AppleSauce wrote on 2024-09-09, 13:53:

[...]

Also for what its worth there is supposedly a utility called fixmpu to fix the issue on soundblaster cards but i dont know how well it works.
and there was also The Soundblaster DSP project to patch the DSP thus fixing the issues with midi but that requires soldering skills you may not have.

That's a huge improvement - being able to combine DSP with no hanging notes with newer quiet DAC, but you still get the slowdowns when MIDI and HQ digital audio play at the same time. And it's a bit of work (one I have on the 'to do' list for my CT2230)

kelmer wrote on 2024-09-09, 15:12:

Just purchased that one, thanks for your help 😀

Which card exactly?

This one (hope i got it right!)
https://wallapop.com/item/aztech-tarjeta-de-s … ource=ShareItem

kelmer wrote on 2024-09-10, 12:28:

This one (hope i got it right!)
https://wallapop.com/item/aztech-tarjeta-de-s … ource=ShareItem

That one should do nicely.

https://www.dosdays.co.uk/topics/Manufacturers/aztech.php

I just got the card but I'm having trouble with windows recognizing it, somehow the drivers get installed but windows claims they're the wrong ones 😒

I downloaded the Washington 16 (which are built-in with windows anyway)

kelmer wrote on 2024-09-12, 16:35:

I just got the card but I'm having trouble with windows recognizing it, somehow the drivers get installed but windows claims they're the wrong ones 😒

I downloaded the Washington 16 (which are built-in with windows anyway)

I would start by trying it in DOS instead.

While I wait for the 5.5 to phone jack cable to get to me to actually try with DOS games, I managed to get the drivers working under win95.

I connected the mt32 to the Aztechs midi port, but windows isn't recognizing the mt32 as a midi device, only the internal opl synthesizer. In not even sure if windows should be detecting it out of the box with no extra drivers, any tips on this?

Windows will not detect mt32. It can only detect midi port on sound card (may be listed in device manager as MPU-401 compatible or something similiar).

But my joystick/midi port is supposed to be mpu compatible 🤔

kelmer wrote on 2024-09-15, 16:24:

But my joystick/midi port is supposed to be mpu compatible 🤔

An external MIDI device, like an MT-32, connected to a MIDI out port on a system running Windows will not be detected by Windows, but it will still work, whether the MIDI port is provided by MPU-401 compatible hardware or not will not change that .

EDIT: In other words, this normal. You just need to select the MIDI output port on your Washington 16 sound card in MIDI mapper (it will likely be identified as MPU-401 compatible) and play a MIDI file.

Sooo.... I finally got all the cables I need but -- I cant hear anything when I run Monkey Island 2 or Space Quest IV with Roland Mt-32 configured ...

I've used this cable to connect the roland to the joystick port. Then used a RCA to minijack cable + 2 RCA to 5.5 adapters to connect to line in. I also ran the mixer setup utility coming with the Aztech drivers, but I cant hear anything. I do have an usb cable for the roland and that way it works on my Windows laptop with DosBox... but that aint the real deal!

What could possibly be wrong here?

kelmer wrote on 2024-09-18, 12:08:

What could possibly be wrong here?

Who knows, maybe gameport working only as joystick port and not as midi.

Check with headphones or speakers first. If line-in muted you'll don't hear anything.

Ok so just to rule out problems I hooked the Roland Mt-32 to my Windows laptop through USB again and used DREAMM to play Monkey Island 2, then connected the out cables to the line in of my speakers; it works. So that leaves either the joystick port or the midi to joystick cable as possible problems here. My understanding is that the Aztech sound card that I purchased (Washington 16) would be compatible with Mt-32 so it must be the cable?

Just to check, I recorded a video to make sure this is how its supposed to sound:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/72X0G34pApg

Let's take this step by step.

Are you trying this in pure DOS or in a Windows DOS prompt?

This is a non-PnP AZT2316A-based card that has an EEPROM where it stores configuration. Which IRQ and base address did you choose for the MPU-401 when you installed it?

I don't think Monkey Island 2 lets you choose address and IRQ, so it probably default so 0x330 and IRQ 2/9. Can you get MIDI out of other games that do let you select your IRQ and base address (eg Doom or similar)?

Well believe it or not, the in/out cables on the midi to joystick were swapped, and it works like this:

However whether it works with certain games its kinda hit and miss. Got Monkey Island 2 and Doom 2 working (although the latter only through General Midi, I saw no MT-32 options in the setup application), but it didn't work with Monkey Island 1 or Leisure Suit Larry 6 for some reason.

