VOGONS


First post, by Tmp2k

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I might try and build my retro rig into a compact case, so mATX + Low profile PCI cards. The Audigy seems to be the oldest creative card that comes in low profile, I can see Win98 drivers exist, but does anyone know about SB16 emulation in DOS? Is there a better choice?

Reply 1 of 7, by PARUS

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It's good choice for SB16 emulation but not for SB Pro emulation. Second: you need to load EMM386. Third: your chipset southbridge must to support DMA. Fourth: the IRQ of PCI slot where you plug a card shouldn't be the same as IRQ of emulated SB16. Fifth: supported models are SB0090, SB0240, SB0350. What about others I don't know. Sixth: for SB0240 and SB0350 you need unofficial patch.

Now try if you still wish.

Reply 2 of 7, by BitWrangler

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I don't know about better, but I've seen ALS chipset cards in low profile. I think I've seen an ESS one too. The ALS you'd probably have to try a few until you found one whose hiss you could live with.

Unicorn herding operations are proceeding, but all the totes of hens teeth and barrels of rocking horse poop give them plenty of hiding spots.

Reply 3 of 7, by Kamerat

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How well a PCI sound card works in DOS boils down to the chipset of the motherboard and the sound card you choose. Stay away from Intel chipsets other than BX/ZX/EX, the only exception are boards with PC/PCI (SBLINK) connector. VIA chipsets works well with ESS Solo-1 and Avance Logic ALS4000. SiS chipsets up to the SiS 962 southbridge seems to work fine with Yamaha YMF7xx PCI and Avance Logic ALS4000.

On the other hand you got PCI cards that relay on complicated TSR software like Sound Blaster (Ensoniq) PCI/Live!/Audigy and Aureal Vortex that also works on Intel chipsets up to the ICH5 at least. Also the YMF7xx PCI can gain better chipset compatibiliy by unsing a TSR called DSDMA but then you need to load EMM386 or similar and then you loose some game compatibility.

Maybe it's possible to modify one of Terratecs Solo-1 cards to fit inside a case intended for low profile cards as it's height is between low profile and full height. There's also a couple of low profile ALS4000 boards on Ebay any on my ALS4000 lot of the static noise could be avoided by muting the FM synth (it's actually a good OPL3 clone if you don't mind the noise).

DOS Sound Blaster compatibility: PCI sound cards vs. PCI chipsets
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Reply 4 of 7, by dr.zeissler

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btw. does anyone have an overview which low-profile-cards do exist?
I have some p4-low-profile-systems with agp/pci-e and additional 1-4 pci-low-profile slots, but I never saw anything other then low-profile graphics-cards.

Doc

Retro-Gamer 😀 ...on different machines

Reply 5 of 7, by Tmp2k

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As far as I could find out it's just not possible. The only low profile soundcard I could find was the Audigy SE which doesn't have Win98 drivers anyway.

On a related note, the best low profile AGP GFX card I found was a Radeon 9600SE but these aren't anywhere near as good as the 9800 Pro.

Reply 6 of 7, by Kamerat

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Well, with the right chipset on your motherboard theese two should be Sound Blaster compatible under DOS:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/152893339787?ViewIte … em=152893339787
http://www.a1usedcomputers.com.au/shop/prodVi … ?idproduct=1804

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