MikPlayer

Overview

MikPlayer is a 32-bit protected mode DOS application that plays tracker modules (MOD, S3M, XM, IT) using the MikMod library. It features a colorful text-mode user interface, providing real-time playback visualization and interactive controls.

Technical architecture

• Compiler: Open Watcom C/C++ (wcl386)
• Target: 32-bit DOS with DPMI (DOS/4GW or DOS32A extender)
• Audio Library: libMikMod 3.3.13 (statically linked)
• Memory Model: Flat 32-bit addressing
• Optimizations: Pentium-class optimizations (-5s), inline math functions (-om), FPU support (-fp5 -fpi87)
• Zero dependencies: Single statically-linked executable
• Real-time VU meter: Based on actual voice volumes via Voice_GetVolume()
• Smart channel detection: Uses Voice_Stopped() to track active voices
• Precision timing: clock()-based update intervals with sub-second accuracy
• Compiler Flags: -cc++ -oi+ -5s -fp5 -fpi87 -ox -om -s -ot
• Compiler Flags 386 build: -cc++ -oi+ -3s -fp3 -fpi87 -ox -om -s -ot

Audio

• Mixing: Software mixing via libMikMod (DMODE_SOFT_MUSIC)
• Sample Rate: 22050 Hz default (11025/44100 Hz configurable)
• Channels: Stereo (mono on 386 for performance)
• Voice Allocation: Up to 64 virtual voices (8 on 386, 16 on 486)

Display

• Direct VRAM writing to 0xB8000 for flicker-free updates
• IBM CP437 art (218, 191, 196, 179, etc.) for a sweet nostalgia UI
• BIOS color attributes - 8-bit combined foreground/background
• Text Mode: 80x25
• Refresh Rate: 8 updates per second (configurable)

CPU-specific profiles

• 386 Mode: 11kHz mono, 8 voices, 1 update/sec
• 486 Mode: 22kHz stereo, 16 voices
• Hi-Fi Mode: 44kHz stereo, 64 voices

Memory

• Smart threshold-based loading: Files <6MB loaded to memory via Player_LoadMem()
• Streaming playback: Larger files use Player_Load() for disk streaming
• Reduces memory footprint on systems with limited RAM

Supported formats (libMikMod)

• MOD - ProTracker/NoiseTracker (Amiga classic, 4 channels)
• S3M - Scream Tracker 3 (up to 32 channels)
• XM - FastTracker 2 (up to 32 channels)
• IT - Impulse Tracker (up to 64 channels, NNA support)
• Even more, but I havent tested yet: MTM, ULT, FAR, MED, 669, STM, and more

Compile MikMod

Inside the libmikmod folder, there is a *dos* folder with Makefiles for DJGPP and WATCOMC.

cd libmikmod-3.3.13
cd dos
wmake -f Makefile.wat

Compile MikPlay

Using the dos32a extender and optimizations:

wcl386 -cc++ -oi+ -l=dos32a -5s -bt=dos -fp5 -fpi87 -mf -oeatxh -w4 -ei -zp8 -zq -dMIKMOD_STATIC=1 -i..\libmikmod-3.3.13\include\ mikplay.c ..\libmikmod-3.3.13\dos\mikmod.lib

Thanks to beta-testers

@philip_petev @mbgaudio @milen_ot_varna