PC Speaker in Windows98

[TurionAltec]

In XP/2000, when the beep function is called it will send a tone to the PC Speaker. For example

beep(500,1000)

Will sound the PC Speaker at 500Hz for 1000ms.

In Windows9x if a soundcard is present Windows will intercept the call to the PC speaker and instead play the "default" WAV file through the sound card.

This is a limitation of the Windows API, and not AutoIT, as other programs (like nircmd) will do the same thing if you try to beep the speaker.

Is there any other way to send audio directly to the PC speaker? Ideally I want to be able to beep different frequencies and lengths, but even a standard "Bell" beep would help. I can't disable the Soundcard because I want it available when the user plugs in headphones. I know that there's a PCSpeaker audio driver that lets the PC speaker act as a Wave device but as I recall the sound quality was extremely poor, and I don't want to lose the soundcard as the default device.

Currently I'm trying a hideous Hack using Qbasic.

I make a file like sound.BAS:

sound 500,6
sound 1000,6
sound 1500,6
sleep 2
system

Then call it from autoit

run("c:\qbasic\qbasic.exe /run sound.bas")

In the screen properties for the command prompt , disabling "FAST ROM Emulation" will cause Windows to pass PC speaker calls to the speaker.

Unfortunately the performance doing this is shady and it won't always properly play the sounds eg: timings are way off and a tone might stick on. As well the creation of the command window might frig up the program, especially if it runs in full-screen. I also get poor performance if I try a simple BATCH file with "Echo ^G" in it.

Any ideas on playing to the PC speaker in Windows98?

[rover]

I don't have Win98 to try this on but

this will send the 'Bel' character and beep the PC speaker (back to the days of teletype terminals)

Run(@ComSpec & " /c " & Chr(7), "", @SW_HIDE)

[herewasplato]

AutoIt "Beeps" and that cmd "Chr(7)" bell are most annoying.

I forgot how loud the "PC speaker" beep is on this laptop.

Anyway, the "Chr(7)" method did not work for me using W98SE via MS Virtual PC 2007. AutoIt "Beeps" come out as the OP stated in that VPC and the "Chr(7)" method did nothing.

[rover]

AutoIt "Beeps" and that cmd "Chr(7)" bell are most annoying.

very annoying

I use Beep(1000,5) for more of a click or 'pip' sound

as an augment to consolewrite or traytip when waiting for single events to occur when debugging

Anyway, the "Chr(7)" method did not work for me using W98SE via MS Virtual PC 2007. AutoIt "Beeps" come out as the OP stated in that VPC and the "Chr(7)" method did nothing.

looks like it's not doable

and those old beep.com dos files

are the same thing as that basic code the OP's running

the whole video bios issue at bottom of this MS knowledgbase article

MS-DOS-Based Programs Do Not Play Beeps Through PC Speaker

many posts on Usenet (Newsgroups)

pc speaker beep win98

Can't hear internal speaker beep in Win98

Edited February 14, 2008 by rover

[rudi]

Hi.

I don't have Win98 to try this on but

this will send the 'Bel' character and beep the PC speaker (back to the days of teletype terminals)

Run(@ComSpec & " /c " & Chr(7), "", @SW_HIDE)oÝ÷ Ûú®¢×+0Ym¯+hmì^rë^ý°D¿méejÆ¢iÚ+¦º ­©¢ì"YÞyÛh!Îmée¶(ºwmë)y©®Æ®¶­se'Vâ6öÕ7V2fײgV÷C²ö2V6ògV÷C²fײ6"rÂgV÷C²gV÷C²Â5uôDR

IIRC this will send the sound to the default sound device. So if your Win98 has a soundcard + speakers, it will not be send to the PC internal speaker (which cannot be switched off)

Regards, Rudi