I'm in the process of cobbling together a Pentium 200 MMX build for DOS/W98 gaming. I'm trying to get the MIDI port on this card working with no luck initially. I haven't installed any software for it and I've purely initialized it using SET BLASTER in my autoexec.bat.
Digital audio is working fine. I added P330 to my SET BLASTER command hoping that would be all I needed... no joy. Could anyone advise? I'm trying to get the ESS card to drive a Roland SC-55 and using Doom shareware as my test program.
A P200MMX with an ES1868 driving an MT32 and a wavetable card is my default system these days. Please post your autoexec.bat and config.sys files as well as driver package you are using.
Off the top of my mind:
Have you tried SoftMPU. exe?
Are you sure your MIDI cable works? Have you tried a wavetable daughterboard insted?
Have you checked your mixer settings?
If you have ACPI running at IRQ 2/9 that may be conflicting with the MPU401 port?
Are you sure you wired the setup rigght? (Midi out to Midi in)
Are you sure your SC works fine?
Retronautics: A digital gallery of my retro computers, hardware and projects.
appiah4wrote on 2020-07-04, 13:35:A P200MMX with an ES1868 driving an MT32 and a wavetable card is my default system these days. Please post your autoexec.bat and […] Show full quote
A P200MMX with an ES1868 driving an MT32 and a wavetable card is my default system these days. Please post your autoexec.bat and config.sys files as well as driver package you are using.
Off the top of my mind:
Have you tried SoftMPU. exe?
Are you sure your MIDI cable works? Have you tried a wavetable daughterboard insted?
Have you checked your mixer settings?
If you have ACPI running at IRQ 2/9 that may be conflicting with the MPU401 port?
Are you sure you wired the setup rigght? (Midi out to Midi in)
Are you sure your SC works fine?
I'm not using any drivers at the moment - just using SET BLASTER
This is a pretty random install of FreeDOS that I just had lying around so it's quite possible not setup very well.
I'm certain the SC-55 works, I've tested it on my main PC on SCUMMVM using a USB MIDI cable.
I'm not certain the Gameport to MIDI cable works as it is brand new but no reason to suspect it.
I'm fairly sure I just haven't got the right software and settings
The ES1868F is plug and play and is typically auto-configured by BIOS or a initilization utility . In your case the BIOS is doing the initilization and may not be doing it properly/completely for the MPU-401 part. Using the ESSCFG.EXE util would put that doubt to rest .
How have you determined it's MPU-401 is actually configured at port 330h ? Again, using ESSCFG.EXE would allow you to confirm this or actually set it to 330h if it is not already .
EDIT: The set blaster variable is used to tell software how your card is configured . It does not do any actual configuration or initialization.
Last edited by darry on 2020-07-04, 14:03. Edited 2 times in total.
Does Windows detect the MPU-401? Then you can use device manager to check at which port it's mapped.
But really you should just download the DOS drivers and use ESSCFG and ESSVOL to troubleshoot.
If you have a waveblaster card of some sort try it on the header; if that works it's a) the DB15 connector b) the cable. Regarding the former, try spraying some contact cleaner into the DB15 gameport connector maybe? Regarding the latter, maybe you could monitor the MIDI-Out (Pin 12) pin of the DB15 Gameport with an oscilloscope to see if there is a signal there when you try to play something back?
Retronautics: A digital gallery of my retro computers, hardware and projects.
Installed the ESS drivers
Ran SoftMPU and it detects and runs on port 330
Still no midi hitting the SC-55
Post a picture of your MIDI cable.
SoftMPU isn't needed for an SC-55.
It's one of these (from that auction site...)
It looks well made enough. I'll pop it open and check to see if it's sound or needs reworking.
Pretty sure you won't find anything but wire inside (which would explain the lack of function). I had the same issue when looking for a spare . Finally found a cheap new old stock one that worked .
In your case, fixing your existing can likely be done by following the schematic in this thread .
darrywrote on 2020-07-04, 17:31:Pretty sure you won't find anything but wire inside (which would explain the lack of function). I had the same issue when lookin […] Show full quote
Post a picture of your MIDI cable.
SoftMPU isn't needed for an SC-55.
It's one of these (from that auction site...)
It looks well made enough. I'll pop it open and check to see if it's sound or needs reworking.
Pretty sure you won't find anything but wire inside (which would explain the lack of function). I had the same issue when looking for a spare . Finally found a cheap new old stock one that worked .
In your case, fixing your existing can likely be done by following the schematic in this thread .
darrywrote on 2020-07-04, 17:31:Pretty sure you won't find anything but wire inside (which would explain the lack of function). I had the same issue when lookin […] Show full quote
It looks well made enough. I'll pop it open and check to see if it's sound or needs reworking.
Pretty sure you won't find anything but wire inside (which would explain the lack of function). I had the same issue when looking for a spare . Finally found a cheap new old stock one that worked .
In your case, fixing your existing can likely be done by following the schematic in this thread .
Yup nothing but wire. At £15, the seller can have this junk back...
Is there a reliable source for good cables at all?
Other than fixing or making one, the only "trick" that I have to suggest is to try to find one with the connector shells made of moulded plastic . This increases your chance of getting one that was made back in the day when this was current tech (and likely well made). This is not surefire, as there may exist crappy ones with moulded shells too, but this is such a low volume item that I doubt anybody would bother making crappy new adapters with a custom moulded shell.
I bought a crappy one with moulded plastic shells. It contained a PCB but completely wrong resistors. Adding proper resistors to yours should work, you don't need an opto coupler for output and a buffer isn't necessary either.
darrywrote on 2020-07-04, 17:31:Pretty sure you won't find anything but wire inside (which would explain the lack of function). I had the same issue when lookin […] Show full quote
It looks well made enough. I'll pop it open and check to see if it's sound or needs reworking.
Pretty sure you won't find anything but wire inside (which would explain the lack of function). I had the same issue when looking for a spare . Finally found a cheap new old stock one that worked .
In your case, fixing your existing can likely be done by following the schematic in this thread .
I bought a crappy one with moulded plastic shells. It contained a PCB but completely wrong resistors. Adding proper resistors to yours should work, you don't need an opto coupler for output and a buffer isn't necessary either.
I stand corrected . One should never underestimate the bottom feeders .
Pretty sure you won't find anything but wire inside (which would explain the lack of function). I had the same issue when looking for a spare . Finally found a cheap new old stock one that worked .
In your case, fixing your existing can likely be done by following the schematic in this thread .
