F. A. Q. - Frequently Asked Questions

Product | EWS88 MT/D
Status | 14. February 2002
Version | 1.9
Questions and Answers | 32

Please ensure that you are using the latest driver versions. You can obtain these from our webpage or from the TerraTec FTP-Server.

Internet | TerraTec Electronic GmbH
http://www.terratec.com | Herrenpfad 38
ftp://ftp.terratec.de | D-41334 Nettetal, Germany

An Overview of the Questions

Question 1:
Which hardware configuration do you recommend, and how high must the data transfer rate of the hard drive be to take full advantage of the card?
Question 2:
Which operating systems are supported? What additional support is planned for the future?
Question 3:
Will the EWS88 MT/D run with the Nemesys Software Gigasampler?
Question 4:
Is it possible to play back and/or record multiple channels with differing sample frequencies simultaneously?
Question 5:
Does the MIDI interface need its own interrupt?
Question 6:
Are additional professional upgrades planned?
Question 7:
How 'clean' is the synchronization of the individual in and outs during recording and playback in general?
Question 8:
Can the card be equipped with an XG wavetable module?
Question 9:
Is the card be linked with further EWS88 MT/D systems under Windows NT 4.0?
Question 10:
Can the EWS88 MT/D be hardware-synchronized with the EWS64 L/XL?
Question 11:
What is the input regulation range for the EWS88 MT?
Question 12:
Where does the EWS88 MT AD/DA conversion take place? On the PCI card or in the breakout box?
Question 13:
What resources does the EWS88 MT/D require after installation in my system?
Question 14:
What is the signal-to-noise ratio of the EWS88 MT's analog inputs?
Question 15:
Is it possible to deploy the card as a PA mixing desk? Functions such as channel-specific and global tone controls and the (automatic)
cross-fading of various channels would be required for this application.
Question 16:
What is the maximum number of stereo tracks that can be routed to the 8 outputs and played back simultaneously?
Question 17:
Which tools or multitrack programs are included with the EWS88 MT/D or are recommended by Terratec?
Question 18:
Do the drivers work with the CoolEditPro application?
Question 19:
Does the EWS88 MT/D work with Steinberg Cubase VST?
Question 20:
I can't disable or remove the EWS88 MT/D drivers under Windows NT. What can I do?
Question 21:
What are the input sensitivities of the analog input and outputs?
Question 22:
Why can't I hear my recorded tracks via SystemSound (Monitor)-Out port?
Question 23:
I hear cracks and noise while listening to my recorded audio signal ?
Question 24:
Why can't I install all card drivers under Windows NT?
Question 25:
I want to work with the Nemesys GigaSampler, but can no longer play and record audio files within my audio/MIDI sequencer?
Question 26:
Can I link the EWS88 MT/D with the EWX 24/96?
Question 27:
How does the EWS88 MT/D "DirectMonitoring" work together with an ASIO 2.0 application?
Question 28:
Can I use the EWS88 MT/D with an ASIO application and GigaSampler at the same time?
Question 29:
What should I pay attention to when I install the WDM driver in Windows2000 if I already have installed the NT4 based drivers before?
Question 30:
I have more than one EWS88 systems cascaded in my system but when I use the WDM driver I can't find all audio devices. What went wrong?
Question 31:
Which operating systems are supported by the WDM driver?
Question 32:
How well does the program Sonar from Cakewalk (Twelve Tone Systems) work with the EWS systems?

Question 1:

Which hardware configuration do you recommend, and how high must the data transfer rate of the hard drive be to take full advantage of the card?

Answer 1:

The minimum system requirements are:

- Pentium 200 MHz or faster
- Windows 95, 98 or Windows NT4
- 32 MB RAM

The required data transfer rate can be calculated as follows:

((((Number of tracks * resolution in bits * sampling rate in Hz) / 8) / 1024) / 1024) = MB/s

Thus 20 tracks at 32 bits / 96 kHz require a hard drive and controller that can handle a data transfer rate of 7.5 MB/s.

Regarding the 32 bits in the formula (rather than 24 bits): All of the cards drivers are capable of forwarding 24-bit audio data to the recording software as 32-bit data.
This feature reduces the CPU load substantially, as 24-bit data doesn't need to be "stacked" to pass through the 32-bit wide bus, as in the conventional "packed-byte" process.

