help: setting up a real mt-32 on a DOS pc for games \ VOGONS

help: setting up a real mt-32 on a DOS pc for games

Topic actions

Post a reply

First post, by soviet conscript

Posted on 2010-03-13, 08:11

Rank Oldbie

Rank: Oldbie
Posts: 894
Joined: 2010-03-13, 08:02

*sigh* well the mt-32 showed up and dispite my hope that this would be simple....of course it hasn't been. i know there are a few threads on this but none have been helpful

can't get the thing to work. useing one of these

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-M-AUDIO-FEMA...item519119b461

to connect my sound blaster16 to the mt-32. of course in my haste i ordered the female cable so when it arrived i had to by a short M-M midi cable to bridge and connect. as for the 1/4 mono jacks that the mt-32 uses to output i have 2 mono to stereo 1/4 to 1/8 converters and then i have a stereo 1/4 splitter to let my speakers connect to that.

anyways, as i said i can't get it working dispite what i hook the midi cable up to. i tried both midi in and out. i'm testing with kings quest 4 as i read it requires no patches to utilise the mt-32. i know the game is fine because when i set it up to use the sb16 it plays perfect but if i setup for MT-32 and compatibles when i start the game i get a black screen and a mouse pointer. i get no midi message on the mt-32. acually even when i do a sound test with the sb16 i get no sound like nothing is passing to the mt-32.

i also tried running indiana jones and the fate of atlantis, if i set it up for sb16 i get sounds fine but when i have it set up for mt-32 i just get the sound effects (generated by the sb16 and the voice (cd) but no music (mt-32)

anyone have any ideas? btw i'm running it on a 486 under dos 6.11

Reply 1 of 8, by collector

Posted on 2010-03-13, 09:13

collector Offline

Rank l33t

Rank: l33t
Posts: 4490
Joined: 2003-01-15, 10:39

Just set it up on a new machine with DOSBox. Use MIDI out from the PC to MIDI in on the MT-32. Audio out from the MT-32 audio in of the PC or some sort of amplifier. Select MPU-401 or equivalent for your MIDI device on the PC. For example, with my Audigy I use "SB Audigy MIDI IO[E400]". Be sure that you have the game configured to use MT-32. For KQ4 the line in the RESOURCE.CFG needs to be "soundDrv=MT32.DRV".

The Sierra Help Pages -- New Sierra Game Installers -- Sierra Game Patches -- New Non-Sierra Game Installers

Reply 2 of 8, by soviet conscript

Posted on 2010-03-13, 09:33

soviet conscript Offline

Rank Oldbie

Rank: Oldbie
Posts: 894
Joined: 2010-03-13, 08:02

but that completely defeats my purpose. the whole reason i have a 486 is to avoid dosbox and just play games in acual dos.

regardless, i may try getting it to work on a windows machine just to make sure its not an issue with the acual unit. i have an audiology on my windows pc as well so that info may come in handy. thanks

i really can't think of any reason its not working on my dos pc though.

Reply 3 of 8, by robertmo

Posted on 2010-03-13, 09:46

robertmo Offline

Rank l33t++

Rank: l33t++
Posts: 6003
Joined: 2003-06-18, 10:35

so check in dosbox first

Reply 4 of 8, by fluxit

Posted on 2010-03-13, 12:06

fluxit Offline

Rank Newbie

Rank: Newbie
Posts: 17
Joined: 2008-02-29, 03:43
Location: The Last Frontier

Most games of that era did not support the SB16's midi out directly. They work with an MPU-401 or compatible interface only.
Some versions(but not all) of the SB16 include a partial MPU-401 emulation which has to be explicitly enabled through software before starting your game.

Definitely do test the MT-32 from Dosbox.

Reply 5 of 8, by Great Hierophant

Posted on 2010-03-13, 15:54

Great Hierophant Offline

Rank l33t

Rank: l33t
Posts: 2412
Joined: 2003-04-27, 08:20

Some versions(but not all) of the SB16 include a partial MPU-401 emulation which has to be explicitly enabled through software before starting your game.

All SB16s have support for the UART MPU-401 mode. Many games from the era in which the MT-32 was the most advanced music device supported assumed the user connected the MT-32 to a true MPU-401 interface card from Roland, which defaults to the "Normal" (Intelligent) Mode. Since the Normal mode works differently than the UART mode, the program would not work properly with MT-32 music selected.

UART MPU-401 support is enabled by setting jumpers on the card in early SB16s, or using the Creative Configuration Utility program.

http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/ - Nerdly Pleasures - My Retro Gaming, Computing & Tech Blog

Reply 6 of 8, by soviet conscript

Posted on 2010-03-15, 07:56

soviet conscript Offline

Rank Oldbie

Rank: Oldbie
Posts: 894
Joined: 2010-03-13, 08:02

nope

tried it on my second dos pc running an awe32 and same result. also tried it nativly on my win xp pc with a sb live card and under dosbox. anything but dosbox i get a "unable to initiate music hardware". i tried all the settings under sound config. and messed with the dosbox sound settings as well, nothing. under dosbox the game plays but no mt-32 sounds just the sb16 sounds dispite the fact i have it set up for mt-32.

the mt-32 just sits there, no activity. also i don't get any sound through the output, even the stuff the sb16 is produceing. i'm starting to think its a bad cable

i would love to get a MPU-IPC-T, the breakout box seems fairly avalible the isa cards seem to be unfindable as well as the LAPC-I

Reply 7 of 8, by robertmo

Posted on 2010-03-15, 07:59

robertmo Offline

Rank l33t++

Rank: l33t++
Posts: 6003
Joined: 2003-06-18, 10:35

in win xp you have to set proper midi device in midi mapper and try fate of atlantis - this game shouldn't have any problems.

Reply 8 of 8, by Thirst

Posted on 2010-03-15, 16:45

Thirst Offline

Rank Newbie

Rank: Newbie
Posts: 60
Joined: 2010-03-08, 00:54
Location: Japan

What does the breakout box do?

Go to top of page Go to top of page

Back to MT-32 General

Main menu

Common searches