We developed a virtual sound card driver and want it certified by Microsoft.
The purpose of the driver is to capture audio stream and then service that
we wrote sends it over the local network to networked speakers for playback.
So the driver itself doesn't work with any hardware.

Our current implementation (we support Windows 2000 and Windows XP 32 bit at
this time) uses WaveCyclic miniport.

We just started work on supporting Vista and got our driver working under
Vista with some minor changes. We are still using WaveCyclic miniport.

However, this document

http://download.microsoft.com/download/9/c/5/9c5b2167-8017-4bae-9fde-d599bac8184a/DrvCompat_Vista.doc

says:
==========================
The following list summarizes some key requirements for audio drivers:
· Implement Universal Audio Architecture (UAA)-compliant audio
devices.
· Implement audio drivers _as WaveRT_ miniport drivers.
· Implement up-to-date digital rights management (DRM) support.
==========================

Does it mean that if our Vista implementation uses WaveCyclic miniport we
will not be able to get it certified?

Also: who should I address this question to in Microsoft to receive
authoritative answer? I emailed to whqldt@microsoft.com but so far haven't
received even an acknowledgement that my email has been received.

Re: WaveRT/WaveCyclic miniport usage and Vista certification by Tim

Tim
Wed Jan 31 01:14:32 CST 2007

"Nobody" <noone@nowhere.com> wrote:
>
>We developed a virtual sound card driver and want it certified by Microsoft.
>The purpose of the driver is to capture audio stream and then service that
>we wrote sends it over the local network to networked speakers for playback.
>So the driver itself doesn't work with any hardware.
>...
>==========================
>The following list summarizes some key requirements for audio drivers:
>· Implement Universal Audio Architecture (UAA)-compliant audio
>devices.
>· Implement audio drivers _as WaveRT_ miniport drivers.
>· Implement up-to-date digital rights management (DRM) support.
>==========================
>
>Does it mean that if our Vista implementation uses WaveCyclic miniport we
>will not be able to get it certified?

As far as I know, the WaveRT requirement is only a "strong suggestion". I
has to be that way; the WaveRT model only applies to drivers that talk to
physical hardware. The model doesn't work for virtual drivers.

>Also: who should I address this question to in Microsoft to receive
>authoritative answer? I emailed to whqldt@microsoft.com but so far haven't
>received even an acknowledgement that my email has been received.

That is the correct address.
--
Tim Roberts, timr@probo.com
Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.