VOGONS

Search

Common searches

Dreamblaster X2 Loader on Windows 98 not working

Topic actions

First post, by Dochartaigh

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Can you load new Soundfonts onto a Dreamblaster X2 in Windows 98? Or does the Serdaco Dreamblaster Loader program only work on newer versions of Windows? (which would make absolutely no sense to me since I'm assuming most people are using Dreamblasters these to play old DOS games with Midi sound on older computers...).

The Dreamblaster works in DOS and gives me Midi sound (it's plugged into my ESS ES1869F ISA sound card ), but I can't get my Windows 98 Pentium III computer to see the Dreamblaster when it's plugged in via USB. I tried plugging in the Dreamblaster when it's already attached to the ESS sound card, and also removed it from the ESS sound card and tried it that way too. Windows 98 Device Manager shows it as such:

Vg67ciV.jpg

There's no Windows drivers on the X2 download section of the Serdaco website, and Windows only seems to use generic "USB Audio Device" drivers (WDMA_USB.INF). I sometimes get a quick pop-up which says "Dreamblaster X2" when I'm trying add new hardware or searching for new/updated drivers, but it's gone so fast I can't read anything else and still doesn't give me the option to use any other drivers.

The drop-down menu of the Serdaco Dreamblaster Loader program doesn't list "Dreamblaster X2" like it's shown in the video by Phil's Computer Lab, I only get these options:

rVQhAIq.jpg

and if I try to load it to the ESS it says "Board does not answer" check the communication link interface... If this simply isn't possible that's fine, but I'll have to figure out something as right now all I have is Mac's at my house (and 3x Windows 98 computers 🤣). ...and again, that would be extremely weird that the Soundfont loader program wouldn't work on the type of computers these midi devices are meant to be used on.

Also wanted so ask a quick question about Soundfonts. These Dreamblasters use proprietary Soundfonts, right? Like you can't just download them from anywhere, they have to be specifically programmed/written for the Dreamblaster?

People are using the Buran v10 one mostly, right (and using it for the X2 and not the Buran model....although it's called the Buran soundfont?? I found some smaller ones linked to on the unofficial Serdaco product page, but those seem to be very small so I thought I'd try the Buran one first. Any advice for which ones to try out?

Reply 2 of 14, by keropi

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

programming effects and soundbanks is not the same usage as plugging the board in a wavetable header - sure it would be convenient to do it with 9x but sadly Dream built their chip adhering to microsoft's specs for usb audio - that is why it needs no driver in newer windows. It's not a thing Serdaco can change or write a driver for it - only Dream can do that and dreamblaster series do not sell in so high volumes for them to care... we are basically using a 2015-2017? chip in 30 years old computers 🤣
programming can only be done via usb interface btw
the Buran bank is very good but give Hamtaro's ones a go since they are also nice even though smaller... remember the original SC-55 for example had a 4MB bank (or was it 3MB I don't remember)

🎵 🎧 ⏳ ⚡ PCMIDI MPU , OrpheusII , Action Rewind , Megacard and 🎶GoldLib soundcard website

Reply 3 of 14, by Dochartaigh

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member
derSammler wrote on 2020-02-15, 08:54:

Windows 98 is not supported. I asked that question a while ago, too, as I really liked to have it work in Win98.

keropi wrote on 2020-02-15, 09:36:

programming effects and soundbanks is not the same usage as plugging the board in a wavetable header - sure it would be convenient to do it with 9x but sadly Dream built their chip adhering to microsoft's specs for usb audio - that is why it needs no driver in newer windows. It's not a thing Serdaco can change or write a driver for it - only Dream can do that and dreamblaster series do not sell in so high volumes for them to care... we are basically using a 2015-2017? chip in 30 years old computers 🤣

So it is as I feared 🤣. I'll have to boot up one of my Hyperspin PC's and find a USB keyboard and mouse for it and try to program the Dreamblaster on a newer Windows machine (I can always try Windows bootcamp on one of my Mac's too).

And that actually really sucks....because my premise in buying the X2, with it's ability to change/load different soundfonts in the first place was such: Roland MT-32 and SC-55 have unique sounds, right? So I wanted to find a soundfont I liked for each, then when I'm playing a game that was composed on a MT-32 I could switch to that soundfont, and vice-versus for SC-55. There's no way to load two soundfont sets on the Dreamblaster X2 at once (and easily switch between them on a Win98 machine) is there?

keropi wrote on 2020-02-15, 09:36:

the Buran bank is very good but give Hamtaro's ones a go since they are also nice even though smaller... remember the original SC-55 for example had a 4MB bank (or was it 3MB I don't remember)

Do you have a link? (or is that spelled wrong by chance?) I googled "Dreamblaster Hamtaro soundfont" and literally not a single result popped up which is weird!

