What a neat little thing! Never seen one before. I’d imagine that the IC is that highly integrated that the gameport logically exists.

Is the sound quality any good?

Wow that's the most cost reduced Yamaha card I've seen. Didn't even include the CD Audio header. Can you show us the back?

kingcake wrote on 2023-10-29, 07:55:

Wow that's the most cost reduced Yamaha card I've seen. Didn't even include the CD Audio header. Can you show us the back?

Sure, friend.

I went ahead and soldered a connector so the card had a CD header.

Haven't tested the sound yet. Will do later in the day or tomorrow.

paradigital wrote on 2023-10-29, 07:47:

What a neat little thing! Never seen one before. I’d imagine that the IC is that highly integrated that the gameport logically exists.

Is the sound quality any good?

Will do later, need to set a system up for testing.

I had never seen one either. I added a CD Audio connector, because some DOS games require CD Audio, and I've heard YMF744 is one of the better PCI DOS cards.

songoffall wrote on 2023-10-29, 08:15:

paradigital wrote on 2023-10-29, 07:47:

What a neat little thing! Never seen one before. I’d imagine that the IC is that highly integrated that the gameport logically exists.

Is the sound quality any good?

Will do sound test later, need to set a system up for testing.

I had never seen one either. I added a CD Audio connector, because some DOS games require CD Audio, and I've heard YMF744 is one of the better PCI DOS cards.

Ok, I confirm that the sound is more or less what you would expect from a Yamaha card. It's not bad at all.

Cant tell from the picture, what is the model/brand of AC97 codec chip? Sadly Yamaha works entirely in digital domain here and doesnt influence sound quality, that depends entirely on codec, power delivery and pcb design.

songoffall wrote on 2023-10-29, 18:01:

Ok, I confirm that the sound is more or less what you would expect from a Yamaha card. It's not bad at all.

I don't quite remember, does YMF744B support MIDI in DOS? Or it supports only OPL3 in bare ODS, and MIDI in Windows?
Also I've read elswhere that fake cards don't have the codec chip, as they are based on CMI8738 that has an integrated codec.
So it's another way to confirm your card isn't a fake.

Bondi wrote on 2023-10-29, 19:06:

I don't quite remember, does YMF744B support MIDI in DOS? Or it supports only OPL3 in bare ODS, and MIDI in Windows? Also I've […]
Show full quote

songoffall wrote on 2023-10-29, 18:01:

Ok, I confirm that the sound is more or less what you would expect from a Yamaha card. It's not bad at all.

I don't quite remember, does YMF744B support MIDI in DOS? Or it supports only OPL3 in bare ODS, and MIDI in Windows?
Also I've read elswhere that fake cards don't have the codec chip, as they are based on CMI8738 that has an integrated codec.
So it's another way to confirm your card isn't a fake.

The Yamaha codec is detected in Windows. I tested OPL3 in DOS only. Guess I have to run some more tests.

Bondi wrote on 2023-10-29, 19:06:

I don't quite remember, does YMF744B support MIDI in DOS? Or it supports only OPL3 in bare ODS, and MIDI in Windows? Also I've […]
Show full quote

songoffall wrote on 2023-10-29, 18:01:

Ok, I confirm that the sound is more or less what you would expect from a Yamaha card. It's not bad at all.

I don't quite remember, does YMF744B support MIDI in DOS? Or it supports only OPL3 in bare ODS, and MIDI in Windows?
Also I've read elswhere that fake cards don't have the codec chip, as they are based on CMI8738 that has an integrated codec.
So it's another way to confirm your card isn't a fake.

So I went forward and checked the other chips on the cards. There's a chip marked AD1888, and googling it, it's a SoundMax AC97 codec. Don't know if it's any good, but it is what it is. So, again, everything checks out - it is a Yamaha YMF744B.

Still have to run the other tests though. If you have suggestions for settings/software to use for testing, I'm all ears.

All three ICs on the board:

YMF744B-R - Yamaha XG YMF744, some version of it
AD1888 - SoundMax AC97 Codec
455BD - Timer

At this point I'm tempted to send this card to Phil's Computer Lab or Clint at LGR and have it properly tested and examined 😀) I don't think my experience and setup will do it justice, especially if it's really a rare card.

It's not rare. It's a new 'Chinese' card made incredibly cheaply with overstock old chips. Similar cards are churned out in massive numbers with various old chips on them, frequently relabeled too (i.e. with something written on the chips that does not correspond to the actual chip itself). You can pick them up on eBay and Aliexpress.

