Tried a SB Live 5.1 instead and I'm having the same issues. Either I'm too daft to figure out how to get MPU-401 output in Win98 period, or there's an issue with my midi cable. The external synths work just fine on my W7 machine with a USB-Midi interface. Unfortunately I'm not finding drivers for a generic USB-Midi device under Win98, or I would just go that route for simplicity.

If you have a multimeter you can try doing a continuity test on the right pins

I don't have one unfortunately. It's probably about the same cost as getting a new Gameport -> Midi cable, but I'm not convinced that the cable is the problem. Doesn't seem like a thing that would outright break.

Tempted to get a Roland UM-1 USB-Midi device (that has Win98 drivers) and bypass the soundcard completely, but they run a bit steep, and I'll be SOL if that doesn't end up solving the issue either.

Can you put the Live! on your W7 machine? With something like kXdrivers you should be able to use it on machines with more than 2GB and test the Gameport->MIDI cable.

I'll give it a try and see if I can make it work through there. Optimally through DOSBOX since W7 phased out setting default midi-output device I assume?

So you want to connect a Vortex 2 with a joystick to MIDI cable to a MIDI device?

Hmm I could test this but if I remember the driver hat a setting for this. Did you change this?

I would appreciate that a lot!

Yes that's correct. I have one that looks a lot like this http://b.scdn.gr/images/sku_main_images/00319 … 697973-orig.jpg Mine only has one of the gameport ends though, but on the back there's a female connector for adding a joystick. I have the cable marked "midi out" in the "in A" port on the SC-88. I also have an MT-32, and MU80 to test with if that helps.

No, I wasn't aware there was a way to fiddle with the driver for the Vortex. Is that a ini-file config setting?

Ok uninstall your drivers, then grab these ones. They are considered to be the "best" ones.

There are various ones inside the zip file. Through editing the INI files you can get around the PCI issue that you had but can also disable MPU401 and Sound Blaster as some just want the Vortex 2 or use it in combination with another card.

Get the one that only fixed the PCI issue.

As for setting the MIDI to the external MPU401 follow these screens here. And as always. MIDI OUT from the joystick port goes to MIDI in on the MIDI unit.

EDIT: Sorry these are for MS-DOS! Look below for Windows.

Change it here and now the it should work. Tried it on my SC-55 and works great 😀

Hi Phil!

Great work! Thank you 😀 I think you managed to edit out the link to the drivers though.

EDIT: Are the drivers you used the ones listed as "latest reference drivers" on your website?

Thirst wrote:

Hi Phil!

Great work! Thank you 😀 I think you managed to edit out the link to the drivers though.

EDIT: Are the drivers you used the ones listed as "latest reference drivers" on your website?

Thanks for reminding me to add them 😊

On my site are the 2048 drivers, the last ones. But everyone tells me the 2041 are the best ones to use so I started using them.

Want to do a proper write up / review on these cards but time is against me 😵

No dice unfortunately 😒

Seems the cable is a no-go. I'm running the 2041 drivers and adjusted the midi out to use the MPU-401 interface both in the Multimedia settings and in the Aureal software like illustrated.

I'll see if I can find another gameport-midi cable for cheap and try that instead. I don't see what else could be the problem. I'm running identical settings to what you are.

Thanks anyway for having a look Phil. I appreciate it.

EDIT: Random though, it couldn't be that the card is trying to output through the daughterboard header instead? I don't have anything plugged in there though, so that seems unlikely.

I think it outputs through both.

But if you set it to Aureal wavetable, the music should come out from the headphone port. It sounds quite nice actually.

Yeah the Vortex 2 onboard wavetable isn't bad at all. Doesn't work well with XG arrangments obviously but for GM it's pretty sweet.

I'm happy to report that midi works great now with the new midi/gameport cable I ordered. I guess that old one was simply busted.

On a related note, I'm getting some pops and slight crackle in digital audio with a3d wavetracing turned on, most notably in Deus Ex. I read somewhere that it might be an IRQ conflict, but I haven't been able to find one. I'll keep looking.