A single ISA expansion card handling both CD-ROM access and several PC sound devices is a useful development for space-constrained DOS machines. In a video published on 18 October 2026, Retro Erik demonstrates the October PicoMEM 2 firmware, whose headline addition is MKE-compatible CD-ROM and CD-audio emulation.
The demonstration goes beyond mounting an image: Sam & Max Hit the Road runs from CD while using General MIDI for music and Sound Blaster for speech and effects. TIE Fighter combines CD access with General MIDI and Gravis UltraSound. That simultaneous operation is the interesting part—several functions that might otherwise require separate period cards coexist on the PicoMEM 2.
There are practical limits to note. DOS needs the MKE-compatible CDMKE.SYS driver and MSCDEX; ordinary IDE/ATAPI CD drivers do not detect this interface. Booting from a disc image also requires El Torito boot information. Erik additionally shows option-ROM emulation and cautions that this does not yet mean replacement system BIOS images such as GLaBIOS are supported.
The video credits PicoMEM developer FreddyV for the firmware work. It is a hands-on look at the update, not a claim that every vintage PC configuration will behave identically. Watch Retro Erik’s full 14-minute demonstration on YouTube.
