Re: Tiny 486 build - SBC with ISA backplane

Posted on 2024-05-10, 13:36

by

by megatron-uk

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

The Cyrix 5x86-100 also arrived. I'm currently running it through the same benchmarks as the Am5x86-133. So far with the same system settings it seems to have far better memory speeds (L1 + L2 cache) and the benchmarks show that for 75% of the clock speed of the AMD chip, you get approximately 90% …

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Re: Tiny 486 build - SBC with ISA backplane

Posted on 2024-05-10, 13:31

by

by megatron-uk

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

The alternative Yamaha card (actually a YMF-718, not a YMF-715 which I thought I ordered) arrived today. No difference in compatibility (good!) or digital audio playback (crackling/bad!). I'm wondering if the issue is actually something related to the VIA chipset DMA implementation. Now I need to …

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Re: The King has left the Building.

Posted on 2024-05-10, 07:58

by

by megatron-uk

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

"No other CPU made such a difference" Really????? The z80, 6502 and m68000 would like to have a chat with you.

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Re: Trying to build a retro DOS/Win98 computer.

Posted on 2024-05-09, 22:14

by

by megatron-uk

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

That board still has no ISA slots so if you are intending on doing real dos gaming, rather than emulation or dos-in-windows it really isn't ideal.

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Re: Tiny 486 build - SBC with ISA backplane

Posted on 2024-05-09, 15:17

by

by megatron-uk

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

Replacement Yamaha card hasn't arrived yet, but I have now ordered a Cyrix 5x86-100 to test in place of the Am5x86-133. I intend to test it at 3x33 and then at a 3x40 overclock and see if it will give me both a slight speed increase for some of those later 3d titles, as well as allow a bit more …

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Re: Is the Pentium 4 underrated for retro computing?

Posted on 2024-05-09, 11:26

by

by megatron-uk

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

The P4 was trash when it was introduced and it's still trash now. There were better options when it came out, and there are still better options now. Honestly, if you want an Intel, stick to the really solid P3 or go right on to the Core series. Skip the P4 entirely. AMD had a solid range of options …

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Re: Filco keyboards appreciation post

Posted on 2024-05-08, 22:20

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by megatron-uk

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

My favourite keyboard for about 15 years was a Sun Microsystems Type-6 USB. I loved it - long travel membrane keys. I have been through a few cheap membrane keyboards since it died and none of them last. I recently moved to a cherry g80-3000 3/4 size mechanical keyboard with quiet red switches. I …

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Re: Tyrian freezes on VIA VP3 chipset

Posted on 2024-05-08, 14:47

by

by megatron-uk

in Marvin \ Software

in Marvin \ Software

Tyrian definitely seems tricky with digital audio/DMA. I tried two no-name, bare-bones ESS1868 cards with it and the results were poor; either no digital sound, or digital sound which would crap out after a few samples, or the system would (admittedly rarely) lock up. I swapped to a Yamaha YMF719 …

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Re: Intel 486DX4 vs Cyrix 5x86 showdown (at high FSB frequency)

Posted on 2024-05-08, 08:03

by

by megatron-uk

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

in Marvin \ General Old Hardware

I think that's a really quite contrived example. mkarcher clearly recognises that Quake, in particular, is not very cache friendly (the memory access being somewhat 'random'); one would suspect that a larger cache would alleviate this to a certain degree since the hit rate would surely increase. The …

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Re: Tiny 486 build - SBC with ISA backplane

Posted on 2024-05-07, 18:19

by

by megatron-uk

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

I've just picked up a YMF715 based card, apparently this should be the same specs as the 719; being the same, last generation OPL3-SA3 made before the jump to PCI. I'll see if this one is any better in terms of the clicking digital audio. If not, then I guess it's going to be a case of living with …

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Re: Tiny 486 build - SBC with ISA backplane

Posted on 2024-05-07, 06:59

by

by megatron-uk

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

I'll have to see if I can get another ymf719 in that case - in turns of compatibility it's definitely better than the ESS card.

