appiah4 wrote on 2023-09-01, 04:52:

vutt wrote on 2023-08-31, 20:36:

I haven't seen any comments on SIS chipsets compatibility? I have QDI SS7 board on SIS530 chipset.
I think I build one anyway. Proper time sink for upcoming long autumn nights...

That is one of the few Socket 7 chipsets I do not own to test with either I'm afraid..

Well then I have wonderful opportunity to contribute by testing it...

Probably a stupid question, but would it be technically possible to run MPU-401 emulation and GUS emulation at the same time?

That reminds me, I need to make the 3.5mm to MIDI adapter, so I can start playing with that aspect of the PicoGUS.

I have been following the projects general updates over the past couple months, e.g. the sound module code updates, and the addition of USB input functionality - very cool.

It is nice to imagine some simultaneous modules, and I guess that is mostly dependent upon available hardware resources of the RP2040. An RP2040 direct board could access a few more resources, compared with the Pico itself, but I guess the real game changer in that regard will inevitably come with time, e.g., a more powerful "Pico 2" at some stage in the future.

On another hand, a sidethought fixated for a moment upon the notion of dual Picos (or RP2040s) on one board, but that is probably insanely impractical I assume.

I got simultaneous joystick and GUS support working a few days ago, so I'm starting to get into multiple functionalities at once (I'm still perfecting joystick support - there's a lot of wandering in some titles due to timing issues). Simultaneous MPU-401 and GUS emulation are likely possible since MPU-401 is really light on resources. There would be an issue for titles that require IRQ support for MPU-401, but that's only for those that need intelligent mode with IRQ, and they're probably too old to also support GUS.

By the way, I had a table at VCF Midwest and seeing people's reaction to PicoGUS was awesome. I sold out of all of the cards I had made, so I'll be making another batch.

polpo wrote on 2023-09-13, 23:11:

I got simultaneous joystick and GUS support working a few days ago, so I'm starting to get into multiple functionalities at once (I'm still perfecting joystick support - there's a lot of wandering in some titles due to timing issues). Simultaneous MPU-401 and GUS emulation are likely possible since MPU-401 is really light on resources. There would be an issue for titles that require IRQ support for MPU-401, but that's only for those that need intelligent mode with IRQ, and they're probably too old to also support GUS.

By the way, I had a table at VCF Midwest and seeing people's reaction to PicoGUS was awesome. I sold out of all of the cards I had made, so I'll be making another batch.

I have been following your posts about VCF on Mastodon. It looked like a really good time, and all your work and preparations were very well received as they deserved, which was great to see.

On one of your other posts there: Interesting to see the ultrasonic cleaner shaking the flux out of the connectors. Shows visually what I always knew was happening, but until this point, wasn't motivated to do anything about. So, such a cleaner has now made it to my wishlist. My current brief soak, scrubbing and vigorous jiggling in an iso bath probably doesn't quite cut it the same.

While we are talking about MPU - would it be possible for the PicoGUS to send the MIDI signal via the USB? Reason I ask is, I am more-and-more using my mt32-pi unit lately, as my retro MIDI device. That mt32-pi uses a USB data input which, ordinarily, means that I use a physical MIDI-USB conversion cable in my chain. If the PicoGUS were to 'simply' (from my perspective! 😉 ) be able to output its MIDI signal via its USB socket, as an option, then a direct USB-USB for my MIDI chain becomes possible. But I'm probably asking for a Sisyphean task in return for a pebble of improvement, 🤣.

Shreddoc wrote on 2023-09-13, 23:36:

On one of your other posts there: Interesting to see the ultrasonic cleaner shaking the flux out of the connectors. Shows visually what I always knew was happening, but until this point, wasn't motivated to do anything about. So, such a cleaner has now made it to my wishlist. My current brief soak, scrubbing and vigorous jiggling in an iso bath probably doesn't quite cut it the same.

While we are talking about MPU - would it be possible for the PicoGUS to send the MIDI signal via the USB? Reason I ask is, I am more-and-more using my mt32-pi unit lately, as my retro MIDI device. That mt32-pi uses a USB data input which, ordinarily, means that I use a physical MIDI-USB conversion cable in my chain. If the PicoGUS were to 'simply' (from my perspective! 😉 ) be able to output its MIDI signal via its USB socket, as an option, then a direct USB-USB for my MIDI chain becomes possible. But I'm probably asking for a Sisyphean task in return for a pebble of improvement, 🤣.