When selecting components for a hard-drive recording system based on the EWS88 MT, we recommend the following hard-drive controllers in descending order:

- Onboard SCSI controller (not PCI controller)
- UDMA IDE
- SCSI (as PCI controller)
- IDE

Please note that additional PCI cards affect the performance of the PCI bus and thus the operation of the EWS88 MT. This effect is naturally more pronounced at 24-bit / 96 kHz
than at lower settings. When assembling a system to be 'tuned' exclusively for hard-drive recording performance, we recommend avoiding the use of S3 graphics cards
(VIRGE and TRIO series), or an Adaptec AHA-2940UW PCI SCSI controller. Needless to say, the EWS88 MT will still work in conjunction
with these components.

y

Question 2:

Which operating systems are supported? What additional support is planned for the future?

Answer 2:

The card is supplied with the following drivers:

- Windows 95 (VxD)
- Windows 98 (VxD)
- Windows 98SE (WDM or VxD)
- Windows ME (WDM or VxD)
- Windows NT (NT4 driver)
- Windows 2000 (NT4 driver)
- Windows 2000 (WDM driver)
- Windows XP (WDM driver)
- Nemesys GigaSampler GSIF support
- ASIO 2.0 support
- DirectSound (since driver version Build 106) and SystemSound-Out (Monitor)
- API
- Linux
  RPM- packages for the new ALSA version 0.9.0 are available under ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/people/tiwai/alsa9-packages
  These packages are for SuSe 7.2, please read the README!

y

Question 3:

Will the EWS88 MT/D run with the Nemesys Software Gigasampler?

Answer 3:

Yes, since VxD driver version 4.02.16 Build 98 and WDM driver version Build 121

y

Question 4:

Is it possible to play back and/or record multiple channels with differing sample frequencies simultaneously?

Answer 4:

The EWS hardware always syncs itself to one sample frequency so that only one frequency is playable at a time. However, DirectSound applications use an integrated sample rate converter from Direct X. When using the WDM driver it is now possible to use this sample rate conversion even for MME applications. This allows the playback with differing sample rates at the same time.

y

Question 5:

Does the MIDI interface need its own interrupt?

Answer 5:

No, an additional interrupt is not required.

y

Question 6:

Are additional professional upgrades planned?

Answer 6:

Yes, but they're still top-secret. ;-)

y

Question 7:

How 'clean' is the synchronization of the individual in and outs during recording and playback in general?

Answer 7:

If the recording and playback are to be made with one application "Multitrack" should be chosen in the EWS88 ControlPanel. This ensures an absolute sample perfect synchronization.

y

Question 8:

Can the card be equipped with an XG wavetable module?

Answer 8:

No, this card is designed strictly as a recording/playback solution and does not contain audio generation components of its own, nor can it be upgraded with a wavetable.

y

Question 9:

Can the card be linked with further EWS88 MT/D systems under Windows NT 4.0?

Answer 9:

Yes, since driver version Build 106.

y

Question 10:

Can the EWS88 MT/D be hardware-synchronized with the EWS64 L/XL?

Answer 10:

Yes, using the S/PDIF output or input. Other hardware synchronization options are not available.

y

Question 11:

What is the input regulation range for the EWS88 MT?

Answer 11:

Gain: 0 to + 18 dB analog
Attenuation: -90 dB to 0 dB digital

y

Question 12:

Where does the EWS88 MT AD/DA conversion take place? On the PCI card or in the breakout box?

Answer 12:

The converters are in the breakout box and are thus shielded against noise from other PC components.
Only the converter for the monitor output is actually located on the PCI card itself.

y

Question 13:

What resources does the EWS88 MT/D require after installation in my system?

Answer 13:

The EWS88 MT/D only requires one interrupt and a variety of memory blocks.

y

Question 14:

What is the signal-to-noise ratio of the EWS88 MT's analog inputs?

Answer 14:

The signal-to-noise ratio (S/NR) for AD is 100 dB(A) and for DA 109 dB(A).
The total harmonic distortion (THD) is <0.002% (AD) and <0.006% (DA).

y

Question 15:

Is it possible to deploy the card as a PA mixing desk? Functions such as channel-specific and global tone controls and the (automatic)
cross-fading of various channels would be required for this application.

Answer 15:

No, the card itself features a digital mixer that can be operated via the ControlPanel, but it has no automation or equalizers.

y

Question 16:

What is the maximum number of stereo tracks that can be routed to the 8 outputs and played back simultaneously?

