Aztech Sound Galaxy NX IDE/CD-ROM Interface \ VOGONS

Aztech Sound Galaxy NX IDE/CD-ROM Interface

Topic actions

Post a reply

First post, by appiah4

Posted on 2023-08-09, 17:03

appiah4 Offline

Rank l33t++

Rank: l33t++
Posts: 9071
Joined: 2017-02-19, 07:36
Location: Sea of Sorrows

I recently acquired an Aztech Sound Galaxy NX that I plan to use in my 286 build due to being compatible with a lot of standards (Covox, Disney, Adlib, SB), and was hoping I could also use its CD-ROM interface with an IDE drive. However, finding original documentation for this card has been impossible. I have not come across any drivers specifically for the NX either. That begs the question: how do you enable and use the IDE interface on this card? IThe only IDE related jumpers on the board are related to its IO Address (configurable between 300h/320h) but I can not see a way to control which IDE channel it would be, which IRQ it would use etc.. Quite possibly (considering the age of the card) it is not actually IDE but something like Mitsumi or Panasonic? But every reference I see online refers to this card's CD-ROM interface as IDE, which is encouraging but also somewhat unlikely considering how long before IDE CD-ROMs became a thing this card was released.. Any help would be appreciated.

Attachments

Filename

Aztech Sound Galaxy NX.jpg

File size

660.6 KiB

Views

279 views

File license

CC-BY-4.0

Retronautics: A digital gallery of my retro computers, hardware and projects.

Reply 1 of 5, by Tiido

Posted on 2023-08-09, 17:25

Tiido Offline

Rank l33t

Rank: l33t
Posts: 2974
Joined: 2018-01-14, 04:40
Location: Norway (used to be Estonia)

This is not IDE but some older interface, you need 16bits for the standard IDE interface. Can you show a photo of the other side of the card ?

T-04YBSC, a new YMF71x based sound card & Official VOGONS thread about it
Newly made 4MB 60ns 30pin SIMMs ~
mida sa loed ? nagunii aru ei saa 😜

Reply 2 of 5, by appiah4

Posted on 2023-08-09, 17:44

appiah4 Offline

Rank l33t++

Rank: l33t++
Posts: 9071
Joined: 2017-02-19, 07:36
Location: Sea of Sorrows

Not my card, but identical (except for the solder mask color)

That's kind of sad, but I guess a CD-ROM has little business being inside a 286 anyhow.. I will probably install a 5.25" CF-IDE bay or a 5.25" floppy (if I can fix one) instead then. I'm guessing this is a Mitsumi interface then..

On a positive note, that means I can just stick with the Sound Galaxy BX II and keep this NX as a display piece, I have no use for Covox or DSS.. The BX is a later and more integrated card that fits my late 286 theme better and would have less noise I think 😀

Attachments

Filename

Aztech Sound Galaxy NX Rear.jpg

File size

147.66 KiB

Views

257 views

File license

CC-BY-4.0

Retronautics: A digital gallery of my retro computers, hardware and projects.

Reply 3 of 5, by wierd_w

Posted on 2023-08-09, 17:51

wierd_w Offline

Rank Member

Rank: Member
Posts: 390
Joined: 2023-07-14, 06:20

It's probably the Panasonic/Mitsumi interface, rather than IDE, like found on this card.

There WERE 8bit ide interfaces, but few drives support them, since ide is 16 bits wide, as a spec.

Some compact flash drives support the 8bit mode though.

If it really is an ide interface, you'll need something to interrogate it and populate the dos disk vectors for you; something like the xtide bios.

If you REALLY want to try an 8bit ide interface, some WD isa cards will work in an 8bit slot.

286 had 16bit slots though, iirc. There is a real tertiary ide controller on sb16/sb32 cards. (And their clones, like Sound Galaxy Washington)

You would still need something to interrogate the port and enumerate drives for dos though.

Reply 4 of 5, by Tiido

Posted on 2023-08-09, 18:11

Tiido Offline

Rank l33t

Rank: l33t
Posts: 2974
Joined: 2018-01-14, 04:40
Location: Norway (used to be Estonia)

appiah4 wrote on 2023-08-09, 17:44:

Not my card, but identical (except for the solder mask color)

That's kind of sad, but I guess a CD-ROM has little business being inside a 286 anyhow.. I will probably install a 5.25" CF-IDE bay or a 5.25" floppy (if I can fix one) instead then. I'm guessing this is a Mitsumi interface then..

Yeah, this is Panasonic interface on the card, or at least the ground connections match up with it on another card I used as reference that has several CD connections on it.

T-04YBSC, a new YMF71x based sound card & Official VOGONS thread about it
Newly made 4MB 60ns 30pin SIMMs ~
mida sa loed ? nagunii aru ei saa 😜