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Testing my Soundblaster

per said:
I know it sound stupid, but it is realy a pain to find some software that:
  1. Utilizes the Soundblaster (or SB Pro)
  2. Is written in pure x86 (works with the 8088 in other words)
  3. Works with anything earlier than EGA (not including EGA)
  4. Runs right off a Floppy Disk
  5. Does not relay on the later revisions of the XT BIOS (Int 15h) or specialities of the AT-design (secondary DMA controller, etc...)
I have no clue about what games/programs that will work, but I have tested with one game, the DOS version of EPYX's Chip's Challenge.

The results from the test are:
This game is mainly designed for the AT, but somehow it does work in an XT too. The only difference is that the speed is about 2/3 it is on an AT. The game got support for a wide set of devices (from Hercules to EGA/VGA, from PC-Speaker to Roland, keyboard or joystic). It doesn't got pure SoundBlaster support, but it got AdLib support.

With the PC-speaker as sound-device, it works great, but it takes a while to load.

With AdLib as sound-device, It runs fine, I get sound, but when I exit the program, my XT locks up on the DOS-prompt (just as if the keyboard has been de-attached).

Anyway, AdLib emulation does at least work with my SB Pro2 card in my XT.
Click to expand...


I play with the setup of the card now but am a bit confused the card will initialise but i have not got any application to work yet.

The Diagnose utility does not seem to support 8086 so it is a bit cumbersome.

What does the T stands for in the config file found following on internet.
****************************
t=type of Soundblaster card
1=SoundBlaster v1.0 (8-bit mono) or compatible
2=SoundBlaster v2.0 clone (8-bit stereo) or compatible
3=SoundBlaster Pro (8-bit stereo) or SB Pro compatible
4=SoundBlaster 16/AWE32 or SB16 compatible
*****************************
or
*****************************
T
Type of SoundBlaster.
1.SoundBlaster 1.x 22KHz, 8bit, mono.
2.SoundBlaster Pro 1.x 22KHz, 8bit, stereo or 44KHz, 8bit, mono.
3.SoundBlaster 2.0 44KHz, 8bit, mono.
4.SoundBlaster Pro 2.0 stereo 44KHz, 8bit, stereo.
5.not used
6.SoundBlaster 16 44KHz, 16bit, stereo
******************************

I also wonder about the ide IRQ jumper on card you do not use this in the configuration file?

The high and low DMA and SB IRQ is only set by software no jumpers on card correct?

Update! Only application i have to test with is Sbplay and it report IRQ not found, i think i must put the card in another machine and see what the DMA and SB IRQ settings is. It seem they are set by software, but i do not think it is possible to change them on the XT, so you have to figure them out first or set them on another machine.

JT
 
Last edited:
JT64 said:
I play with the setup of the card now but am a bit confused the card will initialise but i have not got any application to work yet.

The Diagnose utility does not seem to support 8086 so it is a bit cumbersome.

What does the T stands for in the config file found following on internet.
****************************
t=type of Soundblaster card
1=SoundBlaster v1.0 (8-bit mono) or compatible
2=SoundBlaster v2.0 clone (8-bit stereo) or compatible
3=SoundBlaster Pro (8-bit stereo) or SB Pro compatible
4=SoundBlaster 16/AWE32 or SB16 compatible
*****************************
or
*****************************
T
Type of SoundBlaster.
1.SoundBlaster 1.x 22KHz, 8bit, mono.
2.SoundBlaster Pro 1.x 22KHz, 8bit, stereo or 44KHz, 8bit, mono.
3.SoundBlaster 2.0 44KHz, 8bit, mono.
4.SoundBlaster Pro 2.0 stereo 44KHz, 8bit, stereo.
5.not used
6.SoundBlaster 16 44KHz, 16bit, stereo
******************************

I also wonder about the ide IRQ jumper on card you do not use this in the configuration file?

The high and low DMA and SB IRQ is only set by software no jumpers on card correct?

Update! Only application i have to test with is Sbplay and it report IRQ not found, i think i must put the card in another machine and see what the DMA and SB IRQ settings is. It seem they are set by software, but i do not think it is possible to change them on the XT, so you have to figure them out first or set them on another machine.

