Anyone using the MK1869 Xtreme + PC MIDI and MIDI In? ESS MPU MIDI in part works through the gameport, PC MIDI does not. Double checked the jumpers. Intelligent mode games work. ESS sits on port 300, PC MIDI on 330, IRQ 2/9.

Rawit wrote on 2026-08-29, 13:42:

Anyone using the MK1869 Xtreme + PC MIDI and MIDI In? ESS MPU MIDI in part works through the gameport, PC MIDI does not. Double checked the jumpers. Intelligent mode games work. ESS sits on port 300, PC MIDI on 330, IRQ 2/9.

are you using a proper gameport cable with an optocoupler for the IN port?
I cannot think of any other reason this will not work other than some damage like a trace/resistor or something...

I'm using a Terratec MIDI cable. Same cable works MIDI out/in with the ESS MPU handling gameport MIDI duties. Switching to PC MIDI with the jumpers gives me MIDI out but no in. Tested with a MIDI keyboard and a Turtle Beach Rio. I was hoping I made some kind of obvious mistake...

what happens if you completely disable ESS MPU and use some other resource for PCMIDI?
there is not much to go wrong it J19 is set at 1+2 for PCMIDI control
I am currently away for family reasons but when I get back in a couple of days I will check this more closely

Can you take a detailed picture of your PCMIDI addon please?

I will take some pictures tomorrow. I did measure some connections and resistors, all in spec. No damage under the microscope. Moved to IRQ 3, no change. I'v got a little scope but with the card in it's slot it's hard to get to.

Out of curiosity, does the ESS1869 have any issues with stereo support when used as a Sound Blaster Pro 2.0? I know that this feature is broken in the Sound Blaster 16 and later and have read that other compatibles have the stereo channels reversed.

I have the same question regarding the Crystal chip in the Orpheus I/II as well.

I just wanted to comment that using the WDM drivers for the ES1869 that ships with on the Windows 98 CD causes hanging notes when playing MIDI using the onboard header (I didn't test with an external synthesizer). I'm certain that this isn't a supported driver for using this reproduction card, but wanted to mention it just the same. The VxD drives work great.

Using WDM drivers can be useful in situations to enable certain multimedia features that require it, such as digital CD audio over IDE, enabling the Microsoft Roland software synthesizer, enabling certain WINMM functions for CD emulation, etc.

If I want these features available, I end up having to use a dummy card in my system just for WDM drivers, since VxD drives are preferred for Aureal (A3D) and Creative (EAX).

I hoped that I could use the MK1869 as my dummy card in Windows 98, but this broke Adlib sound in DOS Windows and caused hanging notes on my X2GS.