The music sounds different in Monkey Island 2 as compared to my previous test with the USB cable on my Windows laptop:

USB:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/72X0G34pApg
Joystick:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPHzkk_IXL4

I do see the midi messages ("Lucasfilm games") popping up on the roland so it must be ok I guess

Also Doom 2's music sounds somehow "incomplete", maybe because it's playing through General MIDI?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ampQkE1q4og&a … lSanmart%C3%ADn

Thank you so much for your help BTW, would never get this working (even if not perfect) without this forum 😀

To answer your questions:

dionb wrote on 2024-09-18, 23:12:

Are you trying this in pure DOS or in a Windows DOS prompt?

Pure DOS.

dionb wrote on 2024-09-18, 23:12:

This is a non-PnP AZT2316A-based card that has an EEPROM where it stores configuration. Which IRQ and base address did you choose for the MPU-401 when you installed it?

Default config, address 330 and IRQ 2.

dionb wrote on 2024-09-18, 23:12:

I don't think Monkey Island 2 lets you choose address and IRQ, so it probably default so 0x330 and IRQ 2/9. Can you get MIDI out of other games that do let you select your IRQ and base address (eg Doom or similar)?

Monkey2 does let you run it like

1monkey2 r330

to set the address, not the irq i believe. Doom didn't let me choose anything at all? Just General MIDI.

kelmer wrote on 2024-09-19, 08:32:

Well believe it or not, the in/out cables on the midi to joystick were swapped, and it works like this: […]
Show full quote

Well believe it or not, the in/out cables on the midi to joystick were swapped, and it works like this:

That's not swapped, that's correct - MIDI from your PC to a device comes out of the MIDI Out plug. You plug that into the MIDI In on your device.

The 'In' plug is to get MIDI from external sources into your PC, if you plugged that into the 'In' port on your MT-32 it's expected not to do anything.

However whether it works with certain games its kinda hit and miss. Got Monkey Island 2 and Doom 2 working (although the latter only through General Midi, I saw no MT-32 options in the setup application)

Yes, Doom2 doesn't have MT-32 support, I only suggested it to test the MPU-401 interface, as it's about the most foolproof game out there when it comes to MIDI. Sounds awful with wrong (GM instead of MT-32) instrument set, but tells you straight away if the interface is working, which it is, at least if the cables are hooked up correctly.

but it didn't work with Monkey Island 1 or Leisure Suit Larry 6 for some reason.

Some software reason. You now know that the hardware (sound card and its MIDI interface, connection from it to the MT-32). So almost there!

No suggestions there as I'm not a point&click adventure person so no experience with those specific games.

The music sounds different in Monkey Island 2 as compared to my previous test with the USB cable on my Windows laptop: […]
Show full quote

The music sounds different in Monkey Island 2 as compared to my previous test with the USB cable on my Windows laptop:

USB:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/72X0G34pApg
Joystick:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPHzkk_IXL4

I do see the midi messages ("Lucasfilm games") popping up on the roland so it must be ok I guess

Can't immediately explain this, maybe the USB adapter or the Windows MPU-401 interface driver isn't sending the custom SYSEX stuff. In any event it sounds good under DOS and the messages on the display suggests everything is correct.

Also Doom 2's music sounds somehow "incomplete", maybe because it's playing through General MIDI?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ampQkE1q4og&a … lSanmart%C3%ADn

That's expected. As I said, Doom 2 doesn't support MT-32, this was just to test the MPU-401 with something known-good. The MPU-401 interface is accurately relaying the MIDI commands to the MT-32, but doing it in a language it doesn't understand (GM). It's like trying to speak Spanish over the phone to an Italian: they will get the gist of what you are saying but it won't sound good. However it does confirm the phone is working 😉

dionb wrote on 2024-09-19, 09:48:

The music sounds different in Monkey Island 2 as compared to my previous test with the USB cable on my Windows laptop: […]
Show full quote

The music sounds different in Monkey Island 2 as compared to my previous test with the USB cable on my Windows laptop:

USB:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/72X0G34pApg
Joystick:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPHzkk_IXL4

I do see the midi messages ("Lucasfilm games") popping up on the roland so it must be ok I guess

Can't immediately explain this, maybe the USB adapter or the Windows MPU-401 interface driver isn't sending the custom SYSEX stuff. In any event it sounds good under DOS and the messages on the display suggests everything is correct.

Funny enough, to my ears the USB cable sounds *better*, it's like the joystick setup is "missing" certain notes.

I will keep testing this afternoon, see if I get those sierra games working as well 😀