get the GUS_411.zip and when you run the install use the repair option
http://www.gravisultrasound.com/installdisks.htm

scroeffie wrote on 2024-05-14, 14:41:

any resellers in europe ?

I'm happy to announce that Serdaco will be selling the PicoGUS in Europe soon at https://www.serdashop.com/ !

dely wrote on 2024-05-17, 18:21:

I try to download Ultrasound installation files from github page and I am redirected to https://picog.us/. Is it possible to download this archive from somewhere else?

I fixed the redirect and the link should now work. Sorry about that. I'm starting to move the project page over to that domain.

[quote=I noticed the compatibility list on the GitHub appears to be out of date, specifically with regard to the IOCHRDY bug on 5150/5170 (and ostensibly 5155/5160/etc as well) that was supposedly fixed with firmware 1.0.2. I have a 5160 I plan to test mine on and submit a compatibility update for if it goes well.
[/quote]

Is the PicoGus already working ok with a Sis chipset (486)?

rolierop wrote on 2024-05-18, 15:38:

Is the PicoGus already working ok with a Sis chipset (486)?

It at least works with the SiS 85C407 / 85C471 chipset on a Soyo SY-025 K motherboard.

Couple questions about the PicoGUS.

Based on my understanding of the wiki, each sound card emulation requires different firmware.

How practical is it to use it to emulate multiple sound cards in one system? I am assuming this would involve re-writing the firmware each time to switch between different emulations.

Will it be possible to have a single firmware and some sort of software controls to switch between emulations or is that not practical with the hardware?

Shponglefan wrote on 2024-05-20, 03:50:

Couple questions about the PicoGUS.

Based on my understanding of the wiki, each sound card emulation requires different firmware.

How practical is it to use it to emulate multiple sound cards in one system? I am assuming this would involve re-writing the firmware each time to switch between different emulations.

It is quite practical. The firmware rewriting can be done at the DOS prompt, and takes only a few seconds. So, for example, you can easily incorporate the firmware changes into DOS batch files.

This two minute section of Phil's Youtube video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEHVB0FITqU&t=256s shows this in action.

Shponglefan wrote on 2024-05-20, 03:50:

Will it be possible to have a single firmware and some sort of software controls to switch between emulations or is that not practical with the hardware?

This approach is a development-in-progress, and is discussed at this Github issue :
https://github.com/polpo/picogus/issues/39

Shreddoc wrote on 2024-05-20, 04:19:

It is quite practical. The firmware rewriting can be done at the DOS prompt, and takes only a few seconds. So, for example, you […]
Show full quote

Shponglefan wrote on 2024-05-20, 03:50:

Couple questions about the PicoGUS.

Based on my understanding of the wiki, each sound card emulation requires different firmware.

How practical is it to use it to emulate multiple sound cards in one system? I am assuming this would involve re-writing the firmware each time to switch between different emulations.

It is quite practical. The firmware rewriting can be done at the DOS prompt, and takes only a few seconds. So, for example, you can easily incorporate the firmware changes into DOS batch files.

This two minute section of Phil's Youtube video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEHVB0FITqU&t=256s shows this in action.

Shponglefan wrote on 2024-05-20, 03:50:

Will it be possible to have a single firmware and some sort of software controls to switch between emulations or is that not practical with the hardware?

This approach is a development-in-progress, and is discussed at this Github issue :
https://github.com/polpo/picogus/issues/39

Thank you, that's great info!

The next firmware release will enable MPU-401 simultaneous with the other modes. Note that this means that any modes that use an IRQ like GUS or SB won't be able to use MPU interrupts, i.e. anything with a "1" on this list will have to use MPU-only mode: https://github.com/bjt42/softmpu/wiki/Compati … gent-Mode-Games.

he is selling the card with out the midi cable why is that ? https://www.serdashop.com/PicoGUS

scroeffie wrote on 2024-05-20, 16:05:

he is selling the card with out the midi cable why is that ? https://www.serdashop.com/PicoGUS

He includes the MIDI adapter. The addon is for a 1.5m DIN5-to-DIN5 cable.

digistorm wrote on 2024-05-18, 15:46:

rolierop wrote on 2024-05-18, 15:38:

Is the PicoGus already working ok with a Sis chipset (486)?

It at least works with the SiS 85C407 / 85C471 chipset on a Soyo SY-025 K motherboard.

Cool, I will test it on a LuckyStar Ls486E with SiS 85C496/497 soon.

Does anyone have the design files for the I/O bracket? I really enjoy building my own cards which I'm in the process of, but I don't necessarily want to do a 3D printed bracket. I will if I have to though. Problem is, I don't see the files anywhere for the one that is being sold with the PicoGus which is obviously preferable.

snipe3687 wrote on 2024-05-21, 12:11:

Does anyone have the design files for the I/O bracket? I really enjoy building my own cards which I'm in the process of, but I don't necessarily want to do a 3D printed bracket. I will if I have to though. Problem is, I don't see the files anywhere for the one that is being sold with the PicoGus which is obviously preferable.

