Sly_Botts wrote on 2025-04-30, 17:31:

I do have a question if someone can help. If I want to use an mt-32 with the picogus, do I need to set it to MPU-401 mode? Is it possible for it to emulate the Gus while also using the midi out? Or is it just one or the other?

Yup, GUS mode with MPU-401 support is possible! The compatibility table says MPU401 is in every mode: https://github.com/polpo/picogus/wiki/Configu … ng-your-PicoGUS

I believe "pgusinit /?? | more" should guide you in your setup...

Sly_Botts wrote on 2025-04-30, 17:31:

I do have a question if someone can help. If I want to use an mt-32 with the picogus, do I need to set it to MPU-401 mode? Is it possible for it to emulate the Gus while also using the midi out? Or is it just one or the other?

the only difference you have to take into account is if you need intelligent mode (needs the irq). See this table and the MPU section:
https://github.com/polpo/picogus/wiki/Configu … icogus-software
so if you have a game like monkey island which doesnt need it then you could use sound blaster mode with the MPU support.
but if you have a game like wing commander it has to be in the MPU mode.
i don think there are games that use intelligent mode that also support gus. I think by then most games were support GM / SC-88 or MT32 with default samples.
an alternative might be to use softmpu with one of the combo modes, but ive never tried it.

Pickle wrote on 2025-04-30, 17:46:

the only difference you have to take into account is if you need intelligent mode (needs the irq). See this table and the MPU se […]
Show full quote

Sly_Botts wrote on 2025-04-30, 17:31:

I do have a question if someone can help. If I want to use an mt-32 with the picogus, do I need to set it to MPU-401 mode? Is it possible for it to emulate the Gus while also using the midi out? Or is it just one or the other?

the only difference you have to take into account is if you need intelligent mode (needs the irq). See this table and the MPU section:
https://github.com/polpo/picogus/wiki/Configu … icogus-software
so if you have a game like monkey island which doesnt need it then you could use sound blaster mode with the MPU support.
but if you have a game like wing commander it has to be in the MPU mode.
i don think there are games that use intelligent mode that also support gus. I think by then most games were support GM / SC-88 or MT32 with default samples.
an alternative might be to use softmpu with one of the combo modes, but ive never tried it.

Thanks for the reply. I guess most of the games that require intelligent mode are older and probably don't use a separate device for sound and rely on the MT-32 for all the sound effects.

Anyone tried the card in gus mode with Mortal Kombat 2? I seem to get frequent momentary pauses in that game only, I think it's related to when certain sfx would play or different music would start.

Sly_Botts wrote on 2025-04-30, 19:28:

Thanks for the reply. I guess most of the games that require intelligent mode are older and probably don't use a separate device for sound and rely on the MT-32 for all the sound effects.

To be more precise, PicoGUS supports MPU-401 intelligent mode at all times. The only difference is that the dedicated MPU mode supports interrupts. There are a lot of games that require intelligent mode but don't need interrupts: anything not marked with a 1 on this list: https://github.com/bjt42/softmpu/wiki/Compati … gent-Mode-Games

Has anyone figured out how to get more gain out of the onboard DAC? I am struggling to balance the output with other sound cards in the system, especially when looping through another card via line in.

NeoG_ wrote on 2025-05-07, 03:36:

Has anyone figured out how to get more gain out of the onboard DAC? I am struggling to balance the output with other sound cards in the system, especially when looping through another card via line in.

does your sound card with the line in have a mixer program?

Pickle wrote on 2025-05-07, 03:43:

does your sound card with the line in have a mixer program?

I have access to the mixers in dos and windows via an ES1869 and SB Live CT4830 card, both have the line in set at maximum level and it’s similarly low on both of them.

I'm struggling getting Windows 3.11 drivers installed for PicoGUS. Could someone please post their entire `system.ini` file for a working installation?

NeoG_ wrote on 2025-05-07, 06:02:

I have access to the mixers in dos and windows via an ES1869 and SB Live CT4830 card, both have the line in set at maximum level and it’s similarly low on both of them.

I don't recommend relying the soundcard mixers when trying to balance multiple devices. You can get a low noise, 4 channel external mixer for under $25 shipped from Amazon. There were some games that messed with the soundcard mixer settings on startup. So having a way to adjust them while games are running is needed.

ahyeadude wrote on 2025-05-10, 13:38:

I'm struggling getting Windows 3.11 drivers installed for PicoGUS. Could someone please post their entire `system.ini` file for a working installation?

I used this guide: Guide: How to install Gravis Ultrasound Drivers in Windows 3.11

You can ignore the "Dosbox" stuff... The problem is the driver package installer, not the Picogus itself.

Linoleum wrote on 2025-05-10, 17:28:

ahyeadude wrote on 2025-05-10, 13:38:

I'm struggling getting Windows 3.11 drivers installed for PicoGUS. Could someone please post their entire `system.ini` file for a working installation?

I used this guide: Guide: How to install Gravis Ultrasound Drivers in Windows 3.11

You can ignore the "Dosbox" stuff... The problem is the driver package installer, not the Picogus itself.

Yea, I've tried that guide and it does not work for me. Could you upload your system.ini?

ahyeadude wrote on 2025-05-10, 17:41:

Linoleum wrote on 2025-05-10, 17:28:

ahyeadude wrote on 2025-05-10, 13:38:

I'm struggling getting Windows 3.11 drivers installed for PicoGUS. Could someone please post their entire `system.ini` file for a working installation?