Oh yeah, for some reason the flux really gets inside those connectors and just won't come out unless soaked overnight in isopropyl alcohol or cleaned with an ultrasonic cleaner. Without that, they wouldn't make good connection to the pin headers. I have a pretty crummy little jewelry ultrasonic cleaner and it really isn't up for the job... I have a bigger one on the way!

MIDI over USB isn't too crazy of an idea - there's a pretty recent USB MIDI host implementation for the Pico that I wouldn't mind trying out. The next revision of the "normal" PicoGUS will probably have a USB-A port to make plugging in devices easier... Not promising anything though!

I can confirm it looks good in black too. I think I will try to use black caps for my next one, and maybe experiment with some black uv solder mask on the DAC and Pi.

Hi polpo.. met you at VCF Midwest and picked up a PicoGUS along with the Pico W and midi cable. I'm still trying to figure out how to properly get this working, I haven't been successful yet. It's being tested on an IBM PS/1 486 DX 50. I installed the GUS driver package using the method described, have the following in my autoexec.bat (SET ULTRASND=240,1,5 and SET ULTRADIR=C:\ULTRASND).

I get the following after starting pgusinit (PicoGUS detected: Firmware version: picogus-gus v0.7.0)

Then it says its initialized on Port 240.

However, nothing is actually working when I try and use it. Most often I will get UltraSound card not found. Doom will let me choose the card, but there is no sound or music at all. Running the GUS program ultrrinit just reports that no card is found.

Anything i'm missing here?

One thing I should add too.. all the other firmware modes (MPU, Adlib, etc) seem to work great. It's just the GUS emulation that isn't working for me.

Schafeman wrote on 2023-09-17, 13:06:

Hi polpo.. met you at VCF Midwest and picked up a PicoGUS along with the Pico W and midi cable. I'm still trying to figure out […]
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Hi polpo.. met you at VCF Midwest and picked up a PicoGUS along with the Pico W and midi cable. I'm still trying to figure out how to properly get this working, I haven't been successful yet. It's being tested on an IBM PS/1 486 DX 50. I installed the GUS driver package using the method described, have the following in my autoexec.bat (SET ULTRASND=240,1,5 and SET ULTRADIR=C:\ULTRASND).

I get the following after starting pgusinit (PicoGUS detected: Firmware version: picogus-gus v0.7.0)

Then it says its initialized on Port 240.

However, nothing is actually working when I try and use it. Most often I will get UltraSound card not found. Doom will let me choose the card, but there is no sound or music at all. Running the GUS program ultrrinit just reports that no card is found.

Anything i'm missing here?

If pgusinit detects it, that's a good sign! Making sure you don't have a typo in what you posted - you said you have SET ULTRASND=240,1,5 in your autoexec.bat. It should be SET ULTRASND=240,1,1,5,5. However if ULTRASND is malformed, pgusinit should complain...

If ULTRASND is set correctly, there's a chance that there's an issue with DMA. Do you happen to know what chipset is in this PS/1?

Ugh.. I totally typo'd that environment variable and didn't notice it until you pointed it out. Thank you, its working better now. It does seem to occasionally lock up playing music, not sure why.

My upper class expensive sound card family gained new reasonably priced member 😀

Amazingly after 5 or so hours build time it started to work right away. It also includes 20min U7 (IC gate nand) component searching on the floor when I carelessly ripped up package and it flew past my head 😀
Also with this I can confirm that PicoGUS is working with SIS530 chipset

And last but not least Ian please find my little token of appreciation on your paypal account. Thank you for your effort.

Edit: Standard ultramix.exe refuses to run with "Could not locate Ultrasound at the port(s) specified in the environment". What I'm missing...

Without a bracket that floating PicoGUS is precariously close to the X2GS behind it, that is basically asking for making contact and shorting something out damaging potentially all three expensive cards.. Be careful.

