Try a different bank.

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/3150195/Dre … ?page=14#manual

How were you testing with the MX300? Like in Windows or something?

For the AWE card, it seems the rev 3 card that you have there may have issues with the wavetable header? I expect that's just hanging note bugs though and not just broken completely.
http://www.dosdays.co.uk/topics/Manufacturers … 2_64.php#CT2760
https://www.reddit.com/r/vintagecomputing/com … r_awe32_ct2760/
I don't know about that since I don't have a CT2760, I had no idea there were 2 types until now.

I've had this happen to me at a hardware level with the DreamBlaster X2, there's a small chip on it that buffers the midi input from the wavetable header to the main chip and mine had broken through abuse and poor storage. It's much less likely that that's your issue so best to find out if your MIDI setup is sending data to the DreamBlaster card - does the green light flash when music is playing?

dominusprog's suggestion is probably it, I really don't know the DreamBlaster X16 😀

Thermalwrong wrote on 2024-09-01, 21:40:

How were you testing with the MX300? Like in Windows or something? […]
Show full quote

How were you testing with the MX300? Like in Windows or something?

For the AWE card, it seems the rev 3 card that you have there may have issues with the wavetable header? I expect that's just hanging note bugs though and not just broken completely.
http://www.dosdays.co.uk/topics/Manufacturers … 2_64.php#CT2760
https://www.reddit.com/r/vintagecomputing/com … r_awe32_ct2760/
I don't know about that since I don't have a CT2760, I had no idea there were 2 types until now.

I've had this happen to me at a hardware level with the DreamBlaster X2, there's a small chip on it that buffers the midi input from the wavetable header to the main chip and mine had broken through abuse and poor storage. It's much less likely that that's your issue so best to find out if your MIDI setup is sending data to the DreamBlaster card - does the green light flash when music is playing?

dominusprog's suggestion is probably it, I really don't know the DreamBlaster X16 😀

Tried but no go. Still no flashing light. I checked it via USB and the GS ROM is on bank 0 and so on. So I tried the other dip settings but nothing. I have Revision 1 of the AWE32.

CrazyKickBoxer wrote on 2024-09-01, 23:52:

Thermalwrong wrote on 2024-09-01, 21:40:

How were you testing with the MX300? Like in Windows or something? […]
Show full quote

How were you testing with the MX300? Like in Windows or something?

For the AWE card, it seems the rev 3 card that you have there may have issues with the wavetable header? I expect that's just hanging note bugs though and not just broken completely.
http://www.dosdays.co.uk/topics/Manufacturers … 2_64.php#CT2760
https://www.reddit.com/r/vintagecomputing/com … r_awe32_ct2760/
I don't know about that since I don't have a CT2760, I had no idea there were 2 types until now.

I've had this happen to me at a hardware level with the DreamBlaster X2, there's a small chip on it that buffers the midi input from the wavetable header to the main chip and mine had broken through abuse and poor storage. It's much less likely that that's your issue so best to find out if your MIDI setup is sending data to the DreamBlaster card - does the green light flash when music is playing?

dominusprog's suggestion is probably it, I really don't know the DreamBlaster X16 😀

Tried but no go. Still no flashing light. I checked it via USB and the GS ROM is on bank 0 and so on. So I tried the other dip settings but nothing. I have Revision 1 of the AWE32.

Yes Testing in Windows with the MX300. Same no result. I have the drivers properly installed with full dos support within Windows and the DOS TSR works. But I tried MIDI in windows and it didnt work.

Is there a jumper on MFBEN or MPUEN?

CrazyKickBoxer wrote on 2024-09-01, 20:19:

So I ordered a DreamBlaster X16. It works via USB and it lights up on the awe32 wavetable header. I've enabled and disabled the MPU-401 port via the jumpers and no difference. It is set to 330. I get no sound out of it. I've tried plugged headphones directly to it while plugged into the AWE32 and I've tried messing with the AWEUTIL a little bit.

The main purpose of AWEUTIL is to initialize the EMU8K synthesize (at 620h), but it can also process data that gets sent to the MPU port (330h) and generate EMU8K music from it. You don't want that feature, because you want the data sent to the MPU port to end up at the DreamBlaster instead. So when you use AWEUTIL to initialiaze the card, make sure to not include any /EM parameter, just run "AWEUTIL /S".

