daikatana_ wrote on 2023-06-09, 16:49:

Alright everybody, I'm looking for some info about these two cards. […]
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Alright everybody,
I'm looking for some info about these two cards.

What I'm interested in is if the SPEA is just a rebranded Ensoniq or not.

Well, after some research, I've found out there are actually two revisions of SPEA V7 media fx card. Each card uses different set of drivers which are incompatible with each other. The second revision is this one: https://dosdays.co.uk/media/video_seven/v7_media_fx_1.png

It clearly says 'Ensoniq' on the PCB and it looks the same as the actual Ensoniq S-2000: https://www.karlsitretro.com/wp-content/uploa … 0-5000x3333.jpg . So, I reckon this card really is rebranded Ensoniq card. However, the first revision looks nothing like any other Ensoniq card: https://www.karlsitretro.com/wp-content/uploa … 5-5000x3334.jpg , moreover nothing on the PCB says 'Ensoniq'. My question is, is the first revision made by SPEA using Ensoniq chipset or is it made by Ensoniq and rebranded?

Cheers,
Karl

To make matters even more interesting; here is an extra variant of the V7 (note how the audio and game/midi ports are shifted and the board has a _slightly_ different layout).

https://www.wavetable.nl/wp-content/uploads/G … ia-FX-Clone.jpg

daikatana_ wrote on 2023-06-09, 16:49:

What I'm interested in is if the SPEA is just a rebranded Ensoniq or not.

Well, after some research, I've found out there are actually two revisions of SPEA V7 media fx card. Each card uses different set of drivers which are incompatible with each other. The second revision is this one: https://dosdays.co.uk/media/video_seven/v7_media_fx_1.png

It clearly says 'Ensoniq' on the PCB and it looks the same as the actual Ensoniq S-2000: https://www.karlsitretro.com/wp-content/uploa … 0-5000x3333.jpg . So, I reckon this card really is rebranded Ensoniq card.

That's the revision I own now. A childhood friend also had a card of that revision 25 years ago. It's very similar, but not identical, to the Ensoniq S-2000. One major difference is the wiring of the IRQ lines: The settings for IRQ5 and IRQ7 are swapped between the Ensoniq and the Spea variation. Also, one of the cards supports IRQ12, whereas the other one supports IRQ15. I don't remember which one is which, though. Newer drivers (ssinit) are able to detect the card type and configure the IRQs accordingly.

daikatana_ wrote on 2023-06-09, 16:49:

However, the first revision looks nothing like any other Ensoniq card: https://www.karlsitretro.com/wp-content/uploa … 5-5000x3334.jpg , moreover nothing on the PCB says 'Ensoniq'. My question is, is the first revision made by SPEA using Ensoniq chipset or is it made by Ensoniq and rebranded?

That one obviously is a rebranded Reveal Sound FX Wave 32 SC600: https://wiki.preterhuman.net/Reveal_SoundFX_WAVE_32_SC600

As the newer drivers talk about missing support for the TDA tone control chip you can find on the Reveal card, I expect them to also support that card (but without tone control).

Alright, so who actually made the bloody card? SPEA, Reveal or Ensoniq? 😀

Of Interest or more confusion? If you look at the FCC IDs:

FODSWFX1000 is assigned to Packard Bell NEC:
https://fcc.report/FCC-ID/FODSWFX1000

&

LF7SS2016 is assigned to Ensoniq:
https://fcc.report/FCC-ID/LF7SS2016

Meatball wrote on 2023-06-09, 19:31:

Of Interest or more confusion? If you look at the FCC IDs: […]
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Of Interest or more confusion? If you look at the FCC IDs:

FODSWFX1000 is assigned to Packard Bell NEC:
https://fcc.report/FCC-ID/FODSWFX1000

&

LF7SS2016 is assigned to Ensoniq:
https://fcc.report/FCC-ID/LF7SS2016

Well, both.

Hey, Karl, great to see you here, I love your YouTube channel 😁

daikatana_ wrote on 2023-06-09, 20:01:

Meatball wrote on 2023-06-09, 19:31:

Of Interest or more confusion? If you look at the FCC IDs: […]
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Of Interest or more confusion? If you look at the FCC IDs:

FODSWFX1000 is assigned to Packard Bell NEC:
https://fcc.report/FCC-ID/FODSWFX1000

&

LF7SS2016 is assigned to Ensoniq:
https://fcc.report/FCC-ID/LF7SS2016

Well, both.

I have the following clones as attached in the photo (actual cards), so if you need me to check something I am happy to help.

daikatana_ wrote on 2023-06-09, 18:39:

Alright, so who actually made the bloody card? SPEA, Reveal or Ensoniq? 😀

I can't tell you who produced the card, but I can tell you that the early revision of the Media FX is obviously based on a PCB design created by Reveal (probably according to design hints by Ensoniq), and the late revision of the Media FX uses a design originally created by Ensoniq, but slightly varied. The FCC IDs clearly show no association with Spea, so I am confident that there were no substantial design changes made for Spea. As the late revision doesn't have the tone control chip, it's likely cheaper in production.

Meatball wrote on 2023-06-09, 20:57:

daikatana_ wrote on 2023-06-09, 20:01:

Meatball wrote on 2023-06-09, 19:31:

Of Interest or more confusion? If you look at the FCC IDs: […]
Show full quote

Of Interest or more confusion? If you look at the FCC IDs:

FODSWFX1000 is assigned to Packard Bell NEC:
https://fcc.report/FCC-ID/FODSWFX1000

&

LF7SS2016 is assigned to Ensoniq:
https://fcc.report/FCC-ID/LF7SS2016

Well, both.

I have the following clones as attached in the photo (actual cards), so if you need me to check something I am happy to help.

Thanks for the photo.
Judging by your photo your Reveal card has exactly the same layout as my SPEA card. They also have the same components with some of them missing on the Reveal’s PCB. So, I reckon the story is as follows. The early layout was made by Packard Bell and OEMed to Reveal and SPEA using Ensoniq’s chip and wavetable samples. While the later layout was made by Ensoniq, creating their own card as well as OEMing it to SPEA.

I also found two revisions of the later SPEA board. One is on your photo which has a little bit different layout and different components than my Ensoniq and one that’s pretty much identical.

RockstarRunner wrote on 2023-06-09, 20:26:

Hey, Karl, great to see you here, I love your YouTube channel 😁

Hey mate... 😀

mkarcher wrote on 2023-06-09, 21:10:

daikatana_ wrote on 2023-06-09, 18:39:

Alright, so who actually made the bloody card? SPEA, Reveal or Ensoniq? 😀

I can't tell you who produced the card, but I can tell you that the early revision of the Media FX is obviously based on a PCB design created by Reveal (probably according to design hints by Ensoniq), and the late revision of the Media FX uses a design originally created by Ensoniq, but slightly varied. The FCC IDs clearly show no association with Spea, so I am confident that there were no substantial design changes made for Spea. As the late revision doesn't have the tone control chip, it's likely cheaper in production.

Two posts above.

It's cool that they all appear to have a 2MB ROM. I wonder if they are all using the same patch set.

swaaye wrote on 2023-06-12, 18:07:

It's cool that they all appear to have a 2MB ROM. I wonder if they are all using the same patch set.

I reckon the samples are the same, I've got one SPEA and one Ensoniq card. I'll test it and let you know.