Incredible!

Very nice video!

Though you should highly consider adding timestamps in the Youtube description to allow for quick access to the topic you want to see.

2:15:15 - You say there'll be some footage of the MT32 buffer overflow, then say "Well that was a demonstration of the buffer overflow".

Scene missing?? 🙁

1:11 Introduction
7:15 Brief overview
15:09 MT-32 (Old)
27:17 MT-32 (New)
34:41 CM Series
1:08:36 UART vs Intelligent MIDI
1:26:25 Cables and connectors
1:35:33 Power supplies
1:38:30 Using the Sound Card Mixer
1:42:42 Daisy Chaining
1:45:39 ROM Version
1:51:07 MT32 Test Mode
1:54:05 Demo Songs
1:59:18 LCD Displa
2:03:57 LED MIDI vs Audi
2:06:16 Games that require MT-32 Old
2:10:55 MT-32 Old Buffer Overflow
2:17:06 CM series Clipping
2:19:23 CM series extra sound effects
2:27:46 CM64/CM500 - Muting the CM32P Part
2:34:36 Early CM32 CM64 Clicking Issue

That's as far as I got... Doing the rest tomorrow...

Words cannot describe how awesome you are. This is a true labour of love. I can't guarrantee that I will watch all of it, but I'll try.
Fantastic!

SquallStrife wrote:

2:15:15 - You say there'll be some footage of the MT32 buffer overflow, then say "Well that was a demonstration of the buffer overflow".

Scene missing?? 🙁

Oh no! Looks like it 🙁

Let me figure out what I can do about that.

vetz wrote:

Very nice video!

Though you should highly consider adding timestamps in the Youtube description to allow for quick access to the topic you want to see.

Good idea. Thanks.

Last bit:

2:38:58 CM-500 Faster Vibrato Issue
2:41:42 General MIDI Support
2:52:52 Usage with DOSBox and ScumVM
3:07:23 What do I recommend?
3:21:59 Summary
3:28:49 Credits, Acknowledgements, The End

Hope this helps! 😀

SquallStrife wrote:

2:15:15 - You say there'll be some footage of the MT32 buffer overflow, then say "Well that was a demonstration of the buffer overflow".

Scene missing?? 🙁

Ok so this is how I resolved this problem.

I uploaded that missing part and added a link at the relevant part.

Here is the direct link to this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXexB1UTewk

It's unlisted so without this link you have to navigate to the 2:15 mark of the video and click on the link.

At the end of that video showing you the Buffer Overflow issue in a game there is another link to go back to the main video at the same spot 😀

There are heaps of other games with this issue, but I had trouble triggering the Buffer Overflow issue with other games. I think my Pentium 133 is too slow to do this with more games.

Buffer overflow can be kind of unpredictable.

After watching your video, I wrote down some notes which you may find useful :

Sierra games will still sound at least 95% correct with an MT-32 new or later.

MT-32 chart does not include CM-32LN, LAPC-I, LAPC-N or MT-100. The CM-32LN and LAPC-N, even though you do not have them, should get a mention as they are the only other hardware devices in the Roland LA/MT-32 line.

The MT-100's LCD display will not display the messages from the games.

Replacement power adapters, you should mention that a negative tip must be used.

LAPC-I needs a -5v power line to work. Not all ATX power supplies have a working -5v lone.

Almost all true 16-bit ISA sound cards offer UART MPU-401 capabilities. 8-bit sound cards almost never do.

Did you tell the viewer that you can use Master Volume + Rhythym on an MT-32 to reset it? You should also tell them that they can use the DUMP utility to send a reset sysex to an LAPC-I or CM module.

Great Hierophant wrote:

After watching your video, I wrote down some notes which you may find useful :

Sierra games will still sound at least 95% correct with an MT-32 new or later.

Yup I mention something along those lines in the recommendations and other parts of the video. I'm careful not to use percentages though, as they are too precise.

MT-32 chart does not include CM-32LN, LAPC-I, LAPC-N or MT-100.

Yes, but the LAPC-I and MT-100 are mentioned and also have their own video section in the video. The N versions are indeed missing and will be added.

The MT-100's LCD display will not display the messages from the games.

Shown in the tables, but will add a note to clarify during the MT-100 part.

Replacement power adapters, you should mention that a negative tip must be used.

While I do show the polarity image, I will mention it, thanks.

LAPC-I needs a -5v power line to work. Not all ATX power supplies have a working -5v lone.

I'll add that bit!

Almost all true 16-bit ISA sound cards offer UART MPU-401 capabilities. 8-bit sound cards almost never do.

That rule is too general for my liking. I'll just leave it to the viewer to be capable of sourcing a Sound card with a MIDI interface.

Did you tell the viewer that you can use Master Volume + Rhythym on an MT-32 to reset it?

You should also tell them that they can use the DUMP utility to send a reset sysex to an LAPC-I or CM module.

I'll add those bits of information!

Thank you for the time and effort 😀

The Sound Blasters before the 16 did not have even UART MPU-401 compatibility, nor did the Adlib Gold, Pro Audio Spectrum, Plus or early Spectrum 16s. I am not sure about the Covox Sound Master II, and I know that the Sound Master, Sound Master Plus, Innovation, Game Blaster and Thunderboards did not have MIDI functionality at all.

If you had an LAPC-I, you could have added a section about using it like an external MIDI module for DOSBox or SCUMMVM.

It’s taken a few days to get through it but I finished!
As someone who is still fairly new to the world of midi outside just selecting the sound card I found it quite interesting and simple to follow, giving general overview but not getting too bogged down with ever minor detail.
There’s probably less then 5 games I total that I play that want a MT32 so have no intention of getting one, but all the same it was interesting to see how it all started out and the pro’s and cons of each device.

You can tell it was a labour of love so quite hard to remain unbiased, Donno I thought you came close with the Vibrato issue. It wasn’t that much of a problem to kill of something that adds support for GM but you openly admitted it was an issue for YOU, the viewer has to make up their own mind.
Well done!

…you other vid on how to turn off the Creative Z’s LEDS? Whats wrong with useless bling 😉

Thank you for your feedback 😀

You are quite right, the differences are subtle and to many (most), getting a CM series unit makes more sense. For me, I grew up with Sierra and they have a big place in my heart, so that's why I had to have one.

And yea I probably shared to many personal views on the CM-500. Should have saved this for the "what do I recommend" section. I'll do better next time 😀

🤣 about the Z LEDs 😀 Thing is quite a few have asked how to turn it off. Not just me, but there are threads all over the net.