If the card is properly initialized (DIAGNOSE /s and AWEUTIL /s have been executed), and AWEUTIL is not loaded in emulation mode, and the MPU port (not the wavetable port) is set to 330h, there should be activity on the DreamBlaster as soon as you run any software that does MPU-type MIDI playback using port 330h.

ux-3 wrote on 2024-09-02, 06:11:

Is there a jumper on MFBEN or MPUEN?

There is MPUEN. I have tried both enabled and disabled and still nothing.

mkarcher wrote on 2024-09-02, 09:44:

CrazyKickBoxer wrote on 2024-09-01, 20:19:

So I ordered a DreamBlaster X16. It works via USB and it lights up on the awe32 wavetable header. I've enabled and disabled the MPU-401 port via the jumpers and no difference. It is set to 330. I get no sound out of it. I've tried plugged headphones directly to it while plugged into the AWE32 and I've tried messing with the AWEUTIL a little bit.

The main purpose of AWEUTIL is to initialize the EMU8K synthesize (at 620h), but it can also process data that gets sent to the MPU port (330h) and generate EMU8K music from it. You don't want that feature, because you want the data sent to the MPU port to end up at the DreamBlaster instead. So when you use AWEUTIL to initialiaze the card, make sure to not include any /EM parameter, just run "AWEUTIL /S".

If the card is properly initialized (DIAGNOSE /s and AWEUTIL /s have been executed), and AWEUTIL is not loaded in emulation mode, and the MPU port (not the wavetable port) is set to 330h, there should be activity on the DreamBlaster as soon as you run any software that does MPU-type MIDI playback using port 330h.

So I tried /S again and still nothing. I am on revision 1 of the CT2760.

Does the card pass all 4 tests? You hear fm, internal wavetable and 8/16 bit SB?

Is MIDI volume up in mixer?

As a data point, I do own rev3 of the card, but had no "issues" using NEC XR385 on it. The card is noisy compared to later AWE32 models.

ux-3 wrote on 2024-09-02, 11:34:

Does the card pass all 4 tests? You hear fm, internal wavetable and 8/16 bit SB?

Is MIDI volume up in mixer?

As a data point, I do own rev3 of the card, but had no "issues" using NEC XR385 on it. The card is noisy compared to later AWE32 models.

Just did the tests again and everything is ok. Checkecd the MIDI volume and its up. Even checked the mixer in Windows 3.1 to see if that would help trigger something? If it lights up and I try to test it but get no response. So if I am in the duke3d setup and I pick another port it instantly says error. but port 330 its ok. I can change the MPU-401 port to 300 on the motherboard. Could that make a difference?

CrazyKickBoxer wrote on 2024-09-02, 20:14:

but port 330 its ok. I can change the MPU-401 port to 300 on the motherboard. Could that make a difference?

Yes, that could very much make a difference. MPU-401 on the motherboard means that there is something on the motherboard that also tries to be an MPU-401 port, and possibly snatches all data away that is meant to go to the AWE32 card. The motherboard MPU401 interface will send the MIDI data to the game port connector in the ATX I/O area. Disable the motherboard MPU if possible, otherwise relocate it to 300, so it does not conflict with the AWE MPU port at 330h.

mkarcher wrote on 2024-09-02, 21:15:

CrazyKickBoxer wrote on 2024-09-02, 20:14:

but port 330 its ok. I can change the MPU-401 port to 300 on the motherboard. Could that make a difference?

Yes, that could very much make a difference. MPU-401 on the motherboard means that there is something on the motherboard that also tries to be an MPU-401 port, and possibly snatches all data away that is meant to go to the AWE32 card. The motherboard MPU401 interface will send the MIDI data to the game port connector in the ATX I/O area. Disable the motherboard MPU if possible, otherwise relocate it to 300, so it does not conflict with the AWE MPU port at 330h.

ok so I tried port 300h and still no go. I have no other device on 300h. the setup utility says it should be playing but the dreamblaster is not blinking any lights. But it is recognizing that it is there. Because if I pick another port it errors out.

CrazyKickBoxer wrote on 2024-09-02, 22:12:

CrazyKickBoxer wrote on 2024-09-02, 20:14:

but port 330 its ok. I can change the MPU-401 port to 300 on the motherboard. Could that make a difference?

ok so I tried port 300h and still no go. I have no other device on 300h. the setup utility says it should be playing but the dreamblaster is not blinking any lights. But it is recognizing that it is there. Because if I pick another port it errors out.

Maybe I misunderstood you. Are you talking about a BIOS setting for the motherboard where the processor and the AWE32 card is plugged to? Or are you calling the AWE32 card "motherboard", because you are plugging the waveblaster "daughterboard" into that "motherboard"?

