Ultrasound Daily Digest Sat, 17 Apr 1993 Volume 3 Issue 17 Today's Topics Anouncing new GU








Ultrasound Daily Digest     Sat, 17 Apr 1993     Volume 3 : Issue  17 

Today's Topics:
                  Anouncing new GUS program GUSORGAN
GUS Probs w/digitized sound in Comanche (I am not stupid - please read)
                      IBM MOD Players Compared!
                    Repost-Ultima7 & Loading TSRs
                       Sierra responce (part 2)
                    Ultrasound Daily Digest V3 #15
                    Ultrasound Daily Digest V3 #16
                       Wavetable / ROM or RAM?

	Information about the UltraSound Daily Digest (such as
mail addresses, request servers, ftp sites, etc., etc.) can be found
at the end of the Digest.

	*** HEY!!! *** 

	Before you ask a question, *** READ THE FAQ ***.  It's
available on the request server and the ftp sites, or check the
newsgroup archives.


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Fri, 16 Apr 93 13:06:38 CDT
From: eason@ncrnd3.StPaul.NCR.COM (Dale Eason)
Subject: Anouncing new GUS program GUSORGAN
Message-ID: <9304161806.AA09853@ncrnd3.StPaul.NCR.COM>

I have uploaded gusorg.exe and gusorg.txt to epas.

Gusorgan allows you to play the GUS from a midi keyboard.
Gusorgan is a DOS program for midi keyboard and the Gravis Ultrasound
adapter.  It mimics an organ console with one keyboard and 16 stop tabs.
Stop tabs select what voices (patches) will play when midi keys are pressed.
You use the computer keyboard to select the stop tabs.  A config file is used
to select what patches are control by the stop tabs.  Up to 16 patches can be
controlled and played simultaenously by Gusorgan.  If you do not have a midi
keyboard or midi adapter you can still hear the patches demoed using the demo
command.

Check the gusorgan.doc file for further info.

Dale Eason
Gusorg.exe is a self extracting archive.  To use it run gusorg.exe

------------------------------

Date: 16 Apr 1993 15:20:06 -0400 (EDT)


From: PSANTUCCI@DESIRE.WRIGHT.EDU
Subject: GUS Probs w/digitized sound in Comanche (I am not stupid - please read)
Message-ID: <01GX30QJMF36004EC1@DESIRE.WRIGHT.EDU>

I am among the many having trouble using the GUS with Comanche Maximum
Overkill. I have tried everything I know - I hope one of you gentle
readers knows more.

I am using SBOS v2.04. I installed it by unzipping gus0022.zip (from
wuarchive.wustl.edu) into my C:\ultrasnd\sbos directory and then copying
the files up to ultrasnd as specified in the FAQ troubleshooting guide

 
Written by: john.smith@gravis.com (John Smith)
] 	  Make  sure  that  you   put  ALL  the  correct   files in  the
] /ultrasnd/sbos  directory  and  remove   any  old   ones. Sbosdrv.exe,
] Loadsbos.exe and Sboslib.sbs  MUST    all  be from the  same   release
] revision. They are NOT mixable. A  lot of the  problems you are seeing
] could happen if the wrong driver is used with the new loader and patch
] library.  To make  sure you are  using  the correct files,  delete ALL
] files  from  /ultrasnd/sbos. Then unzip  the new release into the sbos
] directory. Then COPY sbosdrv.exe up to  the /ultrasnd directory.  Then
] COPY loadsbos.exe up to the /ultrasnd directory also.  Now pick either
] sboslo.bat or  sboshi.bat up to  /ultrasnd/sbos.bat.   These two batch
] files assume you  are  using emm386. If  you are using  another memory
] manager (like qemm, 386max  etc), use the appropriate command  to load
] it into  high memory.  (NOTE: If you  installed  your software in some
] other directory, substitute it in place of /ultrasnd).
]

I am NOT using emm386 as the Comanche manual specificly prohibits it. All
I have is HIMEM.SYS, as you will see in my Config.SYS file below. I do not
know how I should try to load SBOS hi using this device, but I have tried
both sboslo.bat and sboshi.bat without any noticable difference.

