Does one of these exist? I'd imagine not, but if so let me know. If not, how hard would this sort of thing be to whip up? I'd imagine the circuitry wouldn't be _too_ bad, but the problem would be having to code hardware to utilize it. Anyway I'm certain that there's a market for this besides me as many people end up disappointed when their 486 or 386 can't play MP3s adequately (CURSE YOU FLOATING POINT MATH!!!).
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ISA MP3 Decoder Card?
- Thread starter Raven
- Start date
There are a few (?) mp3 players over the parallelport. For example mp3 pump. However, I personally have no experiences with it, just read about it some time ago. I remember that the controlling software would even run on a 286. 
There are a few (?) mp3 players over the parallelport. For example mp3 pump. However, I personally have no experiences with it, just read about it some time ago. I remember that the controlling software would even run on a 286.
From what I've just googled about for they are not available anymore (their site mp3pump.de is gone) and eBay nor Google had any leads beyond a guy on that car computer forum asking about them.
That would be an acceptable solution for me though, if I could get my hands on one.
glitch
Veteran Member
You shouldn't need a hardware accelerator even with a no-coprocessor 486. I used to play MP3s under DOS and Linux with a 486SX-25 I had in the workshop. I used DSS (Digital Sound System) under DOS to play MP3s:
http://www.opus.co.tt/dave/download/dss.zip
IIRC, you can use the internal PC speaker as an output device!
http://www.opus.co.tt/dave/download/dss.zip
IIRC, you can use the internal PC speaker as an output device!
I've played mp3s just fine on almost any speed of Pentium but as soon as I try it on a 486 it has issues - I have primarily tried under Win3x using Winplay3 as far as on a 486 goes though, so perhaps it was my software - I believe I've tried a few DOS players too, but dunno if I've tried this one - will give it a shot tomorrow.
I'm using a 486DX2-66 btw, on my primary 486 box in question (it can't do faster, it gets wonky.. T6600C luggable).
Brilliantly played a song I tested - I'm impressed. I must have just been using an unoptimized program - I think I was using MPR.
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I remember I used to try to play 128kbps/44KHz mp3s on my AMD 5x86/133, using WinPlay3 on Windows95. At full quality the buffer would quickly run out and I would get lots of skipping, although it could play okay on forced mono mode. Task Manager showed the processor consistently working above the 80+% range for me.. lol
Apparently it's all about the software.
I just played a song on 486dx2-66 w/ 16mb ram fine with DSS a day or two ago, impressed me considering the fails I've seen in the past.
Playing MP3 files on a 486 with single-tasking DOS is like the most power-hungry MP3 player ever invented!
Music in the background, however, requires a multitasking operating system, and I know from experience that a 486SX/25MHz with 32MB RAM and running Windows 95 can NOT play MP3 files... and I doubt even a text-only install of Linux on the same hardware could pull that off.
It seems that a 486 @ 66MHz is the minimum to play MP3 with a single-tasking OS (and even that requires some really well optimized MP3 player software to succeed), and that a 100MHz 486 CPU is required to do the same thing in a multi-tasking OS.
Also, check this nice youtuve video:
SpidersWeb
Veteran Member
Cards definately exist, was one on our local auction site recently.
My first MP3 memories were 128kbps files on a Pentium 75 with WinAmp - it'd play sweet but the machine would almost be unresponsive until you hit stop. That was with Win98.
My first MP3 memories were 128kbps files on a Pentium 75 with WinAmp - it'd play sweet but the machine would almost be unresponsive until you hit stop. That was with Win98.
Winamp has a reduced precision setting in its MPEG output plugin, probably for 486 use. I used to use that on a cacheless Packard Bell 486 box which had been upgraded with a Intel POD.
The only MP3 hardware decode I remember is ESS Canyon3D w/ optional addon DSP on the Diamond Monster Sound MX400 PCI sound card.
The only MP3 hardware decode I remember is ESS Canyon3D w/ optional addon DSP on the Diamond Monster Sound MX400 PCI sound card.
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It was a quick doability-test. Just installed a generic Debian 5 without X. Yes. I did use MPD, but without FFMPEG. I think it could work too, but I didn't compile it in, for reducing compiling time. I can't remember exactly, but I think it was a SB16 with ALSA (I never use OSS).
twolazy
Veteran Member
I do happen to know mpeg-2 cards existed. I happened to own one, played video cds among other things in hardware. It had a cable that go from teh video card to the mpeg-2 card, then you attached your monitor to the mpeg-2 card. Kinda like old voodoo cards. But the difference was it also had an audio jack to connect to line in on your soundcard. It was awesome, I remember playing buddy holly by weezer in win95 using both software and hardware acceleration. The HW based was so much cleaner and colorful, and had almost 0 blocking as compared to the native SW used by win95. It also played mpeg-1 and 2 based audio files as well. Now maybe one of those towards the end supported mp3, that I do not know, but I have never seen one that did in person.
Only things I can remember are it was made by Diamond Multimedia (the old diamond not the modern one that is nothing like its former namesake). I think it was called Movie Master ISA or Movie Magic or something like that. It supported win 3.11/win95. And i remember it was a 16 bit isa card, and required a 386 or higher. I know reveal also made one that was pretty much identical. Meh the whole cdi/video cd fad. Wish I still had that card... I butchered it years ago for parts sadly... Wonder if I still have it in a box somewhere , whats left of it... hrmmm....
Only things I can remember are it was made by Diamond Multimedia (the old diamond not the modern one that is nothing like its former namesake). I think it was called Movie Master ISA or Movie Magic or something like that. It supported win 3.11/win95. And i remember it was a 16 bit isa card, and required a 386 or higher. I know reveal also made one that was pretty much identical. Meh the whole cdi/video cd fad. Wish I still had that card... I butchered it years ago for parts sadly... Wonder if I still have it in a box somewhere , whats left of it... hrmmm....
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twolazy
Veteran Member
Forgot to add:
Nice demo btw, but if the person filming this is a guy, im so taking away his MAN CARD. Barbie girl? ROFL
Nice demo btw, but if the person filming this is a guy, im so taking away his MAN CARD. Barbie girl? ROFL