VOGONS


[Solved] Gravis Ultrasound MAX

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First post, by schlang

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hi, I am wondering about the ressource usage of the GUS MAX. can parts of it be disabled?

I am thinking of:
- mpu401 interface (port)
- cdrom interface (ports and irqs)
- joystick port (port)
- sound blaster emulation (port irq and dma)

Last edited by schlang on 2011-06-28, 12:09. Edited 1 time in total.

PC#1: K6-III+ 400 | 512MB | Geforce4 | Voodoo1 | SB Live | AWE64 | GUS PNP Pro
PC#2: 486DX2-66 | 64MB | Riva128 | AWE64 | GUS PNP | PAS16
PC#3: 386DX-40 | 32MB | CL-GD5434 | SB Pro | GUS MAX | PAS16

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Reply 1 of 22, by megatron-uk

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You normally need a base IO port, a dma channel for digital playback, one for recording, an interrupt for the GUS and one for SB emulation. You can reduce that to an IO port, a single dma channel and a single interrupt (you actually just set the second to be the same as the first) if you don't need full duplex audio or SBOS.

MIDI port (actually, I've never been able to use it) and CDROM support can be disabled, so they don't usually use any resources.

It's a bizarre card to configure - the IO port, CD-ROM, joystick etc is set via on-card jumpers, but the remainder of the resources (dma, interrupts) are set via the ultrinit.exe utility, so it's neither fully manual, nor plug-and-play.

Mine is quite a noisy card unless you actually mute the microphone and line-in ports - that massive full length design seems to pick up a fair bit of electrical noise.

My collection database and technical wiki:
https://www.target-earth.net

Reply 2 of 22, by schlang

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thanks for the explanation, I just got a GUS MAX recently and I will try it soon in my third retro pc.

I currently have two GUS PNPs and there is an utility which can really disable the unwanted ressources directly in the GUS BIOS, so it's good to know that this can be archieved with the MAX, too.

PC#1: K6-III+ 400 | 512MB | Geforce4 | Voodoo1 | SB Live | AWE64 | GUS PNP Pro
PC#2: 486DX2-66 | 64MB | Riva128 | AWE64 | GUS PNP | PAS16
PC#3: 386DX-40 | 32MB | CL-GD5434 | SB Pro | GUS MAX | PAS16

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Reply 3 of 22, by ratfink

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megatron-uk wrote:

It's a bizarre card to configure - the IO port, CD-ROM, joystick etc is set via on-card jumpers, but the remainder of the resources (dma, interrupts) are set via the ultrinit.exe utility, so it's neither fully manual, nor plug-and-play.

I've been trying to get the cd interface working on my gus max, but whenever I enable the cd rom [by removing the jumper] the card then fails to initialise and on running the ultrasound setup.exe it fails on testing all irq options for midi/emulation. I'm a bit stumped, especially as I don't want to keep pullling the card out to try another combination of jumpers, something will give in the end 😵.

Reply 4 of 22, by schlang

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I never made any good experience with connecting a cdrom to a soundcard. the results always were strange errors and reading issues with certain discs

PC#1: K6-III+ 400 | 512MB | Geforce4 | Voodoo1 | SB Live | AWE64 | GUS PNP Pro
PC#2: 486DX2-66 | 64MB | Riva128 | AWE64 | GUS PNP | PAS16
PC#3: 386DX-40 | 32MB | CL-GD5434 | SB Pro | GUS MAX | PAS16

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Reply 5 of 22, by ratfink

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These gus maxes are a real pain. I've just been trying to run a cd drive from mine again. I managed to get "no ultrasound found" repeatedly so I assumed I killed the card as it happened whether or not the "cd enabled" jumper was set. Cleaned contacts, changed slots, cleaned slots, etc etc., no joy.

Eventually I got the working however. One problem along the way was that it started to conflict with my fdd controller, I think that was some irq problem. Then - ok I changed the jumpers but I'm sure they were back where they started - it decided to be at 220 instead of 260, so it conflicted with my sb2. Feels like there is some hocus pocus with this card to do with these damn jumpers. Exacerbated I think - or maybe even caused - by corrosion on the jumper pins themselves.

Reply 6 of 22, by schlang

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please note that the jumper setting for the GUS base i/o will be used "double" (2x0h and 3x0h, the GUS needs two ports). meaining that you jumper the card to 240h, you will also set 340h. then you have to watch that you don't set the cdrom i/o to 340h, too

PC#1: K6-III+ 400 | 512MB | Geforce4 | Voodoo1 | SB Live | AWE64 | GUS PNP Pro
PC#2: 486DX2-66 | 64MB | Riva128 | AWE64 | GUS PNP | PAS16
PC#3: 386DX-40 | 32MB | CL-GD5434 | SB Pro | GUS MAX | PAS16

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Reply 7 of 22, by megatron-uk

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Yep, it's a tricky card to get setup!