I used this guide: Guide: How to install Gravis Ultrasound Drivers in Windows 3.11

You can ignore the "Dosbox" stuff... The problem is the driver package installer, not the Picogus itself.

Yea, I've tried that guide and it does not work for me. Could you upload your system.ini?

This is what you should have...

1[386Enh]
2device=grvsultr.386
3
4[drivers]
5WAVE=ultrasnd.drv
6MIDI=ultrasnd.drv
7AUX=ultrasnd.drv
8
9[ultrasnd.drv]
10ActiveVoices=14
11VerifyPatches=no
12LinearVolume=no
13Load16As8=no
14port=240
15gf1_int=7
16midi_int=7
17dma_a=3
18buf_size_a=8192
19dma_b=3
20buf_size_b=8192

Linoleum wrote on 2025-05-10, 21:40:

This is what you should have... […]
Show full quote

ahyeadude wrote on 2025-05-10, 17:41:

Linoleum wrote on 2025-05-10, 17:28:

I used this guide: Guide: How to install Gravis Ultrasound Drivers in Windows 3.11

You can ignore the "Dosbox" stuff... The problem is the driver package installer, not the Picogus itself.

Yea, I've tried that guide and it does not work for me. Could you upload your system.ini?

This is what you should have...

Copy code to clipboard

1[386Enh]
2device=grvsultr.386
3
4[drivers]
5WAVE=ultrasnd.drv
6MIDI=ultrasnd.drv
7AUX=ultrasnd.drv
8
9[ultrasnd.drv]
10ActiveVoices=14
11VerifyPatches=no
12LinearVolume=no
13Load16As8=no
14port=240
15gf1_int=7
16midi_int=7
17dma_a=3
18buf_size_a=8192
19dma_b=3
20buf_size_b=8192

That was the ticket! Works like a champ. No idea why it would refuse to install automatically.

Thank you!

Has anyone had trouble with the Xbox controllers not calibrating properly?

From my testing it does appear that games like tie fighter don't calibrate well with the Xbox controller. Jazz Jackrabbit on the other hand works great. I think the tie fighter issue is the game thinking the Xbox controller is 2 joysticks or something else, not sure but it won't stay calibrated.

SScorpio wrote on 2025-05-10, 14:53:

NeoG_ wrote on 2025-05-07, 06:02:

I have access to the mixers in dos and windows via an ES1869 and SB Live CT4830 card, both have the line in set at maximum level and it’s similarly low on both of them.

I don't recommend relying the soundcard mixers when trying to balance multiple devices. You can get a low noise, 4 channel external mixer for under $25 shipped from Amazon. There were some games that messed with the soundcard mixer settings on startup. So having a way to adjust them while games are running is needed.

This is what I'm doing. Instead of daisy chaining the soundcards from output to input to output, use a 3.5mm stereo mixer. The non powered ones are cheap. Then connect it to a headphone amplifier then to your speakers. Should help with any issues of lower sound. I always found opl music to be on the quieter side.

Sly_Botts wrote on 2025-05-15, 04:01:

From my testing it does appear that games like tie fighter don't calibrate well with the Xbox controller. Jazz Jackrabbit on the other hand works great. I think the tie fighter issue is the game thinking the Xbox controller is 2 joysticks or something else, not sure but it won't stay calibrated.

Better mapping/control of the joysticks is definitely something I want to do. Dead zone is an issue on the Xbox controllers.

Here is a look into the next feature I am working on - CD-ROM emulation. It emulates a Panasonic CD interface (cdmke.sys is the driver for DOS and it also works in Windows) and the speed is just over a 2x CD-ROM drive. The CD-ROM emulation currently runs in Sound Blaster mode with CD audio, SB DSP, and FM synth all mixed together. The game MechWarrior 2 has been my main test bed because of the intro FMV, which stresses data transfer and SB audio, and then in-game it has redbook CD audio with SB sound effects.
Here's a video on my Bluesky profile: https://bsky.app/profile/polpo.org/post/3lpge6jccm222

Again like most things I couldn't have done it alone: yyzkevin wrote the underlying MKE CD-rom interface emulation, and wbcbz7 got rppicomidi's mass storage speed improvements for tinyusb working well enough for me to use.

polpo wrote on 2025-05-18, 06:19:

Here is a look into the next feature I am working on - CD-ROM emulation. It emulates a Panasonic CD interface (cdmke.sys is the driver for DOS and it also works in Windows) and the speed is just over a 2x CD-ROM drive. The CD-ROM emulation currently runs in Sound Blaster mode with CD audio, SB DSP, and FM synth all mixed together. The game MechWarrior 2 has been my main test bed because of the intro FMV, which stresses data transfer and SB audio, and then in-game it has redbook CD audio with SB sound effects.
Here's a video on my Bluesky profile: https://bsky.app/profile/polpo.org/post/3lpge6jccm222

Again like most things I couldn't have done it alone: yyzkevin wrote the underlying MKE CD-rom interface emulation, and wbcbz7 got rppicomidi's mass storage speed improvements for tinyusb working well enough for me to use.

This is ultra exciting. This is a game changer. This is what the community has been waiting for. I didn’t think it would come from PicoGUS. Wow!

Damnit, I’m going to have to purchase more PicoGUS’s. Arrrg!