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Reply 600 of 1061, by 640K!enough

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I took a quick stab at the 32-bit driver as well. I didn't look too closely, so I make no promises of functionality or stability; it's virtually untested.

EDIT: I also meant to mention that some Sierra titles allow the specification of alternate IRQ and DMA channels in the configuration file (RESOURCE.CFG). This can be done by specifying audioDMA=x and audioIRQ=x, where x is the appropriate resource number. In some cases, audio problems can be helped by changing the amount of memory used for audio processing, via audioSize=x and DACsize=x, also in RESOURCE.CFG. If you feel you need the latter two settings, I suggest looking up the details and experimenting, as there is generally no single combination of values that will work for every machine and every title.

EDIT 2: I took a look at a bit more of the code, and have noticed that my changes only apply when the card is configured with a base address of 534H. Their routine repeats the same code for every one of the original WSS base addresses, and those remain uncorrected. This also likely means that WSS support won't work at all if your WSSBase is set to anything other than 534, 608, E84 or F44.

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  • Filename
    SOLWSS32.ZIP
    File size
    1.7 KiB
    Downloads
    160 downloads
    File comment
    Slightly modified 32-bit SCI driver for CS423x
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception
Last edited by 640K!enough on 2021-05-08, 01:35. Edited 2 times in total.

Reply 601 of 1061, by mothergoose729

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640K!enough wrote on 2021-05-03, 03:28:

I took a quick stab at the 32-bit driver as well. I didn't look too closely, so I make no promises of functionality or stability; it's virtually untested.

I am happy to be the guinea pig 😁. Trying it now.

Reply 602 of 1061, by Joseph_Joestar

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mothergoose729 wrote on 2021-05-03, 02:15:

After trying out a few more WSS games I am beginning to expect that not all of them expect to see WSS on port 530.

Address 530 is the default for WSS.

If a game expects something else, that's the exception, not the norm.

PC#1: Pentium MMX 166 / Soyo SY-5BT / S3 Trio64V+ / Voodoo1 / YMF719 / AWE64 Gold / SC-155
PC#2: AthlonXP 2100+ / ECS K7VTA3 / Voodoo3 / Audigy2 / Vortex2
PC#3: Athlon64 3400+ / Asus K8V-MX / 5900XT / Audigy2
PC#4: i5-3570K / MSI Z77A-G43 / GTX 970 / X-Fi

Reply 603 of 1061, by mothergoose729

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The modified 32 bit driver is working in Gabriel Knight 1 and LSLS 6. LSL7 was never working with the modified 32 bit driver and it still crashes. I'll go through the rest of my games here in a bit.

Reply 604 of 1061, by mothergoose729

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Ok, I think I am beginning to understand this a bit better. There looks to be three distinct generation of WSS drivers used in sierra games.

The first generation is the 16 bit driver (patched and working).
-Space Quest VI (not orginally supported but working)
-PQ1 VGA Remake (not officially supported but working)
-King's Quest VI (officially supported but busted)
- ect, anything using the AUD prefix and supporting a separate driver for digital audio

The second generation is the one 640k!enough just patched (working)
-LSL 6
-GK1
-likely others. Using DAC prefix but otherwise not easy to tell from the last gen.

The third generation is used in the latest sierra games
-Phantasmagoria
-GK2
-LSL7
-and many others

For this last generation, if I use the patched 32 bit driver from 640k the games will crash. Each of these games comes with an included WSS driver that does sort of work in a way that is similar to the unpatched 32 bit drivers keropi found. I have confirmed they are all using the same version of the WSS library by copying the file from LSL7 into each of them and seeing if they will run. I have attached that driver to this message.

This driver behaves very similar to the 32 bit and 16 bit drivers already patched, but it has an additional problem where a layer of static or popping noises (similar to DMA clicking but happening far more often) plays in the background. Phantasmagoria supports 11khz sample rate during gameplay and 22khz during cutscenes, and what I noticed is that the popping noise only happens during cutscenes, so I think it is probably an issues with the 22khz sampling. If this drivers were patched and properly working it would provide a huge benefits because 16 bit audio at 22khz sample is well beyond the SB pro. Whatever 640k did to fix SPDIF would probably work on this driver too but I don't know how hard it will be to fixing the clicking/static issues with higher sample rates.

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  • Filename
    DACMSSYS_LSL7.zip
    File size
    1.57 KiB
    Downloads
    95 downloads
    File license
    Public domain

Reply 605 of 1061, by ben_frog

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Hello guys!

@Marmes can you please get back to me in PM please?
I've received and replied to an email for the Orpheus card, and I'm worried it might have been a scam.
Forum, sorry to bother, I can't PM yet.
Thank you

Edit: sorted with @keropi 👍, I can get back to lurk mode 😐

Last edited by ben_frog on 2021-05-03, 11:39. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 606 of 1061, by keropi

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ben_frog wrote on 2021-05-03, 10:28:
Hello guys! […]
Show full quote

Hello guys!

@Marmes can you please get back to me in PM please?
I've received and replied to a 'Orpheus Card Buy' mail, and I'm worried it might have been a scam.
Forum, sorry to bother, I can't PM yet.
Thank you

I am sending you a pm so we can investigate

edit: all was good and tracking info re-sent 😀

🎵 🎧 PCMIDI MPU , OrpheusII , Action Rewind , Megacard and 🎶GoldLib soundcard website

Reply 608 of 1061, by keropi

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sofakng wrote on 2021-05-03, 14:09:

Is anybody selling these in the USA?

nope, they come from either Portugal or Greece

🎵 🎧 PCMIDI MPU , OrpheusII , Action Rewind , Megacard and 🎶GoldLib soundcard website

Reply 610 of 1061, by sofakng

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keropi wrote on 2021-05-03, 15:30:
sofakng wrote on 2021-05-03, 14:09:

Is anybody selling these in the USA?

nope, they come from either Portugal or Greece

No problem, thanks for the response! I see you mention Serdashop selling them but if I search on there for "Orpheus" I don't see any results.

