AWE32 / AWE64 : Use external midi in Windows 95 dos session \ VOGONS

AWE32 / AWE64 : Use external midi in Windows 95 dos session

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First post, by skyfoxxp

Posted on 2013-02-23, 17:11

skyfoxxp Offline

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Hello all,

I am new to this forum so a few words about me :
I'm 37 and a great nostalgic of 80's and 90's !
I have a Gateway 2000 1994 tower that I love : Pentium 100 (upgraded to 133), 64 MB, Windows 95.
I used so far a SB16 with Orchid Wavebooster 4FX daughterboard then a NEC XR385 (DB60XG).
Last week I bought a Roland SC88 Pro and an AWE64 Gold to have a high quality ISA board with good SNR ratio.

Everything is fine except one thing :
When I try to play games within a DOS session in Windows 95 I can't use the external MIDI (Roland). All the MIDI is routed internally to the AWE64 synthesizer.
In any Win95 app, the external MIDI port is well used.
In pure DOS, the external MIDI port is also used.
The problem is only in a DOS box within Windows.

I read in this forum that a workaround exists : disable the Creative MIDI in Windows device manager : it works well but I find this workaround not so elegant.

Do you have any idea ?
How are you using your external MIDI expander connecting to an AWE 32 or 64 within a DOS session ?

Thank you very much for your help !

Reply 1 of 7, by skyfoxxp

Posted on 2013-02-23, 17:19

skyfoxxp Offline

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I precise that I have tried with the built-in Windows 95 OSR 2.5 and AWE64 drivers. Same problem.
The BLASTER environnement variable within the dos box looks correct.

Reply 2 of 7, by d1stortion

Posted on 2013-02-23, 17:43

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A bit of a rough explanation since I haven't used AWE in a while, but if you installed everything from the CD there should be an "instrument manager" or something similar, you need to set it so that it doesn't use the AWE's internal synth.

Reply 3 of 7, by skyfoxxp

Posted on 2013-02-23, 17:51

skyfoxxp Offline

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Thanks !
Actually in the "Multimedia" applet of the Windows control panel I have selected "External MIDI". This choice allows to use the external Roland Sound Canvas in every Windows application (midi player, Cubase, Midisoft...) but not the MS-DOS box.
It's like the DOS box doesn't really use this setting and always route the MIDi events to the internal synth.

I think you mention in your replay the "AWE control panel" but I can't see any appropriate setting.

Reply 4 of 7, by d1stortion

Posted on 2013-02-23, 18:32

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No, not the control panel. You should find the utility in the Creative folder in the start menu, the icon was a claviature or something (now it's getting really vague 🤣). But I had this problem myself when using an AWE with an expander and this fixed it. If you really don't have the utility, download the CD from VOGONS drivers.

Reply 5 of 7, by skyfoxxp

Posted on 2013-02-23, 19:06

skyfoxxp Offline

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Following your advice I explored the "AWE settings" again and I found out that disabling "MPU401 emulation" would stop routing the MIDI to internal synth.

So far it works !

Thanks again !

Reply 6 of 7, by Gamecollector

Posted on 2013-02-24, 05:46

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Plus there is a MIDI variable for Sound Blaster.
Something like MIDI=SYNTH:1 MAP:G MODE:0.
AFAIR synth=2 is the midi port.
The only trouble - I'm not sure about this variable will work for any REAL software...

Reply 7 of 7, by skyfoxxp

Posted on 2013-02-24, 06:45

skyfoxxp Offline

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Yes I know about this "SYNTH:2" variable but I couldn' see any effect with my CT1740 SB16 or with the AWE64.

As you said I think very few software take it into account.

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