VOGONS


The way to detect OPL3 clone

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First post, by nukeykt

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Today i wrote program that can help to detect OPL3 clone. This program plays simple 440hz sound. It sounds like simple sine wave on OPL3 and like FM sound on clones. This program relies on hardware bug that presents in the real OPL3 core. I've tested it on YMF718 and various emulators.
Report your results here. I'll add them to this list.
Results:
YMF718 - Pass
DOSBox Fast core - Fail
DOSBox Compat core - Fail
Nuked OPL3 v1.7.4 - Fail
Nuked OPL3 v1.8 - Pass
CMI8738 - Pass
YMF744 - Pass
ESS1938 - Pass
FM801 - Fail
ALS4000 - Pass
MediaGX CX5530 - Fail
OPTI82C931 - Fail
CS4236 - Fail
AD1868 - Fail
ALS100Plus - Pass
ALS300 - Pass
CT1747 - Pass
YMF262 - Pass
CQM - Fail
YM3812 - Pass
ES1370 - Fail
ES18178 - Pass
VirtualPC - Fail
VMware - Fail
Download:

Filename
oplclone.zip
File size
10.75 KiB
Downloads
249 downloads
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception

Samples:
YMF718:

Filename
oplclone_ymf718.mp3
File size
243.96 KiB
Downloads
230 downloads
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception

DOSBox fast:

Filename
oplclone_dosbox_fast.mp3
File size
156.53 KiB
Downloads
209 downloads
File license
Fair use/fair dealing exception
Last edited by nukeykt on 2018-03-22, 15:58. Edited 12 times in total.

Reply 3 of 41, by James-F

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If you can/want/will, please provide a patch in .diff form when it's ready so it can be implemented in DOSBox ECE.

The current iteration of nukedOPL is already remarkably close to the original even in RTF measurements, I thought it was bit perfect already.


my important / useful posts are here

Reply 4 of 41, by Stretch

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I cannot hear a difference between the 3 sound cards I recorded from. I ran the program under Windows 98 SE command.com

Attachments

  • Filename
    oplclone_ymf744.mp3
    File size
    268.13 KiB
    Downloads
    149 downloads
    File comment
    Yamaha YMF-744
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception
  • Filename
    oplclone_ess1938.mp3
    File size
    261.22 KiB
    Downloads
    142 downloads
    File comment
    ESS Solo-1
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception
  • Filename
    oplclone_cmi8738.mp3
    File size
    237.75 KiB
    Downloads
    157 downloads
    File comment
    CMI 8738
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception

Win 11 - Intel i7-1360p - 32 GB - Intel Iris Xe - Sound BlasterX G5

Reply 5 of 41, by nukeykt

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Stretch wrote:

I cannot hear a difference between the 3 sound cards I recorded from. I ran the program under Windows 98 SE command.com

Interesting results. YMF744 has real OPL3 so no question here. CMI8738 is believed to have real OPL3 and this recording confirm it. But ESS1938 is surprising. Perhaps they were aware of this bug. Does this card use hardware FM synthesis, or FM is emulated in software?

Reply 6 of 41, by Stretch

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nukeykt, ESS Solo-1 has hardware FM synthesis. Here's a screenshot of the FM port settings in device manager.

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Win 11 - Intel i7-1360p - 32 GB - Intel Iris Xe - Sound BlasterX G5

Reply 7 of 41, by nukeykt

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Stretch wrote:

nukeykt, ESS Solo-1 has hardware FM synthesis. Here's a screenshot of the FM port settings in device manager.

How accurate it is? Or it is just ESFM?

Reply 8 of 41, by Jo22

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Stretch wrote:

ESS Solo-1 has hardware FM synthesis. Here's a screenshot of the FM port settings in device manager.

Is that 2K/XP w/ classic theme or Win9x ?
I owned a TT-Solo and FM sounded not so well with the built-in XP drivers.

"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//

Reply 9 of 41, by Kamerat

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Here's the ALS4000 PCI sound card, the FM synth should be the same as the ALS120. Sounds legit.

