8-BIT OPL2 Sound board

[mico]

I have an easy question: would I be able to use this card in a 16-bit ISA slot? That's probably all I have left. I can't check right now because my 486 is in storage and I no longer own anything vintage in the PC family. I'm assuming it will work fine because the ISA bus claims backwards compatibility.

Thanks!

edit: sorry for not placing this at the right thread-level. I'll get used to it

 

[Agent Orange]

I have an easy question: would I be able to use this card in a 16-bit ISA slot? That's probably all I have left. I can't check right now because my 486 is in storage and I no longer own anything vintage in the PC family. I'm assuming it will work fine because the ISA bus claims backwards compatibility.

Thanks!

edit: sorry for not placing this at the right thread-level. I'll get used to it

Most any 8-bit card will work in a 16-bit slot - video, sound, modem, controller, I/O, etc.

 

[mico]

Most any 8-bit card will work in a 16-bit slot - video, sound, modem, controller, I/O, etc.

Thanks for confirming that. I put my name down on the waiting list. I'm exciting about joining this project! I hope we get enough people to get it going!

- mico

 

[NobodyIsHere]

Hi! We are up to three confirmed builders and inching closer to prototype PCBs. Word is starting to spread in other forums so hopefully that will help pick up some interest.

Thanks and have a nice day!

Andrew Lynch

 

[PeterNY]

FYI: Sound Blaster 2.0 CT1350 cards are commonly available an not expensive. ​

 

[NobodyIsHere]

FYI: Sound Blaster 2.0 CT1350 cards are commonly available and not expensive. Those are 8-bit ISA.

What does that have to do with our 8 bit OPL2 project? Please try to stay on topic!

Thanks and have a nice day!

Andrew Lynch

 

[PeterNY]

What does that have to do with our 8 bit OPL2 project?

It might be useful for those who are looking for an affordable commercial 8 BIT OPL2 card. In case you feel this information is inappropriate feel free to remove my messages.​

 

[NobodyIsHere]

I am not a moderator. At best your post is off-topic and it appears to be an attempt to undermine an already challenged community project.

If I were a moderator you'd be banned.

Andrew Lynch

 

[PeterNY]

If I were a moderator you'd be banned.

Relax. I am sure a moderator can clean up the discussion and your blood pressure will go back to normal.​

 

[MV75]

What does that have to do with our 8 bit OPL2 project? Please try to stay on topic!

Thanks and have a nice day!

Andrew Lynch

I dunno what he said but, they do contain the precious opl2 chips. Unless someone finds a place that sells them, I'll be getting mine from a spare sb 2.0.

 

[mico]

I dunno what he said but, they do contain the precious opl2 chips. Unless someone finds a place that sells them, I'll be getting mine from a spare sb 2.0.

You have a point. I have no idea where I'd be getting mine. Is this chip socketed on the SB 2.0?

 

[per]

You have a point. I have no idea where I'd be getting mine. Is this chip socketed on the SB 2.0?

Don't forget that this board also supports the OPM family of 4-op synths (and stereo audio control), which is the thing that makes this board different from other similar boards. So this board should actually have been named "8-bit FM-synth. board" instead.

 

[mico]

Don't forget that this board also supports the OPM family of 4-op synths (and stereo audio control), which is the thing that makes this board different from other similar boards. So this board should actually have been named "8-bit FM-synth. board" instead.

Neat. Are these easier to find?

 

[per]

Neat. Are these easier to find?

One site sells them for about $15 each, and they usually turns up on Ebay occasionally for the same price. It's about as difficult to find as the YM3012.

It was used in a lot of Arcade and Pinball machines of the later 80's, and it is well documented.

 

[MV75]

You have a point. I have no idea where I'd be getting mine. Is this chip socketed on the SB 2.0?

No, you'll have to wick it off. I then plan on adding a suitable socket to the sb 2.0 so a transfer back will be easy. No point in destroying the card totally.

Don't forget that this board also supports the OPM family of 4-op synths (and stereo audio control), which is the thing that makes this board different from other similar boards. So this board should actually have been named "8-bit FM-synth. board" instead.

I assume you refer to the 3012 chips? I'm only really interested in the 3812 bit, but what support or settings in application set ups do you use for those chips? It's not just like the 3812 that "just works" in games that support it without requiring drivers is it?

Also the thread could have been called that if it wasn't up to me, after Andrew mentioned a new thread a few times but nothing happened, to actually do it.


Now, I should actually put a link back to the project page too as it's a pain to scroll back over two threads to find it, and for some reason I can't find the edit button on my first post, so I'll put it here:

http://n8vem-sbc.pbworks.com/w/browse/#view=ViewFolder&param=OPL2

 

[per]

I assume you refer to the 3012 chips? I'm only really interested in the 3812 bit, but what support or settings in application set ups do you use for those chips? It's not just like the 3812 that "just works" in games that support it without requiring drivers is it?

Also the thread could have been called that if it wasn't up to me, after Andrew mentioned a new thread a few times but nothing happened, to actually do it.

Unfortunately only the OPL2 at port base 388h will initially have decent support because of the popularity of the AdLib in the late 80's and early 90's. Anything else will need custom programming, but this is generally not too much an issue since both synth chips are well documented.

Just note that because of the OPM compability, this board uses the stereo YM3012 DAC instead of the mono YM3014 DAC found on most AdLib compatibles. Some additional logic is provided to "stereoize" the signal from the OPL2, and this logic is enabled and disabled with the jumpers.

 

[MV75]

What I'm asking is what do you set game installs to use the card as when you enable the 3012/2151 chips, once a driver is written of course?

 

[per]

What I'm asking is what do you set game installs to use the card as when you enable the 3012/2151 chips, once a driver is written of course?

That completely depends on the game. Remember that back then, there were no standarized sound interface drivers, so every single game (or engine) had it's own dedicated interface. These interfaces are not well documented, so writing actual drivers for existing games will be quite a complicated task, for example, we will have to disassemble and document existing drivers.

 

[MV75]

You have a point. I have no idea where I'd be getting mine. Is this chip socketed on the SB 2.0?

My mistake earlier, yes it actually is already socketed.

That completely depends on the game. Remember that back then, there were no standarized sound interface drivers, so every single game (or engine) had it's own dedicated interface. These interfaces are not well documented, so writing actual drivers for existing games will be quite a complicated task, for example, we will have to disassemble and document existing drivers.

Ah, so you'd need to write for example, a sbpro "compatible" driver that then allows you to select "sbpro" in a games setup utility? Of course then does it's own required hardware calls and such to the hardware in use.

 

[per]

Ah, so you'd need to write for example, a sbpro "compatible" driver that then allows you to select "sbpro" in a games setup utility? Of course then does it's own required hardware calls and such to the hardware in use.

Sierra's installer is flexible enough to allow for custom drivernames, and it seems like it is flexible enough for a driver to be written, at least for some of the titles according to this page:
http://www.sierrahelp.com/Utilities/SoundUtilities/RavisSoundDrivers.html

Most other games will require a lot more hacking around.