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roland mt-32 old games on dosbox

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First post, by col

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Hello I am trying to get my roland mt-32 working on my windows 7 computer using dosbox. I have connected the two cables from the mt-32 to the desktop. I have applied 1 to midi confiq in the dosbox configuation file.
And have put the mt32 driver to the resource.cfg file in the sierra game I am testing on. When I play the game through dosbox the blue light flashes on the usb cable but there is no sound and the words for the game do not show on the mt-32 box. Any help appreciated.

Reply 1 of 22, by collector

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Perhaps ask in the MT-32 forum MT-32 General A mod might be kind enough to move this for you.

Anyway, it should work out if the box with DOSBox if you have the cables connected properly.

The Sierra Help Pages -- New Sierra Game Installers -- Sierra Game Patches -- New Non-Sierra Game Installers

Reply 2 of 22, by skitters

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Assuming you've attached the MT-32 to the line in on your sound card, make sure the line in is enabled and volume is not muted on the sound card.
You might have to use a "what you hear" option in the sound card options.

Reply 3 of 22, by col

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Hello I am very new when it comes to setting up and using a Roland Mt-32. I followed instructions from youtube. I have not clarified that the problem I am having is not just about sound. I know that when A old game starts up words should appear on the mt-32 screen- example when playing space quest 3 the words insert buckazoid should come up on the screen. But only 12345R and the volume show on the screen. and about the sound one of the cables is definitely connected to the line in at the back of my computer.

Reply 4 of 22, by Dominus

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Then it is likely that you confused midi in and out ports.

Windows 3.1x guide for DOSBox
60 seconds guide to DOSBox
DOSBox SVN snapshot for macOS (10.4-11.x ppc/intel 32/64bit) notarized for gatekeeper

Reply 5 of 22, by col

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I have changed the cables and now the midi message lights up on the mt-32. And certain numbers start flashing and when the game changes words like synthbass come on the screen. I am using kinqs quest 4 as the example. I do not know if any message was supposted to come on the screen like space quest 3 "insert buckazoid". As for sound how do I check the line in is enabled and to check volume is not muted on the sound card. And how do I use a "what you hear" option in sound card options? I am using windows 7. Thank you for your help.

Reply 6 of 22, by skitters

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col wrote:

I have changed the cables and now the midi message lights up on the mt-32. And certain numbers start flashing and when the game changes words like synthbass come on the screen. I am using kinq's quest 4 as the example. I do not know if any message was supposed to come on the screen like space quest 3 "insert buckazoid".

I think King's Quest 4 was Sierra's first game to have an option for the MT-32, and didn't use any SYSEX messages. So I wouldn't worry about the lack of custom messages.
Collector says it does send something to the MT-32 display.

As for sound how do I check the line in is enabled and to check volume is not muted on the sound card. And how do I use a "what you hear" option in sound card options? I am using windows 7. Thank you for your help.

If you have that little sound horn icon in your taskbar, try right-clicking it, look for Volume Mixer, and see if a setting for "Line In" is included there. Or go to Control Panel and click the icon for Sound and see what "Line In" settings are there.

"What you hear" was a checkbox in the line in settings on one of the computers I used in the past.
I wasn't getting midi sound until I checked the checkbox.
It might be similar to the checkbox for "listen to this device" on my current computer.
Control Panel --> Sound --> Recording tab --> highlight Line in and click Properties --> Listen tab --> Listen to this device checkbox.

Last edited by skitters on 2017-10-12, 03:59. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 8 of 22, by collector

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skitters wrote:
col wrote:

I have changed the cables and now the midi message lights up on the mt-32. And certain numbers start flashing and when the game changes words like synthbass come on the screen. I am using kinq's quest 4 as the example. I do not know if any message was supposed to come on the screen like space quest 3 "insert buckazoid".

I think King's Quest 4 was Sierra's first game to have an option for the MT-32, and didn't use any SYSEX messages. So I wouldn't worry about the lack of custom messages.

The game did have the custom messages. in version 1.006.004 it looks like they got the order of the two lines backwards:

* King's Quest IV *
SIERRA Presents....

In version 1.000.111 they had the right order that the two lines were displayed.

SIERRA Presents....
* King's Quest IV *
Last edited by collector on 2017-10-12, 14:04. Edited 1 time in total.

The Sierra Help Pages -- New Sierra Game Installers -- Sierra Game Patches -- New Non-Sierra Game Installers

Reply 10 of 22, by col

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Hello Thanks again for the help but I need more help. I have tested my roland mt-32 on Kinqs Quest 4 and the music sounds pretty good, but some times a little off. Same for police quest 2 I have also tested the Kinqs Quest 1 sci game the music again sounds pretty good. But the sound effects sounds off. And police quest 1 vga sounds awful. Any advice thank you

Reply 11 of 22, by collector

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Remember that you must also configure the game to use Roland sound (soundDrv=MT32.DRV in the game's RESOURCE.CFG). The earlier SCI games used the Roland for the sound effects as these games did not have separate audio and sound drivers. There are fan modified drivers that allow simultaneous MT-32 music and SB audio.

The Sierra Help Pages -- New Sierra Game Installers -- Sierra Game Patches -- New Non-Sierra Game Installers

Reply 12 of 22, by col

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Hello I am confused I have already changed in each of the games in the resource.cfg sounddrv from adlib synth "adl.drv" to mt-32 "mt32.drv". The music in most of the games actually do sound pretty good but how are the roland mt-32 sound effects supposed to sound? Kinqs Quest 1 sci sounds worse than sound blaster and interesting enough the orginal quest for glory has additional sound effects on the first screen but it does not sound right. Finally none of the games I have played so far have any messages like space quest 3 "insert bucazoid". Is there something I have been doing wrong? Thank you

Reply 13 of 22, by skitters

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col wrote:

Finally none of the games I have played so far have any messages like space quest 3 "insert bucazoid". Is there something I have been doing wrong?

The quality of the USB-to-midi cable can affect whether the MT-32 receives the SYSEX messages.
Also you may need to install drivers for the USB-to-midi cable.
For example, Roland/Edirol UM-1 cable has drivers at the Roland website that may be necessary.
https://www.roland.com/global/support/by_prod … pdates_drivers/
And for the newer Roland/Edirol UM-ONE cable
https://www.roland.com/global/support/by_prod … pdates_drivers/

Reply 14 of 22, by Kodai

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On a side note, I can confirm that the Roland UM-1 Mk II works as is with a generic HID driver in Windows 8, 8.1, and 10. You do not need to use the official Roland driver if you are only using the interface to play games in something like DOSBox, or SCUMMVM. Using it with a DAW or using midi instruments may require the driver for proper bidirectional communication.

With Win 7, I have had issues with the MkII cable and not installing the Roland driver on some machines, and no problems on others. I would suggest always installing them on Win 7 or below, but ignoring the drivers for retro games only from windows 8 and higher.

Col, what brand of USB to midi cable are you using?

Reply 18 of 22, by Kodai

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The Roland UM-One (or UM-1) MkII the the cable I would recommend. Its well made, and well supported in terms of drivers for Windows, OS-X, and Linux. The thing just works and its built to last. It does cost a bit, but you get your moneys worth. It even supports iPads and iPhones.

Reply 19 of 22, by gdjacobs

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M-Audio gear, including the MIDIsport 1x1 and Uno, are reported to work fine as well.

All hail the Great Capacitor Brand Finder