VOGONS


Tandy Nano - 3 Voice Soundcard ISA - Lowprofile

Topic actions

Reply 140 of 143, by Benedikt

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
theelf wrote on 2025-07-02, 08:56:
I have a 286, put the tandy nano sound card, download patches games from ftp.oldskool.org ... and nothing, silence, tested wi […]
Show full quote

I have a 286, put the tandy nano sound card, download patches games from ftp.oldskool.org ... and nothing, silence, tested with maniac mansion or zak same result

This patched games redirect to 0c0h or whatever need or spect the card? sorry im a little lost

I id a little code to send a beep to 0c0h but i get no beep on tandy nano

#include <dos.h>

int main() {
union REGS regs;

regs.h.ah = 0x00;
regs.h.al = 0x00;

int86(0xC0, &regs, &regs);

return 0;
}

Sorry, im totally lost how to get sound in patched games in this card in my 286 PC!

thanks!

Firstly, do the patched games contain the "out 0c0h,al" to "int 0c0h" substitution or do they merely skip the hardware detection?
Secondly, if they contain it, where is the interrupt handler? Has it been embedded into the game or is it in a separate TSR driver?
Thirdly, your test code frankly does not look like it does anything sensible.

Reply 141 of 143, by theelf

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

Ok, sorry, my mistake, i believe the tandy patches are for redirect calls from 0C0h to 2C0h, my mistake, they just patch can be use tandy sound without tandy hardware/video!

then the isa tandy card in a 286 is more or less useless for games, true?

thanks for help

Sorry im lost @Benedikt , thank for your help […]
Show full quote

Sorry im lost @Benedikt , thank for your help

I have a Tandy ISA nano sound card, the ftp for patched games http://ftp.oldskool.org/pub/TandySoundPatches/Games/ a lot of games with the exe from patched games, a 286 PC... What i need to have tandy music on this games?¿

Tandy nano ISA
patches games
286 PC

= tandy sound?¿?¿

Same patched games sound great in a 386 with temu,

DAC on LPT
patched games
386

= Tandy sound!

but i get the ISA card because i have a 286... im totally lost, sorry!

PD: (About my test, you right, i mistake, was testing temu, get confused, sorry my fault. Erased to avoid confusion)

Reply 142 of 143, by Jo22

User metadata
Rank l33t++
Rank
l33t++

Hi, I'm probably stating the obvious, but to sumarize..

Address 0C0 hex is the location of the PSG in the original Tandy 1000 computers.
When Tandy later made some 286-based models, they switched to 1E0 hex.

Now the problem is that on PC/AT class computers the 0C0 hex address is already occupied by second DMA controller.
So using it can have strange side efffects.

So why not just using 1E0 hex on the Tandy card instead ?
Because IBM PCs can not read from addresses below 1F0 hex and it's safer to not use this range.
Despite the fact that the sound chips are only being written to.

So that's why 2C0 hex is default address for the card.
It's the least troublesome configuration (once the games are patched).

Edited.

PS: This is just about a resource conflict. The 286 processor isn't the issue.
You can use Turbo XTs with 286 or 386 upgrade CPUs no problem.

"Time, it seems, doesn't flow. For some it's fast, for some it's slow.
In what to one race is no time at all, another race can rise and fall..." - The Minstrel

//My video channel//

Reply 143 of 143, by theelf

User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie
Jo22 wrote on 2025-07-02, 22:31:
Hi, I'm probably stating the obvious, but to sumarize.. […]
Show full quote

Hi, I'm probably stating the obvious, but to sumarize..

Address 0C0 hex is the location of the PSG in the original Tandy 1000 computers.
When Tandy later made some 286-based models, they switched to 1E0 hex.

Now the problem is that on PC/AT class computers the 0C0 hex address is already occupied by second DMA controller.
So using it can have strange side efffects.

So why not just using 1E0 hex on the Tandy card instead ?
Because IBM PCs can not read from addresses below 1F0 hex and it's safer to not use this range.
Despite the fact that the sound chips are only being written to.

So that's why 2C0 hex is default address for the card.
It's the least troublesome configuration (once the games are patched).

Edited.

PS: This is just about a resource conflict. The 286 processor isn't the issue.
You can use Turbo XTs with 286 or 386 upgrade CPUs no problem.

Yes my fault, i dont know why i was thinking that patched games means output in 2C0 instead of 0C0