First post, by davidrg
Currently I'm using a 133MHz Pentium for my DOS gaming needs but I'm not really satisfied with it. Its a nice machine but the integrated graphics (Matrox MGA Millenium) has issues with Keen and other DOS Games. It can go back on the shelf until I need OS/2 or NT 3.5x for something.
Luckily if there is one thing I have its lots of 386/486/early Pentium era parts. Which is now a problem - I have to make choices. In the past I just grabbed whatever Creative card I found first (usually a Vibra 16) and either a Trident ISA or a random VLB video card plus a random I/O card (VLB if possible). But this time I'd like to make more informed decisions.
While digging through the big box of cards I found a Gravis Ultrasound rev3.4 (where did that come from!?). I've never seen or used one of these before (well, I guess I saw it when I put it in the box) and figured putting it back in the box won't do. So I thought I'd combine that with a SoundBlaster 16 or ViBRA 16 as I'd heard the GUS on its own wasn't great for some games. But then I saw some posts suggesting ESS cards may be better than some Creative cards? And then I found a bunch of cards with a YMF719E chip - what even are these?
According to my database of cards, my current choices are (chipset in brackets):
- ExpertColor MED3931 (OPTi 82C931)
- Gravis UltraSound (classic) rev. 3.4 (GF1)
- Labway A381-F20 (Advanced Logic ALS120)
- Various Multiwave/Sertek/Genius/Labway/Schubert/Unknown ESS AudioDrive ES1688F
- Labwave ESS AudioDrive ES1869F
- Sertek 8305I (ESS AudioDrive ES688F)
- Aztech SoundGalaxy Pro16 II or Gallant SC6000 (Crystal CS4248-KL)
- Creative SoundBlaster 16 CT2940 (Creative CT2502-SDQ)
- Creative CT2970 (Creative CT2502-SDQ)
- Creative CT2810 (CT2501-TDQ, YMF262M)
- Creative {ViBRA 16 CT2810, ViBRA 16C CT2960, ViBRA 16S, ViBRA 16XV}
- Creative SoundBlaster 2.0 CT1336
- Labway A151830 (Yamaha YMF701-8)
- Labway A151A00 (Yamaha YMF719E-S)
Which of these is best for mostly DOS games from the likes of Apogee/3D Realms, ID, Epic, Maxis and probably some others? Would adding something like the Dreamblaster X2GS make the GUS redundant?
For video card I'm leaning towards a VLB Cirrus Logic GD5429 or a PCI Trio64 depending on what motherboard I dig up. I've got lots of other choices but based on this those cards seem to have the best compatibility.