Answer 16:

4 stereo sums can be played back using 4 separate drivers on 8 individual outputs.
When using the S/PDIF port in addition to the analog inputs and outputs, 5 stereo tracks from the hard drive plus 5 stereo inputs (analog + S/PDIF) can also be played back via one stereo (OUT1/2 or S/PDIF OUT) output.

y

Question 17:

Which tools or multitrack programs are included with the EWS88 MT/D?

Answer 17:

The following applications are included with the EWS88 MT/D:

- microLogic 4.0 - Emagic's MIDI/audio sequencer
- Samplitude Project- a multitrack hard drive recording program by SEK'D
- Musicmatch Jukebox
- BuzZ - a freaky tracker scene production tool

y

Question 18:

Do the drivers work with the CoolEditPro application?

Answer 18:

Yes.

y

Question 19:

Does the EWS88 MT/D work with Steinberg Cubase VST?

Answer 19:

Yes. Especially by using the ASIO 2.0 driver very low latency time will be possible.

y

Question 20:

I can't disable or remove the EWS88 MT/D drivers under Windows NT. What can I do?

Answer 20:

Before disabling or removing the drivers under Windows NT, click "Settings" in the Multimedia Panel for any EWS88 MT/D device.
The driver can then be removed or disabled.
Please be sure to close the ControlPanel when disabling, removing or updating drivers, otherwise the drivers themselves will not be closed.

y

Question 21:

What are the input sensitivities of the analog input and outputs?

Answer 21:

24/96 analog in | +4 dBu | 1.22 Vrms
| - 10 dBV | 0.31 Vrms
24/96 analog out | +4 dBu | 1.22 Vrms
| - 10 dBV | 0.31 Vrms
Monitor In (CD1 / CD2) |  | 1 Vrms
Monitor Out |  | 1 Vrms

y

Question 22:

Why can't I hear my recorded tracks via SystemSound (Monitor)-Out port?

Answer 22:

The name Monitor Out is a little bit misleading, because this output was not designed to play the channels you find in ControlPanel.
The Monitor-Out, and also the CD-Stereo-In on board, is actually another soundcard added to the EWS88 MT/D.
You can use the Monitor-Out port to play Windows System Sounds or a sequenzer metronome, for example, without getting those sounds to your main mix.
Since the Monitor-Out is supporting Microsoft DirectSound, you can use this output also for all conventional software synthesizers.
Please use the Windows mixer for setting or run "SNDVOL32".
For all new EWS88 MT/D -Systems the "Monitor-Out" will be renamed to "SystemSound-Out".

y

Question 23:

I hear cracks and noise while listening to my recorded audio signal ?

Answer 23:

In most cases you can solve this problem by changing the interrupt assigns for your hardware. Check in the "Device Manager" if there is another hardware component using the EWS88 MT/D interrupt (the EWS88 MT/D should have its own interrupt).
If you find such a problem, try to use either your BIOS to change the interrupt-slot combination or try to use the EWS88 MT in a different slot.
If you do have no recourse conflict with the EWS88 MT/D, you can try to change the cable between PCI-card and breakout box to make a test
(use the internal or external cable, depending on how the breakout box is placed).
In addition, the DMA option of the HD-drive has to be activated within the device manager.

y

Question 24:

Why can't I install all card drivers under Windows NT?

Answer 24:

Mostly this problem is based in the Windows NT registry. Open the registry editor with "RUN: regedit" and change to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\Current_Version\drivers32.
Here you will find all registered wave devices.
Example:
wave "icewstp1.dll"
wave1 "icewstp2.dll"
wave2 "icewstp3.dll"
etc...
Altogether you should find here 7 EWS88 MT/D items. Important: the items must be listed without a gap.
If there is a gap, for example:
wave
wave1
wave5
wave6...
you have to re-install as follow:
A) First de-install all multimedia devices you find in the "drivers32"-folder.
B) Change to the Windows Control Panel -> Devices and stop the device " ICE1712k".
C) Change to the Windows Control Panel -> Multimedia and delete all EWS88 MT/D devices.
D) Re-boot you computer.
E) Now re-install all devices but add the Monitor-device as the last. Use "New" and "Don't Restart" for all devices.
F) To be on the safe side you should re-boot your computer once again.

y

Question 25:

I want to work with the Nemesys GigaSampler, but can no longer play and record audio files within my audio/MIDI sequencer?

Answer 25:

Activate the "GSIF/ASIO multi-client" mode and start the sequenzer (e.g. Cubase VST) from GigaSampler. GigaSampler has a special start button for this purpose. Then choose the "GigaSampler Endless Wave" or "Nemesys MidiOut:Portx" MIDI out driver in the sequencer software.

y

Question 26:

Can I link the EWS88 MT/D with the EWX 24/96?

