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Problem with CMS upgrade on a rev0 CT1350

Yes you are using the non-CMS features but I am confused a little here.

Are you using the SBTEST programs with the new code? Do they still work with the old code?
If they work with the new code and fail on the old one then we are almost certainly OK!
If they work with the new and old code (ie the chips that was on the sb) then that means that either the problem is not gone or the SBTEST programs are not a good test since it has been proven by several ppl that sb mode is problematic.

At any rate nothing beats running a game like Wolfenstein3D or Alone In The Dark or anything you have that uses SB to see if all is working IMHO
 
Just give me an A-B-C-D type of procedure for testing. I'm not a games person--I got my fill of them in the SIMCGA days and do not like them at all.

I didn't get my first sound card until I had to use one on a 486--and I did that for the SCSI adapter (PAS).
 
Since I don't have a 2.0, would this procedure work :

1. Use TEST-SBC 1.0 for C/MS and digitized voice, then

2. Use TEST-SBC 2.0 for FM and digitized voice

You should run the test once for the rev. 0 with each GAL. The bug should present itself when trying to use the FM.

I honestly cannot think of anything else to try but actual games and applications, and that will have to be left up to others. I suppose the applications from the Adlib disk would work to test.


Chuck(G) said:
Just give me an A-B-C-D type of procedure for testing. I'm not a games person--I got my fill of them in the SIMCGA days and do not like them at all.

I didn't get my first sound card until I had to use one on a 486--and I did that for the SCSI adapter (PAS).
Click to expand...
 
This version of TEST-SBC.EXE is also for the 1.5s, but should not hang on the FM Music test. I think the previous version was corrupted.

http://www.mediafire.com/?53w6pgwzm8p7oc8

What is needed to fully test? A truly successful test requires an Sound Blaster 1.0 or 1.5 with C/MS upgrade as the control and a Sound Blaster 2.0 without a revision number and a Sound Blaster 2.0 with a revision number, the Creative PAL and the GALs you want to test. This assumes that people are only having problems with the 2.0s without a revision number, the so-called rev. 0.

Of course, you can cheat and decap the PAL and be guaranteed of the right code :)

Once you have all this hardware, you would have to test with software known to cause problems. Apparently the TEST-SBC.EXEs may not be the best programs to test. As I recall, the issues are either that when the GAL is installed, the C/MS works but the FM and/or Voice fail to be detected or the whole system hangs.

No one knows what changed between the revisions. Could it be that the rev 0 boards have trouble in slower or faster systems with the upgrade?
 
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Chuck(G) said:
Just give me an A-B-C-D type of procedure for testing. I'm not a games person--I got my fill of them in the SIMCGA days and do not like them at all.

I didn't get my first sound card until I had to use one on a 486--and I did that for the SCSI adapter (PAS).
Click to expand...

easy :)

A. get wolfenstein3D demo: ftp://ftp.3drealms.com/share/1wolf14.zip , run it and see if it detects SB in the startup screen. You should hear music playing in the startup screens. Press a key and select the "sound" option. See if you get a screen like this:

35m14w2.jpg


Then just select the 1st episode to begin the 1st level and fire some shots. You should hear them and have bg music at the same time.

B. get Alone in the Dark demo from here: http://www.dosgames.com/g_adv.php (3rd game in the list) , and run tatou.com . The setup is straight forward, it should have detected Adlib and Soundblaster which you need to select from the list (there are 2 options, DMA and non-DMA I would suggest to try both if they work, if the DMA version fails then set the non-DMA one) and lastly select the 1st option "game" to play. (if you need to get the setup menu again just delete the config.tat file)

2zzlyl2.jpg


33dkrhy.jpg


When the game starts you should hear thunder roaring and the 3D mouse logo shrinking and then sfx from the pages of the book turning. Select start a new game , select male/female and you should be immediately at an attic. You should hear FM music playing and your footsteps as you walk around.

If these 2 work fine then I guess all is well :D
I hope what I wrote is clear enough, I am eager to hear the results! :D
 
KEROPI;
I can't get either of these games to run on my 5155. What are the minimum system requirements for these games.
I ran the w3dhelp.exe file and read that it requires a minimum 286 12mhz.

My board does test ok with all 3 Sound Blaster test programs but the sound in PAKU PAKU is not very good as I mentioned before(it sounds "choppy" when playing multiple voices together) I tried it in with the HotShot 286 accelerater set in non accelerated mode (V20 @ 4.77mhz) but still sounds choppy.
 
@ibmapc :

both need a 286 to run, it seems strange you can't get them working on your 286, could it be an accelerator thing?
Do you have Monkey Island? Try it with the -g switch, you will immediately see if you get choppy sound as the tune is well known IMHO :)
 
Hey Chuck,
If you're still working on this, I have a question for you. When you loaded PAKU PAKU with the CMS option, did you move the "PAK MAN" to "eat" the dots? If you did, did the sound get choppy as the dots were "eaten"?
 