In case you are talking about a BIOS setting of the motherboard of your computer: If the BIOS offers a MPU401 setting, then it must be different to the MPU401 setting of the AWE32 card, and if you don't use MIDI output in the gameport of the motherboard, you should preferably disable it completely.

With any mainboard MPU port out of the way: For the AWE32 card: The jumper at MPUEN neds to be installed, otherwise the card does not provide an MPU401-compatible interface at all. Furthermore, MSEL needs to be installed to get the default address of 330h. In the Duke setup utility, you need to select the base address of the AWE32 MPU port, not the one of a BIOS-configured motherboard MPU port. If you changed the BIOS setup to 300, and then you get an error at address 330h, the AWE32 jumpering is not as suggested.

there is a mod to do on the X16 so it will work with SB cards that have issues - posted on the X16 page over at serdashop:
SB16 compatibility modification instructions for X16GS sold before August 25th 2024 here.
perhaps this needs to be done on the card in question

mkarcher wrote on 2024-09-03, 08:27:

Maybe I misunderstood you. Are you talking about a BIOS setting for the motherboard where the processor and the AWE32 card is pl […]
Show full quote

CrazyKickBoxer wrote on 2024-09-02, 22:12:

CrazyKickBoxer wrote on 2024-09-02, 20:14:

but port 330 its ok. I can change the MPU-401 port to 300 on the motherboard. Could that make a difference?

ok so I tried port 300h and still no go. I have no other device on 300h. the setup utility says it should be playing but the dreamblaster is not blinking any lights. But it is recognizing that it is there. Because if I pick another port it errors out.

Maybe I misunderstood you. Are you talking about a BIOS setting for the motherboard where the processor and the AWE32 card is plugged to? Or are you calling the AWE32 card "motherboard", because you are plugging the waveblaster "daughterboard" into that "motherboard"?

In case you are talking about a BIOS setting of the motherboard of your computer: If the BIOS offers a MPU401 setting, then it must be different to the MPU401 setting of the AWE32 card, and if you don't use MIDI output in the gameport of the motherboard, you should preferably disable it completely.

With any mainboard MPU port out of the way: For the AWE32 card: The jumper at MPUEN neds to be installed, otherwise the card does not provide an MPU401-compatible interface at all. Furthermore, MSEL needs to be installed to get the default address of 330h. In the Duke setup utility, you need to select the base address of the AWE32 MPU port, not the one of a BIOS-configured motherboard MPU port. If you changed the BIOS setup to 300, and then you get an error at address 330h, the AWE32 jumpering is not as suggested.

Sorry when I refer to the motherboard I am talk about the AWE32. and the MPU-401 is enabled. Still no go. Maybe that new post below yours about the compatibility is the issue? Because it is not working yet

CrazyKickBoxer wrote on 2024-09-03, 12:26:

Sorry when I refer to the motherboard I am talk about the AWE32. and the MPU-401 is enabled. Still no go. Maybe that new post below yours about the compatibility is the issue? Because it is not working yet

OK, in that case, ignore my advice to change the port address "on the motherboard", I made it using the false assumption what you mean by "motherboard".

The CT2760 is indeed quite similar (except for the added EMU8K synth, of course) to the CT2230 that exhibits the issue described by keropi, so definitely give that one a go, by removing the resistor or cutting the trace as mentioned in the linked document.

mkarcher wrote on 2024-09-03, 12:39:

CrazyKickBoxer wrote on 2024-09-03, 12:26:

Sorry when I refer to the motherboard I am talk about the AWE32. and the MPU-401 is enabled. Still no go. Maybe that new post below yours about the compatibility is the issue? Because it is not working yet

OK, in that case, ignore my advice to change the port address "on the motherboard", I made it using the false assumption what you mean by "motherboard".

The CT2760 is indeed quite similar (except for the added EMU8K synth, of course) to the CT2230 that exhibits the issue described by keropi, so definitely give that one a go, by removing the resistor or cutting the trace as mentioned in the linked document.

It WORKED! YAY its all fixed! I am so happy now. I can enjoy sweet music!

keropi wrote on 2024-09-03, 08:59:

there is a mod to do on the X16 so it will work with SB cards that have issues - posted on the X16 page over at serdashop:
SB16 compatibility modification instructions for X16GS sold before August 25th 2024 here.
perhaps this needs to be done on the card in question

That did it! Thank you for pointing that out! I am amazed! Music here we come.