Open-Source Beavis UltraSound Revives Gravis UltraSound PnP Hardware
Hardware developer schlae released complete schematics and reverse-engineered logic for an open replica of the 1990s Gravis UltraSound PnP, but sourcing the core AMD InterWave processor remains a massive obstacle.
A developer known as schlae published full design files for Beavis UltraSound, an open-source hardware replica of the late-1990s Gravis UltraSound PnP sound card designed for the legacy ISA expansion bus.
Unlike modern alternatives like PicoGUS, which relies on a modern Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller to emulate legacy hardware routines in software, Beavis UltraSound targets direct component-level reproduction. Rather than copying the earlier GUS Classic or MAX revisions, the board replicates the more complex Plug and Play architecture from the second half of the 1990s.
The developer posted complete KiCad schematics, PCB layout files, sample ROM firmware, and assembly notes to a public GitHub repository. Crucially, the release includes reverse-engineered equations for the card's programmable logic array (GAL), which governed the onboard IDE CD-ROM interface on the original hardware.
Despite the comprehensive documentation, building one presents significant practical hurdles. The design requires an original AMD AM78C201 InterWave sound processor, a component long out of production that must be salvaged from donor cards or tracked down in scarce surplus inventories. Additionally, the project remains marked as "As Is," with the developer noting that physical hardware testing had not yet been completed at the time of publication.
Source: habr
Primary source: GitHub via Tom's Hardware
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