Reply 4 of 14, by derSammler

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t
keropi wrote on 2020-02-15, 09:36:

programming effects and soundbanks is not the same usage as plugging the board in a wavetable header - sure it would be convenient to do it with 9x but sadly Dream built their chip adhering to microsoft's specs for usb audio - that is why it needs no driver in newer windows.

I doubt that it uses the Windows USB audio interface for programming the flash memory on the X2. Why would an audio interface even have such functionality..? It either talks to the X2 directly or sends the data via MIDI as sysex commands. There's probably not much that prevents it from working in Win9x.

keropi wrote on 2020-02-15, 09:36:

remember the original SC-55 for example had a 4MB bank (or was it 3MB I don't remember)

3 MB, and 1 MB was for MT-32 patches only. So really only 2 MB for GM/GS.

Dochartaigh wrote on 2020-02-15, 08:47:

I tried plugging in the Dreamblaster when it's already attached to the ESS sound card, and also removed it from the ESS sound card and tried it that way too.

While not related to the problem: never connect the X2 via USB when it's connected to a sound card in a system that is powered. You may damage the X2 by this.

Last edited by derSammler on 2020-02-15, 12:00. Edited 2 times in total.

Reply 5 of 14, by Jo22

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Hi, is this issue caused by limitations of the Windows 98 driver model (DRV/VXD/WDM) or API (Win32c) ?
If it's because of the latter and merely the utility application refuses to run, then KernelEx project might help.
Its last release is seriously dated by now, but is close to Win2k/XP level of compatibility.
http://kernelex.sourceforge.net/

"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 6 of 14, by jaZz_KCS

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
Dochartaigh wrote on 2020-02-15, 10:35:

Do you have a link? (or is that spelled wrong by chance?) I googled "Dreamblaster Hamtaro soundfont" and literally not a single result popped up which is weird!

Do you mean these? --> Unofficial Soundbanks for Dreamblaster X2 / X3M / X16

Reply 7 of 14, by dreamblaster

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

X2 is USB MIDI Class compliant. It needs no specific driver, but your OS must support it.
Maybe there's a way to make it work in 98 too ? But out of the box it won't : USB midi class drivers were added in windows ME :
"In Windows 98 Usbaudio.sys introduced support for USB devices such as speakers and microphones. Support for MIDI devices was added in Windows Me."
from https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hard … --usbaudio-sys-

Visit http://www.serdashop.com for retro sound cards, video converters, ...
DreamBlaster X2, S2, S2P, HDD Clicker, ... many projects !
New X2GS SE & X16GS sound card : https://www.serdashop.com/X2GS-SE ,
Thanks for your support !

Reply 8 of 14, by derSammler

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

So it works in WinME? That would be cool, as my Win98 system is dual-boot 98/ME. Also, installing NUSB for 98 should make it work then as well, as all NUSB really does is to implement the USB stack of ME into Win98.

Reply 9 of 14, by dreamblaster

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
derSammler wrote on 2020-02-15, 13:16:

So it works in WinME? That would be cool, as my Win98 system is dual-boot 98/ME. Also, installing NUSB for 98 should make it work then as well, as all NUSB really does is to implement the USB stack of ME into Win98.

Yes, it could work in ME. Please try on your system, and let me know !
Also if there's a way to make it work in windows 98, that would be great.

Visit http://www.serdashop.com for retro sound cards, video converters, ...
DreamBlaster X2, S2, S2P, HDD Clicker, ... many projects !
New X2GS SE & X16GS sound card : https://www.serdashop.com/X2GS-SE ,
Thanks for your support !

Reply 10 of 14, by dreamblaster

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
derSammler wrote on 2020-02-15, 13:16:

So it works in WinME? That would be cool, as my Win98 system is dual-boot 98/ME. Also, installing NUSB for 98 should make it work then as well, as all NUSB really does is to implement the USB stack of ME into Win98.

Yes, it could work in ME. It is not different from other 'usb midi class' devices.
There may be some limitations in ME, but in theory it should work. Please try on your system, and let me know !
Also if there's a way to make it work in windows 98, that would be great.

Visit http://www.serdashop.com for retro sound cards, video converters, ...
DreamBlaster X2, S2, S2P, HDD Clicker, ... many projects !
New X2GS SE & X16GS sound card : https://www.serdashop.com/X2GS-SE ,
Thanks for your support !

Reply 11 of 14, by keropi

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

interesting then, I just assumed that it wanted all USB audio functions to work since the same chip powers the X3MA as well
anyways looking forward to see if it works in ME or not

🎵 🎧 ⏳ ⚡ PCMIDI MPU , OrpheusII , Action Rewind , Megacard and 🎶GoldLib soundcard website

Reply 12 of 14, by gdjacobs

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Even if NUSB doesn't provide a USB MIDI compliant driver, you might be able to load the one from Yamaha or Roland.

All hail the Great Capacitor Brand Finder

Go to top of page Go to top of page
Back to Sound
Close window
Close window