Can't say I've seen this exact one before but the concept is ubiquitous. At least that chip looks like it could actually be a Yamaha PCI chip...

dionb wrote on 2023-10-30, 07:49:

It's not rare. It's a new 'Chinese' card made incredibly cheaply with overstock old chips. Similar cards are churned out in massive numbers with various old chips on them, frequently relabeled too (i.e. with something written on the chips that does not correspond to the actual chip itself). You can pick them up on eBay and Aliexpress.

Can't say I've seen this exact one before but the concept is ubiquitous. At least that chip looks like it could actually be a Yamaha PCI chip...

I've confirmed it's an actual Yamaha chip, but the thing still confuses me. At this point most motherboards have more or less decent onboard audio and even surround options.

dionb wrote on 2023-10-30, 07:49:

It's not rare. It's a new 'Chinese' card made incredibly cheaply with overstock old chips. Similar cards are churned out in massive numbers with various old chips on them, frequently relabeled too (i.e. with something written on the chips that does not correspond to the actual chip itself). You can pick them up on eBay and Aliexpress.

Can't say I've seen this exact one before but the concept is ubiquitous. At least that chip looks like it could actually be a Yamaha PCI chip...

But you're spot on about the origin of the card, I just searched Aliexpress and came across the same card, but with an ESS chip:

https://aliexpress.com/item/1005005987920346. … .3a704aa6KW9Ici

songoffall wrote on 2023-10-30, 12:17:

dionb wrote on 2023-10-30, 07:49:

It's not rare. It's a new 'Chinese' card made incredibly cheaply with overstock old chips. Similar cards are churned out in massive numbers with various old chips on them, frequently relabeled too (i.e. with something written on the chips that does not correspond to the actual chip itself). You can pick them up on eBay and Aliexpress.

Can't say I've seen this exact one before but the concept is ubiquitous. At least that chip looks like it could actually be a Yamaha PCI chip...

I've confirmed it's an actual Yamaha chip, but the thing still confuses me. At this point most motherboards have more or less decent onboard audio and even surround options.

Most motherboards manufactured in the last 10 years or so do not have legacy PCI slots, so cards like this are not meant for them.

I would guess that the most common use case for something like this is as a replacement part for a legacy system that is still in use in a commercial or industrial setting. The fact that it can be used for retro gaming is just a bonus to us.

darry wrote on 2023-10-30, 12:50:

songoffall wrote on 2023-10-30, 12:17:

dionb wrote on 2023-10-30, 07:49:

It's not rare. It's a new 'Chinese' card made incredibly cheaply with overstock old chips. Similar cards are churned out in massive numbers with various old chips on them, frequently relabeled too (i.e. with something written on the chips that does not correspond to the actual chip itself). You can pick them up on eBay and Aliexpress.

Can't say I've seen this exact one before but the concept is ubiquitous. At least that chip looks like it could actually be a Yamaha PCI chip...

I've confirmed it's an actual Yamaha chip, but the thing still confuses me. At this point most motherboards have more or less decent onboard audio and even surround options.

Most motherboards manufactured in the last 10 years or so do not have legacy PCI slots, so cards like this are not meant for them.

I would guess that the most common use case for something like this is as a replacement part for a legacy system that is still in use in a commercial or industrial setting. The fact that it can be used for retro gaming is just a bonus to us.

I'm happy to take a bonus like that 😀)

songoffall wrote on 2023-10-30, 12:21:

But you're spot on about the origin of the card, I just searched Aliexpress and came across the same card, but with an ESS chip:

https://aliexpress.com/item/1005005987920346. … .3a704aa6KW9Ici

Neat bracket mounting compared to OPs card, by extending single screw mount they were able to get rid of upper board protrusion thus you can fit more boards on one PCB panel. Good example of smart DFM (Design for Manufacturing), this is cost optimized to the bone.

songoffall wrote on 2023-10-30, 12:21:

dionb wrote on 2023-10-30, 07:49:

It's not rare. It's a new 'Chinese' card made incredibly cheaply with overstock old chips. Similar cards are churned out in massive numbers with various old chips on them, frequently relabeled too (i.e. with something written on the chips that does not correspond to the actual chip itself). You can pick them up on eBay and Aliexpress.

Can't say I've seen this exact one before but the concept is ubiquitous. At least that chip looks like it could actually be a Yamaha PCI chip...

But you're spot on about the origin of the card, I just searched Aliexpress and came across the same card, but with an ESS chip:

https://aliexpress.com/item/1005005987920346. … .3a704aa6KW9Ici

An ESS chip in the photos, a C-Media one in the description. 😉