JT
Click to expand...

For my SB Pro 2.0, I use the following line in my Autoexec.bat file:
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D3 T4

The jumpers on the card must mach this line (A=I/O Address Base, I=IRQ Nr, D=DMA Nr. T=Card type). The reason for this is to make the supporting programs aware of where to send the audio data. If you set in the line that IRQ=7, and your card actually is at IRQ=5, your printer might start to act strange if you use sound-related programs when you're printing a document.
 
What does the T stands for in the config file found following on internet.
****************************
t=type of Soundblaster card
1=SoundBlaster v1.0 (8-bit mono) or compatible
2=SoundBlaster v2.0 clone (8-bit stereo) or compatible
3=SoundBlaster Pro (8-bit stereo) or SB Pro compatible
4=SoundBlaster 16/AWE32 or SB16 compatible
*****************************
or
*****************************
T
Type of SoundBlaster.
1.SoundBlaster 1.x 22KHz, 8bit, mono.
2.SoundBlaster Pro 1.x 22KHz, 8bit, stereo or 44KHz, 8bit, mono.
3.SoundBlaster 2.0 44KHz, 8bit, mono.
4.SoundBlaster Pro 2.0 stereo 44KHz, 8bit, stereo.
5.not used
6.SoundBlaster 16 44KHz, 16bit, stereo
******************************
Click to expand...

Actually, this is inaccurate. The proper table is as follows:

T
Type of SoundBlaster.
1 - Sound Blaster 1.x: 22KHz, 8bit, mono.
2 - Sound Blaster Pro 1.0: 22KHz, 8bit, stereo or 44KHz, 8bit, mono, dual OPL2
3 - Sound Blaster 2.0: 44KHz, 8bit, mono.
4 - Sound Blaster Pro 2.0: 22KHz, 8bit, stereo or 44KHz, 8bit, mono, OPL3
5 - Sound Blaster MCV: 22KHz, 8bit, mono and/or Sound Blaster Pro MCV: 22KHz, 8bit, stereo or 44KHz, 8bit, mono.
6 - SoundBlaster 16: 44KHz, 8/16bit, stereo
 
per said:
For my SB Pro 2.0, I use the following line in my Autoexec.bat file:
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D3 T4

The jumpers on the card must mach this line (A=I/O Address Base, I=IRQ Nr, D=DMA Nr. T=Card type). The reason for this is to make the supporting programs aware of where to send the audio data. If you set in the line that IRQ=7, and your card actually is at IRQ=5, your printer might start to act strange if you use sound-related programs when you're printing a document.
Click to expand...

Did you ever get your CT2290 SB16 to work in a PC-XT?
I have troubles when i run the detect program it says no interupt. But i am sure i had a SB16 working in a XT.

If i set the ide interrupt to 10 could i use this also for the audio?

JT
 
JT64 said:
Did you ever get your CT2290 SB16 to work in a PC-XT?
I have troubles when i run the detect program it says no interupt. But i am sure i had a SB16 working in a XT.

If i set the ide interrupt to 10 could i use this also for the audio?

JT
Click to expand...

To make things clear:
  1. IDE won't work because of it's 16-bit
  2. Any IRQ above (including) 8 won't work
  3. Any DMA above (including) 4 won't work (set Hi DMA = Low DMA if nessecary)
  4. 16-bit digitalized sound might not work
To test it, just add the correct line (see my earlier post) to your Autoexec.bat file, reboot, and run something like "8088 corruption".
 
per said:
To test it, just add the correct line (see my earlier post) to your Autoexec.bat file, reboot, and run something like "8088 corruption".
Click to expand...

Regarding 8088 Corruption: I only tested with cards that handle auto-init DMA. So although non-auto-init DMA code is in there, it hasn't been tested, and 8088 Corruption most likely won't work with a Sound Blaster 1.0 or 1.5.

I also didn't think to test with a SB16 because I didn't think the card itself would work. If only free time were plentiful...
 