The v2.0 bracket STL is basically on the github:

https://github.com/polpo/picogus/blob/main/hw … d%20bracket.stl

The V1.x bracket can be found here:

https://www.printables.com/model/303031-picog … undcard-bracket

I believe @polpo had linked to this in a twitter post.

appiah4 wrote on 2024-05-21, 12:37:

The v2.0 bracket STL is basically on the github: […]
Show full quote

snipe3687 wrote on 2024-05-21, 12:11:

Does anyone have the design files for the I/O bracket? I really enjoy building my own cards which I'm in the process of, but I don't necessarily want to do a 3D printed bracket. I will if I have to though. Problem is, I don't see the files anywhere for the one that is being sold with the PicoGus which is obviously preferable.

The v2.0 bracket STL is basically on the github:

https://github.com/polpo/picogus/blob/main/hw … d%20bracket.stl

The V1.x bracket can be found here:

https://www.printables.com/model/303031-picog … undcard-bracket

I believe @polpo had linked to this in a twitter post.

Ok apparently, I'm blind. thank you!

Okay, first of all, I'm not the first to come up with the following idea. LSS10999 floated it earlier before in the dISAppointment thread, and nukeykt, who responded in that same thread, has actually developed a proof-of-concept LPC-Sound-Blaster, albeit based on an FPGA, instead of something like the Pico.

I just watched this video by someone who managed to wire a Raspberry Pi Pico up to the LPC bus of a more modern motherboard in order to use the Pico as a BIOS POST card.

So apparently the GPIO pins of the RP2040 can be interfaced with the LPC bus as well.

For those who don't know: ISA still more or less exists in modern motherboards in the form of the Low Pin Count (LPC) bus. At the software level, LPC is compatible with ISA.

Also, many of you are probably familiar with the dISAppointment project, that aims to develop an LPC-to-ISA adapter.

Of course, the primary use case for such an adapter would be the use of ISA sound cards in more modern post-ISA motherboards.

But if the RP2040 is fast enough to emulate all these old DOS-era sound cards we love, and it also can directly interface with the LPC bus, then wouldn't an LPC variant of the PicoGUS be a cool project as well? And perhaps also more convenient?

Yes, I know, the LPC bus has a few known caveats:

• There is no standard connector or pinout for LPC. Usually it has to be tapped into through solder pads or possibly a TPM header, but even those have differing pinouts between motherboards.
• DMA support is optional in the LPC spec, and since TPM modules don't typically require DMA, it's often not available even in motherboards that have a TPM header.

But the GUS supports programming modes that don't require DMA. Also AdLib, MPU-401, Tandy and CMS all don't need DMA at all. Nor would the Disney Sound Source, if emulation support for that sound device could be added as well (including an emulated printer port through which it would be accessible, just like an actual DSS). Ditto with Covox Speech Thing emulation.

As for the "non-standard pinout" problem, I would assume that the dISAppointment project is working out solutions for that problem as well. Perhaps by making some adapter (ribbon) cables available for the most common variants found in the wild?

Something like a "PicoGUS for LPC" would suddenly open up native DOS sound support in a lot more modern systems as well.

I know, with the development of quality ISA sound card emulators such as SBEMU and VSBHDA, there are now alternatives available, but there's just something about having a (quasi)hardware solution as well. And it would put the (otherwise mostly often unused) TPM headers to good use as well. 🙂

I'm particularly curious about what you think about this, @polpo. Have you considered something like this? There's a good chance that this has crossed your mind before.

And would this idea perhaps be worth spinning off into a separate topic, so other people with the necessary skills could join in as well?

digger wrote on 2024-05-21, 20:53:

I just watched this video by someone who managed to wire a Raspberry Pi Pico up to the LPC bus of a more modern motherboard in order to use the Pico as a BIOS POST card.

So apparently the GPIO pins of the RP2040 can be interfaced with the LPC bus as well.

I posted about this 3 months ago Re: dISAppointment - LPC to ISA adapter - ISA on modern motherboards and a year ago Re: dISAppointment - LPC to ISA adapter - ISA on modern motherboards 😀
$5 LPC sniffer using Pico https://github.com/stacksmashing/pico-tpmsniffer

With the recent release of the Pocket 386 on Aliexpress is there any intention to do another run of the PicoGUS Femto edition? This would be a great option for digital sound on these little devices.

I am interested in one of these cards, would these be better than my current ESS1868 cards? I currently use that and an ewave. I love playing Duke 3d, Doom and Raptor.

bfarmilo wrote on 2024-05-23, 10:18:

With the recent release of the Pocket 386 on Aliexpress is there any intention to do another run of the PicoGUS Femto edition? This would be a great option for digital sound on these little devices.

Yes, I have 50 Femto boards that arrived from JLCPCB this week. This weekend I will assemble them and put them on my Tindie store. If you sign up for the waitlist you can be notified when I restock. https://www.tindie.com/products/polpo/picogus … and386-and-isa/

tobiasrieper wrote on 2024-05-23, 16:05:

I am interested in one of these cards, would these be better than my current ESS1868 cards? I currently use that and an ewave. I love playing Duke 3d, Doom and Raptor.

PicoGUS should work great with all of those games and the MIDI soundtrack will be better in the GUS mode (some people do like the FM versions better, though...).

Serdashop now has the PicoGUS 2.0 in stock: https://www.serdashop.com/PicoGUS. Should be a much better source for people in Europe!
Also Flamelily IT will be stocking them soon in the UK: https://shop.flamelily.co.uk/picogus