My collection database and technical wiki:
https://www.target-earth.net

Reply 8 of 22, by ratfink

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Ah I didn't know that. I didn't understand the other two jumpers it loos like relate to the CD either - DRQ and DACK? I think that's what they were called.

Reply 9 of 22, by schlang

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how good is your german?

img_2226ytqi.jpg
img_2225xrhd.jpg
img_22239q5y.jpg

PC#1: K6-III+ 400 | 512MB | Geforce4 | Voodoo1 | SB Live | AWE64 | GUS PNP Pro
PC#2: 486DX2-66 | 64MB | Riva128 | AWE64 | GUS PNP | PAS16
PC#3: 386DX-40 | 32MB | CL-GD5434 | SB Pro | GUS MAX | PAS16

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Reply 10 of 22, by Tetrium

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schlang wrote:

how good is your german?

Hehe, mine is perfectly fine. Only trouble I have is with the Der/Die/Das stuff 😜

And besides, the pictures can tell a thousand words 😁

Whats missing in your collections?
My retro rigs (old topic)
Interesting Vogons threads (links to Vogonswiki)
Report spammers here!

Reply 11 of 22, by schlang

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ik will je bille zien. that's the only sentence I know from dutch 😎

PC#1: K6-III+ 400 | 512MB | Geforce4 | Voodoo1 | SB Live | AWE64 | GUS PNP Pro
PC#2: 486DX2-66 | 64MB | Riva128 | AWE64 | GUS PNP | PAS16
PC#3: 386DX-40 | 32MB | CL-GD5434 | SB Pro | GUS MAX | PAS16

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Reply 12 of 22, by ratfink

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Thanks for those pictures. I see it verifies what I already found about the base address pins, which was confusing me 🤣 but makes sense now.

Reply 13 of 22, by schlang

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just curious, which cdrom are you connecting to the GUS?

PC#1: K6-III+ 400 | 512MB | Geforce4 | Voodoo1 | SB Live | AWE64 | GUS PNP Pro
PC#2: 486DX2-66 | 64MB | Riva128 | AWE64 | GUS PNP | PAS16
PC#3: 386DX-40 | 32MB | CL-GD5434 | SB Pro | GUS MAX | PAS16

Think you know your games music? Show us: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=37532

Reply 14 of 22, by ratfink

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It's a matsushita cr-562, I used panasonic drivers with it previously I think.

Reply 15 of 22, by schlang

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yes, technically these drives are identical

PC#1: K6-III+ 400 | 512MB | Geforce4 | Voodoo1 | SB Live | AWE64 | GUS PNP Pro
PC#2: 486DX2-66 | 64MB | Riva128 | AWE64 | GUS PNP | PAS16
PC#3: 386DX-40 | 32MB | CL-GD5434 | SB Pro | GUS MAX | PAS16

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Reply 16 of 22, by ratfink

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Ok, got the drive running off the GUS Max, thanks.

Reply 17 of 22, by schlang

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remember, if you encounter strange read problems or games crash during loading you should use a proper cdrom controller card 😀

PC#1: K6-III+ 400 | 512MB | Geforce4 | Voodoo1 | SB Live | AWE64 | GUS PNP Pro
PC#2: 486DX2-66 | 64MB | Riva128 | AWE64 | GUS PNP | PAS16
PC#3: 386DX-40 | 32MB | CL-GD5434 | SB Pro | GUS MAX | PAS16

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Reply 18 of 22, by Robin4

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schlang wrote:

ik will je bille zien. that's the only sentence I know from dutch 😎

Ik wil je billen zien is correct..

Gay 🤣

I want to see your bum. (or ass)

I understand also the german, but cant speak it good.

Reply 19 of 22, by schlang

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picked that one up from amsterdam 😁

ps: not gay, only women <3

PC#1: K6-III+ 400 | 512MB | Geforce4 | Voodoo1 | SB Live | AWE64 | GUS PNP Pro
PC#2: 486DX2-66 | 64MB | Riva128 | AWE64 | GUS PNP | PAS16
PC#3: 386DX-40 | 32MB | CL-GD5434 | SB Pro | GUS MAX | PAS16

Think you know your games music? Show us: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=37532