To aviod possible conflicts with other TSR's or memory managers, I am
booting from a specific Comanche boot disk created by the BOOTXMS.BAT prog
provided by NovaLogic. All I have added is the ultrasnd lines to the
AUTOEXEC.BAT of this boot disk. A complete listing follows:

AUTOEXEC.BAT:

path c:\dos;c:\ultrasnd;
SET ULTRASND=220,1,1,2,5
C:\ULTRASND\ULTRINIT
ULTRAJOY 16
SET ULTRADIR=C:\ULTRASND
SET BLASTER=A220 I2 D1 T1
prompt $p$g
c:
cd \apps\dosapps\games\comanche

CONFIG.SYS:



DEVICE=C:\dos\himem.sys
DOS=HIGH
BUFFERS = 30
FILES = 30

after booting, I end up in my Comanche directory. I type:

SBOS

sbos installs, apparantly correctly. I type:

CMO1BBS

and the patch prog runs, tells me everything is up to date (because no
documentation I can find specifies wether this prog must be run every time
or only once, I have tried it both ways without noticable effect.)

SOUNDSET

and I enter the Comanche sound set program, where I set these parameters:

Digital Sound Device = soundblaster compatible
SoundBoard IRQ=2
DMA Channel =1
Music device = Adlib

(i have also tried music device = soundblaster compatible)


I type:

C
or 
Comanche

and comanche runs. I get music and joystick, no digital sound effects.

If I quit comanche and run Wolfenstien 3d, all sounds work fine there, so
I have some evidence that SBOS is running correctly

I have tried making BLASTER = A220, I5 etc, to match the MIDI IRQ insted
of UltraIRQ without noticeable effect.

I have tried using DMA =2 on all variables without noticable effect. I
cannot determine if there is a DMA conflict with my other hardware because
none of the manuals for my other harware mention DMA at all. In case it
matters, here is that hardware list:

486dx/66 VESA local bus from Gateway 2000
Micronics Motherboard and Chipset
380meg IDE HD (unknown manufacturer)
ATI ULTRA PRO local bus graphics card



One final note: The GUS sounds great when it works. I am an amiga user, so
this setup/conflict stuff is very wierd to me. How can you put up with it?

A copy of this note will be posted on the Gravis BBS as soon as I can get
through.

Meum Planetum Non Est,
PATMAN

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 16 Apr 93 14:10:48 PDT
From: Rabel1@cup.portal.com (Randy K Abel)
Subject: IBM MOD Players Compared!
Message-ID: <79645@cup.portal.com>

ReprintFrom: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard

This is a comparison of all of the IBM MOD music file players that I
have come across.   Friday - (04/16/93)
 
=========================================================================
|               |       |Edit |EMS|Graphical| Shell |Built-in|Zipped|286|
|Program Name   |Version|MODS?|OK?|Playback?|to DOS?|  Menu? |Files?|ok?|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|B's Pro Tracker| 0.05B2|w/reg|Yes|Ansi Only|  Yes  |   Yes  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Brain          | 1.20  |  No |Yes|   Yes   |   No  |    No  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|CD-Box         | 2.20  |  No |Yes|    No   |   No  |   Yes  | Yes  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Composer 669   | 1.03  | Yes | No|    No   |   No  |   Yes  |  No  | No|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Creator        | 1.10  | Yes |Yes|    No   |   No  |   Yes  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Dark-Tracker   | 2.41  | Yes | No|   Yes   |   No  |   Yes  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Dark-Trkr Plyr | 2.01  |  No | No|   Yes   |   No  |    No  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Digi Studio    | 1.50  |w/reg|Yes|   Yes   |   No  |   Yes  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Digitrak       | 0.01b |  No |Yes|   Yes   |   No  |   Yes  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Dual-Mod Player| 2.33  |  No |Yes|Ansi Only|  Yes  |    No  |  No  | No|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Execmod        | 1.0b  |  No |Yes|    No   |  ???  |    No  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Galliasoft Mod | 1.35  | Yes |Yes|   Yes   |  Yes  |   Yes  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|GTS            | 0.91  | Yes |Yes|   Yes   |   No  |   Yes  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Gus Mod        | 2.11  |  No |Yes|   Yes   |  Yes  |   Yes  |  No  |Yes|


