Checked the mixer settings?

In addition to Kamerat's suggestion, anything else using 330h?

In all games, or just in one?

I have not so much time during the day. Also i was struggling with the drivers of this soundcard...

First, i wanted to run it under DOS, so according the readme of the driver package, i have included in the autoexec.bat :
C:\MAD16\SNDINIT /B
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 T4

Second, i've tried also the windows driver installation, but according to the manufacturer, the OPTi 928 based card (Spacewalker Sound System 48, HOT-223) has only DOS and Win3.1 drivers.

Then I've found also some OPTi reference drivers (928) for windows95. It turns around it was for the Turtle Beach Monte Carlo. I've tried it, and it works (digital sound + OPL3 FM synth). Under Windows, there are several ports which i can choose (530h, 604h, ...), but no 330h which is typical as standard midi port.

Actually, i have not so many games installed with general midi support. For example, i've started the sound-setup's of the games: Biing, X-Wing and Tie-Fighter.
Today, there was also somthing stange: Testing the "imuse" sound-program from tiefigher, after a reboot i can select successfully the settings (SB-Pro, 220h, I7, D1, T4)
according to the entry in autoexec.bat, and after re-try this test it doesn't work. It's only this "imuse" setting.

I thought that the mpu401 interface under DOS is supported without any drivers. Then I've found also some Driver packages from the OPTi 929, where a mpu401 driver is available for windows.

Under Win95, I have tried to change some settings in the system.ini file, but at the end i was not successful to access the mpu401 port with the dreamblaster.

From here, i have no further progress with this card so i'll try another ISA card next time.. 😒

OK. Now i have successfully run the dreamblaster on an Avance Logic soundcard with ALS100+ chipset.
The MPU401 device was fully working on Win95 and DOS.

So, there must be definitely something with the other soundcard (HOT-223) itself...
Really curious seems the behavior of the tie-fighter sound set program with this card 😕

Next, i will test also the other cards i have for similar issues.

First, i wanted to run it under DOS, so according the readme of the driver package, i have included in the autoexec.bat :

From my own experience with OPTi cards, I can only recommend to completely install the driver software package and not just add some line to the autoexec.bat. During install, you have the option to enable/disable the MPU interface. This is written to a config file. If you don't do that, the MPU interface will never be enabled.

derSammler wrote:

From my own experience with OPTi cards, I can only recommend to completely install the driver software package and not just add some line to the autoexec.bat.

Yes, this is what i did.

I have downloaded the original drivers from the website. https://www.shuttle.eu/_archive/older/de/223.htm#hot_223
Then i have copied to two 3.5" floppy disks and had installed it under DOS7.0.

Cancel what, i've previous have written:

C:\MAD16\SNDINIT /B
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 T4

During the test's, i've manually enter these sentences, the same according the README, and the same after the scripted installation:

PATH=C:\MAD16 (appended) SET MAD16=C:\MAD16 C:\MAD16\SNDINIT /B SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 T4 […]
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PATH=C:\MAD16 (appended)
SET MAD16=C:\MAD16
C:\MAD16\SNDINIT /B
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 T4

As soon as it was installed first time (the installation folder), you can delete (=uninstall) or add them again...

derSammler wrote:

During install, you have the option to enable/disable the MPU interface. This is written to a config file. If you don't do that, the MPU interface will never be enabled.

This installation menue is not equal than the one's of avance logic installations.
During these OPTi installation, i could select between 'SOUNDBLASTER' setting, for example A220 I5 D1 T4, and the WSS (windows sound system) with interrupts 530h, 604h, etc...
and finally some settings for the CD-ROM (which only needed if you connect a drive to the card). There was nothing to select about MPU401...
After i've re-installed the drivers of my ALS100+ card, i have seen this setting (MPU401) in the installation menue you have mentioned.

Also one point: The driver for the OPTi928 card is from 09/01/94.
The ALS100+ driver is from Oct 1998.