Answer 26:

Yes, but take into consideration that the EWX 24/96 does not have an EWS-Connect so you can not synchronise internally.

y

Question 27:

How does the EWS88 MT/D "DirectMonitoring" work together with an ASIO 2.0 application?

Answer 27:

ASIO 2.0 allows a direct monitoring by using the EWS88 MT/D. If activated within the ASIO application (e.g. Emagic Logic: deactivate "Softmonitoring", in Cubase VST: activate the option "DirectMonitoring" within the system settings), the corresponding channel within the EWS88 MT/D DigitalMixer will be "de-muted" as soon the sequenzer recording has been activated. In addition volume and panorama settings will be continuously transmitted to the DigitalMixer. Playback (not recording) by the sequenzer will be stopped. Instead the input signal will be routed directly to the OUT 1/2 and/or S/PDIF (provided you have set the appropriate routing within the EWS88 setting window). Do so, you will get an absolute latency free DirectMonitoring.

y

Question 28:

Can I use the EWS88 MT/D with an ASIO application and GigaSampler at the same time?

Answer 28:

The VxD driver for Windows 9x/ME (driver version 4.02.25 Build 112, or higher) has a "GSIF/ASIO multi-client" mode. In addition this mode is available with WDM drivers since driver version Build 121. With this mode active, both programs are allowed to access the hardware at the same time. Depending on the PC power real-time re-sampling of the GigaSampler in ASIO applications is possible.

y

Question 29:

What should I pay attention to when I install the WDM driver in Windows2000 if I already have installed the NT4 based drivers before?

Answer 29:

The WDM driver can be installed over the NT4 based driver and used, but it is recommended that you first remove all fragments of the NT4 driver from your system. Here's how: go to the folder WINNT\INF and search for files beginning with "OEM" (you may have to choose "Show all files" in the menu "Extras\Folder options\View\ ") open the first file with name OEM*.inf and check if the following header appears in the document:
;===================================
; TerraTec EWS Connect Series
; Windows 2000 Driver Installation Script
;---------------------------------------------------------------
Search through all OEM*.Inf files until you find the one with this header. Delete this OEM_XX.Inf file and the accompanying OEM_XX.pnf file. By using the search function of the Windows explorer search the file "ICE1712K.sys" and delete this file as well. This method guarantees that Windows2000 doesn't try to re-install the old NT4 based driver in case you should need to re-install the drivers at some time, which would otherwise leaded to a system crash.

y

Question 30:

I have more than one EWS88 systems cascaded in my system but when I use the WDM driver I can't find all audio devices. What went wrong?

Answer 30:

Unfortunately the WDM audio driver concept still has some unresolved issues. For example, a general limitation of the maximum devices per device class. Only 10 audio input devices, 10 audio output devices, etc are possible and only the 10 first detected devices will be displayed ( for the EWS88 MT/D there is one audio device per stereo pair, e.g. EWS88 WavePlay 1/2 ) For the coming OS Windows XP this limitation is somewhat removed. The maximum number of devices per device class is increased to 32. Luckily this limitation has no effect on the use of ASIO or WDM kernel streaming applications and all ins and outs of a cascaded systems can be used at the same time.

y

Question 31:

Which operating systems are supported by the WDM driver?

Answer 31:

Generally WDM drivers can be used with Win98 SE, Win ME, Win2000 and in XP as well. The WDM driver, when used in Win98 SE, except for the integrated sample rate conversion for MME audio streams (see question no. 4), is seen rather as a limitation compared to the VxD drivers. For Win2000 and XP the WDM driver is the best choice.

y

Question 32:

How well does the program Sonar from Cakewalk (Twelve Tone Systems) work with the EWS systems?

Answer 32:

Sonar uses the "WDM-kernel-streaming" technology to deliver an optimal latency. The hardware only needs to support the standard WDM architecture, a special driver like ASIO or GSIF is not necessary. Naturally the hardware manufacturer can optimize the performance. The EWS88 MT/D WDM driver has been optimized for using Sonar so that a latency of down to 2 msec can be realized.

y

TerraTec Electronic GmbH
Herrenpfad 38
D-41334 Nettetal, Germany
tel: +49-2157-81790
fax: +49-2157-817922
hotline: +49-2157-817914

ftp: ftp://ftp.terratec.de
web: http://www.terratec.com