bios im checked - all IRQ's are free for ISA slots
MotherBoard is Asus P/i-xp55t2p4/pentium mmx 166. Doughterboard also checked with awe32.
Different ports/dma/irq - are also checked - quiet clicks.

appiah4 wrote on 2021-04-21, 14:30:

OK, just to make sure.. You actually have a wavetable daughterboard connected to the card, right?

Absolutely true! 😉))))

Can you do ESSVOL and take a photo of the output?

appiah4 wrote on 2021-04-21, 14:35:

Can you do ESSVOL and take a photo of the output?

7.jpg - isn't it? (previos post)

one stuff is possible with missmelody - i didnt found manual for this one, only photo of few jumpers description - base port/irq/dma, but onboard a lot of another jumpers and possible MPU is hardware disabled. I dont know...And thet's why few years ago, when tried DB on all es688 cards and agree with guys, that this chip is unsupported MPU401

ps: appiah4 - your's card is a litle differ, dont know - does it matter or not.

Can you further subdivide the problem and check for MIDI serial output on the wavetable header and on the ES688 MIDI out pin (GPO1)?

http://ohlandl.ipv7.net/sound/ESS688_Datasheet.pdf

gdjacobs wrote on 2021-04-21, 21:27:

Can you further subdivide the problem and check for MIDI serial output on the wavetable header and on the ES688 MIDI out pin (GP […]
Show full quote

Can you further subdivide the problem and check for MIDI serial output on the wavetable header and on the ES688 MIDI out pin (GPO1)?

http://ohlandl.ipv7.net/sound/ESS688_Datasheet.pdf

you mean - check the signal gp1 on the chip and WT header?

sergio27ru wrote on 2021-04-22, 01:18:

you mean - check the signal gp1 on the chip and WT header?

Before suspecting the hardware, take a detailed look at your ESSVOL.EXE parameters. Specifically, check whether the "A" parameter is set to higher than zero.

Someone had a similar issue here: ISA ESS AudioDrive, ES1868F - No Midi in DOS

gdjacobs wrote on 2021-04-21, 21:27:

Can you further subdivide the problem and check for MIDI serial output on the wavetable header and on the ES688 MIDI out pin (GP […]
Show full quote

Can you further subdivide the problem and check for MIDI serial output on the wavetable header and on the ES688 MIDI out pin (GPO1)?

http://ohlandl.ipv7.net/sound/ESS688_Datasheet.pdf

ESS didn't call that a datasheet incidentally (on their old website), they called it a "product brief". I always suspected there was a longer document they called a datasheet, but so far, it's lost. But maybe I'm wrong and it was just different strokes for different folks.

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2021-04-22, 01:58:

Before suspecting the hardware, take a detailed look at your ESSVOL.EXE parameters. Specifically, check whether the "A" parameter is set to higher than zero.

The ES1688 has an Aux channel, but the ES688 does not.

sergio27ru wrote on 2021-04-22, 01:18:

you mean - check the signal gp1 on the chip and WT header?

Just to be clear, I'm assuming you're trying to drive the WT header and not run a module via the game port. With that proviso...

If MIDI output is active, GPO1 on the ES688 chip will be flickering. If that pin is showing activity, but the WT header isn't, you have a signal path issue and need to check passive components and trace continuity.

Have tried disabling everything possible in the BIOS? Serial ports, etc? Maybe a resource conflict with the motherboard?

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2021-04-22, 01:58:

sergio27ru wrote on 2021-04-22, 01:18:

you mean - check the signal gp1 on the chip and WT header?

Before suspecting the hardware, take a detailed look at your ESSVOL.EXE parameters. Specifically, check whether the "A" parameter is set to higher than zero.

Someone had a similar issue here: ISA ESS AudioDrive, ES1868F - No Midi in DOS

As you look pictures 4,6,7.jpg - y'l see that A (AUX) dint zero and equal 8.

gdjacobs wrote on 2021-04-22, 02:10:

The ES1688 has an Aux channel, but the ES688 does not. […]
Show full quote

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2021-04-22, 01:58:

Before suspecting the hardware, take a detailed look at your ESSVOL.EXE parameters. Specifically, check whether the "A" parameter is set to higher than zero.

