Here is an incomplete list of programs that would benefit from an intelligent mode MPU-401 interface (Source: Looking for a list of dos games that require an intelligent mode MPU-401) There are definitely more, such as some of the Ultima games.

A-10 Tank Killer Codename : Iceman Companions Of Xanth Conquests of Camelot Curse of Enchantia David Wolf Ecargxus Eric the Un […]
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A-10 Tank Killer
Codename : Iceman
Companions Of Xanth
Conquests of Camelot
Curse of Enchantia
David Wolf
Ecargxus
Eric the Unready
Gateway
Gateway II
Hero's Quest/Quest for Glory I
Hired Guns
Hoyle's Official Book of Games Volume I
Hoyle's Official Book of Games Volume II
Innocent until Caught
It Came from the Desert
King's Quest I : Quest for the Crown
Kings Quest IV
Laser Squad
Leisure Suit Larry 2
Leisure Suit Larry 3
Linewars II
Martian Memorandum
Mixed Up Mother Goose
Police Quest II
Princess Maker
Princess Maker 2
Sabre Team
Shadoworlds
Silpheed
Simon the Sorcerer
Sorcerian
Space Quest III
Spellcasting 101
Spellcasting 201
Spellcasting 301
Superhero League of Hoboken
The Colonel's Bequest
Thexder II
TimeQuest
Waxworks
Wing Commander
Wing Commander II
Wonderland
Zeliard

If those games do not interest you, then you're probably fine with non-intelligent mode MPU-401 capabilities.

As to what the best way to connect the AWE64 to an external MT-32, the answer is that it depends.

SoftMPU is of course a "free" option once you've got the gameport-midi cable connected appropriately, but not every game will work with it since SOFTMPU requires EMM386 4.46+ (MS-DOS 6.2) or QEMM 7.03+. Games that break when either of these memory managers are loaded won't work with SOFTMPU.

The more expensive option is a hardware solution such as an original MPU-401 ($$$$$), certain legacy MPU-401 clones that specifically support intelligent mode ($$$$), or more modern solutions such as HardMPU (which you already mentioned) or PCMIDI; incidentally the Orpheus Sound Card is a popular modern solution which can include intelligent mode MPU-401 as an optional add-on.

As far as a cable, if you emulate MT-32 on another PC via USB then you can't go wrong with purchasing a Roland UM-One mk2 and calling it a day. Otherwise, for DB15 to MIDI I'd look up Serdashop and purchase one of theirs. You can daisy-chain them this way:

PC --> SC-55 mk II --> MT-32
The SC-55 mk II can run the data to the MT-32 with just a dumb MIDI cable.

Good luck!

Thanks for the information!

Does the Roland UM-One work in DOS? (my DOS machine does have USB 1.0 ports)

I’m using one on my modern gaming system but I’m not sure how it would be used on the DOS system?

I also have an mt32pi for my mister but that connects over a custom usb came (user I/o port on mister) but I don’t think I can connect that to my DOS machine either.

The UM-ONE’s USB does not work in DOS. The closest you could do with that cable on a retro machine with real Roland hardware is to run it on Windows XP. I use mine on Windows 10, myself; it allows me to use MUNT to emulate Roland hardware for retro machines if I prefer not to plug in a sound module.

Give this a read:
ROLAND UM1-G USB-Midi interface

UM-ONE Manual:
https://www.roland.com/global/support/by_prod … owners_manuals/

Honestly through, for your purposes just get one of these:
Molex 5 Pin DIN to DB15 MIDI 92604-0001 Cable Harness Assembly, New https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YBGZSF8/

and one of these:
5 Din Midi Cable, Ancable 1-Feet 5 Pin Din Male to Male Plug Midi Cables with Molded Connector Housing Compatible with Piano Keyboard https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LKR4J2C/

Thanks again for the help. I've placed an order for the cables you linked to.

I'd like to also investigate SoftMPU Serial Mode + MT32-Pi. If I understand correctly, you can connect an RS232-to-TTL serial adapter from the DOS PC to the MT32-Pi and that's all that is needed. (I wonder something like [ur=https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Chipset-CableC … 3900553&sr=8-20]this[/url] would work?)

As I mentioned though, I have a real MT32 and SC55-mkII and an mt32-pi (and MiSTer!) so I like to play with all the different options and see what ends up working best.