VOGONS


First post, by Hellistor

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Hello

I have bitten the bullet and gotten myself a Roland MT-32 (OLD) locally. The guy I bought it from is a musician and he demoed it in front of me. It works perfectly.
However since he used it for music production he didn't have the MPU401 interface for PC. I thought, now big deal I have soundcards and can just use SoftMPU.

CCyZGDGh.jpg

When I got it home I tried to run it with my Terratec Maestro 32/96 in my 486 Machine but the MT-32 didn't even initialize the playback.
I subsequently tried it on different PCs. A 133MHz Pentium with Soundblaster 16 CT 1740 with 4.05 DSP and a 1GHz Pentium III with AWE32 CT3910. Both have produced the same result.

This puzzled me as the Gameport to Midi cable I have came with the AWE32. This made me realize however that I ALSO got a Creamware TripleDat with the AWE32.
I dug it out and confirmed that most likely the cable belongs to the TripleDat and not to the AWE32. I suspect the pinout is different, hence why it won't work.

jZDbsihh.jpg

r5IVC8Vh.jpg

Now, The Creamware TripleDat is a Hard Disk Audio Recording Card. Since it has Midi I suspect it should potentially be able to send Midi to the MT-32.
The only trouble is that I have no Idea how to do this.

If anybody knows wether this works or not please tell me. I also have another question. Is there a chance that this card supports MPU401 Intelligent mode?

Last edited by Hellistor on 2016-12-07, 21:45. Edited 1 time in total.

Dual 1GHz Pentium III machine
700MHz Pentium III machine
550MHz PIII IBM 300PL
Socket 7 machine, CPU yet undecided
100MHz AMD 486DX4 machine

Reply 1 of 12, by Hellistor

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Well I have just tried to install the card. Turns out I am missing the Manual which contains the Key needed to use the card.
This means that persuing this as an option is pretty much pointless unless I, through some luck of monumental proportions, can get a key for a rare, pretty much german region only recording card from the mid 90s.

I'm just gonna order a Gameport compatible Midi cable.

Dual 1GHz Pentium III machine
700MHz Pentium III machine
550MHz PIII IBM 300PL
Socket 7 machine, CPU yet undecided
100MHz AMD 486DX4 machine

Reply 2 of 12, by gdjacobs

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++
Hellistor wrote:

Well I have just tried to install the card. Turns out I am missing the Manual which contains the Key needed to use the card.
This means that persuing this as an option is pretty much pointless unless I, through some luck of monumental proportions, can get a key for a rare, pretty much german region only recording card from the mid 90s.

I'm just gonna order a Gameport compatible Midi cable.

Although the Creamware card might be interesting as an example of high end pro audio gear, the gameport midi cable is definitely the way to go for games absent a normal mode MPU-401 card.

All hail the Great Capacitor Brand Finder

Reply 4 of 12, by Hellistor

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member
gdjacobs wrote:

Although the Creamware card might be interesting as an example of high end pro audio gear, the gameport midi cable is definitely the way to go for games absent a normal mode MPU-401 card.

I figured as much. I got the MT-32 on saturday so I really wanted to get it going.
I found a used cable for sale and ordered it but since it was weekend it won't arrive for a few days.

sbopbMh.jpg

This should work right? The seller didn't really know what it was, besides being a Midi cable, but it looks like a normal Gameport Midi cable with Joystick passthrough.

Dual 1GHz Pentium III machine
700MHz Pentium III machine
550MHz PIII IBM 300PL
Socket 7 machine, CPU yet undecided
100MHz AMD 486DX4 machine

Reply 6 of 12, by Hellistor

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Well,

I remembered that the LiveDrive II I have for my SB Live! has Midi out so I tried out the MT-32. It works great. I played the Doom E1M1 Midi file through it and even though it wasn't written with the MT-32 in mind it still sounded pretty good.

5epKLNXh.jpg

Also the cable arrived. However, it seems broken. Either it's the cable or my setup for the MT-32 is wrong. I tried it with a CT1740 Soundblaster 16, a CT3910 AWE32 Value and a Terratec Maestro 32/96. None of them even initialized. I have set the Midi Port to 330. I have loaded SoftMPU with the correct parameters. I used the Midi out from the Soundcard into the Midi-in on the MT-32. It should work. I tried Silpheed, Dune, Sam and Max Hit the Road and Ultima 6. With and without SoftMPU.

93lrMGph.jpg

47JX7r7h.jpg

Is there anything that might prevent it from working that I have overlooked? Or is it most likely a broken cable?

Dual 1GHz Pentium III machine
700MHz Pentium III machine
550MHz PIII IBM 300PL
Socket 7 machine, CPU yet undecided
100MHz AMD 486DX4 machine

Reply 7 of 12, by Hellistor

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Oops, looks like I forgot to post the resolution to this.

Turns out the 5V and the Midi data stream were swapped for some reason, some cable cutting and soldering later it is working beautifully!

Thanks for the help!

Dual 1GHz Pentium III machine
700MHz Pentium III machine
550MHz PIII IBM 300PL
Socket 7 machine, CPU yet undecided
100MHz AMD 486DX4 machine

Reply 12 of 12, by Stuff

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
Arctic wrote:

Sure! Can you upload them somewhere or mail them to me? 😀

Please try the files in this link first while I dig through my stuff:
ftp://sonic-core.net/software/Previous_ ... epackt.zip