Re: EAX appreciation thread

Posted on 2025-03-27, 10:40

by

by RetroGamer4Ever

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

If we could connect the current software emulation with the audio hardware on currently used GPUs, we could easily best Creative's last-gen EAX hardware and get exceptional audio quality. Unfortunately, nobody seems to be looking into that. I agree. All GPUs have audio capabilities for DP/HDMI …

---

Re: EAX appreciation thread

Posted on 2025-03-26, 20:06

by

by RetroGamer4Ever

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Windows 10/11 has hardware-accelerated audio, but someone would have to write new drivers to get that working with the Creative hardware.

---

Re: EAX appreciation thread

Posted on 2025-03-26, 19:30

by

by RetroGamer4Ever

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

If we could connect the current software emulation with the audio hardware on currently used GPUs, we could easily best Creative's last-gen EAX hardware and get exceptional audio quality. Unfortunately, nobody seems to be looking into that.

---

Re: X2GS : Waveblaster board with dual soundbank support, official Dream/Roland licensed GS bank

Posted on 2025-03-25, 11:45

by

by RetroGamer4Ever

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Since I like to play Final Fantasy 7 PC I wonder, is there a yamaha xg soundbank for the X2GS SE? Then I wouldn't always have to set up the MU50... No. Yamaha XG isn't just sound samples and the XG implementation used in games and music requires XG hardware or software that matches the spec and …

---

Re: EAX appreciation thread

Posted on 2025-03-05, 02:07

by

by RetroGamer4Ever

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

I noticed that games with X-RAM support load samples in OGG format (vorbis?) Does this mean hardware decoding OGG on X-Fi chip? OGG is a container, with several standard audio codec options and additional ones that are not standard, though one can use whatever one wants, so long as the software is …

---

Re: Whats the most rare piece of hardware you own?

Posted on 2025-01-31, 12:18

by

by RetroGamer4Ever

in Milliways

in Milliways

I think the rarest piece of hardware I own at this point, is one of those weird Microsoft Sidewinder Dual Strike gamepads. I came across it at a thrift store last year and snagged it, thinking it could be an interesting thing to play with.

---

Re: Sound Canvas (and related) comparison project (UPDATED: 22nd March)

Posted on 2025-01-31, 06:25

by

by RetroGamer4Ever

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Actually, I just discovered that both of the products you mentioned are full GS synths, though they are not advertised as such in the specs or use the GS branding anywhere on the body. The MIDI implementation document for both says that the default operating mode for both products is GS, with GM1 …

---

Re: Sound Canvas (and related) comparison project (UPDATED: 22nd March)

Posted on 2025-01-27, 19:22

by

by RetroGamer4Ever

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Roland still uses a basic GS offering on it's home/studio pianos, for the purposes of MIDI file accompaniment and composition, but I'm pretty sure that it's been gone from their production and performance keyboard line for many years now, probably since the early 2000's. Yamaha also still has their …

---

Re: I cleaned the basement of my dad's mom-and-pop computer store, what should I keep?

Posted on 2025-01-27, 18:33

by

by RetroGamer4Ever

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Modems and FireWire can be ditched, but you MIGHT be able to get some $$$$ for them, as there's still some usage scenarios for FireWire (A/V media retrieval/migration is one) and some weirdos just want old modems for whatever weird purpose. I don't know if the same holds true for SCSI at this point, …

---

Re: How hard is it to find retro/vintage computer hardware where you live?

Posted on 2025-01-23, 12:36

by

by RetroGamer4Ever

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Where I live, you can still occasionally find Windows XP/Vista/7 stuff, but anything before that fell victim to the eCyclers. I've managed to save some vintage machines from thrift stores, but that was in the 2010s and there's nothing popping up now.

---

Re: What do I need to use a modern Windows system as a MIDI synth for vintage hardware?

Posted on 2025-01-15, 01:25

by

by RetroGamer4Ever

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

You can also install QuickTime For Windows and get a decent GS synth, though your mileage may vary with that one. At the very least, it's better than Microsoft's botched DirectMusic GS synth.

---

Re: Non-Creative EAX Support

Posted on 2025-01-14, 21:13

by

by RetroGamer4Ever

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

EAX 1-3 was more or less fully supported under DirectSound3D, so you got that automatically with non-Sound Blaster cards and that's why so many of them support EAX with the Windows 98-XP games. 4 and 5 were exclusive to Creative Labs and some third-party cards that licensed.

---

Re: What do I need to use a modern Windows system as a MIDI synth for vintage hardware?

Posted on 2025-01-14, 20:01

by

by RetroGamer4Ever

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

You'd be using VSTs/softsynths. There is an XG VST for XG and GS MIDI, some Roland VSTs for GS MIDI, and MUNT for the MT-32 and associated hardware. The first thing you must install, is the VST Host Driver, developed and maintained by the forum member behind Falcosoft. https://github.com/Falcosoft/ …

---

Re: Was anyone else disappointed by the weapons in Doom 3?

Posted on 2025-01-03, 19:01

by

by RetroGamer4Ever

in Milliways

in Milliways

Having recently played both, I think Q4 is a bit better than D3, though both have shortcomings.

---

Re: Was anyone else disappointed by the weapons in Doom 3?

Posted on 2025-01-03, 16:35

by

by RetroGamer4Ever

in Milliways

in Milliways

Cyberdyne wrote on 2025-01-03, 11:30: RtCW is one of best FPS there is and with best weapons selection even without shotgun. This user is correct and clearly, one of the smartest amongst us.

---

Re: MK1869 : new soundcard based on ESS 1869 and ES690 chips

Posted on 2024-12-31, 15:18

by

by RetroGamer4Ever

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Here go. YMF724F-V with SB-LINK and Waveblaster expansion-header. I've only ever seen this one. Picked it up on eBay years ago. It pairs well with the DreamBlaster X2GS. Genuine Yamaha OPL, Yamaha XG, and Roland GS, all on one card. Use the SB-LINK for DMA in DOS. You just blew my mind. It's …

---

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

Posted on 2024-12-29, 11:54

by

by RetroGamer4Ever

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

Never say never. Any path taken can lead to any number of other paths that go to other things and ideas. I think we're at the point where there's a real demand for a customized micro-PC machine built off of these new ARM chips that can certainly compete with low-end x86 hardware and they would …

---

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

Posted on 2024-12-28, 20:16

by

by RetroGamer4Ever

in Milliways

in Milliways

I upgraded the SSD in my PS4 Pro and finished installing all of my games on it, so I can now play them all. It took a very long time, because most of them had to be copied off of the external storage and the not-installed games had to be downloaded and installed, along with installing massive …

---

Re: Fanatical gamers, 25+, with autism - interview

Posted on 2024-12-26, 11:34

by

by RetroGamer4Ever

in Milliways

in Milliways

I have a German last name, but don't speak German. Otherwise, I fully qualify and was recently diagnosed. :p I'm relatively high-functioning, so I think that I can provide useful answers and information from my personal experiences.

---

Re: Emulating EAX on any onboard sound hardware?

Posted on 2024-12-16, 13:03

by

by RetroGamer4Ever

in PC Emulation

in PC Emulation

So how much does DirectSound3D do by its its own on XP without Creative's extra processing? If you have surround setup, which if I understand correctly, is how it was initially designed to work with (correct me if I'm wrong), does it do anything more than balance on which speakers it emits the …

---