DOS doesn't do 'drivers', software talks directly to hardware, there's no driver layer in between. There is definitely no such thing as an OPL3 driver, software just writes to 0x388.

However this is a PnP card, so it needs to be initialized, and you generally want to set the mixer.

The original Yamaha software is SETUPSA.EXE, which sort of does the job.
Unisound works to init the card, but doesn't do anything with the mixer.
Probably the best option is fellow Vogon Tiido's modified initializer: SETYMF.EXE

You can find the latter here: https://vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid= … menustate=69,52

As for the hardware: a lot of YMF719-based cards have pretty cheap/crappy build quality. If you're lucky that won't be a problem, if not you could have noise issues.[s/]

The above applies to YMF719 cards, as pointed out, this is a YMF701 card. I need better glasses.

dionb wrote on 2025-08-26, 14:56:

Unisound works to init the card, but doesn't do anything with the mixer.

Unisound does have mixer options.
Do you mean they don't work for that Yamaha chip?

dionb wrote on 2025-08-26, 14:56:

DOS doesn't do 'drivers', software talks directly to hardware, there's no driver layer in between. There is definitely no such t […]
Show full quote

DOS doesn't do 'drivers', software talks directly to hardware, there's no driver layer in between. There is definitely no such thing as an OPL3 driver, software just writes to 0x388.

However this is a PnP card, so it needs to be initialized, and you generally want to set the mixer.

The original Yamaha software is SETUPSA.EXE, which sort of does the job.
Unisound works to init the card, but doesn't do anything with the mixer.
Probably the best option is fellow Vogon Tiido's modified initializer: SETYMF.EXE

You can find the latter here: https://vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid= … menustate=69,52

As for the hardware: a lot of YMF719-based cards have pretty cheap/crappy build quality. If you're lucky that won't be a problem, if not you could have noise issues.

“Um ackshually..." 😁

The SV500 is a weird one! It's a YMF701C and is not a true PnP card so Windows won't detect it and nor will Unisound, but SETUPSA will initialise it to allow it to work. Here's my experience with it: Re: Bought these (retro) hardware today

Once it's initialised it a great SB Pro clone card like the later YMF715/718/719 chips and because it's not PnP it won't conflict with another soundcard if setupsa isn't run to initialise it.

Thermalwrong wrote on 2025-08-27, 13:32:

“Um ackshually..." :D […]
Show full quote

dionb wrote on 2025-08-26, 14:56:

DOS doesn't do 'drivers', software talks directly to hardware, there's no driver layer in between. There is definitely no such t […]
Show full quote

DOS doesn't do 'drivers', software talks directly to hardware, there's no driver layer in between. There is definitely no such thing as an OPL3 driver, software just writes to 0x388.

However this is a PnP card, so it needs to be initialized, and you generally want to set the mixer.

The original Yamaha software is SETUPSA.EXE, which sort of does the job.
Unisound works to init the card, but doesn't do anything with the mixer.
Probably the best option is fellow Vogon Tiido's modified initializer: SETYMF.EXE

You can find the latter here: https://vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid= … menustate=69,52

As for the hardware: a lot of YMF719-based cards have pretty cheap/crappy build quality. If you're lucky that won't be a problem, if not you could have noise issues.

“Um ackshually..." 😁

The SV500 is a weird one! It's a YMF701C and is not a true PnP card so Windows won't detect it and nor will Unisound, but SETUPSA will initialise it to allow it to work. Here's my experience with it: Re: Bought these (retro) hardware today

Once it's initialised it a great SB Pro clone card like the later YMF715/718/719 chips and because it's not PnP it won't conflict with another soundcard if setupsa isn't run to initialise it.

I stand corrected.