Subject: Re: Sound for DOS games on modern hardware?

From: "RHahm" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu Jun 19 18:21:45 2003

Here is what I did:

Built a pure DOS rig that shares mouse, keyboard, and monitor with my P4
sytem via a KVM switch and patches into my Creative amp.

Believe it or not it took a long time to build the perfect DOS machine (for
me). My requirements were a system running Dos 6.2 with Dosshell and Win 3.1
that had sound and could let me play Red Storm Rising, the best game I have
ever played on the PC.

That machine is currently a Gateway 486DX66 with a SB32 AWE non plug and
play ISA sound card, 12xCDROM, 5.25 and 3.5" floppies, and HD. Gateway has
specs for the MB jumpers on all their older systems on their web site which
was a great help. This MB has PS2 connectors for the mouse and keyboard
which makes it simple to connect to the KVM switch. I also am using an ISA
Promise HD controller that allows the systems bios to use a HD greater then
1G. Built it for cheap from parts found on eBay.

The first system I built was a Pentium 233mmx with ISA and PCI slots but RSR
and some other older Dos games would not run and the plug and play stuff was
a nightmare for sound with DOS and Win3.1.

---

From: Jules Richardson<[email-masked]>
Date: Sat Jun 21 18:17:42 2003

OK, I've long since lost the orignal post, but wasn't Ethan specifically trying
to run Wolf3D? 

My memory's pretty darn hazy on this, but I have a feeling that game may
support parallel-port audio devices. Back then soundcards were expensive but a
parallel-port DAC could be wired up quite cheaply; I remember rigging one up so
I could play Amiga soundtracker mod files on the PC. There was also a Windows
3.0 driver floating around.

A (very) few DOS games supported such devices - and talking to a parallel port
hasn't exactly changed over the years (whilst bus connection methods have). The
extra CPU load from driving a parallel port device isn't exactly a problem on
modern hardware either :-) 

Just an idea if you have no ISA slots on the PC and can't rig up another
machine anyway - but of course no use whatsoever if the games you want to run
won't support a parallel port device! :)

I can't find my copy of Wolf3D in order to check :-(  I used to have it but I
think it's long since vanished - shame as it was a pretty neat game from what I
recall.

cheers

Jules

________________________________________________________________________
Want to chat instantly with your online friends?  Get the FREE Yahoo!
Messenger http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com/