The ES1688 has an Aux channel, but the ES688 does not.

sergio27ru wrote on 2021-04-22, 01:18:

you mean - check the signal gp1 on the chip and WT header?

Just to be clear, I'm assuming you're trying to drive the WT header and not run a module via the game port. With that proviso...

If MIDI output is active, GPO1 on the ES688 chip will be flickering. If that pin is showing activity, but the WT header isn't, you have a signal path issue and need to check passive components and trace continuity.

Ok, good idea, thx, which WT holder's pin should i check?
Pin 58 (es1688) signal: WO active MIDI - (Hight level) = constant 5 V
With playing MIDI - (Hight level) + data going
And one more - please, dont forget - measurements done on the modifiedGOLD16 board with es1688 chip (not 688)!!!! (another es688 - missmelody card didnt see MPU port w/wo any settings)

badmojo wrote on 2021-04-22, 02:18:

Have tried disabling everything possible in the BIOS? Serial ports, etc? Maybe a resource conflict with the motherboard?

already done and rechecked, in my case - i didnt try IRQs 4,3 only - why?! Test stand is MB + VideoCard:

sergio27ru wrote on 2021-04-22, 03:52:

Ok, good idea, thx, which WT holder's pin should i check?
Pin 58 (es1688) signal: WO active MIDI - (Hight level) = constant 5 V
With playing MIDI - (Hight level) + data going

Excellent!

sergio27ru wrote on 2021-04-22, 03:52:

And one more - please, dont forget - measurements done on the modifiedGOLD16 board with es1688 chip (not 688)!!!! (another es688 - missmelody card didnt see MPU port w/wo any settings)

Waveblaster Pinout:
https://www.epanorama.net/documents/pc/waveblaster.html

If that pin checks out, verify the voltage supply for the WT board (which I assume is known good) and begin looking at mixer or analog signal path issues.

Does ENMPU load on the MissMelody card or does it show an error?

Enjoying this thread. Looks like I'll be spending another Saturday trying to get the MPU working on my ES688 card!

For the first card in the thread; did you use es968.com in config.sys? It performs some P&P tasks and enables the MPU. Needed it for my ES1688 +ES968 to get it going.

For the Gold-16, have you tried toggling the software address jumper? And check if it's doing SB-MIDI through port 220.

Hi! Same card is on the way to me. Will test it soon and report here)))
I think everything will be ok and i show you (and Hustler)… откуда готовилось нападение на Беларусь 😀

sergio27ru wrote on 2020-12-21, 05:00:

Hello all! I've got a problem with es1688+es968+qs700: esfm work well 220/5/1/330, but onboard wavetable doesn't work by any settings\jumpers configuration, also dosn't work external wavetable. I'm think - that needed software activation programm (or card is dead). Does somebody have an expirience with this cards and mpu? please help!

Hi!

I won it in 20 minutes)))

On the photo in the attachment standard positions of the jumpers

ATTENTION!
JP3 PNP_EN - in a OPEN state! In this state, the PNP mode is turned ON (!!!)

Further in this mode, the Win98 is loaded, the drivers are configured automatically and the soundcard works perfectly in Win98 (the sound and all 3-4 synthesizers - Midi Mapper with OPL3 sound or what is , ESS MPU - works on board WaveTable and some other synthesizers Ess FM which is also similar in the previous sound).

Next, go to DOS and initialize the card using Unisound 0.80 without keys - it finds and launches a card in PNP mode and silence in General Midi mode at 330 port 🙁

Carefully read the documentation of Unisound, and there is a special key /NOPNP (just for the bunch of ESS1688+ESS980) and start Unisound /NOPNP

Taaadaaammm! Hurray appeared sound in General Midi on port 330

Clarification

UNISOUND in my case needs to be run 2 times

1) UNISOUND (without keys) - initializes the card in PNP mode, but without the sound of the built-in wavetable
2) UNISOUND /NOPNP - reinitializes the card in NOPNP mode and there is a sound from the built-in wavetable

THATS ALL!

Спасибо друг, получилось таки!