Edit: Also added the FM801-AU, doesn't come close to the real deal...

Attachments

  • Filename
    oplclone_fm801.mp3
    File size
    121.36 KiB
    Downloads
    135 downloads
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception
  • Filename
    oplclone_als4000.mp3
    File size
    162.18 KiB
    Downloads
    144 downloads
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception

DOS Sound Blaster compatibility: PCI sound cards vs. PCI chipsets
YouTube channel

Reply 10 of 41, by nukeykt

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Kamerat wrote:

Here's the ALS4000 PCI sound card, the FM synth should be the same as the ALS120. Sounds legit.

Edit: Also added the FM801-AU, doesn't come close to the real deal...

Added, thanks.

Reply 11 of 41, by SaxxonPike

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Fascinating results! Thanks for all your hard work, nukeykt, and the rest of you for running these tests.

Sound device guides:
Sound Blaster
Aztech
OPL3-SA

Reply 12 of 41, by Stretch

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Jo22 wrote:
Stretch wrote:

ESS Solo-1 has hardware FM synthesis. Here's a screenshot of the FM port settings in device manager.

Is that 2K/XP w/ classic theme or Win9x ?
I owned a TT-Solo and FM sounded not so well with the built-in XP drivers.

Windows 98 SE. When I installed the unofficial service pack I picked the Win2k theme.

Win 11 - Intel i7-1360p - 32 GB - Intel Iris Xe - Sound BlasterX G5

Reply 13 of 41, by Jo22

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Here are some MP2 recordings for you. Opti 82C931 and MediaGX.

Stretch wrote:

Windows 98 SE. When I installed the unofficial service pack I picked the Win2k theme.

Ah, okay, thanks ! 😀
Edit: Quote fixed. 😅

Attachments

  • Filename
    oplclone_mediagx_cx5530.mp3
    File size
    328.29 KiB
    Downloads
    155 downloads
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception
  • Filename
    oplclone_opti82c931.mp3
    File size
    275.27 KiB
    Downloads
    141 downloads
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception

"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//

Reply 14 of 41, by Kamerat

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Jo22 wrote:

Here are some MP2 recordings for you. Opti 82C931 and MediaGX.

MediaGX sounded just like the SiS 7018. 😳 In Doom there's actually some noise. 🤣

DOS Sound Blaster compatibility: PCI sound cards vs. PCI chipsets
YouTube channel

Reply 15 of 41, by Stretch

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I uploaded 2 more. Not sure why my recordings are so much lower than the others.

EDIT: I think we have to disregard these 2 because it seems my PC with ISA slots is not grounded properly.

Now the last major missing cards are YMF-262 and CQM.

Attachments

  • Filename
    oplclone_ad1816.mp3
    File size
    273.47 KiB
    Downloads
    52 downloads
    File comment
    Analog Devices AD1816AJS SOUNDPORT from Aztech SC16-3d
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception
  • Filename
    oplclone_cs4236.mp3
    File size
    322.45 KiB
    Downloads
    126 downloads
    File comment
    Crystal CS4236
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception
Last edited by Stretch on 2023-02-12, 21:55. Edited 1 time in total.

Win 11 - Intel i7-1360p - 32 GB - Intel Iris Xe - Sound BlasterX G5

Reply 16 of 41, by Jo22

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One more recording. ALS100+, with built-in OPL3 (the chip can also be paired with an external YMF262). It's the "fixed" card used in this thread.

Kamerat wrote:

MediaGX sounded just like the SiS 7018. 😳 In Doom there's actually some noise. 🤣

Cool, thanks for letting me know! 😀
I guess this chipset was also used in Pentium III machines, since my dad's "year 2000" PC had a SB16 setting in BIOS.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SiS_630/730

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"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//

Reply 17 of 41, by Jo22

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And another one, again. ALS300 w/ built-in OPL3 core..

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  • Filename
    oplclone_als300.mp3
    File size
    437.38 KiB
    Downloads
    142 downloads
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception

"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//

Reply 18 of 41, by Jo22

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Creative "OPL", CT1747..

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"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//