alexanrs wrote:

Doesn't the YMF grab additional resources for its WSS compatibility or you disabled that as well?

WSS won't be a problem. It's using IRQ5 and DMA1 just as SB Pro.

At this point i'd say my AWE tinkering has been quite sucessful.

So far, the following games do work with the EMU8000 synth, while keeping the SB16 part disabled on the AWE64 Gold:

- Descent
- Duke Nukem 3D
- FIFA 94
- Hi Octane
- Tyrian
- Sensible World of Soccer
- Warcraft Orcs & Humans
- Warcraft 2: Tides of Darkness
- Wing Commander 3 (bitches about digital part not being ON but can be fooled, works with YMF, GUS or PAS)

Games i can't get to work:

- DOOM 2
- Raptor: Call of the Shadows

I guess the games that don't work must have different detection routines and probably won't work without the SB16 part enabled. Both Doom 2 and Raptor require to choose the MIDI port which is out of range with the actual AWE port which i have configured at 620h. I assume these games will indeed require the SB16 part turned on.

Still looking for more games with native EMU8000 support for test. All in all i'm happy with the results, although kinda bummed the DOOM 2 doesn't work.

The AWE 64 was released around... '97? The card is over fifteen years old, and the capacitors are aging. I'm not sure if the worry about SnR is something your basing simply on technical specifications or something you can actually hear.

What I did on an SB16 ISA card, is replace all the capacitors on the power-traces coming off the ISA slot with new, low-impedance capacitors to reduce the noise-floor and make the sound more black. (i.e. quiet background) It worked great for me on the SB16 ISA, and I was even using the amplified channel, which I had also recapped with brand-new capacitors.

Note: I did this project so I could use the SB16 ISA's amplified channel with my Sony MDR-V700's, and being headphones they are far more revealing than most desktop speakers so noticing that the background noise had been very reduced was obvious.

You should check out this thread dedicated to the AWE series, specifically the Emu Synth side and which games supported it natively. There's a lot to like about the AWE series.

I think it's a bit too easy to say the SB16 is crap but I like the synth side. It's similar to saying, I like the Corvette's motor, but I hate the dashboard and interior. It's a package deal.

QBiN wrote:

You should check out this thread dedicated to the AWE series, specifically the Emu Synth side and which games supported it natively. There's a lot to like about the AWE series.

I am aware of the thread and its mostly games that support soundfonts. Besides System Shock and Zone Raiders i need to find moree games to test.

QBiN wrote:

I think it's a bit too easy to say the SB16 is crap but I like the synth side. It's similar to saying, I like the Corvette's motor, but I hate the dashboard and interior. It's a package deal.

The SB16 on the AWE64 Gold is the best of all SB16 cards, discount the CQM FM. Otherwise IMO the CT2230, CT2290 and even some CT29xx Vibra cards can be good choices.
I like the synth too and that's the only reason the AWE64 Gold is installed on my system. Actually that's the whole point of this thread, EMU8000 synth ON and everything else on the card turned OFF.

Unfortunately i can't get DOOM 2 and Raptor to output any AWE music and this should be related to the SB16 part on the AWE64 Gold being turned off. All Miles Sound Sytem games seem to work though.

After some additional tinkering i actually engaged the SB16 part on the AWE64 Gold just for fun. And i was actually was able to make it work!

Thing is, the Pro Audio Spectrum 16 is sharing DMA 3 with the AWE64 Gold. This does not present a huge problem, it just means that its not a good idea to use the 2 cards at the same time. In fact that's the only disadvantage of this setup which is IMO nothing to be worried about.

So what are the advantages? Well not only Raptor and DOOM 2 work with EMU8000 synth now, i will also be able to use the AWE64 Gold digital capabilities. Not that i needed it by any chance as i have a Gravis Ultrasound in the system but... its just cool to have.

So with my system i'm able to use the following sound standards:

- AdLib (via YMF and Pro Audio Spectrum OPL3);
- Sound Blaster 2.0 (via YMF);
- Sound Blaster Pro (via YMF);
- Sound Blaster 16 (via AWE64 Gold); -- (digital only, CQM Synth is disabled/moved);
- Sound Blaster AWE32/64 (via AWE64 Gold); -- (EMU8000 Synth)
- Microsoft/Windows Sound System (via YMF card);
- Pro Audio Spectrum 16 (via PAS Plus/16 card); -- (PAS and PAS16 digital fully compatible, but NOT fully compatible with PAS 2xOPL2)
- Gravis Ultrasound (via Gravis Ultrasound rev 3.73);
- Roland MPU-401 (via YMF and SoftMPU);

I just need to trade the PAS 16 by the original PAS (if i get one), would give me both OPL2, 2xOPL2 and OPL3. Not only the PAS card would be extremely interesting for providing dual OPL2 for games that support it but i would also listen to AdLib games via the PAS card instead via an OPL3 card. 😎

Can you describe how you "moved/disabled" the CQM FM?

Good lord, that's a whole lot of sound standards in one PC, nice work! Any chance of a photo of your PC's guts?

Anonymous Coward wrote:

Can you describe how you "moved/disabled" the CQM FM?

You can edit CTPNP.CFG and move Port2 to 398h instead of 388h. Usually 398h isn't used by anything. At least not by every system i built. I found out that deleting Port2 line actually does the work too and CQM won't play.

badmojo wrote:

Good lord, that's a whole lot of sound standards in one PC, nice work! Any chance of a photo of your PC's guts?

Check this thread.

I'm still not 100% happy though, as i want to replace the PAS16 with the original 2x OPL2 Pro Audio Spectrum. That way i can have OPL2, 2x OPL2, OPL3, GUS, AWE, WSS and MPU-401 all in one system. 😎