Tokugawa Corporate Forums

I have this NEC PC-9821 Cereb:
http://www.pc-98club.jp/pc98-datas/pc-9 ... _c_s1.html

Today I purchased a cable (DB15 to DIN5) for connecting the PC-9821 to a Roland SC-55 and use MIDI sound in the games that support it.

When I try to play the games selecting MIDI, there is not sound.
How may I configure the BIOS?
Do I need drivers? I have MS-DOS 6.2 installed in the HDD.

It seems the Yamaha sound board inside the PC-9821 Cereb includes FM 26/86 and MIDI sound in the same board.
I've found this, but I don't know if it will be useful:
http://www.vector.co.jp/soft/dos/hardware/se046149.html

---------------------
４．組み込み方

VSD.COM をオプションをつけて実行します。オプションには次の物が
あります

　/S 常駐します。
　/Mn:m ＭＩＤＩ音源の初期化とＩ／Ｏポートの設定。標準:n=148CH m=148DH
　/MVx ＭＩＤＩの音量を指定します。x=最小:0～最大:127 標準:100
　/I 音源を初期化します。
　/R 常駐を解放します。
　/H ヘルプ（使い方）を表示します。
　/? 〃


もうちょっと詳しく説明します。

ＤＯＳのプロンプト（画面上に A:\> のような状態 Aはドライブ名）
で、以下の文を入力してリターンキーを押します。


　常駐する場合。（ＶＳＤを機能させます。）

A:\>VSD.COM /S


　ＭＩＤＩ音源の初期化だけをする場合

A:\>VSD.COM /M


　ＭＩＤＩ音源を初期化し常駐する場合。

A:\>VSD.COM /S /M


　ＭＩＤＩのボリュームを設定して常駐する場合

A:\>VSD.COM /S /MV50


　ＭＩＤＩのＩ／Ｏポートを変えて常駐する場合

A:\>VSD.COM /S /M1000:1001


　VSDの常駐を解放します。（ＶＳＤの機能を終了します。）
ただし不完全です。

A:\>VSD.COM /R
----------------------------------------------------------------

Maybe this driver will work if I load the line " A:\>VSD.COM /S /M " inside the AUTOEXEC.BAT of a game boot disk?

I'd be interested in how to get midi support to work under software emulation (Neko Project). Does anyone know how to?
None of the games I tried so far (e.g. Graystone Saga) make any sound when selecting the midi option. I've setup the Atari ST emulator Steem without problems, but the various midi options of Neko don't do anything for me.

I just tried "Graystone Saga" with NP2 (Cat Pack) and Roland MT32 / SC55.
All is fine with both.

Give us some info about your config...

Thanks, confirming that the game is supposed to work out of the box like that made me just trying it and figuring it out that the problem was simply with the Windows audio settings for Midi. I don't recall changing those, but whatever, works fine now.

Good to hear.
Maybe you used some kind of midi mapper like Putzlowitsch's Vista MIDI Mapper or Midi Yoke.
I have windows 7 and i use the first one to hear the midi tracks with Hoot emulator and Roland MT32/SC55

I have Windows 98 SE now installed in the NEC PC-9821 Cereb.

I have no problems using under Windows the Joystick/MIDI port. PC-9821 games that run under Windows have no problem working with both joystick and MIDI Roland SC-55. MIDI sound works perfectly under all those "Windows compatible" games (Guynarock R: Galactic Guardian, Hanafuda de Pon!, Onnanoko No Shikumi, Variable Geo Custom, Viper F40, ... ).

But sadly I'm not still able to use MIDI Roland SC-55 under all those MS-DOS based games (99% of the PC-98 catalog). The games don't recognise the MIDI so only let me select FM sound (26 and 86).

As I said, the sound card inside the Cereb is a Yamaha YMF701. It has FM 26/86 and MIDI support all in the same board.

Maybe there is a conflict with the MIDI ports configuration, the IRQs, ... I don't know what is happening.

I have taken some pics of the BIOS configuration and the Windows 98 SE configuration I'm using now. Do I need to change something? Please help.

BIOS configuration:

http://img810.imageshack.us/img810/4/p1180006t.jpg
http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/2623/p1180007.jpg
http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/7470/p1180008d.jpg
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/5165/p1180009.jpg
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/9724/p1180010o.jpg
http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/950/p1180011.jpg
http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/6886/p1180012.jpg


Windows configuration:

http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/2290/p1180004q.jpg
http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/8417/p1180005z.jpg
http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/391/p1180001q.jpg

After more than seven months I'm still wondering how to use MIDI in PC-9801/PC-9821 games.

Please, can somebody tell me what it says in each of the five options available for sound configuration in the BIOS? That would help me a lot.

-First option
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/1403/1stqf.jpg

-Second option
http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/1267/2ndj.jpg

-Third option
http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/1659/3rdgj.jpg

-Fourth option
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/3554/4thfn.jpg

-Fifth option
http://img805.imageshack.us/img805/71/5thq.jpg


And what is that "2nd CCU" option in the bios for? ( http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/2623/p1180007.jpg )
Is maybe that option for enabling/disabling DB25 and DB9 RS-232C connectors placed in the rear of the computer for connecting the MIDI module? I'm connecting the Roland SC-55 to the DB15 (the typical gameport/MIDI port) placed in the front of the computer. The DB15 port I'm using only works for Windows games? Do I need to connect the Roland SC-55 to the DB25 or DB9 connectors? Please help. u_u

You should be using the 4th or 5th option in the BIOS.

