PC speaker to sound card routing software question.

[Tiger-Heli]

I have an old Microprose F-19 fighter game that I still enjoy playing occasionally.

But it uses the PC speaker for sound.  I have onboard Realtec ALC650 sound and PC speakers, but the game is old enough that it has options for IBM sound, Tandy sound, and the "new" Roland Innovision sound card (before Creative Labs caught on).  Only the IBM sound option works.

Does anyone know of a software or hardware method that will re-route sound from the PC speaker to the on-board sound?

TIA.

[Tiger-Heli]

BTW, I think there are two CD-ROM audio connectors on the mainboard.

It looks like I could do it like this: http://www.deinmeister.de/e_sbpcqlnk.htm, but I'd rather find a software soution or somewhere selling pre-made cables.

[Howard_Casto]

Well are you running the game in windows?  Windows offers the option of re-routing internal beeps to the soundcard, I'm sure that would do it. 

As for the specific setting, I dunno. To be honest I totally forget where it's set. 

[Tiger-Heli]

Yeah it's windows, I'll check into that, thanks!

[Tiger-Heli]

Well are you running the game in windows?  Windows offers the option of re-routing internal beeps to the soundcard, I'm sure that would do it. 

As for the specific setting, I dunno. To be honest I totally forget where it's set. 

Couldn't find a way to do this, anyone?

[krick]

don't know about your specific sound card but just about every sound blaster card I have ever seen has a 2 pin connector on it labeled "pc speaker".    You just connect the 2 pin speaker output from the motherboard to the connector on the card and sound comes out through the sound card output.

I'm not positive but I think you may also need to go into the mixer (double click on the speaker in the tray), under the options-> properties menu, enable the display of the PC speaker, and un mute it.

[Tiger-Heli]

don't know about your specific sound card but just about every sound blaster card I have ever seen has a 2 pin connector on it labeled "pc speaker".    You just connect the 2 pin speaker output from the motherboard to the connector on the card and sound comes out through the sound card output.

Well, there isn't a specific sound card, this is using the onboard sound on a Shuttle AK38N mobo.  There are two CD-Audio inputs, and the link I posted above explains how to connect into this using a standard cable and a capacitor and resistor.  I'm tempted to see what would happen just running a wire from the speaker output to this, but then again, don't really want to fry the mobo. . .

I'm not positive but I think you may also need to go into the mixer (double click on the speaker in the tray), under the options-> properties menu, enable the display of the PC speaker, and un mute it.

PC Speaker is unmuted already.  Sound works through the PC Speaker, it just sounds bad (not sure the external speakers will sound much better?), and lacks a convenient volume control . . .)

[krick]

Well, there isn't a specific sound card, this is using the onboard sound on a Shuttle AK38N mobo.  There are two CD-Audio inputs, and the link I posted above explains how to connect into this using a standard cable and a capacitor and resistor.  I'm tempted to see what would happen just running a wire from the speaker output to this, but then again, don't really want to fry the mobo. . .

Sound works through the PC Speaker, it just sounds bad (not sure the external speakers will sound much better?), and lacks a convenient volume control . . .)

If you have onboard sound, I don't think you have any real options other than that link.

The PC speaker output on your motherboard is already amplified to drive the PC speaker.  I wouldn't hook it up directly to the aux input.   That capacitor/resistor circuit is there to drop it to line level to protect your motherboard.

If it sounds crappy now, it will still sound crappy.  You will have a volume control, however.


Too bad you don't have a motherboard with a CMI8738 chip our you could do this instead...
http://www.deinmeister.de/cmi8738s_e.htm

[Tiger-Heli]

Or I suppose I could shell out $13 for this and use the mono input . . .

[krick]

Personally, I'd buy a soundblaster PCI card that has the 2-pin "PC Speaker" input.

Then you can just make the connection with a simple 2-wire cable.  No soldering involved.

I believe it also converts the pc speaker input into "dual mono" so that it comes out of both speakers.

I'm not sure what specific SB models have this 2-pin input but I'll start looking and see if I can dig up a few.

[Tiger-Heli]

I assumed that was what the mono input on that card did . . .

[krick]

I assumed that was what the mono input on that card did . . .

I just looked at the pictures a little more closely and it appears that it does have a 2-pin jumper.  I guess this must be the mono input.  It's odd that they don't call it "pc speaker input".  I mean, what other mono input would you have?  On second thought, I guess modem speaker output is mono too.

If it's designed for mono input, I'm pretty sure it will convert it into dual mono like the SB PCI does.

[Tiger-Heli]

Found a likely solution here, but I haven't tested it yet:

http://www.abandonia.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=8359

[Tiger-Heli]

DosBox works GREAT for this - It an 80386 PC emulator!!!!  There's an install tutorial on www.abandonia, along with the info in the other thread I posted.