DIY Adlib Clone kit from eBay. Build your own DOS sound card! 

The chamfer edge could probably be done in seconds with an cheap kitchen electric knife/scissor sharpener. Not even joking, just get the ones with the spinning stone grind stones. The chamfer doesn't need to be substantial, it just needs to be sufficient not to grab onto the connectors.

Can confirm that with many board houses, you do end up having to pay a significant amount extra to get chamfered edges. For someone ordering in quantity, this does add up rather quickly. The board house I use (JLCPCB) requires you to also opt for ENIG (gold) finish if you want chamfered edges, which adds quite a bit to the cost of the board. The chamfer option is not available unless you select ENIG and "gold fingers." I think a knife sharpener would be a bit too violent for using with PCBs, you don't want to risk ripping a pad or a trace or something, plus it would probably leave rough edges (fiberglass shards can be rather painful, ask me how I know.) I've successfully added chamfered edges myself with just a bit of sandpaper. I used a relatively fine grit, 2000 if memory serves. Tape or staple the sandpaper to a flat surface, to make sure it doesn't start sliding around while you're sanding the card. Then rub the card edge a couple of times against it, holding it at about a 45 degree angle. I use a side to side motion (parallel to the card as opposed to perpendicular) as opposed to a front-to-back motion when sanding the edge of the card. Turn over to the other side and repeat. Be sure and clean the edges before attempting to use it.

I've been waiting for this comment, thanks, made me laugh :)

Yes certainly for headphone users the pro components to limit noise would be a good addition.

Yes I've seen a few other clones, including some in the shape of the original card. This one I get the impression is done on a budget but its sound quality certainly stands up to any of the other clones I have. Perhaps noise on my machine isn't as bad due to its design with the ISA slots being on a separate backplane. It is built like a tank this old Olivetti. Still need to recap the PSU and I might add an XTIDE since the existing 20MB drive gets filled very quickly.

No problem, thanks for watching :)

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. I can't hear any difference either, well, other than the noise test but it was worth the extra few £ to find out and yes its great that there are companies out there producing new products for our beloved old systems.

I've used an ESS1868F 16bit sound card in a 286 before using its own drivers. I remember Phil showing UNISOUND over on his computer lab channel and I have used it before when working on other systems. Its just such a handy package to get the cards up and running. Good to know it might be successful were original drivers fail though. Thanks for the info.

Over the past few weeks working on it, it has become a firm favourite of mine. I know I said I'm finished with it but I'm sure it'll make its way back onto the channel at some point :)

Thanks, there isn't much difference other than the interference noise but perhaps as some others have said on a noisier motherboard it might be more noticeable. Probably only through headphones though. Still adding those additional components certainly fills out the board :)

@@CRG When I bought my stereo, I asked the man what the difference was between 25 W and 40 W speakers. He played both, explained that there was a richer sound. I couldn't tell the difference so went El Cheapo!

I'd like to see them maybe offer a version with a factory chamfered or bevelled edge although I got the impression the additional cost would make it impractical. As for the refinished chip, the only thing I can think of is that it's a clone chip relabelled Yamaha but I certainly couldn't see any evidence of that so not sure. That said they still aren't expensive from the Chinese resellers so either way I can't help but think they are wasting money time and effort doing it in the first place.

Why all the upset about un-chamfered edges, the card still fits into the slot and it's not like you need to unplug and plug in and out constantly. Anyway, the ISA slot contacts are chamfered and spring open when the card is inserted so there is no chance of damaging anything. The original Adlib card had un-chamfered edges :) Great video but I think I'd prefer a pre-built one so I know for certain it will work.

@@CRG Selling boards like this without chamfering is irresponsible. The PCB company I use for my products (JLCPCB) offers chamfering free of charge if you pay for ENIG coating, but that shouldn't be an issue as ENIG is a prerequisite for 'gold fingers' on the edge connector, and every edge connector should be gold plated. HASL/tin plating will wear quickly on repeated insertions, causing reliability problems. I get the feeling the people behind this card don't have much experience designing PCBs for commercial sale. There's a lot of little things you have to worry about that aren't immediately obvious, but make a big difference to the quality and usability of the product.