Reply 611 of 1061, by keropi

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sofakng wrote on 2021-05-03, 19:49:

No problem, thanks for the response! I see you mention Serdashop selling them but if I search on there for "Orpheus" I don't see any results.

Serdashop is a good friend of ours and has a pcmidi placeholder page but no Orpheus one, it is true
PCMIDI for example was never for sale there, it just guides interested people to the order form....
Serdashop is a serious business with a big range of products - we are just 2 guys making a couple of stuff 🤣

🎵 🎧 PCMIDI MPU , OrpheusII , Action Rewind , Megacard and 🎶GoldLib soundcard website

Reply 613 of 1061, by pc-sound-legacy

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appiah4 wrote on 2021-05-03, 21:44:

You are two incredibly awesome guys though.

Exactly what I thought! You two made an awesome card with the Orpheus 1. Just released my first video on that card. (more will follow) 640kenough! made a great init tool for it, too. I like to play around with the settings, trying CrystalFM vs. OPL3 or the different SRS settings. But the best of it is the fantastic clear and noiseless analogue Output. You two make possible what a company like creative struggled with a lot back then:-)

https://youtu.be/Szz-5mJIkYQ

Cheers, Ernie

Reply 614 of 1061, by 32kofdata

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Hello!

I got an MT32 and SC-88 and was wondering if the card is compatible with these Roland devices as I'm struggling with softmpu. It does the job to some good extent with the MT32 but with the SC88 I've been having only issues so I'm looking for a more bulletproof solution. Thanks for the awesome work you've been doing on this project.

Reply 615 of 1061, by keropi

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Games that use the SC-88 do not need softmpu so maybe that is the issue?
The Orpheus /w pcmidi option has a pcmidi onboard so it does Roland/uart modes in hardware, if one choses the simpler version then crystal mpu is used so you will need softmpu for mt32 games (SC-88 ones will not need it , just like every other card out there)

🎵 🎧 PCMIDI MPU , OrpheusII , Action Rewind , Megacard and 🎶GoldLib soundcard website

Reply 616 of 1061, by keropi

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pc-sound-legacy wrote on 2021-05-05, 23:31:
Exactly what I thought! You two made an awesome card with the Orpheus 1. Just released my first video on that card. (more will f […]
Show full quote
appiah4 wrote on 2021-05-03, 21:44:

You are two incredibly awesome guys though.

Exactly what I thought! You two made an awesome card with the Orpheus 1. Just released my first video on that card. (more will follow) 640kenough! made a great init tool for it, too. I like to play around with the settings, trying CrystalFM vs. OPL3 or the different SRS settings. But the best of it is the fantastic clear and noiseless analogue Output. You two make possible what a company like creative struggled with a lot back then:-)

https://youtu.be/Szz-5mJIkYQ

Cheers, Ernie

Thanks for the kind words Ernie! Enjoy your card! 😀

🎵 🎧 PCMIDI MPU , OrpheusII , Action Rewind , Megacard and 🎶GoldLib soundcard website

Reply 617 of 1061, by 32kofdata

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keropi wrote on 2021-05-06, 06:18:

Games that use the SC-88 do not need softmpu so maybe that is the issue?
The Orpheus /w pcmidi option has a pcmidi onboard so it does Roland/uart modes in hardware, if one choses the simpler version then crystal mpu is used so you will need softmpu for mt32 games (SC-88 ones will not need it , just like every other card out there)

At the moment I use a Soundblaster Pro 2.0 (CT1600) and my Roland devices connected to it through the joystick port. Didn't occur to me that softmpu is not needed for SC88 so I will try it without. For the time being what I get is MPU-401 not detected or not present from various games.

Reply 618 of 1061, by keropi

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32kofdata wrote on 2021-05-06, 06:47:

At the moment I use a Soundblaster Pro 2.0 (CT1600) and my Roland devices connected to it through the joystick port. Didn't occur to me that softmpu is not needed for SC88 so I will try it without. For the time being what I get is MPU-401 not detected or not present from various games.

hmmm that changes things drastically
since CT1600 uses the "SBMIDI" interface (and NOT a mpu-401 one) then you need softmpu always loaded to get MPU functionality out of this setup. (you are using this switch right? /OUTPUT:SBMIDI )
maybe a good solution for you is use the CT1600 with a PCMIDI standalone interface - it is a combo I also use.

🎵 🎧 PCMIDI MPU , OrpheusII , Action Rewind , Megacard and 🎶GoldLib soundcard website

Reply 619 of 1061, by 32kofdata

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keropi wrote on 2021-05-06, 06:57:

hmmm that changes things drastically
since CT1600 uses the "SBMIDI" interface (and NOT a mpu-401 one) then you need softmpu always loaded to get MPU functionality out of this setup. (you are using this switch right? /OUTPUT:SBMIDI )
maybe a good solution for you is use the CT1600 with a PCMIDI standalone interface - it is a combo I also use.

Correct I use SBMIDI output. That is the way the MT32 works on most games I've tried it on at 330. The only game I've managed to get the SC88 to work was on Sam n Max. Sounded very good as long as the SC88 was in CM64 mode. Same with Budokan regardless if it needs an MT32. Then decided to try Doom 1 and Duke Nukem 3D and nothing. MPU-401 not detected. A bit puzzled.

A PCMIDI standalone interface card? indeed would be a nice option but I don't have an extra ISA slot unfortunately, just the one.