Trixter said:
Regarding 8088 Corruption: I only tested with cards that handle auto-init DMA. So although non-auto-init DMA code is in there, it hasn't been tested, and 8088 Corruption most likely won't work with a Sound Blaster 1.0 or 1.5.

I also didn't think to test with a SB16 because I didn't think the card itself would work. If only free time were plentiful...
Click to expand...

Well, it seems to work with my SB16 (CT2290) in my 486, so I see no reason why it shouldn't work with it in a XT, unless the soundblaster-support-code you're using request 16-bit operaion from SB16 cards.
 
per said:
Well, it seems to work with my SB16 (CT2290) in my 486, so I see no reason why it shouldn't work with it in a XT, unless the soundblaster-support-code you're using request 16-bit operaion from SB16 cards.
Click to expand...

Unfortunatly i am unable to get my ct2290 work in my XT. If find the card at port 220 but when i test applications from both creative and others they responds fault 2 no IRQ. I even tried the test application for SB pro test program (because diagnose do not work in XT) it looks for IRQ 2,5,7,10 and i've tested them all with same result no IRQ found.
Maybe you must use special software to set IRQ, and the card is set to strange value?
Or maybe it is just not compatible, i will get another computer with isa slot next week so i can test the card with the diagnose utility.

JT
 
per said:
Well, it seems to work with my SB16 (CT2290) in my 486, so I see no reason why it shouldn't work with it in a XT, unless the soundblaster-support-code you're using request 16-bit operaion from SB16 cards.
Click to expand...

It's not, so it should work. I should try that sometime :)
 
JT64 said:
Unfortunatly i am unable to get my ct2290 work in my XT. If find the card at port 220 but when i test applications from both creative and others they responds fault 2 no IRQ. I even tried the test application for SB pro test program (because diagnose do not work in XT) it looks for IRQ 2,5,7,10 and i've tested them all with same result no IRQ found.
Maybe you must use special software to set IRQ, and the card is set to strange value?
Or maybe it is just not compatible, i will get another computer with isa slot next week so i can test the card with the diagnose utility.
Click to expand...

The CT-2290 is a Sound Blaster 16 CSP where they went quasi-plug'n'play with the card. There are no jumpers on the card for basic soundblaster setting (there are for the IDE/cdrom parts) so the software must set the card up at boot time. If you don't have the exact software that comes with the card, or the software does not set up the card properly, you can't use it.

I would recommend any 8-bit soundblaster for much less hassle. You can set the card to IRQ 2, port 220, DMA 1 and it will work with pretty much all software, and not conflict with any internal hard drives that may use IRQ 5.
 
Trixter said:
The CT-2290 is a Sound Blaster 16 CSP where they went quasi-plug'n'play with the card. There are no jumpers on the card for basic soundblaster setting (there are for the IDE/cdrom parts) so the software must set the card up at boot time. If you don't have the exact software that comes with the card, or the software does not set up the card properly, you can't use it.

I would recommend any 8-bit soundblaster for much less hassle. You can set the card to IRQ 2, port 220, DMA 1 and it will work with pretty much all software, and not conflict with any internal hard drives that may use IRQ 5.
Click to expand...

Yes that is what i thought i think the SB IRQ part is set to some strange value, and the XT can not run the programs to change it.

But i get a newer computer with ISA slot next week so i can figure out what is going on, and maybe change the IRQ. I do not beleive the SET BLASTER
in autoexec.bat actually SET the IRQ. I think you need software.

JT
 
JT64 said:
Yes that is what i thought i think the SB IRQ part is set to some strange value, and the XT can not run the programs to change it.

But i get a newer computer with ISA slot next week so i can figure out what is going on, and maybe change the IRQ. I do not beleive the SET BLASTER
in autoexec.bat actually SET the IRQ. I think you need software.
Click to expand...

Yes, but such changes are not permanent. The software that sets the card values must run on every boot. So you have a catch-22, because that software doesn't work on 808x machines.

There are hard-jumpered SB16s and 8-bit SBs that you can find either here or on ebay for relatively cheap money; I'd look there, personally.
 
