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OPL3LPT : OPL3 FM Synthesis on parallel port

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Reply 260 of 278, by pan069

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Unfortunatly I have neither the correct compiler installed nor the required DDK but it does seem to support LPT as you can specify to use LPT using the build:

 NMAKE OPL_ON_LPT=YES

https://github.com/andreiw/adlib21/blob/master/MAKEFILE#L15

And to specify a different port:

NMAKE DEF_PORT=0x3BC

https://github.com/andreiw/adlib21/blob/master/MAKEFILE#L19

Sorry to be totally useless... Hope someone can help you...

Reply 261 of 278, by digger

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It would be a very useful improvement if the driver would be improved so that it would properly obtain the I/O base port address from the BIOS Data Area (BDA), instead of assuming a hard-coded address.

That's the "proper" way to write applications accessing the printer ports. LPT1, LPT2 and LPT3 can be looked up in the BDA, and this would then work even for most modern PCIe cards, provided that you load something like the PRTADD utility in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file, before starting Windows 3.x.

I'll create a GitHub issue for it.

Reply 262 of 278, by kirikl

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Deleted

Last edited by kirikl on 2023-04-29, 08:02. Edited 1 time in total.

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Reply 263 of 278, by kirikl

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UPDATED Windows 3.1 Driver! Now doesn't depend on other 386 library.
Here we go. Patched, works!!!
https://github.com/andreiw/adlib21/tree/master/PUB
Can't wait to test over MIDI real-time playing!

GA-5AX/k6-3+ 600mhz
XT Turbo 10mhz
HP TC4200 / NC6400
Sony Vaio PCG-SRX99 / PCG-505TR / C1 Picturebook
Compaq LTE Elite 4/75CXL / LTE 5000
Toshiba T1100+ / T3100e/40 / T3200SXC
Tandy 1400 LT / 1000HX
PB G4 1.33 / G3 300
iBook Cl 300

Reply 264 of 278, by wbc

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Hey there! I am particulary interested in supporting the OPLxLPT devices in my OPL applications, as they seem to be a decent choice for laptops. Is there any possibility to detect in software if the OPLxLPT device is present on particular LPT port? For example, Stereo-on-1 devices (dual stereo Covox at single printer port) bridge pins 9 and 11 on the LPT connector together, so bit 7 of Data Register (base + 0) could be read as inverted bit 7 of Status Register (base + 1).

--wbcbz7

Reply 265 of 278, by 7F20

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I'm still interested in one of these if you are going to do another run. Seems like you were working on one last year, but then there wasn't any announcement after that. Is it dead?

Thanks

Reply 268 of 278, by Red_Machine

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I just got one of these, and I can't get it to output anything but garbage sound. I'm using a Dell Latitude XP 450C laptop. I've tried with USB power, without USB power, changing the LPT port mode, tried different software, and when I can get it to output anything at all it ranges from ear-splitting tones, to garbage audio, to something that sounds like an attempt to play the music but is still just boops and bleeps. I can't even get the included test programs to work. What am I doing wrong?

Reply 269 of 278, by OPLx

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What software are you using? Depending on what it is, it's likely that you'll need to load the ADLIPT TSR found in the oplutil.zip here: https://github.com/pdewacht/adlipt/releases
You'll need to have USB power connected. Sometimes it might be that the USB power source isn't adequate.
Please try running the opl3test.exe program first to confirm that it's actually producing correct sound or not. If that works, then running ADLIPT should allow playback through the device.

Reply 270 of 278, by Red_Machine

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Yes, I'm using the TSR driver. Like I said, the official test programs don't produce proper sound either. The other software I tried is Pinball Fantasies, and Inertia Player for MOD files.

I also bought a CVX4, and while it does produce recognisable sound it's pretty poor quality no matter the sample rate, nothing like the demonstration videos/recordings I've heard. I'm wondering if it's an issue with this laptop in particular.

Reply 271 of 278, by OPLx

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I'm not familiar with the sound support that Pinball Fantasies has, but unless it and Inertia Player support playing back digital audio on the OPL3 FM chip, I don't think those programs will work and you'll definitely get the audio issues you are having.

If the test program doesn't work it might be your laptop (if the CVX4 isn't working as well), but it's hard to tell. Perhaps @dreamblaster might have better insights as to what's going on.

Reply 272 of 278, by Red_Machine

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I tested on another laptop of a similar vintage (major differences being a Pentium CPU and an LPT port with ECP support instead of just EP), and the CVX4 sounds perfect. The OPL3LPT also works perfectly. Why would it not work on the Dell?

Reply 273 of 278, by kirikl

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You said you tried different options for parallel port? I don't remember which mode they recommend for better experience

GA-5AX/k6-3+ 600mhz
XT Turbo 10mhz
HP TC4200 / NC6400
Sony Vaio PCG-SRX99 / PCG-505TR / C1 Picturebook
Compaq LTE Elite 4/75CXL / LTE 5000
Toshiba T1100+ / T3100e/40 / T3200SXC
Tandy 1400 LT / 1000HX
PB G4 1.33 / G3 300
iBook Cl 300

Reply 274 of 278, by OPLx

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Red_Machine wrote on 2024-05-08, 13:45:

I tested on another laptop of a similar vintage (major differences being a Pentium CPU and an LPT port with ECP support instead of just EP), and the CVX4 sounds perfect. The OPL3LPT also works perfectly. Why would it not work on the Dell?

I'm not familiar with the laptop in question, but it could possibly be a faulty electric connection on the LPT port of the laptop or possibly a setting in BIOS for the LPT port as kirikl mentioned.

Reply 275 of 278, by Red_Machine

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I've tried every LPT port mode available (standard, bi-directional, EPP), and it still just makes garbage sound. I'm stumped.

Reply 276 of 278, by kirikl

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Sorry It would not help much, but I got distorted sound from covox, when it was not fully inserted (pocket 386 parallel port header for example got loose if you don't push hard enough all the way).
Maybe it's connector?
How is the other devices feel there? Work good?

GA-5AX/k6-3+ 600mhz
XT Turbo 10mhz
HP TC4200 / NC6400
Sony Vaio PCG-SRX99 / PCG-505TR / C1 Picturebook
Compaq LTE Elite 4/75CXL / LTE 5000
Toshiba T1100+ / T3100e/40 / T3200SXC
Tandy 1400 LT / 1000HX
PB G4 1.33 / G3 300
iBook Cl 300

Reply 277 of 278, by 7F20

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I'm following this because I also have a similar era Dell Latitude 486, and it worries me that there might be some incompatibility. I have an LX4100D, so it's not exactly the same, but I'm worried enough that I'm not totally sure I want to take the chance on it anymore.

Reply 278 of 278, by my03

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Whoever is interested in this. Its not really Pentium vs. 486. I have a Thinkpad (P2) that will not recognize this card at all, but thats ok as it has its own sound-abilities onboard anway. I also have (and use this board) with my Mitac 4022 (486-DX2/66) where it works perfectly well. While it did annoy me at first why it did not work on the TP, i didn't pusue it en the end.

I also do have this (my original work-machine tbh) Dell Latitude cpx-500 where i did not try it out yet. But out of curiosity from this thread, i will try to test it out (and get back with the result).