|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Holoplay       | 0.00  |  No |Yes|Ansi Only|   No  |    No  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Intellitracker | 2.00  |  No |Yes| Somewhat|   No  |    No  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|JAMP           | 1.50  |  No | No|Ansi Only|   No  |   Yes  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|JM Player      | 1.00  |  No | No|   Yes   |   No  |   Yes  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|JM Pro Tracker | 5.00  |  No |Yes|    No   |  Yes  |    No  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|--------|--------|--------|------|---|
|KingMod        | 1.11  | Yes |Yes|    No   |   No  |   Yes  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|MFed           | 1.52  | Yes |Yes|   Yes   |   No  |   Yes  | Yes  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Modac          | 1.00  |  No | No|   Yes   |   No  |   Yes  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Mod Edit       | 3.01  | Yes |Yes|    No   |  Yes  |   Yes  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Mod Player     | 2.19b |  No |Yes|   Yes   |  Yes  |   Yes  | Yes  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Mod's Grave    | 1.03  |  No |Yes|    No   |   No  |    No  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|OCTA           | 2.00  |w/reg| No|Ansi Only|   No  |   Yes  |  No  |???|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Play Mod       | 1.00  |  No | No|    No   |  Yes  |    No  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Power Player   | 1.30  |  No | No|    No   | Forced|    No  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Pro Mod        | 1.10  |  No | No|   Yes   |  Yes  |    No  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Prot. Mod Plyr | 2.20  |  No |Yes|   Yes   |  Yes  |    No  |  No  | No|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|SB Studio      | 1.10  |w/reg|Yes|   Yes   |   No  |   Yes  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Scream Tracker | 2.25  | Yes |Yes|   Yes   |  Yes  |   Yes  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|SLMP           | 1.9b  |  No |Yes|    No   |  Yes  |   Yes  |  No  | No|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Soundtraker    | 2.0+  |  No | No|    No   |   No  |    No  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Sound System   | 1.10  |  No | No|   Yes   |   No  |   Yes  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Super Pro Play | 1.31  |  No |Yes|   Yes   |   No  |   Yes  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Tetra Composer | 1.00  |w/reg|Yes|   Yes   |   No  |   Yes  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Trakblaster    | 2.00  |  No | No|   Yes   |   No  |    No  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|TuPlay         | 1.00  |  No | No|   Yes   |   No  |   Yes  |  No  | No|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|VangeliSTracker| 0.9c  |  No |Yes|   Yes   |   No  |    No  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|


|Visual Player  | 1.10  |  No | No|   Yes   |  Yes  |    No  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Whacker Tracker| 1.01u | Yes |Yes|   Yes   |   No  |   Yes  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Win Mod Pro    | 0.002 |  No |Yes|    No   |  Yes  |   Yes  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Wow            | 2.01  |  No |Yes|   Yes   |   No  |   Yes  |  No  |Yes|
|---------------|-------|-----|---|---------|-------|--------|------|---|
|Wow II         | 1.31  |  No |Yes|   Yes   |   No  |    No  |  No  |Yes|
=========================================================================
 
=========================================================================
New Stuff: Week of April 10, 1993 to April 16, 1993
 
  * New version of Galliasoft Mod Editor/Creator 
    (version 1.25 to version 1.35).
  * New version of Dual Mod Player (version 2.31 to version 2.33)
 
=======================================================================   
  CD-Box, ModEdit, ModPlayer, JMPlayer, Power Player & Scream Tracker
  are available on SIMTEL (in sound or music directories).
  Try oak.oakland.edu or other SIMTEL mirror site.
  
  Other players can be found on: 
    wuarchive.wustl.edu (pub/MSDOS_UPLOADS/sounds directory)
    picasso.ocis.temple.edu
    ftp.uwp.edu (pub/msdos/modplayers or pub/incoming/modplayers areas)
    archive.epas.utoronto.ca
=====================================================================
Notes: The EMS OK column is used to let you know if the MOD player
       sounds Correct with an EMS memory manager loaded.  In most
       cases these Players will still work but they will sound
       distorted.
 
