Hi,
The Sound Blaster hardware is actually quite out of date, though if you wish to, it is still enjoyable to program them. However, it will be hard pressed to find a physical machine with one still present. In fact, if you do, depending on the model, they are quite the collectors item.
I have a simple detection routine at
http://www.fysnet.net/detectsb.htm that shows how to detect it in DOS, and then some simple code to play a .WAV file at
http://www.fysnet.net/playwav.htm. Please note that they assume you are in a TRUE DOS environment.
Later hardware now uses more modern ways of playing sound. Quoted from this forums
wiki (which is a good place to go for more information): "In 1997 Intel specified a new standard, AC97 (short for Audio Codec 1997), that virtually replaced the Sound Blaster standard by specifying higher quality sampling."
Ben
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http://www.fysnet.net/input_and_output_devices.htm