Search \ VOGONS

Re: 386 SX-40 - Is this CPU actually good for anything?

Posted on 2019-07-18, 07:42

Any help would be appreciated at this point, I'm even OK with covering shipping to and from someone who wants to have a hand at repairint it for me as a project. I would re-check the keyboard traces and made sure they are OK also try to connect a battery and see if that helps... but my money is on …

Re: 386 SX-40 - Is this CPU actually good for anything?

Posted on 2019-07-18, 07:42

by appiah4

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Yea, I think what also matters is that a 386 is basically stuck in-between 16-bit and 32-bit software. That is, it can technically run 32-bit software, but it's barely fast enough for an early 32-bit game like DOOM. A full 32-bit OS like Windows NT or linux is overkill. So in practice you probably …

Re: 386 SX-40 - Is this CPU actually good for anything?

Posted on 2019-07-18, 07:04

by appiah4

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

nice , a 386sx with cache these are always nice boards! looks like it will support 64kb of cache so it will cover the 16MB of ram the system supports. Mine doesn't POST though and despite extensive efforts I couldn't fix it: https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=67185 Any help would be …

Re: Barrel battery alternative ?

Posted on 2019-07-18, 06:47

by appiah4

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Here's a recent setup I did on a 386SX: External battery header to a 3xAA battery holder; I use rechargeable AA batteries but recharge them externally when needed.

Re: 386SX-40 Motherboard Not POSTing

Posted on 2019-07-18, 06:42

by appiah4

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Ok so I quickly set this board up. I get 4E 46 as a code. Keyboard leds briefly light up when powered on but after that the keyboard error and no more led's. Same behavior (keyboard error after memory test complete), different debug code.. Is your BIOS AMI or Award? I hope we can solve this issue …

Re: Making a new soundfont for the AWE 64

Posted on 2019-07-18, 06:02

by appiah4

in Marvin \ Sound

Sorry but what is the 'normal' version of the soundfont and where do I find it? I am looking at the fileserver on your link and there are basic, tiny and complete only?

Re: 386 SX-40 - Is this CPU actually good for anything?

Posted on 2019-07-18, 05:26

by appiah4

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I find this topic and I have this same board, but it is incomplete. It does not have the CPU, the BIOS, cache chips and coprocessor socket. https://postimg.cc/grGdWLmr I'll buy a 386sx40 processor from china and want a copy of BIOS. I'll try to find it on some repository site, but some pictures …

Re: What retro activity did you get up to today?

Posted on 2019-07-17, 14:18

by appiah4

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

amadeus777999 wrote: appiah4 wrote: http://ftp.se.freebsd.org/pub/awe32/soundfonts/8mbgmgs.zip Noice - Thanks! I edited my post above, that link is not the Creative one 😀

Re: What retro activity did you get up to today?

Posted on 2019-07-17, 14:14

by appiah4

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

https://github.com/DriverPackSolution/DP_Soun … ddon/Ct8mgm.sf2 While searching for it I came across this folder in the freebsd.org ftp: http://ftp.se.freebsd.org/pub/awe32/soundfonts It has some other nice <8MB SF2s.

Re: USB Audio Reccomendations

Posted on 2019-07-17, 13:59

by appiah4

in Marvin \ Sound

As for the buran soundbank, I do like it a lot. It kinda reminds me of Arachno. I just hate that Doom Engine games just never quite sound right to me on anything other than an SC-55-Like. For example, e1m1 - at dooms gate just has VERY echoey and heavy guitars: https://soundcloud.com/user-470084971 …

Re: USB Audio Reccomendations

Posted on 2019-07-17, 12:59

by appiah4

in Marvin \ Sound

Just get the X3M A, I would say; soundcard and external MIDI device in one. (I think the Buran soundbank is way better than the unofficial SC soundbank.. SC is quite a bit overrated IMO)

Re: What retro activity did you get up to today?

Posted on 2019-07-17, 12:57

by appiah4

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Try the 8MB Creative soundfont, it's heaps better than the 4MB one. As fr 4MB soundfonts, the SCC1T2.SF2 and XGREMAP.SF2 are fantastic little fonts to emulate the sound canvas and XG respectively. Have fun.

Re: Making a new soundfont for the AWE 64

Posted on 2019-07-17, 12:55

by appiah4

in Marvin \ Sound

I tried downloading the 28MB soundfont yesterday but your download links don't have it anymore? I would be more than happy to compare it to the best 28MB SF2 that I know fits in an AWE64 - Masterpiece.sf2.

Re: What retro activity did you get up to today?

Posted on 2019-07-16, 21:50

by appiah4

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I had the pleasure of (not) cleaning up battery mess on a 286 motherboard: https://i.postimg.cc/sGgN9Fqq/Unknown-286-16-HT12-A3-A0050-Battery-Damage.jpg It turned out relatively OK once everything was wiped/scraped off: https://i.postimg.cc/w3qZdJM2/Unknown-286-16-HT12-A3-A0050-Battery-Repair.jpg …

Re: Bought these (retro) hardware today

Posted on 2019-07-16, 21:48

by appiah4

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Murugan wrote: Oh these silent killers... Well.. it wasn't as bad as it looked, after some vigorous vinegar, alcohol and sanding: =>

Re: Bought these (retro) hardware today

Posted on 2019-07-16, 13:32

by appiah4

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I never intended to buy 286 era hardware but then I saw this board listed locally for a reasonable sum, and it had onboard I/O, FDC and IDE controllers so I couldn't say no. Unknown 286-16 HT12-A3A0050.JPG But then I removed the battery and oh, the horror.. This is what it looks like after an quick …

Re: Help me choose what to build next ?

Posted on 2019-07-16, 13:17

by appiah4

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Solaris 8.0 Workstation IMO.

Re: Computers and Aliens ?

Posted on 2019-07-16, 12:48

by appiah4

in Milliways

The truth is out there.

Re: Retro Rig Photo Thread

Posted on 2019-07-16, 09:14

by appiah4

in Marvin \ System Specs

And here is my recently completed 386SX build. I will use it as a stand-in 286 for 1987-189 era games, mostly for stuff with SVGA and/or MT-32 support as I have a beefed up Amiga for better graphics and sound for the rest. https://i.postimg.cc/nX2P6VBX/3-AD8-FB81-CEDA-4187-8367-BA14-B2-F45656.jpg …

Re: What retro activity did you get up to today?

Posted on 2019-07-15, 21:08

by appiah4

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

It's the oldest computer I have but I feel fairly unsympathetic to it for some reason; its game library overlaps greatly with my Amiga computers and I have found it good for very little software. Yes I'm with ya, my 386 and 286 - and even my 486 for the most part - were fun to build but I rarely go …

Main menu

Common searches

Search results

Display options

Re: 386 SX-40 - Is this CPU actually good for anything?

Re: 386 SX-40 - Is this CPU actually good for anything?

Re: 386 SX-40 - Is this CPU actually good for anything?

Re: Barrel battery alternative ?

Re: 386SX-40 Motherboard Not POSTing

Re: Making a new soundfont for the AWE 64

Re: 386 SX-40 - Is this CPU actually good for anything?

Re: What retro activity did you get up to today?

Re: What retro activity did you get up to today?

Re: USB Audio Reccomendations

Re: USB Audio Reccomendations

Re: What retro activity did you get up to today?

Re: Making a new soundfont for the AWE 64

Re: What retro activity did you get up to today?

Re: Bought these (retro) hardware today

Re: Bought these (retro) hardware today

Re: Help me choose what to build next ?

Re: Computers and Aliens ?

Re: Retro Rig Photo Thread

Re: What retro activity did you get up to today?