VOGONS


PCMCIA Sound Cards

Topic actions

Reply 200 of 579, by halls_well

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

Thanks cyclone3d, I will keep an eye out, but my hopes are not high, nothing in the last few months in sold either 🙁. I recently fired up my old Compaq 486 laptop with a really nice screen, and the first thing I saw was Windows 95 telling me my drivers were missing hardware... as it always has...

Bondi wrote on 2020-02-19, 17:50:

Tried my Panasonic KXL-D745. In DOS it plays Adlib fine, but crashes when attempting to play digital sound (Wolf3D).
But in Windows 95's DOS session it actually plays digital sound in Wolf3D. One can hear door opening sound and soldiers saying "mein Leben" 😀 Yet FX souund does not work in Doom, for instance.
I'm now wondering why, and what type of digital sound this is. Direct DAC SB (no DMA) mode? Or it is because Wolf3D is a real mode game? Not sure I understand how it all relates.

Sorry to bug you Bondi, but I can't reply to your PM since I'm too new - if you can PM me your email address I can reply there, unless there's another way? Thanks!

Reply 201 of 579, by digger

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
lolo799 wrote on 2019-08-31, 20:58:
Abuse doesn't use the AIL/Miles Design library but the Human Machine Interfaces one instead, that's why there's no .dig files. T […]
Show full quote

Abuse doesn't use the AIL/Miles Design library but the Human Machine Interfaces one instead, that's why there's no .dig files.
The demo version doesn't support the Wavjammer, the full version does:
setup_000.png

The setup from Destruction Derby, a game using AIL/Miles, as an example of what it looks like:
setsound_000.png

Interesting! 😃

Until I read here about the Wavjammer, I didn't know of any sound card with both a synth and a DAC that did not require ISA DMA, but did have native support in at least some DOS games.

So suppose one were to install a PCI/PCMCIA adapter in a modern (post-ISA) PC, stick a Wavjammer in the adapter and then boot the PC in pure MS-DOS ...

Would one get sound to work in these games? Without any emulation? 🤔

Reply 202 of 579, by MAZter

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Sweet device from the 90s: Axonix ProMedia Player.

Adds a CD-ROM, a 16-bit sound card, a 4-watt sound system and stereo speakers plus game port, everything thru PCMCIA card, unfortunately my CD-Rom module is dead, rest part of the device works fine, clean sound. Based on ES688 and OPL3 chip.

Limited games and laptops compatibility. But I'm happy to have gameport option thru PCMCIA in native DOS.

Multimedia module contains NiCad battery (actiually not required). System requirements is Dos 5.0 (or later), or Windows 3.1

IMG-1584333651444.jpg

IMG-1584333613691.jpg

IMG-1584333630869.jpg

IMG-1584333624861.jpg

IMG-1584333639208.jpg

IMG-1584333644689.jpg

Video:
https://youtu.be/ILdOAdSFxdY

More info: https://www.deseret.com/1995/8/13/19187088/cd … th-the-big-boys

Doom is what you want (c) MAZter

Reply 204 of 579, by lolo799

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
MAZter wrote on 2020-03-16, 04:45:

Sweet device from the 90s: Axonix ProMedia Player.

Adds a CD-ROM, a 16-bit sound card, a 4-watt sound system and stereo speakers plus game port, everything thru PCMCIA card, unfortunately my CD-Rom module is dead, rest part of the device works fine, clean sound. Based on ES688 and OPL3 chip.

Limited games and laptops compatibility. But I'm happy to have gameport option thru PCMCIA in native DOS.

That looks like a nice device, could you take pictures of the pcmcia card and the back of the unit without cables and also dump the drivers floppy? Thanks.

The laptop on the right, it's a Dell 433c/AST 700n or another rebranded model like those, right?

Bondi wrote on 2020-03-16, 07:00:

Nice find! Is this basically an LPT device? Or it works only via PCMCIA?

That's an interesting question, the regular non audio cdrom from Axonix can use pcmcia or parallel interface:
https://web.archive.org/web/19980206093123/ht … 80/promedia.htm

PCMCIA Sound, Storage & Graphics

Reply 205 of 579, by Bondi

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
lolo799 wrote on 2020-03-16, 10:32:

That's an interesting question, the regular non audio cdrom from Axonix can use pcmcia or parallel interface:
https://web.archive.org/web/19980206093123/ht … 80/promedia.htm

My impression is that this device is similar to Microsolution LPT external CD-ROMs (some have built-in sound) that can work via PCMCIA adapter, which is simply a PCMCIA LPT port.