All Sound Blaster 16 models up to the CT2230 are 100% non PnP
Try and find a CT17xx series Sound Blaster 16..it's the most jurassic model and the worst sounding of them hehe
 
Amigaz said:
All Sound Blaster 16 models up to the CT2230 are 100% non PnP
Try and find a CT17xx series Sound Blaster 16..it's the most jurassic model and the worst sounding of them hehe
Click to expand...

This is a bit out of topic, but i am really interested in with either FM or wavetable/rom addon cards that can connect to waveblaster connectors.

Do you know if it is possible to connect more than one addon card to a waveblaster connctor?

I guess they are all interchangable and only need the blaster connector to work?

What vintage soundcard do you own any studioquality, and do you own any wavetable or FM addons?

JT
 
JT64 said:
This is a bit out of topic, but i am really interested in with either FM or wavetable/rom addon cards that can connect to waveblaster connectors.

Do you know if it is possible to connect more than one addon card to a waveblaster connctor?

I guess they are all interchangable and only need the blaster connector to work?

What vintage soundcard do you own any studioquality, and do you own any wavetable or FM addons?
Click to expand...

Answers in no particular order:

There are no FM wavetable addons; only wavetable :)

It is not possible to add more than one to the same connector.

They all use the same connector and should work fine.

I have taken apart a Turtle Beach Montego (I think that's the model, it's a Maui and a (Tropez? something?) sold together as one card) and used the wavetable portion with another card (I don't remember if it was an SB16 or a GUS, this was over a decade ago) and it worked fine.

The very best MIDI I've ever heard out of PC was a Roland SCC-1 (the original general MIDI card with GS extensions; I think the standalone module equivalent is an SC-55 but I'm not 100% sure). MIDI files that use the GS extensions sound damn near indistinguishable from the real thing. I hope to have some examples on the Soundcard Museum when I start that project next year.

The very best GMIDI I've heard from a completely un-customised source (ie. no extensions or hints used) was from a Yamaha XG series card. That card usually sounded the best with "generic" midi files.

Some of the WORST gmidi I've ever heard was from the original Gravis Ultrasound patch set (later customized/homebrew patch sets were much better) and from the Creative Waveblaster.

It's interesting to note that the Microsoft wavetable synth claims to use the Roland GMIDI patch set, and yet MIDI files played with it sound worse compared next to the real thing (SCC-1).
 
Trixter said:
Answers in no particular order:

There are no FM wavetable addons; only wavetable :)

It is not possible to add more than one to the same connector.

They all use the same connector and should work fine.

I have taken apart a Turtle Beach Montego (I think that's the model, it's a Maui and a (Tropez? something?) sold together as one card) and used the wavetable portion with another card (I don't remember if it was an SB16 or a GUS, this was over a decade ago) and it worked fine.

The very best MIDI I've ever heard out of PC was a Roland SCC-1 (the original general MIDI card with GS extensions; I think the standalone module equivalent is an SC-55 but I'm not 100% sure). MIDI files that use the GS extensions sound damn near indistinguishable from the real thing. I hope to have some examples on the Soundcard Museum when I start that project next year.

The very best GMIDI I've heard from a completely un-customised source (ie. no extensions or hints used) was from a Yamaha XG series card. That card usually sounded the best with "generic" midi files.

Some of the WORST gmidi I've ever heard was from the original Gravis Ultrasound patch set (later customized/homebrew patch sets were much better) and from the Creative Waveblaster.

It's interesting to note that the Microsoft wavetable synth claims to use the Roland GMIDI patch set, and yet MIDI files played with it sound worse compared next to the real thing (SCC-1).
Click to expand...

A soundcard museum truly is a niceproject the early soundcards like the gravis and turtlebeach really was nice pieces of hardware.

To much interesting Vintage electronic goes down the dumpster, i would like to start with a small collection of TurtleBeach and Roland cards.
But unfortunatly is seems to be piles of SB16s and some SBpro and AWE cards.
I just missed a heap of Digigram ISA and PCI studio soundcards that the person sent for recycling one can only hope someone picked up those cards.

JT
 
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