VOGONS


First post, by haker120

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I tried multiple drivers with various results, some allowed me to hear (all I mean under DOS window mode as pure DOS in this build isn't something I crave but no matter, it should work as it's ISA card) Sound Blaster as sound but not music, some as music but no sound, some even as sound and MIDI only as music etc. I have no idea what driver is correct for my board. It looks like that (too lazy to open this PC as of this week I literally built multiple PCs...).

Reply 1 of 11, by DerBaum

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Its a Pro 16III without IDE and without Wavetable.
Just OPL as a midi synthesitzer.
there are around 15 variations of this card with slight differences.

FCKGW-RHQQ2

Reply 2 of 11, by haker120

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So which driver should I use? Enough for me is Sound Blaster for both sound and music. 😉

Reply 3 of 11, by DerBaum

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haker120 wrote on 2023-11-11, 19:49:

So which driver should I use? Enough for me is Sound Blaster for both sound and music. 😉

A driver for the Pro 16III
like this one: http://vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fileid=911&menustate=0

in pure dos it has to be initialised because its pnp. if your bios doesnt initialise pnp cards you have to use the utility from the driver disks on boot.

If it makes sounds in windows it should make sounds in a windows dos prompt too.
the card is normally initialised on irq 5, dma 1, address 220.
In windows you have to use the standard fm midi synthesizer for midi playback.

FCKGW-RHQQ2

Reply 4 of 11, by fjardest

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Unisound supports azt2320 based aztech cards.

Reply 5 of 11, by haker120

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I get sound in windows but at startup I see 'AZTPNP.CFG file parameters missing. Initialization failed'.

Edit: I forced VXD drivers and unisound helps to initialize before playing DOS games, it's annoying because putting it to autoexec intitializes but only Sound Blaster music works and I have to initialize second time in windows then everything works.

Reply 6 of 11, by Demolition-Man

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I have exactly this card, but dont use it anymore.
Worked with UNISOUND an normal drivers under DOS, and there are additional Win 98 drivers.
I`m pretty sure i got mine from this site:
https://www.pc-schnulli.de/hardw/soundk.html
https://www.pc-schnulli.de/hardw/skisa/aztr/azt_2320_w9x.rar

Reply 7 of 11, by stanwebber

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aztec azt2320 has excellent windows drivers. what os are you running? i ran vxd drivers under win98se, but i think wdm drivers were an option too.

yes, unisound was a blessing in pure dos over the convoluted aztech drivers.

Reply 8 of 11, by haker120

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I'm using Win98SE and I have to initialize that card via unisound twice, if not only SB music works. And I'd like WDM ones to have proper audio CD emulation.

Reply 9 of 11, by stanwebber

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the entire aztec ftp site with drivers for all isa soundcards is archived on vogonsdrivers.com; however, if i remember correctly win98se ships with wdm drivers for the azt2320 that automatically install straight out of the box. if you go this route the windows kernel handles all the sb pro emulation in the command prompt virtual machine. wavetable midi (using the roland licensed soundbank) is also provided at address 330. in fact, i think the yamaha opl3 that's onboard the azt2320 is unavailable with the wdm drivers.

i wish i could remember the details better, but i spent so little time playing with the wdm drivers before switching to vxd. the azt2320 is an excellent windows soundcard (and now dos too with unisound). it is perhaps the quietest isa card i have ever used plus it has a real licensed yamaha opl3. only my ess es688 with a ymf262 is favored more (probably because it's non-pnp, but even the azt2320 has wss support while the ess does not).

vxd drivers will install a specific entry in windows device manager that handles the sb pro + adlib/fm configurable addresses in a command prompt virtual machine. there will also be a separate entry for the mpu401 port. the wavetable midi emulation using the roland soundbank will be unavailable, replaced by the hardware mpu401.

Reply 10 of 11, by Demolition-Man

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The card is good for Windows, although the CD-in doesn't work on mine and I can only use the line in, which is also annoying under Windows. Under DOS and regardless of whether with the original drivers or Unisound, the card is suitable for FM music or as a MIDI carrier. The effects (FX) are the worst of all my sound cards, regardless of the setting (mixer). It could also be that mine is simply defective. But only under DOS, I don't think so.

Reply 11 of 11, by haker120

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I got annoyed and ordered AWE64 Value CT4520 for this build. 😁 As of now I tried PCI Aureal Vortex 2 and so far so good but I want something ISA. I have multiple ISA/PCI cards but most of them refuse to be compatible like ESS1868F, Aztechs, YMF7x4 cards. That mobo I was using this Aztech, has SBLink but none of the Yamahas with populated SBLink port I own work, I have even Solo-1 with this port but none of the cards are intialized in BIOS (but in other PCs they work perfectly except SBLink as this is only mobo with it).