[micrex22]

Hey all,

Recently after investigating audio under UNIX (since I'm trying to figure out the best way to approach it on AIX), I learned that the Audigy2 had a rather odd design using two DSPs. So the 'EMU10K2' driver gets colloquially called 'EMU10K2.5'. Now generally for UNIX the Audigy drivers all seem to be lumped under support for EMU10K1 for brevity's sake, but the EMU10K1 driver would handle: EMU10K1, EMU10K2, EMU10K3, etc. Of course there's no word on EMU10K2.5, but that's what I'm trying to figure out.

It appears one guy had a problem with the CA0151/p16v DSP chip (I'm assuming it's a DSP chip), however here it's saying CA0151 is used for synchronization latency and not DSP. It's all rather confusing especially in regards to just how many Audigy 2 cards were released. I'm not entirely sure if pre-ZS Audigy 2 cards work on IRIX either.

My question is, is anyone aware of the IRIX driver handling the switching between CA0102 and CA0151. And if not, is there even a huge difference in sound output? I'm also curious if there are any Audigy 2 cards that *don't* work under IRIX.

EDIT: from what I can tell all of the following cards are supported by OSS and other things so I'm going to assume IRIX can run them all as well (at the very least the 2 ZS) -- but to what extent:

• Sound Blaster Audigy 2 (SB0240)
  
• Sound Blaster Audigy 2 (SB0242)
  
• Sound Blaster Audigy 2 OEM (SB0243)
  
• Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum (SB0244)
  
• Sound Blaster Audigy 2 OEM (SB0245)
  
• Sound Blaster Audigy 2 (SB0246)
  
• Sound Blaster Audigy 2 Platinum (SB0280)
  
• Sound Blaster Audigy 2 OEM (SB0249)
  
• Sound Blaster Audigy 2 (SB0320)
  
• Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS (SB0350)
  
• Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS (SB0352)
  
• Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS (SB0355)
  
• Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS (SB0359)
  
• Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum (SB0350P)
  
• Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro (SB0360) | external enclosure is 'SB0290'
  
• Sound Blaster Audigy 4 Pro (SB0380)
  

[hamei]

My question is, is anyone aware of the IRIX driver handling the switching between CA0102 and CA0151. And if not, is there even a huge difference in sound output? I'm also curious if there are any Audigy 2 cards that *don't* work under IRIX.

You're digging into a part of the brain that hasn't been used in quite a while but seems to me that at the time the Audigy drivers didn't work that well, with unexplained differences between cards that worked and ones that didn't; that the quality of sound wasn't that great anyhow and M Audio was pretty much what you went with if you wanted aftermarket sound. Even the M Audio driver didn't have as many features as its Windows counterpart.

Many of us stuck with the stock SGI sound cards, as they were better.  The only real reason (beyond the urge to play) for aftermarket sound was surround sound, which the stock setup never had..

[micrex22]

You're digging into a part of the brain that hasn't been used in quite a while but seems to me that at the time the Audigy drivers didn't work that well, with unexplained differences between cards that worked and ones that didn't; that the quality of sound wasn't that great anyhow and M Audio was pretty much what you went with if you wanted aftermarket sound. Even the M Audio driver didn't have as many features as its Windows counterpart.

Many of us stuck with the stock SGI sound cards, as they were better.  The only real reason (beyond the urge to play) for aftermarket sound was surround sound, which the stock setup never had..

Oh come on hamei, you're going to have dig deeper! jk

Are you referring to the M-Audio Audiophile 2496 by chance? I actually own one of those cards and they actually have a pretty bad problem--they use the VIA ICEnsemble chips and for some reason they clip off high frequencies. I noticed this since I was using one for music production--had to switch back to my onboard SoundMAX audio which didn't mess up any frequency response... it's possible most people won't notice it but I'm pretty sensitive when it comes to highs and mids.

I'm really wondering what compatibility issues IRIX had with the different Audigy 2 cards. I'm particularly interested in SB0360. I'm going to assume that SB0350 was the default Audigy 2 that worked without problems on IRIX. Hilariously enough the surround sound portion of the Audigy 2 does not work in the Open Sound System, so UNIX and Linux would lose that ability of the card if running it. I'm surprised the IRIX driver was mature enough that it implemented the surround sound functionality.........

In regards to the CA0102 and CA0151 question -- probably the only way I'll know is if I actually get one of the damn things and run it under a qualified Windows driver that can switch between both chips and then run it on the weakened OSS4 driver that does not. Unfortunately these questions will mean I'll just have to buy the darn cards and perform all of these experiments. x_x

I don't think there are too many people around who are insanely intimate with these details anymore. I wish I had paid more attention to it a decade ago but I was a restless teenager.

[hamei]

Oh come on hamei, you're going to have dig deeper! jk

Are you referring to the M-Audio Audiophile 2496 by chance?

I'm really wondering what compatibility issues IRIX had with the different Audigy 2 cards.

I don't think there are too many people around who are insanely intimate with these details anymore.

There is no deeper, I'm a very shallow person

It wasn't the 2496 tho, it's the card that came after that. There was a bunch of stuff about it on nekochan because neko bought one. They were too expensive for me. I got a pci RAD audio card for the Fuel instead.

I do sort of remember that I went that way because the Audigy stuff wasn't working very well, and all late-model SGI's run RAD audio outta the box .... unless you like tinkering, that's all-round easier and the sound is as good or better than almost any aftermarket cards.

As I remember, the only thing you got with MAD audio was surround sound.

[Trippynet]

It was the M-Audio Revolution I seem to recall. I have one in my Fuel, works a treat! Not sure if any other M-Audio boards work with IRIX or not.