thenix wrote on 2024-02-01, 05:13:
Hello and thank you for the help. I was hoping it was a generic enough issue for a generic answer so i wouldn't have to get the tools out and get the sound card. Specifically I have a Soundblaster CT4170, and specifically this game I'm trying to play at the moment is DnD Blood and Magic. It looks for Midi at ports like 610-640 I think. I can specify a bit but only from a small list. Hopefully that info makes it easy advice but either way I'll take any help I can get.
So you have a "Soundblaster 16 WavEffects". The port range you mention (610-640) is typically used for the EMU8000 chip as installed on the SB AWE32, SB 32, SB AWE 64. While AWE expands to advanced Wave Effects, this chip is not included on your card. The functionality of that chip is also not integrated into some chip of your card. The only thing that sets the CT4170 apart from earlier Soundblaster 16 type cards is the software MIDI synthesizer shipped as part of the windows driver of that card. So you won't get wavetable music from that card using the AWE32 driver of any game.
Furthermore, this is a late and (hardware-wise) extremely cost-reduced version of the Soundblaster 16, which doesn't include the internal connector for MIDI synthesizer boards (the "waveblaster connector"). Yet, of course, the card can create synthetic music and digital sound playback at the same time, in one of two ways:
- Use the SB16 or OPL3 driver to generate FM music. This cards includes an approximation to the OPL3 developed by creative labs that sounds similar, but not completely identical, to the OPL3.
- Use an external MIDI synthesizer that can generate higher-quality MIDI music connected to the game port (possibly using an adapter like the "CHiLL and Phil" adapter. You need to select the "General MIDI" or "MPU401" driver for that. The often-discussed "hanging note bug" ist (mostly?) fixed on that card, but some games like Duke3D will get performance issues if you try to output MIDI to an external synthesizer on Soundblaster 16-like cards.