Windows Audio Driver Model
Information:
WDM - A Common Driver Model.
Goal: "Lower Latency and much improved robustness (Especially under
heavy system loads)." www.purebits.com
"WDM - (Windows / Win32 Driver Model) A
device driver architecture from Microsoft that consolidates drivers for
Windows 95/98 and Windows NT. WDM allows a hardware vendor to write one
Windows driver for its peripheral device that works with both Win9x,
WinNT / Win2000 and WinXP versions." Paraphrased from www.ComputerLanguage.com.
"WDM audio on Windows 98 and Windows 2000 provides
support for digital audio on personal computers, which facilitates a model
where all audio mixing and routing is done in the digital domain.
One of the primary benefits of WDM is the ability to accommodate numerous
streams of real-time audio with the high quality possible with digital
mixing, processing, and transmission. Under the new system architecture,
it is possible to perform audio management using a software-controlled
model, with multiple benefits. For an overview of the issues and benefits
related to the digital audio initiative at Microsoft, see Introduction
to Digital Audio." From www.Microsoft.com.
- msdn.microsoft.com
- Types of Windows Drivers: User-mode
drivers & Kernel-mode drivers - "All WDM drivers support
Plug and Play, and Power Management. WDM drivers are source-compatible
(but not binary-compatible) across the Microsoft Windows 98/Me and
Windows 2000 and later Operating Systems." (3/24/2003).
- msdn.microsoft.com
- Windows Driver Model: Kernel-mode drivers that follow WDM rules
are called WDM drivers (3/24/2003).
- Improving
digital audio quality through system settings - Win98.
- WDM
Audio Drivers
- Sound
Technologies
- Non-PCM
Wave Formats and WDM Audio Drivers
- Cakewalk
- Creative Labs WDM drivers: "Due to a bug in the current
Creative Labs WDM drivers, we recommend that users revert to the
Microsoft WDM driver that ships with Windows 2000 and XP."
(12/7/2002)
- msdn.microsoft.com:
Windows Driver Model (12/7/2002).
- The
Microsoft Windows Management Instrumentation Extensions to the Windows
Driver Model: "This white paper provides an introduction to
the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) Extensions to the Windows
Driver Model (WDM)." (September 1998)
- www.cmkrnl.com:
NT Drivers - FAQ - WDM (12/7/2002).
- Cakewalk Hosts
Third Annual Windows Professional Audio Roundtable at Winter NAMM 2002
(1/22/2002 - Link Revised 8/29/2002).
- EgoSys.net
- E-WDM Technology, World-first E-WDM (Enhanced Windows Driver
Model - Enhanced Audio MIDI Driver) driver for Windows 2000/ME/98
offering better performance with Cakelwalk's Sonar (Link Revised
8/29/2002).
EgoSys originally claimed EWDM was
the first & ONLY solution for GigaStudio under a Win 2000
environment.
- Aardvark
Pro Audio Solutions: New Low Latency Drivers, A|WDM™
(Aardvark Windows Driver Model), a new multi-client, low-latency
driver for Windows XP and Windows 2000 (04/09/02).
- Harmony-Central.com: Creative
Announces Sound Blaster Audigy Sound Cards with WDM
Drivers ...more
(August 22, 2001).
- Audiotrak
- Press Release... Dateline, November 2nd, 2000 from Seoul, Korea
Quote: "AUDIOTRAK has succeeded
developing the one driver model for DirectSound, ASIO, GSIF, and
Multi-client under Windows 2000/ME/98 environment. AUDIOTRAK named it
Enhanced Windows Driver Model (EWDM) and is expecting to adapt
it to all of AUDIOTRAK products in a couple of months. Until now,
adding Plug and Play to NT 4.0 and ASIO 2.0 model by Steinberg and
working around WDM by Cakewalk, Sonic Foundry, and Nemesys are two
major developers.
Hardware manufacturers work to add
ASIO 2.0 to NT 4.0 driver but have problems with software benders.
Therefore, it seems that supporting WDM and ASIO altogether is
impossible. Windows 2000 driver developing has this limitation even
with all the efforts by the software and hardware companies. Even
Microsoft who has intended to support Windows 98/Me/2000 does not have
solution for these problems.
The EWDM driver by AUDIOTRAK will
change the audio experience of users radically. It is not far from
today that the AUTIOTRAK MAYA users can work under all Windows
environment with EWDM driver." ...link
(11/02/00).
