VOGONS


First post, by shaq

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I'm having trouble getting music to play in DOS, although it works in Win 95. Specifically, aweutil gives me error12. CTCM, CTCU, Mixerset and diagnose all say the card is fine, but not any version of aweutil I have tried(1.01,1.2,1.35). What is going on here? I read about not having NMI on some motherboards. Would that cause only the aweutil/music problem? My motherboard is a SE440BX with a Pentium 2 350. On this page http://www.bioscentral.com/intel/se440bxbios.htm it mentions diabling NMI on 03. So is that it and I need a different sound card for DOS? If so what is another comparable sound card that will work in DOS and W95?

Reply 1 of 13, by Jorpho

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shaq wrote:

I read about not having NMI on some motherboards.

Usually that does not apply to motherboards with ISA slots, no.

I found this ancient Usenet thread which suggests it might be a BIOS compatibility problem.
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp. … ech/PZzWxAOzLhM

Perhaps it would be worth checking if there is a BIOS update for your motherboard?

If so what is another comparable sound card that will work in DOS and W95?

Just about any ISA card would be fine. Only PCI cards have particularly questionable DOS compatibility.

Reply 4 of 13, by shaq

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Problem solved(sort of ). The card is a SB16 PnP, but with a AWE64 CT4520 PCB. It is missing(!) the EMU 8000-- and the other IC next to it-- and hence (I guess) won't get recognized by Aweutil and hence no music in DOS. If anyone is interested I can try to post a photo of the card. I got it from Ebay and the seller is no longer selling this card. So I replaced it with a real AWE64 and I have music now. Although the game port is flakey in the AWE64 so I turned the SB16 into a glorified gameport connector. 🤣 I disabled the synthesizer and midi and left the gameport operating and it seems better for my Sidewinder Precision Pro. I wouldn't lose the connection, but if I hit properties it would say it is disconnected quite often and now it does it less often.

Reply 5 of 13, by dr_st

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Very weird. A SB16 with an AWE64 PCB and even by a AWE64 name (CT4520)?!

If it's a real SB16 PnP - AWEUTIL should not be necessary, since the OPL3/CQM chip should be separate. But if somehow the EMU8000 was removed without any other provisions made for FM music - then it would be a totally crippled card, and I see no reason why anyone would release it.

Can you attach a picture of your card (alternatively maybe there are some stock photos)? I'm curious as to how it looks.

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Reply 6 of 13, by peklop

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It must be CT4525 - Sound Blaster 16 WavEffects
Card imho not missing EMU8000 (is integrated into main chip) but missing ROM, RAM and support logic.
It´s very funny i wanted start topic about that card.

Reply 7 of 13, by shaq

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Pics are getting cut off but you can see the relevant parts. Connectors are colored like a 4520. The main IC doesn't have AWE64 printed on it. It was listed as an AWE 64 on ebay which wasn't true. http://www.mediafire.com/file/1r2arc3d2n5mt61/100_0336.JPG http://www.mediafire.com/file/jss2i4y1k00p7gy/100_0337.JPG

100_0336.JPG 100_0337.JPG

Reply 8 of 13, by peklop

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CT4520 printed at label but it must be CT4525 subversion - SB16 WavEffects. Not first time when Creative not write real product number.

Your chips is without AWE logo but it is CT8920-NBQ. Same chip as AWE64 Value:
http://hw.fagear.ru/creative-sound-blaster-aw … 4-value-ct4520/
This chip include EMU8000, OPL3, SB16 logic/codec and other separate chips from older cards.
But card missing EMU8011 chip with sample ROM, and RAM memory. MIDI synth cannot work without wavetable samples.

Reply 9 of 13, by peklop

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I found photo of the box of Your card:
http://www.pixelatedarcade.com/tech_attribute … und-blaster-16/
Check that box! http://www.pixelatedarcade.com/pictures/TechA … s-box-front.jpg
Card pictured at the box is much smaller because it is Vibra based SB16 WavEffects.
You can compare with classic Vibra based SB16 WavEffects here: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/302063044615?rmvSB=true
(ignore PR text about 32 WaveTable, is only software based under windows. AWE64 is AWE32 plus 32 software voices)

it looks lihe Creative has so much AWE64 chips and PCBs and sold it at stripped-down card under SB16WE name.
And card look and printed name CT4520 same as full AWE64value is confusing.

Reply 10 of 13, by shaq

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Yes that's it! But this card is almost nonfunctional in DOS so I don't know why they would sell it? It is okay as a basic windows card but that's it. The box doesn't say it doesn't play music in DOS like it should. I couldn't get the 620 AWE32 address, the SB16 or AWE32 220 address or the basic 388 address. None of them worked in DOS. Jetfighter 3 config made it easy to test them all. Yet the dxdiag tests with basic music worked.

Reply 11 of 13, by peklop

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it s strange. DOS compatibility is printed at the box. But box missing SB16 logo which is on diffferent Vibra-type SB16 W.E.
And there is one small difference if i comparing boxes.
AWE64-type SB16 W.E. need 133MHz K5 and 28kbps modem
Vibra16XV-type SB16 W.E. need only 90MHz K5 and 14kbps modem.
and AWE type chip is stronger compared to vibra

imho your card is newer (picture of older still apeared at box)

Reply 12 of 13, by dr_st

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Looks like this card has been mentioned before:
I've never seen a AWE64 CT4520 that's neutered

The Vibra-based "WavEffects" would probably play music in DOS, because it does not depend on the internal sample ROM.

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Reply 13 of 13, by peklop

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dr_st wrote:

Looks like this card has been mentioned before:
I've never seen a AWE64 CT4520 that's neutered

The Vibra-based "WavEffects" would probably play music in DOS, because it does not depend on the internal sample ROM.

Youre right same card.
But why is sample ROM/RAM needed for SB16 compatibility and for OPL3/CQM FM synth is unknown.