Just a bump with some new info. I happened to check what my CONFIG.SYS looked like in my root directory, and it appears that some install added a line that loads a device driver called PINGAME.SYS located in the Windows directory. This must have happened during the Windows install using the drivers I found on Vogonsdrivers.

When I copied the line to my DOS boot disk, the driver won't load because it says it cannot find the hardware. So there must be an additional DOS init routine.

The Pinnacle's GM works for DOS games launched from Windows, however. Could PINGAME.SYS be used for that purpose?

It's the gameport, if I recall correctly.

sprcorreia wrote:

It's the gameport, if I recall correctly.

Ah, that makes sense.

I figured out how to use the Pinnacle's onboard Kurzweil synth in DOS. The drivers attached below (for non-Rev F Pinnacles) are for Windows. When Windows installs them, it creates a directory called TBSPROS. Inside this directory is one called DOSAPPS. All you have to do is run a program called PINCFG to initialize the Pinnacle (edit settings in PINCFG.INI). Be sure that you set JP9 on the Pinnacle to a non-PNP address.

Although the Pinnacle occupies an ISA slot and is kind of a resource hog, it can be used alongside another sound card. In DOS, I *think* the Pinnacle is GM only (no digital audio) and therefore functions like a wavetable daughterboard. It is a truly excellent synth, on par with my 4MB Dream MIDI, IMO.

recordings please? :>

mrau wrote:

recordings please? :>

easyjohn did some recordings:

http://kawai.spb.ru/files/sound/cards/tbpinnacle.html

thaaaanks 😀
you kawai hog, you :>

I really like how how Descent 2 sounds with this synth! Now I need to find a Kurzweil soundfont.

easyjohn's page is so well set up. I just noticed that he mentions PINCFG.EXE and PINCFG.INI on it.

The onboard synth compresses 4MB of Kurzweil samples onto a 2MB ROM. It may be the same patches as those on the Malibu (something I will check out later).

For convenience, I uploaded the DOSAPPS folder to Vogonsdrivers. There's PINCFG.EXE that initializes Turtle Beach Pinnacle in DOS so that you can use its Kurzweil part at 330h MPU port.

It should work with any Pinnacle that is not revision F. For revision F, I am not sure.

boxpressed wrote:

Although the Pinnacle occupies an ISA slot and is kind of a resource hog, it can be used alongside another sound card.

Pinnacle can be a resource hog, but it's manageable, just like in Terratec EWS64XL series. You can turn MIDI engine, joystick and EIDE ports off if you want to save resources.

For functioning properly, Pinnacle needs those resources:

Control port range (default 250-252h)

Motorola 56002 interface port range (default 290-297h)
IRQ for audio (default IRQ 10)
Shared memory area, 32 Kb

Kurzweil interface port range (default 330-331h)
IRQ for MPU-401 (default IRQ 9)

That's not counting joystick and EIDE, but who needs them anyway.

boxpressed wrote:

In DOS, I *think* the Pinnacle is GM only (no digital audio) and therefore functions like a wavetable daughterboard.

Pinnacle functions perfectly in DOS, save for the lack of digital audio driver support. Using the MPLAY utility found in DOSAPPS folder, you can play WAV files in DOS. So, technically you are wrong, but effectively right - only MPU-401 functions of Pinnacle are available if you want games or other DOS stuff.

I've returned from a brief hiatus from Vogons, but thank you bristlehog!