AudioTrak & EgoSys are one in the
same. Don't bother purchasing products from EgoSys in Korea. EgoSys
dos not respond to email product inquiries either! Don't know about
the AudioTrak moniker (8/29/2002).
Windows Internals
and Device Drivers:
- W
i n S u M M i t 2 0 0 0: WDM - Windows Driver Model from
Microsoft, Windows Internals and Device Drivers, Tracks (detail) ...link
(10/03/00).
Windows
Drivers: VXD vs. WDM: |
First, in defense of us all, the Win32
Driver Model IS a good idea. One driver model for all Windows flavors.
Makes sense if your audio gear (hardware / software) can handle it.
Problem:
WDM, backed by Cakewalk.com
which relies heavily on DirectX. DirectX is who - Microsoft. Where does
Microsoft want to be, besides in our pockets all of the time... Getting
everyone into WinXP. WDM drivers may be a good idea, is WinXP? Think
before you invest your Studio. Our problem with WinXP - What we call Challenged
Response Installation. Anyone ever upgraded or changed a PC
Configuration?
Win2000 - If your audio interface &
hardware supports the O/S, should be safe for us as an authoring
environment for hopefully the next 2 years. Meaning, if DirectX upgrades
will ONLY be available to those using WinXP, we don't have to be held
hostage! Steinberg is looking better all the time... We ask, DirectX or
VST? What do YOU think? Email
Us!
Right now, depending upon your Studio
configuration, expect to work with more than one PC. NemeSysMusic.com,
GigaStudio 160 does NOT have Windows 2000 Drivers yet! Aardvark
Professional Digital Audio, same story. Windows 2000 for this and
Win98 for that. Hassle? Yes.
Update:
SeaSound
is Out Of Business!!! Please visit the SeaSound
Users Group Audio Forum. SeaSound
Audio Forum WDM driver
History. (1/22/2002)
www.byteheaven.net: For
SeaSound Pro Audio, WinXP Drivers
SeaSound
Pro Audio
- Cakewalk.com:
Audio I/O, Today and Tomorrow by Ron Kuper, CTO - Cakewalk - Audio
I -
- Cakewalk.com:
WDM Adoption - Audio 2 -
-
Microsoft.com:
WDM Audio Drivers for Windows 2000 -
- Supporting
Non-PCM Wave Formats in WDM Audio Drivers -
- Microsoft.com:
Windows Driver Development Kits -
- OSR.com
- WDM Audio Drivers -
Developers - Use Windows 2000 DDK to
create WDM audio drivers for Windows Me, Windows 98 Second
Edition (SE), and Windows 2000.
-
OSR.com
- WDM Audio Platform Differences -
- Microsoft.com:
WDM Driver problems on Win98 -
- Microsoft.com:
Windows Millennium Edition Does Not Hibernate with Non-WDM Audio
Drivers -
- IntelliGraphics.com
(Device Drivers) - WDM Audio Design Considerations
-
- Audio
Driver Development -
- BioStar-USA.com
Onboard Audio Drivers - WDM -
- WinBookCorp.com:
Tech Article - VIA AC’97 Audio Controller (WDM) Drivers
-
- WDM
Audio Architecture Slide -
- Discussion
group for WDM audio driver developers -
- Subscribe:
wdmaudiodev-subscribe@yahoogroups.com -
- WDM:
Introduction to Windows Driver Model -
(12-4-1998)
- Microsoft
DirectX - What's New -
- Q264546
- Sound Card Drivers Are Upgraded After You Upgrade to Windows Me
-
- Windows
98 and Windows Me Hardware/Device Driver Troubleshooting Resource
Center -
- WinXPWORLD,
A World (of) Experience - WDM Audio Drivers
- PureBits.com
- WDM Drivers
ProAudio
Sound Card Selections - |
From The Applications' Point Of
View!
-
Sound Cards
-
Cakewalk.com:
- Using SONAR with the audio card you already own
- NEMESYS
- Recommended Hardware - Sound Cards: GSIF drivers &
Multi-Client capable.
- Sounds
Great! TheKidd.com & Sonar - !!! ACHIEVED WITH WAVEPIPE CAKEWALK
SUPPORTS ADVANCED AUDIO CAPABILITIES !!!
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