If you go OPL, I think going dual OPL2 would be better than OPL3. This is bound to be paired with an actual SoundBlaster or clone for broader compatibility, so you can worry about OPL3 there. This would allow for stereo FM in games that do not support OPL3 directly (and would use it as a mono AdLib). I'm not sure you have the actual space for all that, though, but this could be a nice idea for an addon board.

OPL + DAC probably wouldn't fit.
Option-ROM would also get extremely tight (I had checked the lo-tech one when doing some research on the flashROM for the soundbank).

I'll take a pretty "boring" approach now. Using the space to explain the jumpers/solder bridges - so those will not confuse folks in 15 years when this thread is long gone.

Great idea. Totally agree with it.

Threads may wither with time, but silk screen lasts forever.

Any objections/improvements?

(I know some lettering is going out of the box and the other stuff still being a partial mess, but are the texts understandable enough?)

The sample ROM options description is not so clear, I guess. If I don't populate them at all, will that lead to 4mb support and enabled flashing circuit simultaneously? Will that also make a 29F800 readable/usable? If yes, what's the purpose of that option? And at the same time - if there is a possibility for 16mb ROM installation, is that achievable only by wires?

no reflashing onboard, you would need vpp to be 12v, and software to run it

I guess I'll kick out the whole R12/R13 unpopulated section then, just wanted to mention some experimental options in case someone feels like having an adventure.
4MB ROM would be possible by using 29L3211 (needs custom/hacked software which doesn't exist, a custom ROM that doesn't exist yet and adapting VCC to 3.3V [or using a 5V version of the chip if it exists] - except for the voltage the footprint can be reused without changes). 2MB would be possible using 29F1610, requiring no changes (R12 unpopulated, R13 right position).
16MB woud require additional routing of the !BKSEL1-3 signals to the ROM and extensive rewiring as 128mbit (Flash-)ROM probably doesn't come in SOJ packages ... and needs at least 46 pins.

I would also modify the wording for -5V and put the last line as following: "(may be enabled ONLY if your PSU does not provide -5V current)".

Jumper arrangement description very confusing.

Synoptic wrote:

Jumper arrangement description very confusing.

I've already added pictograms.

Update!

Also wheeee ... 20.000 thread views 😀

About the ISA header.... Is is meant just for prototyping or should it be used for "addon" boards for the ARGUS?

And... a small reminder... any news about the SPK_IN option?.. 😀

hard1k wrote:

And... a small reminder... any news about the SPK_IN option?.. 😀

That's actually one of the 3 points left on my list 😀
Would you need MONO_OUT as well? Because if you don't that would make my life a bit easier.

Don't touch the ISA headers if you have to ask what they can be used for 😀 Practically it's a different way of attaching something to the ISA bus - can be used for a wide variety of things.

MONO_OUT is also very much needed!:)
Just as it is on the ASUS I-A16C and some other Vibra cards - you connect the input to the 4-pin speaker header on the MB and the actual chassis speaker to the MONO_OUT (btw, both SPK_IN and SPK_OUT should be better 4-pin headers like on the MB - with two N/C pins in the middle), and that's it - you have your system beeps in much better quality and you can play the sound through the built-in speaker. An odd and rarely used feature, but if you have plenty of retro rigs and not all of them have dedicated acoustic systems, there is definitely some use for it 😀

Alright, I'll see what I can do then.

Thanks! 😀

new silkscreening is much better now, I think it's fine

MONO_OUT just got very unlikely, as it would need it's own driver circuit (which could either be a single cheap transistor based one or a more sophisticated amplifier one - the first offering horrible quality audio, the second having such a big footprint i'd have to re-juggle the whole audio circuit once again).

In fact even adding a 4-pin header for the MONO_IN would require some extensive re-arranging - for (as hard as it may sound) a completely useless feature. I know there's some software that can make good use of the PC-Speaker - BUT would pretty much silence all beep codes on system startup or silence the beeper all together in case the GUS doesn't get initialized, which I consider not unimportant. If you want high quality beeper output, what about a speaker-header to 3.5mm jack adapter?