KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q123394: MSB Human: Cannot Play MIDI Sounds

Article: Q123394
Product(s): Microsoft Home Kids Products
Version(s): WINDOWS:1.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbenv kbsound kbimukbfaq
Last Modified: 08-NOV-2001

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Scholastic's Magic School Bus series: Explores the Human Body for Windows, version 1.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

When you run The Magic School Bus Explores the Human Body, you may be unable to
play MIDI sounds.

If you are using Microsoft Windows 95 or Microsoft Windows 98, you may also
receive the following error message:

  MIDI not configured properly.

CAUSE
=====

This behavior can occur for any of the following reasons:

- The MIDI driver for your sound card is either not installed or is not
  configured properly.
- The volume for your sound card's MIDI channel or for your speakers is not
  turned up.
- The MIDI channel on your sound card is not set to Play.
- The MIDI Mapper Control Panel is not configured for Extended MIDI.

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this issue, use the appropriate method for your version of Microsoft
Windows:

Windows 95/98
-------------

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, point to Multimedia,
  and then click Media Player.

  NOTE: If you are using Windows 98, click Start, point to Programs, point to
  Accessories, point to Entertainment, and then click Media Player.

2. On the Device menu, click MIDI Sequencer.

3. Open the Windows\Media folder, click the Canyon.mid file, and then click
  Open.

4. Click the Play button. If you hear the Canyon.mid file play, skip to step 6.

5. If you do not hear the Canyon.mid file play, click Volume Control on the
  Device menu. Make sure the Volume slider under MIDI is not set all the way
  down, and the Mute check box under MIDI is not selected. Also make sure the
  volume for your speakers is turned up, and the speakers are plugged in to the
  correct jack on your sound card.

  If you still do not hear Canyon.mid the file play, contact your sound card
  manufacturer for assistance in installing or properly configuring the MIDI
  driver for your sound card.

6. If you do hear the Canyon.mid file play, follow these steps:

  a. Click Start, point to Settings and then click Control Panel.

  b. Double-click Multimedia, then click the Midi tab.

  c. Under MIDI Output, click the Single Instrument option to select it, and
     then click Midi For Internal FM Synthesizer (or equivalent).

  d. Click OK, and then close Control Panel.

The MIDI driver for your sound card should now be configured properly, and you
should be able to play MIDI sounds in Magic School Bus Explores the Human Body.

Windows 3.x
-----------

1. Double-click the Accessories program group, and then double-click Media
  Player.

2. On the Device menu, click MIDI Sequencer.

3. Open the Windows folder, click the Canyon.mid file, and then click OK.

4. Click the Play button.

5. If you do not hear the Canyon.mid file play, make sure the volume for your
  speakers is turned up, and the speakers are plugged in to the correct jack on
  your sound card.

  If you still do not hear Canyon.mid the file play, contact your sound card
  manufacturer for assistance in installing or properly configuring the MIDI
  driver for your sound card, setting the MIDI channel on your sound card to
  Play, or raising the playback volume of the MIDI channel on your sound card.

6. If you do hear the Canyon.mid file play, follow these steps:

  a. Double-click the Main program group, double-click Control Panel, and
     double-click MIDI Mapper.

  b. In MIDI Mapper, click Edit.

  c. Note the Port Name for which Src Channels 13-16 are configured, and set
     Src Channels 1-10 to the same Port Name.

  d. Click OK. When you are prompted to save the changes, click Yes.

  e. Click Close, and then close Control Panel.

The MIDI driver for your sound card should now be configured properly, and you
should be able to play MIDI sounds in Magic School Bus Explores the Human Body.

NOTE: If your MIDI drums do not sound right, you may need to map Src Channel 10
to Dest Channel 16.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Magic School Bus Explores the Human Body for Windows uses Extended MIDI, rather
than Base MIDI, to achieve high-quality MIDI sound.

Extended MIDI uses 10 (ten) MIDI channels, compared to 4 (four) channels with
Base MIDI. As a result, 10 MIDI instruments can be accessed and used by the
program, resulting in a better quality of MIDI sound.


Additional query words: 1.00 msb-hb schoolbus magicbus source destination

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbenv kbsound kbimu kbfaq
Technology        : kbHomeProdSearch kbZNotKeyword kbKidsSearch kbScholasticHuman kbMSBSearch
Version           : WINDOWS:1.0
Issue type        : kbprb

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.