Is it possible to make external FM synthesizer? \ VOGONS

Is it possible to make external FM synthesizer?

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First post, by kirikl

Posted on 2016-12-07, 23:07

kirikl Offline

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Hello guys.
I have old 486 Compaq laptop. There is Covox (LPT) and Virtual SC-55ST (COM) on it. I just wandering if it could be the way to plug something to emulate FM, which is 75% games supporting Sound Blaster.
Thanks.

P.S. I went farther and ordered PCMCIA Serial port adapter with additional 2 interfaces and Serial Mouse, cause laptop has only single PS/2 which is only for one device at a time. I know the configuration sounds crazy, but I love it. Less space then desktop anyway and all legacy laptops in one network, connected to the internet and plugged to the 4 port switcher. 😀 😊

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Reply 1 of 8, by sprcorreia

Posted on 2016-12-07, 23:26

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You can use a PCMCIA sound card.

Reply 2 of 8, by brostenen

Posted on 2016-12-07, 23:58

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There are OPL shields for arduino, and there are MIDI I/O shields for Arduino.
If there is a way to access OPL through the MIDI protocol, this could possible be a way of doing it.
There are a video on youtube, in wich a homemade VS1053b are being demonstrated as an
external MIDI device.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9rbprGT2X0

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Reply 3 of 8, by lolo799

Posted on 2016-12-08, 22:26

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As sprcorreia wrote, a PCMCIA card is what you want, or an even rarer parallel port device such as the Digispeech Portable Plus.

PCMCIA Sound, Storage & Graphics

Reply 4 of 8, by Jo22

Posted on 2016-12-09, 15:16

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There also was an external Adlib Card..
Someone managed to make an ISA->Parallel Port adapter:
http://www.raphnet.net/electronique/adlib/adlib_en.php

Perhaps someone could write a TSR similar to SoftMPU and redirect port 388/389 to LPTx ?

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Reply 5 of 8, by BloodyCactus

Posted on 2016-12-09, 15:47

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there was a yamaha pcmcia fm sound card on ebay the other day, a YMF289 OPL3 (aka YMF262) one.

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Reply 6 of 8, by lolo799

Posted on 2016-12-09, 18:03

lolo799 Offline

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BloodyCactus wrote:
there was a yamaha pcmcia fm sound card on ebay the other day, a YMF289 OPL3 (aka YMF262) one.

Can you post the link, just to see if it's one I covered already, thanks.

PCMCIA Sound, Storage & Graphics

Reply 7 of 8, by sprcorreia

Posted on 2016-12-09, 21:12

sprcorreia Offline

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You need something like this one I have:

vCLEwUFe_oZNCgrYtb9bT1FBnTQH50aKw1j7MX86cgE?size_mode=3&dl=0&size=2048x1536

Reply 8 of 8, by Beegle

Posted on 2016-12-09, 21:26

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Jo22 wrote:
There also was an external Adlib Card.. Someone managed to make an ISA->Parallel Port adapter: http://www.raphnet.net/electroniq […]
Show full quote
There also was an external Adlib Card..
Someone managed to make an ISA->Parallel Port adapter:
http://www.raphnet.net/electronique/adlib/adlib_en.php

Perhaps someone could write a TSR similar to SoftMPU and redirect port 388/389 to LPTx ?

Came here to post this, thanks Jo22. I want to build one for myself someday. Cool thing is that Raph lives nearby so if I need help I just can phone him.

The more sound cards, the better.
AdLib documentary : Official Thread
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