Phone:

800-776-8637, 610-647-3930

Fax:

800-257-1439

BBS:

610-647-3195

e-mail:

multimedia@ensoniq.com or soundscape-bugs@ensoniq.com

Web:

http://www.ensoniq.com

Soundscape

Type:

Wavetable

Chipset:

Ensoniq OTTO

CD-ROM:

Proprietary (Sony, Panasonic, Mitsumi)

Street price:

$150-$200

OS/2 Drivers:

Available, but limited

Drivers from:

ftp.ensoniq.com

Comments:

According to both Ensoniq tech support and one respondant, OS/2 drivers exist but DOS/Windows access is tricky and unreliable. Drivers also don't support wavetable features from OS/2. Apparently VTD can be made to work with this boards, but only by changing a jumper on the board to provide "phantom power" to the microphone input, at least when using the microphone supplied with Warp 4. Ensoniq has announced that they will not be developing new OS/2 drivers. Wavetable quality is reputed to be good from native DOS/Windows. I've received one report of no success with this board and IBM's MPU-401 driver, but this could be the result of recoverable installation problems. It may be possible to get IBM's MPU-401 driver working by initializing the board with the SSINIT utility and rebooting, then using the OS/2 8-bit SoundBlaster drivers for .WAV support. I've seen one report that playing .WAV files interrupts CD audio output under Warp 4.0, though not under Warp 3.0. I believe this board has been discontinued.

Soundscape Elite

Type:

Wavetable

Chipset:

Ensoniq OTTO & AD1948

CD-ROM:

IDE (but reportedly inoperative for OS/2)

Street price:

$150-$200

OS/2 Drivers:

Available, but limited

Drivers from:

ftp.ensoniq.com; OS/2 ftp (for MPU-401 driver)

Comments:

Similar comments as with the Soundscape, which this board replaces. One person has reported success getting IBM's MPU-401 driver working with this board, but apparently had to initialize the board under DOS and warm-boot to OS/2 to make it function.

VIVO 90

Type:

Wavetable (?)

Chipset:

Ensoniq OTTO 32

CD-ROM:

IDE (?)

Street price:

??

OS/2 Drivers:

Available, but limited

Drivers from:

ftp.ensoniq.com

Comments:

This board can apparently be made to work with OS/2, but I have received two reports that IBM's MPU-401 drivers don't work with it, and one that the board's Windows 3.1 drivers didn't work, either. Overall, it sounds like something to avoid for OS/2 use.