Nah risk is acceptable for quick "smoke test" - both cards are replicas. I can always build/buy new one 😉

Ok jokes aside my PicoGUS had actually "near death experience". At some point while playing .xm with Impulse Tracker sound became distorted, exited from tracker and attempted to reboot in dos with freedos reboot command ... ...PC hung. Cold power cycle - no POST. Put it to my other P3 rig (I know it's risky) same story - no POST. Then re-flashed Pico over USB outside case... ...and it started to work again. No issues after that incident. Hm...

Todays plan is to try out other emulation modes. It is adventure indeed...

I'm in the middle of designing a new version of the PicoGUS that will be able to be completely manufactured by JLCPCB and at a very low cost. This version will include a wavetable header, and unfortunately when I was finalizing the design last night, JLCPCB marked the volume thumbwheel I was going to use as discontinued so it's not possible to buy there any more. There is an alternative part but it's more expensive so I'm getting second thoughts about wavetable volume control. So I'm polling the audience here at Vogons:
- How important is it that the wavetable volume be adjustable? On my roadmap is simultaneous MIDI with GUS or SB digital emulation.
- Would you pay $2-$3 extra to be able to adjust wavetable volume, on a card that will cost $30-$40 to buy?

polpo wrote on 2023-09-22, 14:21:

- Would you pay $2-$3 extra to be able to adjust wavetable volume, on a card that will cost $30-$40 to buy?

I’m not certain I’d buy this particular product (already have plenty of sound cards), but $2 price difference certainly wouldn’t change my mind on buying something I wanted.

polpo wrote on 2023-09-22, 14:21:

Would you pay $2-$3 extra

why bother when you can do proper digitally controlled analog mixing for 14 pennies? https://jlcpcb.com/partdetail/tm_shenzhen_Tit … c-TM2313/C88429
13 pennies https://jlcpcb.com/partdetail/5964015-TM2314/C5250045
or you could go fancy and buy OG Princeton part for 60 coppers https://jlcpcb.com/partdetail/ptc_princeton_t … -PT2314E/C90034
even better, same functionality from Princeton 32 coppers https://jlcpcb.com/partdetail/ptc_princeton_t … PT7314E/C126414
Princeton is what you will find in every second name brand home theatre/DVD player from ~2000, solid company.

rasz_pl wrote on 2023-09-22, 15:24:

why bother when you can do proper digitally controlled analog mixing for 14 pennies? https://jlcpcb.com/partdetail/tm_shenzhen_T […]
Show full quote

why bother when you can do proper digitally controlled analog mixing for 14 pennies? https://jlcpcb.com/partdetail/tm_shenzhen_Tit … c-TM2313/C88429
13 pennies https://jlcpcb.com/partdetail/5964015-TM2314/C5250045
or you could go fancy and buy OG Princeton part for 60 coppers https://jlcpcb.com/partdetail/ptc_princeton_t … -PT2314E/C90034
even better, same functionality from Princeton 32 coppers https://jlcpcb.com/partdetail/ptc_princeton_t … PT7314E/C126414
Princeton is what you will find in every second name brand home theatre/DVD player from ~2000, solid company.

Those parts are overkill but they're so cheap... and the version I am designing uses the RP2040 directly so I now have two free GPIOs for the I2C needed to control them. Thanks for suggesting these particular parts, I was feeling overwhelmed with the choices!

polpo wrote on 2023-09-22, 16:21:

Thanks for suggesting these particular parts, I was feeling overwhelmed with the choices!

I wouldnt know what to search for either if not for years of tearing down tons of old electronics and looking how the big boys build stuff.
Princeton PT7314E will be perfect here, and the company has great legacy - Re: Master Boomer J5QMF-00 Sound Card they actually manufactured SoundBlaster clones in early nineties, and since this was a fabless silicon design company its possible they cloned OPL2 chips themselves.

A few additional bucks will not change my mind.

Yesterday I spend few hours running players and dos demos on my new 486 build. So HiNT CS8005 chipset can be added to PicoGUS compatible list now.
Following demos/players worked fine:

12nd reality and unreal by Future Crew, Crystal Dream I and II, DRIFT by WILD LIGHT, C N C D Inside, Legend and Project ANGEL by IMPACT Studios, Machines of Madness by Dubius, Contrast - OXYGENE
2also Cubic Player, Impulse Tracker, DMP v4 and XTC player

Only one fail - Electromotive Force - Verses (1994) . In 2 attempts music started well but stopped/was partially played in the middle of demo.