Additional Info:
==============================   Supported Devices   =================
|               |            |=======================|  Additional   |
|Program Name   |Archive File|SB|PRO|DAC|GUS|PAS|SPKR|   Comments    |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|B's Pro Tracker|bpt05.???   | X|   | X |   |   |  X |midi support   |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Brain          |brain12.??? | X|   | X |   |   |    |stereo w/2 dacs|
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|CD-Box         |cdbox220.???| X| X |   |   |   |  X |shell program  |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Composer 669   |compsd13.???| X| X |   |   |   |    |669 files 8chnl|
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Creator        |creator1.???| X|   |   |   |   |    |German Docs    |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Dark-Tracker   |darkplay.???| X|   |   |   |   |    |No Docs        |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Dark-Trkr Plyr |darkplay.???| X|   |   |   |   |    |No Docs        |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|


|Digi Studio    |ds15demo.???| X|   | X |   |   |  X |               |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Digitrak       |digitk01.???|  |   |   | X |   |    |GUS only plyr  |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Dual-Mod Player|dmp233.???  | X| X | X |   | X |    |               |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Execmod        |exec10b.??? | X|   |   |   |   |    |Run pgm in bkgd|
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Galliasoft Mod |med135.???  | X|   | X |   |   |  X |Reqs Mod Play  |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|GTS            |gtsmain.??? | X|   |   |   |   |    |gts w/converter|
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Gus Mod        |gmod211.??? |  |   |   | X |   |    |               |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Holoplay       |hp00a.???   | X| X | X |   |   |  X |               |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Intellitracker |intrack.??? | X|   |   |   |   |    |               |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|JAMP           |jamp.???    | X|   | X |   |   |  X |               |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|JM Player      |jmplay11.???| X|   |   |   |   |    |mod/nst        |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|JM Pro Tracker |jmprotr.??? | X| X | X | X | X |    |mod/nst/wow etc|
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|KingMod        |king111.??? | X|   |   |   |   |    |std. music note|
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|MFed           |mfed152.??? | X|   | X |   |   |  X |               |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Modac          |modac1.???  | X| X | X |   |   |  X |Some VGA prblms|
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Mod Edit       |moded301.???| X|   | X |   |   |  X |               |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Mod Player     |mp219b.???  | X|   | X |   |   |  X |               |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Mod's Grave    |grave103.???| X| X |   |   |   |    |skips sometimes|
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|OCTA           |octademo.???| X| X |   |   |   |    |mod/nst/oct    |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Play Mod       |playmod.??? | X|   |   |   |   |    |               |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Power Player   |pp13.???    | X|   | X |   |   |    |mod/wow files  |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Pro Mod        |promod.???  | X| X |   |   |   |    |use -m for SBs |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Prot. Mod Plyr |pmp220.???  | X| X |   |   | X |    |Plays BIG Mods |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|SB Studio      |sbstudio.???| X| X |   | X |   |    |               |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Scream Tracker |st225.???   | X|   | X |   |   |  X |mod/stm files  |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|SLMR           |silly19b.???| X|   | X |   |   |  X |               |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Soundtraker    |minitrak.???| X|   |   |   |   |    |no docs        |


|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Sound System   |ss11.???    | X|   |   |   |   |    |tends to crash |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Super Pro Play |spp-v131.???| X|   |   |   |   |  X |               |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Tetra Composer |tetra10.??? | X|   |   |   |   |    |               |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Trakblaster    |tblast20.???| X|   |   |   |   |    |keep all files!|
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|TuPlay         |tuplay10.???| X|   | X |   |   |    |               |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|VangeliSTracker|vt09cexe.???| X| X | X |   |   |    |Spanish Docs   |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Visual Player  |vp11.???    | X| X | X |   |   |  X |Cool Graphics  |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Whacker Tracker|wt101u.???  | X| X | X |   |   |  X |               |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Win Mod Pro    |wmp002b2.???| X| X | X | X | X |  X |Windows Only   |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Wow            |wow201.???  | X|   | X |   |   |  X |               |
|---------------|------------|--|---|---|---|---|----|---------------|
|Wow II         |wowii130.???| X| X |   |   |   |    |               |
======================================================================
Notes: Only a few Mod players specifically mention PAS support but
       from what I've heard the PAS is 100% SB compatible so it should
       work with any player that supports Sound Blaster.  
 
