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From: smsmith@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Stephen M. Smith)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,rec.games.misc
Subject: Soundblaster with 386-33 help needed!
Summary: screeching, funky music
Message-ID: <1991Mar23.050244.19739@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Date: 23 Mar 91 05:02:44 GMT
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If somebody out there has a Soundblaster that works correctly
in their 386-33, please hit 'r' now and let me know that this
is a possibility!

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Problem:

--With memory cache (64k) turned on, all I get is either
  screeching distortions or severely deteriorated/funky
  music (clipped notes, missing notes, tinny sound).

--With memory cache turned off, or if my system speed is
  lowered to 8 or 6 MHz, the problem goes away.

I've tried:

--calling Creative Labs.  Not much help, but they did tell
  me about disabling the cache.  But why should I want to
  run a 386-33 at a functional 386-20 level?

--putting the card in a different slot.  No difference.

--using a different interrupt (IRQ5 instead of IRQ7). 
  No difference.

--setting the bus speed from 8 MHz to 10 MHz (Creative Labs
  actually suggested this!).  This made things worse!

Conclusions:

--The Soundblaster doesn't work with any machine faster than
  a 386-25 (or a 386-33 with no cache?)

--The Soundblaster is incompatible with Micronics motherboards
  (I've got the Micronics).

--My Soundblaster is broken.  (I am trading it for a replace-
  ment at the moment, but I have a feeling the new one won't
  work either.)


I've noticed that if I have QEMM loaded it makes it a little
better.  I have no idea why QEMM would affect it unless it
has something to do with my BIOS and QEMM is doing something
with my shadowed BIOS (which it shouldn't).  

PLEASE NOTE: The problem is different with different games:

    Ultima VI: Screeching, missed notes, tinny sound.
    Krynn: Screeching, missed notes, funky sound.
    Secret of Silver Blades: Missed notes, tinny sound.
    
    But:

      Wing Commander: Nearly flawless music!  (Only a few periodic
                      flaws like crackling sounds or notes being 
                      sustained too long.  But it plays fine at
                      slower speeds.)
      Eye of Beholder: Same as Wing Commander.
      Soundblaster voice files: No problem here!
 
Any suggestions?  Anybody have a 386-33 or 486 with a WORKING
Soundblaster?

Stephen M. Smith  \  +  /
<smsmith@hpuxa.   \+++++/    " #*&<-[89s]*(k#$@-_=//a2$]'+=.(2_&*%>,,@
 ircc.ohio-state. \  +  /      {7%*@,..":27g)-=,#*:.#,/6&1*.4-,l@#9:-)  "
 edu>             \  +  / 
 BTW, WYSInaWYG   \  +  /                              --witty.saying.ARC