver requires an Intel ICH 8xx or SIS chipset (e.g. 815, 820)
Driver quality
3
3
3
4
4
n/a

Abbreviations

x yes/supported/available
/ no/not supported/not available
n/a no information available
* Software MIDI possible via TiMidity
** output of system sound possible via generic Win-OS/2 driver
*** possible if ESS Win-OS/2 sound drivers installed (http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/)
**** Rating by author

References:

Updated German lists at Team OS/2 Ruhr e.V.: http://www.teamruhr.de/service/service.html
English version of lists: http://www.os2world.com/soundcards/
Report form for PCI sound drivers: http://www.os2world.com/soundcards/report.html

Sound card manufacturers and driver developers
Analog Devices: http://www.analog.com/
Avance Logic / RealTek: http://www.realtek.com.tw/
AOpen: http://www.aopen.nl/
CreativeLabs: http://www.creative.com/
Crystal: http://www.cirrus.com
Diamond: http://www.diamondmm.com/
Genius: http://www.genius-europe.com/
Hercules: http://www.hercules.com/
Lenco: http://www.lenco.de/
Terratec: http://www.terratec.de/
Trust: http://www.trust.com/
Typhoon: http://www.anubisline.com/
Via: http://www.viaarena.com
Yamaha: http://www.waveforce.com/
Zoltrix: http://www.zoltrix.com/

Other drivers and software
Hobbes online archive: http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/pub/os2/system/drivers/sound/
IBM Device Driver Pak Online: http://www7.software.ibm.com/2bcprod.nsf/WebCat?OpenView
TiMidity MCD for OS/2: http://www.reamined.on.ca/doconnor/timidity.html
Generic Win-OS/2 audio driver: http://home.wxs.nl/~rwklein/
Win-OS/2 audio driver for ESS PCI sound cards: ftp://ftp.pc.ibm.com/pub/pccbbs/commercial_desktop/d81t07a.exe
IBM Mixer: See File Library -> OS/2 Software at http://www.commtalk.de
LB Mixer: http://users.podolsk.ru/boga/OS2Programs.html
Enhanced Joystick Driver for OS/2: http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/pub/os2/system/drivers/misc/joy_driver_v02.zip
IBM joystick driver: http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/pub/os2/system/drivers/misc/joystick.zip
Joystick driver gamedd2: http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/pub/os2/system/drivers/misc/gamedd2.zip
USB Joysticks: http://www.os2world.com/usb/html/joysticks.html

Robert Fuchs has been maintaining several brochures with information for OS/2 users for some years now, which are published on the homepage of Team OS/2 Ruhr e.V., a German OS/2 user group.

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