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Re: Tiny 486 build - SBC with ISA backplane

Posted on 2024-05-06, 22:54

by

by megatron-uk

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

badmojo wrote on 2024-05-06, 22:39: You might consider the low pass filter mod on you YMF719, which makes it sound almost identical to a real SB Pro: Re: Yamaha YMF71x SB Pro Mixer Bug Issue Fix Any idea if that will reduce the noisy/clicking/crackly digital audio path?

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Re: Gravis UltraSound Classic 3.74: FX-Sounds and WAVE-Files Working, But No Music in Games like Doom or MI1

Posted on 2024-05-06, 19:28

by

by megatron-uk

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Have you installed the full Gravis software suite including the patch files? There should be a folder of ~5-6MB of .pat files within C:\ULT (according to your autoexec.bat entry - by default they are in a 'MIDI' subfolder). You can also 'upgrade' the default patches with the 'Pro Pats' pack - you …

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Re: ESS1868 compatibility issues

Posted on 2024-05-06, 10:35

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by megatron-uk

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

I'm not completely finished with re-auditing all ~230 games installed on this system with the Yamaha YMF719 instead of the previous ESS1868F, but I can share the following improvements: - Tyrian, Tyrian 2000, Dune CD, Flashback - all now working correctly ; digital audio is present and consistent …

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Re: Can an online library of classic video games ever be legal?

Posted on 2024-05-06, 08:05

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by megatron-uk

in Milliways

in Milliways

crusher wrote on 2024-05-06, 06:28: I do have the same thoughts with ExoDOS for example. The boxed version is officially sold on Etsy. How can this be legal? Thousa […] Show full quote I do have the same thoughts with ExoDOS for example. The boxed version is officially sold on Etsy. How can this be …

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Re: Flashback MT32 + Soundblaster

Posted on 2024-05-06, 07:18

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by megatron-uk

in Marvin \ Software

in Marvin \ Software

I've gone back to testing Flashback after replacing the ESS1868F with a Yamaha YMF719, and it now works perfectly in the following combinations: - Adlib music + Adlib FX is working* - MT-32 music + Adlib FX is working* - Adlib music + Soundblaster FX is working^ - MT-32 music + Soundblaster FX is …

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Re: SoftMPU project needs your help! (game & sound card testing)

Posted on 2024-05-06, 07:12

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by megatron-uk

in SoftMPU

in SoftMPU

Yes, that's correct - of the games tested so far, the Legend Entertainment games are the only intelligent-mode titles that don't appear to work. Or rather, they *do* work, but cause the game to lockup. The games seem to accept the IRQ as assigned to SoftMPU, but then we get that lockup part way …

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Re: Tiny 486 build - SBC with ISA backplane

Posted on 2024-05-05, 18:27

by

by megatron-uk

in Marvin \ System Specs

in Marvin \ System Specs

I swapped out the ESS1868 soundcard with a Yamaha YMF719 which has solved the broken digital audio in Tyrian/2k, and also allowed Dune CD speech to work without crashing the machine. I'm going back through my audited games to retest, but so far it looks to have slightly better compatibility than the …

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Re: Suggestions for buying a Roland Soundcanvas 88 / 8820

Posted on 2024-05-05, 11:52

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by megatron-uk

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

For anyone else looking at this, the SC8820 rear panel looks like this: IMG_20240505_124854_(1200_x_900_pixel).jpg Power requirements are 9vc DC, centre negative. In fact it is identical to the SC55 MK2, although only draws 400mA compared to the 600mA of the earlier device. You should be able to use …

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Re: SoftMPU project needs your help! (game & sound card testing)

Posted on 2024-05-05, 11:26

by

by megatron-uk

in SoftMPU

in SoftMPU

I've recently swapped the ES1868F with a Yamaha YMF719 as the host for the WP32 McCake and these Legend Entertainment titles are still giving me grief. Everything else I've tested both cards with, along with SoftMPU has worked. The games which don't work regardless of SoftMPU loaded or not are: …

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