Mwave
| Company type | Technology |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer hardware |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Founder | Malcolm Ware |
| Products | Telephony and sound card adapter cards |
| Parent | IBM |
Mwave was a technology created by IBM that integrated both telephony and sound card capabilities into a single adapter card, utilizing the Mwave digital signal processor (DSP) as its core. This technology was implemented in IBM's Aptiva series and certain ThinkPad laptop models, along with third-party cards designed for voice recognition and ISDN connectivity. Nevertheless, ongoing consumer dissatisfaction due to unstable Mwave software and hardware led IBM to ultimately substitute it with traditional audio and telephony hardware.
History
According to Malcolm Ware, the inception of Mwave dates back to 1979 at an IBM research facility in Zurich, Switzerland, with the initial prototype evaluated on an IBM PC in 1981. Following its application in various adapter cards, IBM officially designated the technology as Mwave and launched it within the WindSurfer ISA/MCA card. IBM manufactured Mwave hardware compatible with both Microsoft Windows and OS/2, later embedding it into the Aptiva product line. Automated testing software for modem connectivity with multiple bulletin board systems was developed by Gary Harper, drawing inspiration from WarGames.
A significant iteration was the Mwave Dolphin, an ISA legacy card that did not support plug and play but could operate on Windows through software drivers. It incorporated a 28.8kbit/s fax/modem alongside Sound Blaster–compatible audio features. One of its main advantages was the ability to upgrade modem speeds via software, reaching up to 33.6kbit/s. The card also supported Aptiva's Rapid Resume capabilities, such as Wake-up On Ring. Despite these features, users frequently encountered problems affecting either sound or modem functionality individually or simultaneously. Some customers were compensated with refunds or hardware replacements; a class action lawsuit against IBM was resolved in 2001.
Subsequent driver updates for the Dolphin (version 20D) and the Stingray Mwave adapter remedied certain defects—the Stingray introduced plug and play compatibility—but eventually IBM phased out Mwave cards from Aptiva computers, reverting to conventional sound cards and modems.
Mwave hardware was deployed across MCA, ISA, and PCMCIA interfaces. Select IBM ThinkPad models (600 and 770) featured PCI-based versions; earlier models such as the ThinkPad 755, 760, and 765 utilized ISA-based chips. Additionally, some Sun SPARCstation workstations incorporated the Mwave DSP to provide audio functionality.
Although no longer produced, IBM released a Linux driver supporting PCI-based Mwave devices found in ThinkPad 600 and 770 machines.
See also
- U.S. Robotics, Courier modems – Internal DSP architecture allowing software-driven upgrades.
- Audio/modem riser
References
- Notes
External links
- IBM ThinkPad hardware Q&A § Mwave Audio
- Ted Felix's Mwave page
- Jeff Bryer's unofficial Mwave home page
- Mwave MDSP2780 found in select ThinkPad 755, 760, and 765 models at ThinkWiki.org
- Mwave MDSP3780 present in certain ThinkPad 600 and 770 models at ThinkWiki.org