Interesting find. I have no doubt it's GM compatible. But what will it sound like?

The "PC interface" port on the back looks an awful lot like the one on the Roland SC-7 that goes to a standard serial port.

This is the only information I could find about it.
http://equipboard.com/items/goldstar-gs1000r-gm-sound-module
The reviewer wasn't particularly thrilled about it.

I asked him to open it up and post some photos of the chips inside. I was able to identify:

GM76C88AL-15 CMOS RAM.
ST90R50FC6 microcontroller.
ADSP-2163 analog-to-digital processor.
GM82C650 digital sound processor with PCM/FM and GM/GS support.

I think the chip with the white sticker on it is the sample ROM. I sent him another message to help shed some light on it for us. 😀

that GM82C650 chip is a beast.

cdrom interface, gameport interface, ram+rom simultaneous interface, 20bit dac. GM + GS support inbuilt.

interesting, its ROM data is can be set to either 8bit or 12bit.. no 16bit rom samples...

wonder if this chip was ever used on a soundcard, as it has it all you need to make an awe32 style card with some drams + sample rom.

I agree with your opinion of the GM82C650; the datasheet was very compelling. Unfortunately, this unit has no buttons or LCD to access any of it. So we're left guessing as to what it's defaults are.

A lot of information I've read suggests that this was bundled with keyboard synthesizers so it may not be meant for games? Still not sure what to make of it.

the datasheet has some interesting default settings. but that does not imply the card overrides the chips internal pull ups + pull downs. I guess you'd have to probe its configuration pins and see if they are high or low on startup. the datasheet implies it needs either a gm system on or a gs reset message, but dose not say what mode it is, if it does not get one.

heh interesting it includes the cm64/cm32-l set.. and it has the sound effects set! curious.. someone should test this as a CM32L and see if the effects come through. but not sure how you'd reset it into CM32-L mode...

well the datasheet lists it, I'm guessing you need a rom for it tho since it wont be inside the chip itself.. its jut lists the intstrument table in the datasheet...

oh well.. guess its not really there.

BloodyCactus wrote:

heh interesting it includes the cm64/cm32-l set.. and it has the sound effects set! curious.. someone should test this as a CM32L and see if the effects come through. but not sure how you'd reset it into CM32-L mode...

I thought that was pretty interesting too. But again, since there is no way of interacting with it, it's all about the defaults. And I doubt it has anything more than GM patches, as that's what the manual implies. It doesn't mention GS at all. And there is only a "General Midi" logo on the front.

It's kind of like how so many PCI sound cards support doughterboard headers but don't have them put onto the board.

I just bought this -- will post more about it when it arrives!

I couldn't get him to open it back up and photo the GM ROM chip. Please let us know what it is. Even better, record some Warcraft 2, Doom, and Duke Nukem for us to compare.

Sorry for necroposting =) I managed to put my hands on one of these units. It's not in working state for now, but I'm working on it =)
Here's the Guts (2 photos — with and without flashlight):