====================================================================== 
Another program that I would like to mention is Xmaster which while
not an actual MOD player is a Great Shell proram for all the above
players without built-in Menus.  It can even handle Zipped modules
and VOC files.  It is available on SIMTEL mirror sites.
 
If you find any errors, omissions or new versions of the above 
players please send me a note.
 
Thanks to all who sent me suggestions & additional information!
 Randall Abel (rabel1@cup.portal.com)

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 16 Apr 93 8:23:05 PDT
From: jenkinch@ucs.orst.edu (Charley Jenkins)
Subject: Repost-Ultima7 & Loading TSRs
Message-ID: <9304161523.AA17196@ucs>

This is a repost.  This article some how got split in the last digest...

Are you frustrated at not being able to load TSRs in high memory while
running Ulitma 7?  Wouldn't it be nice to be able to run Stacker, mouse driver,
SBOS, disk cache, and Ultima 7?

You can!



-Download   UMBDR522.ZIP
-From      archive.umich.edu or wuarchive.wustl.edu
-Directory  /msdos/util/system   /mirrors3/archive.umich.edu/msdos/util/sytem

This program will allow you to loadhi all your TSRs WITHOUT putting your
cpu in Protected Mode which Voodo Memory Manager hates.  You can even create
expanded memory in REAL mode in case your favorite disk cache works better
with expanded memory.

I tried it out last night and it worked great!  For the first time I was
able to load Stacker 2.0, mouse drv, click, smartdrv, SBOS, and run Ultima 7.

Credit needs to go to Chris Kalin the orginal poster of this information!

Chris Kalin
-- 
Chris Kalin-----> ckalin@csd4.csd.uwm.edu  -OR-  ckalin@watt.cae.uwm.edu

Charley Jenkins
jenkinch@ucs.orst.edu

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1993 18:46:36 -0400
From: dave@rylos.n2idf.ampr.org (David Mutterer)
Subject: Sierra responce (part 2)
Message-ID: <9304161846.ZM11213@rylos.n2idf.ampr.org>

Here is yet another 'canned' response from Sierra via another support
channel:

Date: Friday, April 16, 1993  2:55pm                        Electronic Mail
From: Sierra                                                   Msg#: 205602
  To: Zar
  Re: GUS Support.?
      (Reply to #205461)

Developing sound drivers for a new sound card is quite an involved
process.  The Sierra On-Line family produces drivers for more cards
than any other manufacturer.  Our newest games support: Adlib,
SoundBlaster, ThunderBoard, SoundBlaster Pro, Pro Audio Spectrum
(Classic, Plus, 16), Microsoft Sound System, Disney Sound Source
(limited), Tandy 3-voice, Roland MT-32 and LAPC-1, and General MIDI.
There are many new sound cards on the market today and each one of
them have their own proprietary sound format.  Most of them can
produce excellent sound when using drivers specifically written for
them.  However, there is no clear standard for sound cards, and
therefore each new brand of sound card requires its own special
drivers.

Sound cards like the Gravis UltraSound and the Turtle Beach
Multisound card are superb sound devices, but it is impossible for


our programmers to include a specific sound driver for every new
sound card on the market.  If enough of our customers purchase a new
sound card, chances are that eventually we will write a driver for
it.

The good news is that some of our newest products are either Windows
programs, or they include both Windows and DOS interpreters.  Two
new games that fall in the latter category are The Lost Secret of
the Rainforest and Pepper's Adventures in Time.  All true Windows
programs should support any sound card, as long as  the proper
Windows sound card drivers are installed in the Windows Control
Panel.
Good Luck!

     .. mark parker ..  *  Sierra BBS Sysop  *


----------

Oh well... yet another big let down.....


-- 
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I never met a computer I didn't like,"         - David Mutterer
               --------                         - dave@rylos.n2idf.ampr.org
     "unless it was made by IBM."               - rutgers!rylos!dave
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------------------------------

Date: Fri, 16 Apr 93 00:17:42 EDT
From: n4zfd!frodo@rylos.n2idf.ampr.org (Jim Blakely)
Subject: Re: Ultrasound Daily Digest V3 #15
Message-ID: <8F132B1w165w@n4zfd.UUCP>

Re: FAT Corruption w/Ultrasound & Dblspace

Most likely, it wasn't DoubleSpace that *caused* this - the
Ultrasound uses the NMI for things that it probably shouldn't, and
the resulting interrupt latency can cause problems with Smartdrive's
write caching. 

