I have a PC/XT with YAMAHA OPL-3 sound card, 640 KB RAM and CGA graphics. I have tried serveral programs but they only work on 286 or 386 PCs. Are there any solutions or I'll have to write a program myself..?
Don't know if this was a resolve, but --> looking for a DOS 8086 compatible WAV -> COVOX player
Just upgrade to a NEC V20 processor (may need a V20 BIOS). 🙂
An 8-Bit system like the IBM PC can use any help here.
Edit: Windows 3 MME can play WAVE files, too, but needs a 16-Bit PC w/ 80286 or better processor.
NewDeal Office 2000 and later PC/GEOS derivatives include basic 8-Bit sound card support and WAV QuickPlayer.
They may technically still use Real-Mode and run on NEC V20/30 systems (though slow).
"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
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Try PLANY.
Żywotwór planetarny, jego gnijące błoto, jest świtem egzystencji, fazą wstępną, i wyłoni się z krwawych ciastomózgowych miedź miłująca...
+1
Also an alternative is using VOC format.
It's like a proto-WAV format, used by Creative Labs.
There should be DOS utilities for it, maybe even as part of the driver diskettes of the 8-Bit Sound Blasters.
"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//
Cedaros wrote on 2023-10-30, 08:39:I have a PC/XT with YAMAHA OPL-3 sound card, 640 KB RAM and CGA graphics. I have tried serveral programs but they only work on 286 or 386 PCs. Are there any solutions or I'll have to write a program myself..?
Hello,
OPL-3 can't directly play digital audio.
There are hacks to do it, but they require a 286 or better.
You have the option of using the pc-speaker or a covox type device connected to the parallel port.
Try modmaster Mod Master XT 1.0 Released : Play .MOD, .XM and .VGM on a 8088 4MHz
Grzyb wrote on 2023-10-30, 10:50:Try PLANY.
Plany needs a sound blaster
"PC-Speaker" driver for MS Windows, but for AdLib
Windows 3.x Standard Mode is required, though, which in turn requires an 80286 with Protected-Mode.
The wisest would be to install an PC accelerator card with an 80286 or 80386, perhaps.
There are people who got the Inboard 386 going on Windows 3.1, for example.
https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?threads/win … xd-issue.79730/
The "problem" with WAVE playback is that audio playback over parallel or OPL is entirely CPU-driven. A lot of work to do for an 808x processor.
By contrast, a Sound Blaster card could provide DMA transfers, which bypasses the CPU as a bottleneck.
That's why MOD4WIN can't use the PC-Speaker driver on Windows 3.1x/9x, for example (it explains so in its help file):
There's no physical hardware handling playback, it's just the CPU.
Which in case of MOD playback, is already overburdened.
Playback of a WAVE file through a "dumb" sound device is possible on an 16-Bit PC/AT, but still taxing.
On an 8-Bit PC/XT, running at 4 MHz, it might be quite a challenge - unless DMA is being used (Sound Blaster, Disney Sound Source etc).
A 16-Bit PC compatible like the Amstrad PC1512/PC1640 might be more powerful, near to the PC/AT class.
"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//
Wait a minute... what exactly is that sound card?
OPL3 would suggest at least Sound Blaster Pro 2, so no problem with PCM playback...
though there may be some oddballs with OPL3, but no SB PCM.
Żywotwór planetarny, jego gnijące błoto, jest świtem egzystencji, fazą wstępną, i wyłoni się z krwawych ciastomózgowych miedź miłująca...
This one
https://texelec.com/product/resound-2-opl3-8- … ble-sound-card/
or similar, I suppose
fjardest wrote on 2023-10-30, 15:30:This one
https://texelec.com/product/resound-2-opl3-8- … ble-sound-card/
or similar, I suppose
It is written on that page:
"Please note, this card will not playback wav/digital files, it is an FM synthesis card only. The OPL3 is the sole provider of sound."
--> ISA Soundcard Overview // Doom MBF 2.04 // SetMul
Technically, I believe, it's possible to do sound effects on an OPL chip by playing with the volume registers. Effective resolution should be between 4 and 6-Bit, I believe.
But I'm not sure if an 8-Bit PC at 4,77 MHz has enough "oomph" to do that.
Beyond a short 1 seconds sample at a low resolution.
Playing back a WAV file at a 11 or 22 KHz sampling rate is something different.
The Tandy 1000, an XT class PC, had an internal sound card, sort of.
It could record/playback PCM audio via DeskMate interface.
The Disney Sound Source, an intelligent Covox plug, had an internal FiFo buffer, DMA support and operated at 7 KHz sampling rate.
That 7 KHz sampling rate was okay for sound effects (100 Hz to 3,5 KHz AF range), but barely for music.
"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//
Jo22 wrote on 2023-10-31, 15:34:The Disney Sound Source, an intelligent Covox plug, had an internal FiFo buffer, DMA support and operated at 7 KHz sampling rate.
That 7 KHz sampling rate was okay for sound effects (100 Hz to 3,5 KHz AF range), but barely for music.
No DMA support. The Disney Sound Source is not ECP compatible (I'd expect it's older than ECP), and that's the only parallel port standard with DMA support. It just uses FIFO buffered port output. That's good enough, though.