No, but I'll give it a try this weekend and see what happens.

Edit I just tried it. As each dot got eaten, there was a "blip", but if I turned around and went back over the cleared area, no change in sound. Maybe that's the way it's supposed to work?
 
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The "Blip" is normal. On mine, the backgound sound (irritating "WOO-WOO" sound) gets very choppy when the dots are eaten. I've even tried it with the machine stripped down to the bare bones. Well almost bare bones. Only video card, (EGA Wonder), Sound card, Hard disk adapter(ADP50). Still choppy. If anyone else would like to try my card in thier system, I'd be happy to loan it out. Who knows, maybe I'd even give it away to the right user, if it works better in someone elses machine than mine. Just send me a PM if interested.
 
I see what you mean about detection in "Alone in the Dark". I'll see about running that one down.

On the other hand, while I can get through configuration with "Alone", I can't get a game display--I'm using a Tsenglabs VGA card and the screen stays dark.
 
keropi said:
I have a real GameBlaster I can make a quick recording of how it sounds if needed , shouldn't be that hard
Click to expand...
Thanks for the offer. I have ran PAKU without the CMS chips installed in ADLIB / Sound Blaster mode and it sounds much smoother. I'm pretty sure that's the way it should sound. I don't see any benifit with my Rev 0 card having the CMS option since the sound quality is so poor.
 
@Chuck(G):

if the screen stays black it's because it's trying to access the sound card.. it's the same when you choose a wrong one :???: does wolf3d work?

@ibmapc:

when I tried paku paku in CMS mode I was amazed because it sounded almost the same as the arcade! I will make the recording just in case

edit: did a vid with my phone here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4ialaTTYkk , sometimes the volume is lowering I guess it's the left speaker playing and the phone is not picking it up OK... but the sound is constant without cut offs... also I cheated, I used a SB1.5 + SAA chips not the real gameblaster ;)
 
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keropi said:
@Chuck(G):

@ibmapc:

when I tried paku paku in CMS mode I was amazed because it sounded almost the same as the arcade! I will make the recording just in case

edit: did a vid with my phone here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4ialaTTYkk , sometimes the volume is lowering I guess it's the left speaker playing and the phone is not picking it up OK... but the sound is constant without cut offs... also I cheated, I used a SB1.5 + SAA chips not the real gameblaster ;)
Click to expand...
That's pretty much how mine sounds without the CMS chips(only a little slower). With the chips it sounds awfull. Could be it's just to much for the 8 bit 4.77mhz buss on my 5155(or whatever speed the stock XT Buss runs at). I thought it could be a problem with another card trying to steal the interrupt. That's why I stripped the machine down and tried again with no improvement. Next time I put the Rev 0 card in (My Sound Blaster 16 is in there now), I'll try to make a recording of the sound so you can see what I'm talking about.

Chuck, Would you be interested in trying my card in your turbo XT? I wonder if with the faster bus speed it might operate more smoothly.
 
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Well, "Alone" doesn't work even with no sound card installed (and CONFIG.TAT deleted). Goes to a blank graphics screen, then nothing.

Wolf3d says it requires a 286--I'm running on an XT. (Why would anyone want to use an 8-bit sound card on a 286?)

Any more ideas?
 
Chuck(G) said:
Well, "Alone" doesn't work even with no sound card installed (and CONFIG.TAT deleted). Goes to a blank graphics screen, then nothing.

Wolf3d says it requires a 286--I'm running on an XT. (Why would anyone want to use an 8-bit sound card on a 286?)

Any more ideas?
Click to expand...

I'm thinking that PAKU PAKU could be used to gain some info.
1.)I believe that when PAKU is loaded without any options, it should automatically detect the Sound Blaster and load ADLIB / SOUND BLASTER option. Or at least you should be able to type PAKU /ADLIB to force it. With my REV 0 Board w/CMS option, if I type PAKU with no options, it plays the sound through the PC Speaker. That would indicate that it is not detecting the board. If I try to force it with PAKU /ADLIB no sound comes out at all.
2.) When I run PAKU with no options and the Rev 0 Board without the CMS chips, it detects it as ADLIB and plays the sound perfectly through the soundblaster.

Do you see these same symptoms on your's CHUCK?
 
I was under the impression that you were using a 286 (or upgraded xt->286) Chuck(G) ... well that's why aitd does not work, it needs 286+ :mrgreen:
I'll come up with some XT suggestions then.... ;)

edit: Secret of Monkey Island seems to work with XT machines too... also Zeliard and Silpheed if I am not mistaken, will check them

edit2: pm sent to Chuck(G) with some test stuff from my collection
 
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