AdLib Emulation - Missing Percussion?

[pgimeno]

I have a lot of .ROL files I created with Adlib Visual Composer. The problem I'm having with ao486 is that when a snare drum or hi hat is included, it isn't heard. Probably happens with other percussion instruments as well.

PFA a couple example .ROL files. They sound OK in DosBox, but the percussion (except the bass drum which is actually a normal channel) is missing in ao486.

Play with:

Code: Select all

SOUND BC388
INTUNE

InTune is an unregistered shareware version so it contains nag screens, sorry about that.

THURST3.ROL is my version of Also Sprächt Scott Thurston. At 0:44 a snare drum is introduced and kept for the rest of the song, but it can't be heard in ao486.

AMERICA2.ROL is my version of a fragment of American Natives. At 0:22 a hi-hat is introduced, but it isn't heard in ao486 either.

Switching between OPL2 and OPL3 does not make a difference. Switching on/off C/MS does nothing either. Going back to the May release of ao486 does not help.

[Shaneus]

I assume similar can be heard with the bundled AdLib Jukebox demo tunes, which I know almost from memory. I think I have them downloaded somewhere, I'll test them as well and let you know how I get on.

I also wonder if the same problems happened with actual SB Pro hardware vs. AdLib? I can't imagine there's any difference, but I guess there could be.

[pgimeno]

I never owned an AdLib; I always used the AdLib integrated in the SBPro, and I created these ROLs with it, so in a SBPro they definitely could be heard. I later owned a SB16 and I would have noticed these differences.

[HMPoweredMan]

I noticed the same thing in Super Solvers: Treasure Cove which I assume uses adlib. Missing percussion rather off-putting. I suspect it's a white noise channel that's missing since there was no white noise when the whale blows his blowhole either. Noise would be used for the percussion instruments you mentioned.

Maybe I'm crazy but I swear it was fine before I updated. Was the move to SBPro in the past few versions or so?
Maybe you should log this issue on GitHub.

[pgimeno]

Thanks for confirming the issue. Unfortunately I deleted my GitHub user with no intention to return, so I can't report it there.

[HMPoweredMan]

No worries. I put it up a few days ago. I'm thinking midi in general is not working correctly on the soundblaster pro.

[pgimeno]

Thanks. I doubt it has anything to do with MIDI, to be honest. It seems more likely that it's an YMF262/YM3812 sound chip emulation problem. The ROL files linked above don't use MIDI at all; just the SOUND.COM driver that speaks directly to said chips.

[Sorgelig]

Hardcoded drum set in OPL2/3 is not implemented. If app creates the same drums through standard OPL programming - they will work, but predefined set hardcoded in chip won't.

[pgimeno]

Ah that explains it then, thanks. Is it in the plans to add them?

Dosbox for example reproduces them: https://sourceforge.net/p/dosbox/code-0 ... l.cpp#l792

Maybe it can be used as a base for implementing them?

[HarborSeal]

Some potentially good news. Jotego is working on the Gunbird 2 arcade core.

Gunbird 2 is a Psikyo SH2 system. This included the Yamaha OPL4 chipset for FM sound. The Yamaha OPL4 is backwards compatible with OPL3, OPL2, and OPL chips. So Soundblaster Pro, Adlib, and Soundblaster 16 drivers should theoretically work with the OPL4.

http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=811
https://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthrea ... p-families

[suww37]

Some potentially good news. Jotego is working on the Gunbird 2 arcade core.

Gunbird 2 is a Psikyo SH2 system. This included the Yamaha OPL4 chipset for FM sound. The Yamaha OPL4 is backwards compatible with OPL3, OPL2, and OPL chips. So Soundblaster Pro, Adlib, and Soundblaster 16 drivers should theoretically work with the OPL4.

http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=811
https://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthrea ... p-families

I'm happy with the news, but the opl2 fpga chip has already been completed by jotego. Nevertheless, sorglelig s not used it (I don't know why). And the bigger problem is that sorgelig doesn't care about ao486. I'm skeptical that jotego's opl4 chip fpga will be ported to the ao486 even when it's finished.

[wark91]

Some potentially good news. Jotego is working on the Gunbird 2 arcade core.

Gunbird 2 is a Psikyo SH2 system. This included the Yamaha OPL4 chipset for FM sound. The Yamaha OPL4 is backwards compatible with OPL3, OPL2, and OPL chips. So Soundblaster Pro, Adlib, and Soundblaster 16 drivers should theoretically work with the OPL4.

http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=811
https://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthrea ... p-families

I'm happy with the news, but the opl2 fpga chip has already been completed by jotego. Nevertheless, sorglelig s not used it (I don't know why). And the bigger problem is that sorgelig doesn't care about ao486. I'm skeptical that jotego's opl4 chip fpga will be ported to the ao486 even when it's finished.

I think it is not true. If you check commits on AO486 you will see the amount of work done by Sorgelig on this core.

[suww37]

Some potentially good news. Jotego is working on the Gunbird 2 arcade core.

Gunbird 2 is a Psikyo SH2 system. This included the Yamaha OPL4 chipset for FM sound. The Yamaha OPL4 is backwards compatible with OPL3, OPL2, and OPL chips. So Soundblaster Pro, Adlib, and Soundblaster 16 drivers should theoretically work with the OPL4.

http://www.system16.com/hardware.php?id=811
https://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthrea ... p-families

I'm happy with the news, but the opl2 fpga chip has already been completed by jotego. Nevertheless, sorglelig s not used it (I don't know why). And the bigger problem is that sorgelig doesn't care about ao486. I'm skeptical that jotego's opl4 chip fpga will be ported to the ao486 even when it's finished.

I think it is not true. If you check commits on AO486 you will see the amount of work done by Sorgelig on this core.

There has been no update of aos486 since the last few months, and there is no answer from sorgelig to the issue. He no longer mentions the imperfections of the opl sound. I don't think he cares about OPL sound.

[jordi]

Ah that explains it then, thanks. Is it in the plans to add them?

Dosbox for example reproduces them: https://sourceforge.net/p/dosbox/code-0 ... l.cpp#l792

Maybe it can be used as a base for implementing them?

it's even easier. PCXT has already integrated OPL. Someone referred to left space, but If z80 cpu is removed, it might fit?

[pgimeno]

it's even easier. PCXT has already integrated OPL. Someone referred to left space, but If z80 cpu is removed, it might fit?

What does Z80 have to do with anything?

[jordi]

it's even easier. PCXT has already integrated OPL. Someone referred to left space, but If z80 cpu is removed, it might fit?

What does Z80 have to do with anything?

It's an emulator written over a z80. There are some issues in github
https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/ao486_MiSTer/issues/41