swaaye wrote:All about VGA Mode X.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mode_X […]
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All about VGA Mode X.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mode_X
Re: AWE cards.
1) They can't emulate MPU-401 for protected mode games (no GMIDI). If you want wavetable, the game must directly support AWE. If not, you have a giant SB16.
2) AWEUTIL, the TSR that emulates MIDI for real-mode games, uses a lot of memory.
3) The onboard wavetable ROM is not that great.
4) They often don't have very good signal quality and can even have problems with pops and clicks (static maybe).
5) The MPU-401 DB header is usually buggy for DBs. See stuck / wrong notes issue.
6) Soundfont RAM is not usable for DOS games.
7) Some of them are PnP and that's a headache.
😁
Of course, most DOS sound cards are problematic. If you don't want to run into the inevitable throw-hours-away-but-get-nowhere situation, just get a Sound Blaster Pro.
I agree with this post, but one or two things I would point out:
1) This only applies to the EMU-8000/soundfont capabilities. Midi through the Waveblaster header or the Gameport works just like the SB16, no AWEUTIL needed for that.
4) The signal quality is sometimes better than the SB16, but some SB16s have a cleaner mixer. Pops and clicks with games intended for Sound Blaster/Pro games is a 16-AWE64 issue.
7) The great thing about the early 16s and earlier Sound Blasters is that they can be set up entirely through jumpers, no software at all to fiddle with. Jumperless ISA cards are not always bad, but ISA PnP is no fun to configure.
Jan3Sobieski wrote:the BX board I have has a max multiplier of 8.5. Since I don't want to use 133FSB for system stability reasons, the highest I wi […]
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the BX board I have has a max multiplier of 8.5. Since I don't want to use 133FSB for system stability reasons, the highest I will take this is to a p3 850 with a 100FSB. Unless there are other ways of achieving higher speeds without overclocking or sacrificing stability.
Last couple of questions:
-I will end up buying an MT-32 (or the CM-32L) It's inevitable. If only for the games that support the Sysex commands. I thought I read somewhere that it's possible to have both the SC-55 and MT-32 on one machine. I'd hook up the MT-32 to the CMS-401 and the SC-55 to the SB PRO. Can I do that? That way I can play games that support the MT-32 and General Midi on the SC-55. Do I actually even need the MT-32? Doesn't the SC-55 have a "switch" thing that "changes" it into an MT-32?
-If I play games that support General MIDI on the P1-233 machine, is there anything that the SC-55 does better when compared to the NEC db when it comes to General MIDI?
-confused about GS and XG, does the NEC db or SC-55 support either? Are there any games that support either?
Edit: just checked wikipedia GS is a better version of General MIDI from Roland, so the SC-55 does use that. the XG is from Yamaha, so the NEC uses that. Hmm. I guess the question that bothers me is that if i have the NEC in the p1-233 machine, would I ever need to hook it up to the SC-55?
A Coppermine Pentium III does not care what you set the multiplier settings on your motherboard, it will use whatever multiplier is it designed to use and no other. 10x multipliers (ex. PIII 1GHz/100Mhz FSB) should work just fine.
The SC-55 does have a switch that will let it simulate an MT-32, but only games that do not use MT-32 sysex to load custom instruments and sounds into the unit will sound correct. That leaves lots of games sounding very wrong. You should have a real MT-32 or CM-32L or both.
The NEC daughterboard you speak of, DB60XG, is best used in games that were composed on Yamaha XG modules. Most General Midi DOS games were composed on Roland GS modules, so they will probably sound better on those. Since you have an external SC-55, which has two Midi-Ins, you can share the module between computers and see what you prefer the most.
The NEC daughterboard should support GS through its TG300B mode, but it is no substitute for the sound of a true Roland GS device. Roland devices of the period do not to support XG.
The MT-32 won't work perfectly for every game that uses the old Roland music format. To ensure 100% compatibility, consider looking for the rarer CM-32L external synth box, or alternatively the even rarer CM-500. The internal 8-bit Roland LAPC-i music card (which is technically identical to the CM-32L box) is very rare and expensive.
No single device is 100% compatible or 100% ideal for all games with MT-32/CM-32L/LAPC-I support.
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