Read this thread: announcement.php?s=&forumid=9

We would also like to know WHY you need real DOS and what games you are trying to play. real DOS may not be necessary.

Hello! Thanks for your reply. I have installed on my PC Dos ver. 6.22 and I just need sound to play game like Tomb Raider, for instance...but also all the other old games I still would like to play...They're countless...Among them, X-Wing or Day of the Tentacle...I have a Soundblaster Audigy 2 card installed and I know there is no DOS support coming with it. If you can help me, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks again...

There is a beta VDMSound version for Windows 9x in the development forum. (It is unsupported.) DoTT can be run with ScummVM and look better than it has before. In any case, you should try a dual-boot -- get Windows XP.

Originally posted by DosFreak We would also like to know WHY you need real DOS and what games you are trying to play. real DOS may not be necessary.

Well there are still many games that want "Real DOS". The real question is how/why on Earth you are using DOS 6.22 with an Audigy card?

There are still cards available for sale that have "true DOS" support, but obviously the numbers are getting slimmer and they will not have every-option-under-the-sun on them. The closest I've seen has been the "Acoustic Edge" from Philips and even that can't be guaranteed to work in real DOS (worked fine on my old BH6 motherboard, missing digital audio in DOS on my AS40GT board *bah*).

Thank you very much for your replies. For what I have understood, VDMsound in development is for Windows9X though and not for DOS. I realize that it can sound strange to still use DOS but I like it much better than the various Windows. However, I also have WindowsXP installed (I have a dual boot) but most games don't run on it (of course). This is why I have the need of getting sound on real DOS. About the Audigy: I found out that real sound in DOS mode can be obtained *only* through ISA cards. Like all modern computer, mine has no ISA slots thus making this real emulation just not possible. The Audigy 1 before *had* SB16 Emulation driver support for Windows9X at least. Now they took it away. I was just wondering if technically is possible to port VDMsound to DOS too since this would be really a great innovation for all poeple like me (and we are not few) that dont want to kick the nice past of fun with great games not yet finished or completed. Again: thank you very much. If someone can help me further, I'd really appreciate it. So long...

I doubt creative disabling the sound support for dos, it's just a big problem getting the correct parts to get it working under dos. You'd probably need to install win9x and install the audigy drivers under there and filter out the parts you need to run it under dos.

Might actually have to screw up the setup procedure too, to even get the dos sound drivers installed. Remember having to do that with liveware 3.0 since it wouldn't install the dos drivers otherwise.

As for making a version of vdmsound under real dos, that would be sort of a problem, since vdmsound would have nowhere to send the emulated sound it generates.

It's the topic starter again here. I've just registered! Thanks for your reply, Harekiet. About Creative dropping DOS support, I spoke directly with a CL technician in live chat confirming (unfortunately) that it's completely true. Audigy 1 had SB16 Legacy Emulation but the guy there said Audigy 2 is totally different hardware and even that driver for Audigy 1 wouldnt work on it. So I doubt I can do anything about it. It's sad to realize that a real DOS port of VDMSound is technically impossible. I am not a programmer and I trust your word of course. It's just a real shame...Hm...you say VDM would need something to produce the emulated sound it generates...Well, in WindowsNT/2000/XP where does it send audio to ? I am sorry about these stupid questions of mine but I am just a very curious person and perhaps some people here don't mind to give me some technical answers. Really thank you all again for your time and take good care of yourselves. Salk from Italy.

Originally posted by Unregistered About the Audigy: I found out that real sound in DOS mode can be obtained *only* through ISA cards.

Not true. PCI soundcards have less compatibility, but I've used multiple PCI soundcards in real DOS.

You still have options. For 386 Unprotected games (or earlier) try DosBox. Virtual PC can occasionally be useful (although quite expensive). Emulation should improve over the next year or so...

Why not get an old sound card then? Should be easy to find SB16 cards lying around.

Yep, Why just the other day I was walking down the street and I actually stepped on one! 🙄

Here's the topic started again. Well...About using another card, I might even have thought about it if I had an ISA slot or free PCIs (the smartest thing would have been maybe to keep my Audigy 2 with which I could at least play game in DOS environment thanks to Windows 98SE Reboot to Dos) but I have all slot busy. I will closely keep an eye of VDMsound which is very promising. One other eye will go to DosBox. I will see if I can at least play some of my older games with sound in some way. I think I just need to give up on the idea of having traditional sound in DOS (with traditional I mean via drivers...) and just satisfy with alternative solutions. Thanks for your time and advices. Bye!

Unregistered wrote:

It's the topic starter again here. I've just registered!

You registered as Unregistered? There's a new one. 😉

...the guy there said Audigy 2 is totally different hardware and even that driver for Audigy 1 wouldnt work on it.

That is complete and utter bullshit! The hardware in the two cards is virtually identical! Doesn't the AC97 spec say anything about DOS audio?

you say VDM would need something to produce the emulated sound it generates...Well, in WindowsNT/2000/XP where does it send audio to ?

DirectSound or waveOut interfaces, which then talk to the sound card's drivers, which then communicate with the sound card.