I strongly recommend that anyone using Smartdrive *turn off
write-caching*.



For what it's worth, I finally got my GUS from Gravis, after a 2 week
delay. (I'm a dealer - this is my demo board). It came with version
2.05 disks. I immediately popped 6 256x4 chips into it.

-Jim



------------------------------

Date: Fri, 16 Apr 93 19:31:45 PDT
From: santeew@sisters.cs.uoregon.edu
Subject: Re: Ultrasound Daily Digest V3 #16
Message-ID: <9304170231.AA29028@sisters.cs.uoregon.edu>

> 	Well, to warn everyone that ULTRINIT.EXE crash & burn OS/2 system
> pretty hard here... Well, not that visually. Instead, it caused me so
> much headache to empty a tylenol bottle.  Well, lemme explain. First
> of all, I just bought a new hard drive, so I reformated my WD Caviar, and
> put my new Quantum on drive C:.  Just days before I installed the new
> install disks with success... (well, I never tried what failed with them
> before I switched)...  
>
[rest of explaination removed]

Actually, the problem is not with ultrainit, per se.  UltraInit is 
doing just what it should, configuring your card according to the
parameters in your ULTRASND environment variable.

However, if you use the defaults that the GUS setup program suggests
(i.e. IRQ 7 for the SB/MIDI stuff), then you are treading on OS/2's
control over the printer, which also defaults to IRQ 7.

Thus, when you run ultrainit, (which is presumably in your autoexec.bat
that Win-OS/2 uses to load up), you double-hook IRQ 7 and lose the 
ability to print.  The solution is not to remove ultrainit from your
autoexec.bat, but to set the SB/MIDI IRQ to something other than 7,
or to change your printer to LPT2, which OS/2 looks on IRQ 5 for.

Hope this helps,

Wes Santee				| This is how it feels
E-Mail: santeew@cs.uoregon.edu		| Using up the time we steal
USnail: 450 W. 8th #22, Eugene OR 97401	| This is how it feels
Voice : (503) 344-9983			| To be free...		-InSoc

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1993 00:42:09 -0400
From: "Mark C. Ng" 
Subject: Wavetable / ROM or RAM?
Message-ID: 

FROM message in comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcards (whatever!)  I posted the
following:

>PHT>If you are so fixated on 16-bit samples, then use 16-bit samples.
>PHT>MOD-like music is not limited to only 8-bit resolution.
>
tiitus>


>Of course, I might have trouble to cram the 16bit, 44.1kHz samples into
>1 meg of RAM. Especially if you need some memory to sound effects as
>well. Think about a MOD like Beyond Music, if I recall right it was over
>700kB with 8 bit samples. How about with 16bit, 44.1kHz samples?


As an aside note / question to this debate,  We can have the GUS load
stuff into onboard mem and play the samples back on the many channels
available on the the card.  But my question is ,
Can you play the a certain number of samples from the onboard memory and
play a sound the main computer's memory (like a DAC) at the same time..

This would solve some of the problems of memory, for instance if a sound
(explosion) or some sound that was to be require to be played once or
very (relatively) few times in a duration of an execution then running
thhis through a DAC or simular procedure will be most optimal....
ofcourse, if this would be an CPU intensive process...  I guess Its out
of the question.   Solutions that will slow down (let's say a high
speed vector display routine) performance will not be considered as
solutions.

I believe Windows can do this!  But that's not in a high speed graphic
situation (game / vector).


 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Mark C. Ng mcng@undergrad.math.uwaterloo.ca   University of Waterloo
  Sysop of Digital Pixel BBS:(416) 298-1487 Toronto,Ont,Can,Sol
 COMGFXMIDISDINOSAURSEJAPANESEXBADMINTONYANIMEGBIKEIPURPOSEROFLLIFESARTS 
 "Knowledge is Power, but a little knowledge is dangerous... " 
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End of Ultrasound Daily Digest V3 #17
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