The 2nd CCU option enables or disables the DB9 serial port.

MS-DOS games with MIDI.

DB15: no
But use I/O trap tool and If supported by the game. (MPU98)
ex) VEM486.EXE and VCSD.COM.
http://www.vector.co.jp/soft/dos/hardware/se025675.html
http://www.vector.co.jp/soft/dos/hardware/se040053.html

NEC PC-9821 Cereb is MIDI/2ndCCU interrupts is an exclusive.
If you use a MIDI, 2ndCCU disable.

DB25: ok
If supported by the game. (RS-232C)

DB9: no
Maybe not supported in general.

However, it is not accurate information, sorry.

Thank you Kobushi and Akarin. So I need to disable 2nd CCU, use 4th or 5th sound option in the bios, and connect the Roland SC-55 to the RS-232C DB25 instead of the DB15 one. I need to buy one cable like this: http://www.pacificcable.com/Picture_Page.asp?DataName=CA031 and then connect that cable with the one I already have (a normal DB15 to MIDI DIN 5 cable) for connecting the SC-55. Then in the sound options of the games, select MIDI RS-232C for MIDI sound.
The pacificcable shop seems to be the only one selling a DB25 to DB15 cable in the whole internet and they are not giving me an answer. Maybe they are out of stock. :/
If anyone knows an online store that sells the cable I need, please let me know. Thanks.

SC-55?
Sorry, It can't connect to RS-232C.

SC-55mk2 can be connected.
PC-98 to RSC-15N(Roland) to MIDI

It seems to be an official cable from NEC for connecting MIDI and a "normal" joystick PC/AT to the PC-9821: http://page9.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/k140577894 Sadly, the cable is very expensive for me to import (it will cost me almost 120€ @_@ )
I can't find information in the internet about this cable. I don't know if this is a simple splitter cable "1 DB15 connector to 2 DB15 connectors" (one for the MIDI module and the other for the joystick) because the seller didn't take a picture to the connectors. ^^U Maybe the cable is a male DB25 to 2 female DB15 connectors (the cable I need for playing with MIDI and a joystick, and maybe, if I connect this to the cable I have now http://www.tiendacables.com/epages/ea2337.sf/es_ES/?ObjectPath=/Shops/ea2337/Products/CJ11_Cable_MIDI_5m__DB15M-DB15H-2xDin5M_ I could use two joystick/pads in multiplayer games).
Anybody knows about this "PC-9821n-K08 MIDI/JOYSTIK" cable?

Other possibility is to use this: http://www.comeon.co.jp/cm_world/shop/u-hanp/miditail.htm But then, there's no possibility for connecting any joystick/pad; only the MIDI module. And I would really love to play games in the PC-9821 with a pad/joystick (at least one) instead of using always the keyboard.

I wonder what will happen if I connect a MSX (DB9) directly to the RS-232C DB9 port (enabling first the 2nd CCU in the bios). It will work with games the same way it works when I connect MSX pads to the FM sound card of my PC-9801 DS or is it dangerous to do that on the Cereb? (A few months ago I was very tempted to try connecting a PC-Engine pad to the keyboard port...). Is it safer to try connecting PC/AT pads to the DB25 port and/or DB9 port instead of MSX pads?

Here you have a picture of that cable:



There is also PC-9821n-K07, which seems to be a single converter cable:

Yes Wushu, those are the same pictures used in the japanese auctions. The problem is we can't see if any of those connectors is DB25 or if they are all DB15. I'm not sure what is those "PC-9821n-K07" and "PC-9821n-K08" cables exactly for, but at least I know they're the only ones that work with PC-9821 computers. I found this schematics showing that the RS-232C DB25 in PC-9821 is different from the used in PC/AT computers (so I can't use occidental cables like the one sold in pacificcable shop because they are made to work with "normal" PC/AT computers): http://homepage3.nifty.com/y_ohta/packen/module/serial.htm

Akarin, you are right. I checked my Roland SC-55 manual and sadly there's no way to connect it to RS-232C. Only SC-55 MKII have the possibility to connect to RS-232C (I wonder if any other GS compatible MIDI modules, from Roland or other brands, like for example Yamaha, ... have RS-232C connectivity). It's funny to see that only the japanese owner's manual explain that the SC-55 MKII can be configured for using with a PC-98X1. The english owner's manual has censorship and is missing page 14, so only do reference to how to connect to a PC/AT and MAC computers, and don't explain anything about what is that "RS232C-1" switch option for (the one used for PC-98X1 computers).

So I need an expensive SC-55 MKII, and the official Roland "RSC-15N" cable for connecting it to the RS-232C DB25 port from the PC-9821 ( http://auctions.c.yimg.jp/img381.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/users/6/7/9/1/popandmorn-img600x450-13383037602niup225432.jpg ).
Ok, but... checking closely that cable I see we have a problem: How can then a joystick/pad be connected? It's missing a DB-15 connector for plugging in a PC/AT pad. @_@