im using the Behringer UCA202 now with my old laptop & no problems

 

simply buy this 25 Euro:
https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/tascam-us-122-interface/1900494776-172-155

Its from germany, but shipping to Canada is only 10 Euro.
It supports Win98.
https://www.tascam.eu/de/downloads/archive/US-122

 

studio one 5 needs win10 man , win xp-no way you could install it.

 

He is using FL Studio v5.xx not Studio One v5.xx

 

@Nostalgia_Rocks - A question...
(Sorry if this is obvious and redundant - but I haven't seen it confirmed anywhere in your comments)
"Have you got USB working flawlessly on your W98 system?"
W98 and USB was a shotgun marriage made in hell.
If you're downgrading any machine to W98 this is something to be very sure about before buying any USB hardware.
Even the USB audio interfaces that claimed to work with W98 were very hit and miss.
Any complications with the USB-W98, on your specific laptop, and you may be facing nightmares.

 

if you can go to Windows XP.

 

See his post - he has already clearly said...

But he hasn't (yet) said - "and all the USB for W98 issues are resolved"

 

I still know I vote for Windows XP. windows 98 is for the trash can.

Why he thinks Windows 98 is cooler than Windows XP, I can't understand Windows 98 is not cool. Windows XP is more stable and you also get older used audio interfaces with Windows XP support. For me he makes wrong decisions but it's his life.

 

Last edited: Oct 21, 2021

A big culprit could also be Software/DAWs compatibility..

With W98se maybe you can run Cubase SX1, Cakwalk Sonar 2? (of that era) and CoolEdit Pro2..
But from a certain point-on, having XP became a requirement for audio software like Daws/plugs in general.


I would also recommend XP,
the XP UE unofficial version in fact.

Unless you want to go full retro, and use all that old-school MIDI software,
but you would be quite limited without a proper retro Sound Card,
maybe an SB PCI Live!, Ensoniq.. or even AWE64 or AWE32+Ram, Gravis Ultrasound or Yamaha XG card.

There's retro, and there's Retro-retro..
And then there's Atari-ST

 

Last edited: Oct 21, 2021

With respect guys... He asked a totally reasonable "how to" question - not a "whether to" question.
There are a million valid reasons why he might want a W98 retro box
(e.g., antique games - some specifically without emulators).
AND (read his post carefully) he's already done it!
So, I don't think it's appropriate to tell him he's making the wrong choices.
Suggestions about not using W98 are just way off topic.

Careful the advice doesn't start to sound like the infamous "You-don't-want-to-do-it-like-that" comedy sketches

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYiDcnrM0Mo

 

Wow what a progress Windows 98 and FL studio 5.

 

Last edited: Oct 21, 2021

Honest question here.. why does he need a line input? He hasn't actually mentioned how he makes music, unless I missed it... so if he's working completely in the box, he just needs some "sound card" type of device and not an audio interface. He would only need a line input if recording something, no? Or am I missing something here. I know he actually specifically asked for an "audio interface", but some people mistakenly use audio interface and sound card or sound adapter interchangeably.

That said, I assume that a cheapo usb adapter might have a pretty shitty DAC on it and have latency problems.. but I was just wondering why you thought he needed a line input. I'd be inclined to agree with Tuxor and really retro it up with an old school sound card! hahha Those might be hard to find and thus perhaps a bit pricey though.. or maybe they can be found at a thrift store.

 

But deleting Windows XP and installing Windows 98 for a retro feel is pretty stupid.

Two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, but I'm not quite sure about the universe yet.
Albert Einstein:

 

Last edited: Oct 21, 2021

if he doesnt want to record something from outside, why should he need an interface at all? I guess every notebook even from 2006 has an headphone/line output and also a mic input.

 

Creative Labs 70SB173000000 Sound Blaster Play 3 USB E - 25 EUR
USB-DAC-Verstärker und externe Soundkarte
https://de.creative.com/p/sound-cards/sound-blaster-play-3
https://www.ebay.de/p/15029856188

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Users can use the Sound Blaster Play! 3 Connect the sound card to a Windows PC or Apple Mac to benefit from technologies such as SBX Pro Studio or CrystalVoice with any gaming headset, studio headphones or stereo speakers. In combination with the Sound Blaster Play! 3 software, which is available free of charge for Windows and MacOS X, the portable external USB sound card offers numerous configuration options and additional audio effects.

In addition, thanks to the combinable and divisible stereo / microphone connections, the Sound Blaster Play! 3 no separate Y adapter cable required. Headsets with one or separate plugs for loudspeaker and microphone can be connected to the Play! 3 is very easy to connect. In addition to an integrated USB DAC with 24-bit / 96 kHz, the USB sound card offers a signal-to-noise ratio of 93 dB.
www.notebookcheck.com/Creat...karte-mit-Kopfhoererverstaerker.230668.0.html

 

Last edited: Oct 21, 2021

I just found this Massive list of audio software compatible with W98,
and it's Surprising the amount of cool and relatively modern stuff that can run, so I stand corrected:
http://www.oldschooldaw.com/forums/index.php?topic=53.0

All this, plus the retro MIDI stuff,
could make for an interesting bridge/middle term setup between the old and new paradigms


Again for the old MIDI stuff having an Ensoniq Elite or AWE64 Gold card, would be hard to beat,
but it would be massively Slow the moment you want to use real Audio/plugs on Cakewalk or something..
(For that a Lynx Two would be Awesome,
although some regular PCI cards like the SB-Live! could be passable, and got considerably improved with the KX 3rd party drivers)

So for that a more modern alternative should be used, maybe in USB format,
but I don't recall any models besides the Maya44 tho..

 

Last edited: Oct 21, 2021

That's a good question (and also part of the point I'm making... perhaps he DOESNT really need one), but he could just be looking for something a bit higher end, or something dedicated, as, at least in that era, laptop sound cards used system memory when in use. He mentioned in one response to you he didn't need a "guitar input", but could still need a line in for some other reason though. I'm not saying he doesn't need an interface, just not sure one way or the other, based on the info he's provided so far.

In one of his posts, he actually mentions "I have everything working, except sound now", which could explain why he is looking for another audio device, and just mentioned "audio interface" when any adapter could possibly do, in his case (again, depending on if he needs the inputs or not).

Just trying to pry a little more info out of the OP to figure out what he really needs here, as we don't really know the full picture just yet, IMO.

 

Can You Still Make Music With An Elderly PC?
/www.soundonsound.com/sound-advice/can-you-still-make-music-elderly-pc

 

Last edited: Oct 21, 2021

If the motherboard has an integrated chipset it may be the usual AC97 Codec thing,
that could be passable, at least much better than AC95..

There used to be an unofficial ASIO driver for it:
https://web.archive.org/web/20120307182355/http://members.home.nl/nahutec/AC97ASIO/ac97asio.htm