DOCUMENT:Q89877  13-JUN-2001  [winmisc]
TITLE   :Sound System: Description of Yamaha OPL3 and OPL2 Chips
PRODUCT :Miscellaneous Windows Products
PROD/VER:
OPER/SYS:
KEYWORDS:

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The information in this article applies to:

 - Microsoft Windows Sound System, versions 1.0, 1.0a, 2.0 
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SUMMARY
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The Yamaha OPL3 synthesis chip (YMF262) is backward-compatible with the Yamaha
OPL2 synthesis chip (YM3812), the synthesis chip used in Adlib and
Adlib-compatible boards. The OPL3 chip supports more complex waveforms, more
voices, and stereo sound. It is also compatible with other sound cards.

MORE INFORMATION
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Because the OPL3 has two modes, one of them being a compatibility mode at
startup, the compatibility is only ensured after you have turned off and
restarted your computer.

The OPL3's new features are:

 - More complex waveforms creating more complex timbres

 - More voices (up from 9 to 18)

 - Stereo voices (although a voice must be entirely on the left channel, right
   channel, or both)

Some MediaVision cards, Adlib-gold cards, and newer versions of the SoundBlaster
Pro card use the OPL3. The OPL3 chip can be identified by looking for a surface
mount chip with the label "YMF262" on the sound card.

Additional query words:

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbWinSoundSysSearch kbWinSoundSys100 kbWinSoundSys100a kbWinSoundSys200

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