KB174435 - Unexpected Force Effects or Changes in Volume or Audio Quality

PSS ID Number: 174435

Article Last Modified on 9/16/2003

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft SideWinder Force Feedback Pro 1.0
Microsoft SideWinder Force Feedback Wheel 1.0

This article was previously published under Q174435

SYMPTOMS

When you use the SideWinder Force Feedback game controller, you may encounter unexpected force feedback effects, or changes in volume or audio quality.

CAUSE

This issue may occur if the game port of the computer or MIDI resources are in use.

Note that SideWinder Force Feedback game controllers use the sound card's game port for the position and button information, and the MIDI port for the force feedback information.

Both the game and MIDI ports must be available on the same connector, or you must connect the joystick with a serial adapter.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, install the Microsoft SideWinder Game Controllers version 3.0 software.

For additional information about how to obtain the latest version of the SideWinder software, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

179113 Availability of SideWinder Software Updates

If the latest SideWinder Game Controller software does not correct the issue, configure the MIDI output to use the FM Synthesizer setting. To do this, follow these steps:

Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click Multimedia.
On the MIDI tab, click Single Instrument, and then click FM Synthesizer.
Click OK, and then close Control Panel.

Note You can create a custom configuration for MIDI channels and configure channel 6 to use FM Synthesis.

MORE INFORMATION

Some computers use wavetables that share resources with the external MIDI port. These types of wavetables are usually enabled by configuring the external or MPU-401 port.

If your game plays MIDI music with this type of wavetable, the game may cause messages sent to the wavetable to get mixed up with messages sent to the SideWinder Force Feedback Pro joystick. These messages can result in unexpected forces on the joystick, or unexpected changes in audio.

For more information about solving problems related to SideWinder Game Controllers, use the SideWinder Game Controllers Troubleshooter located at the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/support/hardware/sidewinder/swtshoot/

Additional query words: side winder joy stick device feed back

Keywords: kbenv kbHardware kbprb KB174435
Technology: kbMSHardwareSearch kbSideWinderFFPro kbSideWinderFFWheel kbSidewinderSearch kbZNotKeyword