1. Yes. But keep in mind that the MIDI interface on AWE32 cards has a few problems (see "hanging note bug", "MPU401 intelligent mode").

2. Yes.

3. An AWE32 is a SB16 with a few add-ons, they're basically the same thing.

4. Depends on the AWE32 model you want to install, but all you need for the MT-32 is to configure the MIDI port address (default is 330h).

5u3 wrote:

1. Yes. But keep in mind that the MIDI interface on AWE32 cards has a few problems (see "hanging note bug", "MPU401 intelligent mode").

Is there a fix for this? Where can I read more about this problem?

Tempest

I dont think there is any fix short of getting a true mpu401 or compatible card.
Switching the sb32 for a non creative card, (or awe64?) would fix hanging note problem though.

Ok so what's the best sound card to use with the MT-32? MPU-401's seem to be rare and expensive.

hmm...
...maybe a cheap Ensoniq card like AudioPCI ?
That one can fake intelligent mode (can do 2 sysex messages but many times that is enough - still not for ALL games...)

MIDIMAN 401 or other mpu 401 compatible cards are the best solution if you do not want to shell out serious bucks for a Roland interface. It will still not be very cheap either.

I have an Ensoniq Soundscape, would that work?

I was lucky to get a musiquest 16 card for 20$ shipped earlier this year. In original box and documents and floppies.

So its still possible to find a mpu401 compatible interface for a good price, but you gotta be patient and be on the lookout.

What MPU-401 interfaces are there? I've simply been searching for "MPU-401"

Midiman mm401. Musicquest and the Roland MPU401 cards (mpu-ipc, mpu-at etc..) are about it for DOS.

I was going to start a new thread about this, but I noticed I already made a thread a few years back.

I'm attempting to get this all working (real life got in the way and I had to put all my DOS stuff in storage for a bit). I'm actually using a Pentium 200 class machine now, but still using the AWE32 card. My questions are:

1. Can someone describe or point me to some info on this hanging note bug?

2. From what I've read on Nerdly Pleasures (I think someone here writes that don't they?) the AWE32 doesn't support Intelligent Mode and does some sort of half-assed emulation of an MPU-401 unit. How well does this work for older games? I've read that the newer games (Monkey Island 2) seem to work with this, but I'm more concerned about the older games like the Sierra On-Line adventures.

3. If the above won't work with the Sierra games, what's the cheapest way to get the MT-32 interfaced? Are there better options now (I see some new clone cards on ebay)?

4. Will the fact that I'm using a Pentium 200Mhz machine cause issues? I think the speed problems were only with the first version of the MT-32 and I have the second version. Otherwise I do have a 486SX that I could use.

In storage for a bit (5 years) 😊

The Sound Blaster is actually fine for driving a MT-32. The hanging note bug is mostly an issue with later DOS games that use General MIDI as well as digital sound effects.

So for the golden MT-32 games from Origin, Sierra, Dynamix or Lucasarts, the Sound Blaster with SoftMPU will do just fine.

PhilsComputerLab wrote:

In storage for a bit (5 years) 😊

The Sound Blaster is actually fine for driving a MT-32. The hanging note bug is mostly an issue with later DOS games that use General MIDI as well as digital sound effects.

So for the golden MT-32 games from Origin, Sierra, Dynamix or Lucasarts, the Sound Blaster with SoftMPU will do just fine.

That's what I was hoping to hear. When configuring games with this setup, do I select MT-32 or General Midi?

Usually MT-32, but the LA devices sometimes show differently. With X-Com: UFO Defense for example, you should select LAPC-1.

The hanging note is also dependent on the which bus chip you have. if you have a CT-1747 chip with the yamaha core, you wont get hanging note bug.

BloodyCactus wrote:

The hanging note is also dependent on the which bus chip you have. if you have a CT-1747 chip with the yamaha core, you wont get hanging note bug.

Incorrect. The CT-1747 mitigates some of the hanging note problems, but the only ways to avoid them entirely are to use an unaffected DSP for your MIDI output or use twin SB16s, one for MIDI and one for digital audio.

Why is this in emulation? Real hardware threads should be in Marvin.

I'd say the best way to answer all your questions as you already own all the hardware is simply give it a try.
If you hit a problem (the hanging note bug for example) then look into/ask what the solution is. rather then spend money on something that was never a issue in the first place!

I believe Phil was spot on with the hanging note bug only affecting General MIDI (not MT-32). Here is more info on the topic:
http://www.vogonswiki.com/index.php/Hanging_note_bug
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2012/07/s … 64-options.html particularly:

Hanging Notes MIDI

It is important to identify games which produce hanging notes as a result of incompatibility with the various DSP versions of the 16-bit Sound Blaster series. : DOOM, DOOM II, Heretic, Hexen, Raptor, Hocus Pocus, Duke Nukem 3D and Blood are all examples of games which suffer from this bug. There are other games which may occasionally produce hanging notes regardless of the midi interface being used. Any game using LucasArts iMuse system may be subject to it. This includes Star Wars - X-Wing and Tie Fighter (floppy versions) are good examples of such a game. Only the former are addressed here.

AWE64s use DSP 4.16, so there will be no hanging notes midi bug. AWEs prior to that use DSP 4.13 for the most part, and all these DSPs are known to suffer from the hanging notes midi bug. The bug will only occur when digital sounds and midi are being played. The best fix for the problem is to use another card for MIDI. The CT2760 is the card where you will most likely see the 4.11 and 4.12 DSPs. Rev. 3 of the CT2760 probably has the 4.13 DSP. This bug will not be present in any card using the CT-1747 chip.

and
http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2012/07/s … ibulations.html

Tempest wrote:

4. Will the fact that I'm using a Pentium 200Mhz machine cause issues? I think the speed problems were only with the first version of the MT-32 and I have the second version. Otherwise I do have a 486SX that I could use.

Yes. Because many of the games that support MT-32 are also older games that don't have speed-limiters built in. For example, Wing Commander 1 and 2, and Ultima 6 and 7 all run too fast at Pentium speeds. And most Sierra and LucasArts point-and-click adventures don't run too fast, but either crash or give garbled sounds with a Pentium. If you can slow your system down to 386 or 486 speeds, these issues go away. See here for more info:
http://www.vogonswiki.com/index.php/List_of_C … sensitive_games
The easiest option is Setmul by forum member gerwin, since it lets you do it entirely in software, so you don't have to change jumpers on your motherboard, go into the BIOS to disable caches, or use a real 386/486 to run them on. There is more info on this in the link in my signature.

Using Setmul, I can run my Pentium Overdrive 200MMX at Pentium 133, 486-25 and 386DX-25 speeds, all without having to even reboot.

Cheers!