PCMCIA Sound Cards chart
archive.org: PCMCIA software, manuals, drivers

Reply 206 of 579, by MAZter

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member
Bondi wrote on 2020-03-16, 07:00:

Nice find! Is this basically an LPT device? Or it works only via PCMCIA?

In the manual nothing about LPT, so it works only via PCMCIA.

Doom is what you want (c) MAZter

Reply 207 of 579, by MAZter

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member
lolo799 wrote on 2020-03-16, 10:32:

That looks like a nice device, could you take pictures of the pcmcia card and the back of the unit without cables and also dump the drivers floppy? Thanks.

Here it is:

IMG-20200316-220928.jpg

IMG-20200316-221005.jpg

https://archive.org/details/axonix

Floppy drive was infected with Form.A virus, so I copy files from it and reformat floppy to clean.

Boot sector had record:

Spoiler

The FORM-Virus sends greetings to everyone who's reading this text. FORM doesn't destroy data! Don't panic! Fuckings go to Corinne

The laptop on the right, it's a Dell 433c/AST 700n or another rebranded model like those, right?

No, that AST Advantage Explorer and it's PC Card slot is not compatible with any cards 🙁

Doom is what you want (c) MAZter

Reply 208 of 579, by lolo799

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
MAZter wrote on 2020-03-17, 04:00:

No, that AST Advantage Explorer and it's PC Card slot is not compatible with any cards 🙁

Thanks for the pics and the drivers.

I think the Advantage Explorer was another regional name for the same model...what are its specs?
Do you have Cardsoft Socket and Services running on it?
It was also sold under the Siemens Nixdorf brand:
Re: Bought these (retro) hardware today

Mine, the 486sx33 AST 700N doesn't accept any kind of storage pcmcia cards, but sound cards work fine on it.

PCMCIA Sound, Storage & Graphics

Reply 209 of 579, by MAZter

User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member
lolo799 wrote on 2020-03-17, 10:52:

I think the Advantage Explorer was another regional name for the same model...what are its specs?

9,5" Mono STN
Chips&Tech (512Kb)
486SX 25MHz
WD AL2170M 162Mb
4 Mb memory
2 ps/2 ports

Do you have Cardsoft Socket and Services running on it?

Yes, but it's even refuses to turn on after any card inserting.

It was also sold under the Siemens Nixdorf brand:
Re: Bought these (retro) hardware today

Yes, looks very similar to Siemens Nixdorf PCD-4N, but black color

Doom is what you want (c) MAZter

Reply 210 of 579, by lolo799

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
MAZter wrote on 2020-03-18, 03:41:
9,5" Mono STN Chips&Tech (512Kb) 486SX 25MHz WD AL2170M 162Mb 4 Mb memory 2 ps/2 ports […]
Show full quote

9,5" Mono STN
Chips&Tech (512Kb)
486SX 25MHz
WD AL2170M 162Mb
4 Mb memory
2 ps/2 ports

Yes, but it's even refuses to turn on after any card inserting.

Same specs apart from the slower cpu, my AST 700N has the same issues with storage pcmcia cards but all the sound cards I had worked fine on it, as did network and wifi cards.

PCMCIA Sound, Storage & Graphics

Reply 211 of 579, by discatte

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

I went down the rabbit hole of wrong Panasonic PCMCIA cards a while go (confusing too since the cd drives have speakers, and the spec sheets are dubious)

If anyone wants to see the insides and cover label of the OPL capable one! https://imgur.com/a/jJnlRXV (with direct images below)

Its based on an ESS1688S

p1JGcql.jpg

wItcIp7.jpg

Also included is the insides of a NON SOUND model, its a different board, so no upgrade possibility. https://imgur.com/a/Y0taORJ

b6OibiT.jpg

Good luck on future hunting!