It's not compression. Other than the reduction in noise there is no difference in audio from the card. I am pleased with how it sounds though, has a nice warm tone to it.

Yeah despite the few problems with it, it does have a nice sound. I doubt through speakers you'd hear any noise at normal volumes, certainly wouldn't beside this system which between the fan and hdd already makes plenty of its own. The only downside is the square edge connector, sorry to hear you had a slot damaged by one but its evidence to the fact that damage can happen. Coffee sounds like a good idea, think I'll go make myself a cup :)

Yeah there is no difference between standard and Pro in terms of the music. It just seems to be dampening noise but I certainly wouldn't hear it in everyday use. Suppose it makes the card look complete, that got to be worth the £7.99 alone 😂

Its surprising how many people have commented this. Its what I would call a tongue in cheek comment, an expression certainly used in these parts to show frustration when searching for something that should be easily found. In other words just a silly comment that's not mean to be taken seriously 😉

I've listened to it a few times and I can't hear anything but then again my hearing isn't brilliant. Could be the placebo effect or there might genuinely be a small difference. Was worth the £7.99 to test and if anything the card looks complete with the extra parts :)

Yeah there's no difference in output, its just the noise thing and certainly over the fan and drive noise of this rig you'd never know. Despite the issues I am happy enough with it and I may look at getting their XTIDE board too.

Agreed, the standard kit will be fine for most people but for all it cost extra I had to get the parts and find out what difference they made.

I struggle to see much difference in PCs from about 2004 onwards. Yeah things are better, faster etc but you don't see the leaps at we had from the 80s through the 90s into the early 00s. I find it really hard to keep interest in modern AAA games, its almost like some of them are too complicated for their own good. Maybe I'm just getting old and don't have as much free time but I'd much rather spin up an old DOS pc, much like this Olivetti, and play an old adventure game for an hour even if I know the game inside out.

@@CRG True. I remember in the 90s when I replaced my old isa graphics card with a cheap vlb one based on some Cirrus Logic chipset. Even though it could only do 1280 by 1024 with 16 bit colour, it felt like the video card equivalent of a Lamborghini compared to my old one that was like a clapped out Ford Escort. My current graphics card feels like the last one but a little faster..

As I said in the video I have had issues with white PCBs before but this one went together fine. Without any instructions though it would have been a lot more difficult to identify where components go.

Too late to test it now but thanks for the info.

Beside the left handed screw drivers.

Your neighborhood lefttorium.

The PSU did get recapped but I didn't record it. The M280 is sitting down the far end of the room now on display. One thing I'd like to achieve this year is a better setup for enjoying the classic computers. I have a few now but they mostly just sit in boxes. Would be better to get them setup so they can at least be used.

@@CRG At least it got recapped, I have too many projects either started, or still in the box - so bravo to you, and it's getting some use too :)

Yeah I dare say on headphone you'd hear a difference in the background noise but certainly from speakers or while its playing music I doubt you'd notice.

Not all cards have the hardware to play back sampled audio. Many older cards had just the synthesizer chips and played only midi style music.

@@svenkarlsen2702 I say: "the best game enjoyment is when the music and the effects are equally there on the speakers".

A few games can make use of the adlib for sound, the likes of biomenace (the last game I show) can but for the purpose of the video I thought it better to just play the music. You need to remember the time period, it was 1986/87. Things moved very quickly and it wasn't long until the sound blaster which ultimately became a standard with more music and sound effects in games.

I spoke to AAPRO and apparently the cards are back in stock now.

@@CRG Thanks! I just ordered one

You should hear the original on the Amiga. That sounds WAY better.

Yeah they are a bit hard to see on this. Doesn't really matter I suppose as its a new build card you're only placing components but certainly if you needed to trouble shoot it would be difficult to follow traces.