M-AUDIO DMAN - Manual (Page 7)

7
About Plug-and-Play
The PC ISA bus architecture requires allocation of memory and
I/O address spaces, DMA channels, and interrupt request (IRQ)
lines among all peripherals, yet there are no defined hardware or
software mechanisms for allocating these resources. As a result,
configuration of ISA cards is typically done with DIP switches
and jumpers that change the decode maps for memory and I/O
space and steer the DMA and IRQ signals to different pins on the
ISA bus. System configuration files usually need to be manually
updated to reflect these settings for each peripheral device in the
system.
Investigating the many device settings and properly configuring
the system is no small task. Usually when new devices are added
to the system, there are configuration conflicts that cause the
computer to work erratically or not at all. Users typically resolve
configuration conflicts by consulting complicated documentation
provided with the each adapter card, contacting the supplier's
technical support group, consulting a friend, or giving up in
disgust. Even trained engineers can find the ISA configuration
process unreliable and frustrating. Microsoft estimates that nearly
half of its technical support calls relate to this type of hardware
installation problem. As next generation expansion cards are
introduced, including multi-function versions with wavetable
music synthesis, hi-fidelity audio, MPEG audio/video &
FAX/modem capabilities, more systems resources than ever
before will be required, causing even more conflicts over system
resources.
The Solution
In 1993 the Plug-and-Play (PnP) specification was proposed as a
solution to the ISA resource conflict problem. PnP defines a
means for the computer to communicate with its various installed
devices and resolve any potential resource conflicts. In theory,
with a working system PnP, adapter jumpers and DIP switches
are a thing of the past and compliant hardware will be configured
automatically or with little user intervention. PnP works with
existing bus architectures and is widely supported by the
industry. To gain the full benefits of PnP, you will need a PnP
compliant operating system (Windows 95), system BIOS,
motherboard, and adapter card(s). Older non-compliant ISA
expansion cards (called “legacy” cards) will function in PnP
systems as well, but will still require some manual configuration.