This small demo displays the actual possibility of managing audio without using MME or DirectX thanks to a very powerful low level mechanism in Kernel mode. Opportunely this technology comes from 98SE. Our second goal with this demo, which was tested under Win2000 and XP, is to show RosAsm users that it is possible to do some compatible low level while doing away with high-level layer, not only in audio, but also in video, graphics... This demo is in no case optimized, it is only a draft version: it can be used to provide ideas for the RosAsm community!
 

How to start:

Launch the "KSAudio.exe" application. Select the audio application in each "Render List" and "Capture List" column (sound card only, do not select MIDI or SYNTHE). If you have a microphone, plug it and press OK. In you wish to start or stop the programme, select Run or Pause/Stop in the "Pin State" menu.

Using the microphone requires to unselect "test tone". The strong latency you will notice is perfectly normal since the demo uses two "reading" and "writing" buffers, all the more so since the Ron-Kupper modification has not been implemented: http://www.cakewalk.com/devxchange/audio_i.asp

The purpose of this demo is to let RosAsm users see how efficient our system is. For more information: work.on@free.fr

KSaudio.exe is a demo working in User mode, but reaching the "Kernel" through DeviceIOControl.

Our objective is to use RosAsm to edit applications working in "Kernel" mode. What for ?

The WDM standard can be used to make the writing of the PnP drivers universal. Therefore these drivers can be kept whatever the Windows versions. WDM is a layer which encapsulates "Kernel Streaming" (WDM KS). For example, DirectX and MME are located way above WDM. It is easy to understand WDM KS's stability because of its compatibility (cf. documents). On the other hand, the upper layers can evolve: they are used by Microsoft to produce development tools which will require constant updating... (QED)

Through the standardization introduced by WDM and thanks to ASM, we can access to the low level layer in an efficient way. Hence, the performances both improve and remain compatible. We have prior access to MIDI, AUDIO, VIDEO, GDI . at a low level. Microsoft's policy is to restrain direct access to the Windows kernel: people have to pay to get less and less appropriate DDK documentation (which used to be free), sensitive information are limited and Microsoft recommends the use of WDF (above WDM). Developers must be kept away from Windows kernel: that's what Microsoft's new policy hints at when you consider numerous notes within the documentation.

We invite you to consider RosAsm as a powerful tool to make Windows kernel work.

We are convinced you will be satisfied by the quality of our product. For more information, please contact us at work.on@free.fr

 
Fabrice and Rmi
