Synoptic wrote:

All is good, except I did not understand I had to use the GF1 Megaem.CFG file.
I will record again.

That's not necessary; it already answered my questions.

too late. check on previous page

Synoptic wrote:

When Loading MegaEM, it loaded the patch set in memory.

Mine still stubbornly refuses to load a RAM bank. Can you still post your configuration file?

allright, I finished my Argus:

I can also verify that the roms on UT are the real deal, checked both playback and md5 and it's all good. I will spend some time now using the card - I reported on soldering before so now it's time for usage I guess 😁

My ROM should arrive today too.

Looking at keropi's picture of the completed board again, I am reminded of one thing, though it's probably not relevant to most here: the current pre-prototype ROM carrier board for the ARGUS definitely won't fit with that type of SIMM socket in place. So, if there's anyone planning on trying the first generation, plan accordingly. Even without the SIMM in place, the socket is too tall for the low-profile receptacles to be able to fit the module unobstructed. The only chance would be if it's possible to find tall receptacles or additional spacing headers. Personally, it is less expensive to just use an upright SIMM socket, so that will be my approach; the receptacles can be expensive enough without having to find additional or unusual parts.

Got my ROM today too.
IWSBOS works
MEGAEM now loads innstruments from ROM instead of Patches.

Ordered 3 ROMs from UTSource.

We are getting ready for a new baby to arrive.. any day now, so I am not exactly sure when I will get my card put together.

Synoptic wrote:

IWSBOS works
MEGAEM now loads innstruments from ROM instead of Patches.

When you decide to do some more testing, can you try the same MIDI files from a few days ago, configured for MPU-401 via the internal synthesizer? Recordings aren't necessary, just pay attention to missing notes and other things that sound off, compared to your SC-88 recordings.

Also, has anyone tried thicker SIMMs? Do all of them still clear the latches, or have any of them caused trouble?

Indeed, the GUS misses some of the snare drum at the begining.

640K!enough wrote:

Also, has anyone tried thicker SIMMs? Do all of them still clear the latches, or have any of them caused trouble?

Any simms thicker than mine will not fit. My simm touches the latches.

I assembled my ARGUS #11 today, unfortunately I do not get it to work.

So far I have not attached the SIMM RAM ADAPTER and GAMEPORT as I wanted to check the card first.
I have to mention that my solder skills are not good. I normally solder only condensators.
Soldering took me 4 hours, because I wanted to do it properly.

I was able to upload the EEPROM firmware.
Unfortunately the check sum of the IW78 Sound ROM is not correct. I dumped it more than once and each time I get a different check sum.
(I have the original IW78 ROM from utsource)

With IWINIT I do only get the message "Ultrasound card #1 initialized", but no further message. Keropi's initalisation shows more: https://imgur.com/PMXkzRR

For now I don't know where to start...

Photo of the card would help to inspect the solder joints as a first measure.
Did you try iwinit with the -v9 parameter? Keropi's screenshot shows just as much, albeit a bit more due to an additional PNP Manager which is unrelated to the ARGUS.

shock__ wrote:

Photo of the card would help to inspect the solder joints as a first measure.
Did you try iwinit with the -v9 parameter? Keropi's screenshot shows just as much, albeit a bit more due to an additional PNP Manager which is unrelated to the ARGUS.

Well the ROM has not been found.
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AuD8nQsQeS3hkGan3tudzo9k16LE
I have to take better pictures tomorrow.

Bottom right solder joint on the ROM looks like it might be cold (Pin22).
When in doubt, resolder all joints on that chip again, same goes for the 74F373 latches.

shock__ wrote:

Bottom right solder joint on the ROM looks like it might be cold (Pin22).
When in doubt, resolder all joints on that chip again, same goes for the 74F373 latches.

Thanks for the comment.
I used some flux to reflow both 74F373 and the IW ROM, but still no luck.

Here are more pictures:
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AuD8nQsQeS3hkGzySG2Ov_Lqge9w
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AuD8nQsQeS3hkGpJna1RENpBYhqQ
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AuD8nQsQeS3hkGmcTT_bH9BCll7q
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AuD8nQsQeS3hkGj3P2Bk2nEhCNpX
Any big mistake or missing jumper? I don't want to add the RAM header without knowing that the card is working properly.
Is it possible to test the soundcard under DOS. I mean digital sound. Maybe this does not work either.

Does IWINIT -v9 normally show a message if the IW ROM was detected?

That's quite a catch-22 now. Without RAM you can't test the card further than you already did. Jumpers are correct. Initialization seems to be working apart from the ROM.
Solder joints on the ROM look alright - are you sure it's working? While most others seem to have had success with the chips from UTSource it's supposedly not the most reliable source so it could be that the ROM is simply dead. Another thing you could try would be sending me the 1MB ROM dump you get - maybe the data is semi-recognizeable.

I've recently ordered some to have them checked out by a friend to confirm they're factory programmed.

I soldered in the RAM header. Unfortunately iwinit -v9 does not detect RAM.
But when I run setup.exe it detects 8 MB RAM. Strange.
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AuD8nQsQeS3hkSHuf_J7rZkR3SWW
https://1drv.ms/u/s!AuD8nQsQeS3hkSK7fR9m8QELAkpt

I am going to stop work on the ARGUS. Maybe I have to send the card to a vogons member to check it.

ROM content:
I have a EPROM Writer. I checked the ROM content before soldering and it was correct. I think something else is wrong.
(__shock, I contacted you on dosforum.de regarding the MD5SUM of the IW ROM)

it seems that the content of the ROM i got burned from a friend is incorrect.....checksums don't match, eithe rfrom Start=0 or start=100000...
waiting for my IWs now..