VOGONS


First post, by Kodai

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

I just bought a terratec maestro 32/96 (one of the lot of 5 listed on ebay for some time) as I've been debating this little card for a couple of years now. Saw that ebay was offering a discount and noticed that the price just keeps going up on them and decided to buy one to try it out. I'm sure it will take a few weeks to get from Germany to me in the U.S. but that will give me time to get things ready for it. I'm curious about what I've read so far and thought maybe Vogons could advise me.

Is the MPU-401 UART or intelligent mode? I'm thinking of sticking this card in a PIII Win98 rig and plugging a CM-64 onto the midi port, so I was wondering what issues I might find with it. Does it have any problems with more advanced joysticks? Does it play well with the AWE-32 (thinking of paring in a CT3980), as I'd like to keep genuine OPL3 and EMU8K?

Reply 1 of 7, by Kodai

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

A quick side question here, does the maestro's sc-55 sound bank have the default mt32 sound bank like a real sc55? Just wondering if it's OK to use for mt32 games that don't use custom patches (like many Lucas Arts games). Also if it does offer this feature, how do you access it and is it available in a pure DOS environment or does it require win9x applications?

Reply 2 of 7, by gerwin

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

Attached the leaflet of this card, but it is in German. Also i do not have a scanner now, so it is just a photo.
It says that MT-32 patch mapping is supported. I never tried it myself, but I suspect it is done with sysex messages. The PDF manual from the terratec FTP should explain this.
The Dream Synth is specified as UART mode.

If you just want to use it as a midi card, it should pair with the AWE32 fine. Though I wish I had a DOS driver just for the Dream Synth. The DOS driver is a hybrid DOS/Windows executable that communicates with both the CS4232 controller and the Dream Synth.
There is a trick I tried, where you can use plain and simple Crystal CS4232 drivers, then route the CS4232 midi-out with a single wire to the Dream synth midi-in.

--> ISA Soundcard Overview // Doom MBF 2.04 // SetMul

Reply 3 of 7, by Kodai

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Thanks for the info Gerwin. My German is limited, but I get by with it every time go over there as well as my German friends. So I'll make do translating it.

My plans for the card are to stick it in a Win 98 rig along with a CT3980 for OPL and EMU8K. This rig is meant for 9X games, so I don't expect the need for intelligent mode 401 or MT32. But... (isn't there always a big 'ol butt in these thing), I might put it in a pure DOS rig and that's where I started to think I could make it self contained. By that I mean no external modules. That's why I was wondering if it hat basic MT32 support. If it doesn't have that, then maybe I would consider putting some type of module on there and was wondering if I would have to deal with SoftMPU. I guess we'll see how it goes over the next couple months and find out what it can and shouldn't be capable of.

Reply 4 of 7, by realnc

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

Maybe throw the AWE out and put an AdLib card in 😀

Reply 5 of 7, by Kodai

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Yeah, if I could afford one. Even if I could, it would end up in a special DOS build that would focus on AdLib and LPT DAC's just because, 🤣.

Reply 6 of 7, by gerwin

User metadata
Rank l33t
Rank
l33t

I always had the intention to make a proper scan of that leaflet, so better do it now:

The attachment Maestro32-96-Leaflet_256.png is no longer available

It is actually a brochure with the Terratec 1996 lineup.

--> ISA Soundcard Overview // Doom MBF 2.04 // SetMul

Reply 7 of 7, by Kodai

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Danke!