▓▒░ (=ↀωↀ=) ░▒▓

Reply 212 of 579, by T2130SGuy

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie

I have a Toshiba Satellite T2130CS I found at a Salvation Army store several years ago that still runs like new, I've had a thing for retro technology for a while but I've never actually went about seeking addons until now. Is there a "best" sound card I should be looking for? Ideally I'd like to get some old games running on it but I have no idea what I should be looking for or where I should be looking despite skimming the thread.

Reply 213 of 579, by discatte

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
T2130SGuy wrote on 2020-03-18, 23:44:

I have a Toshiba Satellite T2130CS I found at a Salvation Army store several years ago that still runs like new, I've had a thing for retro technology for a while but I've never actually went about seeking addons until now. Is there a "best" sound card I should be looking for? Ideally I'd like to get some old games running on it but I have no idea what I should be looking for or where I should be looking despite skimming the thread.

Those are a cool series (21xx), I think some of those models have an optional sound card under the palm rest, yours might have a blank plate there. Maybe check http://www.minuszerodegrees.net/manuals/Toshiba/Toshiba.htm or some fleabay pictures. I have a 2150CDT with card pictured below. https://imgur.com/a/CyjgLfX

The OPL3LPT is probably the friendliest way, since pcmcia cards come up so infrequently https://www.serdashop.com/OPL3LPT

YzlJkjl.jpg

▓▒░ (=ↀωↀ=) ░▒▓

Reply 214 of 579, by T2130SGuy

User metadata
Rank Newbie
Rank
Newbie
discatte wrote on 2020-03-19, 00:26:
Those are a cool series (21xx), I think some of those models have an optional sound card under the palm rest, yours might have a […]
Show full quote
T2130SGuy wrote on 2020-03-18, 23:44:

I have a Toshiba Satellite T2130CS I found at a Salvation Army store several years ago that still runs like new, I've had a thing for retro technology for a while but I've never actually went about seeking addons until now. Is there a "best" sound card I should be looking for? Ideally I'd like to get some old games running on it but I have no idea what I should be looking for or where I should be looking despite skimming the thread.

Those are a cool series (21xx), I think some of those models have an optional sound card under the palm rest, yours might have a blank plate there. Maybe check http://www.minuszerodegrees.net/manuals/Toshiba/Toshiba.htm or some fleabay pictures. I have a 2150CDT with card pictured below. https://imgur.com/a/CyjgLfX

The OPL3LPT is probably the friendliest way, since pcmcia cards come up so infrequently https://www.serdashop.com/OPL3LPT

YzlJkjl.jpg

Thanks for the recommendation, I may pick one up! Also funny enough until a few days ago I had never even checked the PCMCIA ports to see what was in them, there's a WinSurfer modem/fax card and a CDROM card, also yeah the spot on mine is just an empty plate.

bmy82Sf.jpg

Reply 215 of 579, by Bondi

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

The common thing with the PCMCIA cards is that they never work as expected. At least for me.
I finaly fired up my IBM 3D Sound Card with a self made cable. It's working fine in dos as FM sound source and Digital sound in Wolf3D (SB no DMA mode). But there is no digital sound in DOOM. Driver reports that fesources are set as follows: A220 I7 D1. Test program plays FM fine, but while playing wav files repeatedly plays the beginning of test file or makes gnashing sounds .
I'm using it with IBM TP 360CE, which is listed as compatible laptop.
Do you, guys, have any ideas how to solve this issue?

PCMCIA Sound Cards chart
archive.org: PCMCIA software, manuals, drivers

Reply 217 of 579, by Bondi

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
lolo799 wrote on 2020-04-12, 16:55:

I noticed your lack of luck with pcmcia sound cards...
Can you change the card parameters to use another irq?

I haven't fugured out yet how to change the parameters. But will definately try that. Another thought is to disable LPT port which is on IRQ 7. But first I want to install clean DOS 6.22. I tried both Wavjammer and IBM card on DOS 7.0(Win95). Maybe this has some impact on the whole thing.

PCMCIA Sound Cards chart
archive.org: PCMCIA software, manuals, drivers

Reply 218 of 579, by Bondi

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
lolo799 wrote on 2020-04-12, 16:55:

I noticed your lack of luck with pcmcia sound cards...
Can you change the card parameters to use another irq?

Hallelujah. Digital sound worked in Doom 2 with IRQ 5.

PCMCIA Sound Cards chart
archive.org: PCMCIA software, manuals, drivers