Ultrasound Daily Digest     Sun,  7 Mar 93       Volume 2 : Issue  63 

Today's Topics:
							   Chipsets
						   Composer 669 1.3
					 GUS incompatibility??? Help
					GUS support in Sierra & Origin
				 Lucasfilms compuserve e-mail address
			   no subject (file transmission) (2 msgs)
						 Pinout for the GUS.
					SBOS 1.4b and Carmen San Diego
					   SBOS V1.4B2 - WIDE BETA
						 Solution to SQ5 bug.
	 WAVUTL20.ZIP - WIN3: Wave Utilities, loop and play WAV files

	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: 06 Mar 1993 19:36:48 -0600
From: neudo417@skdad.usask.ca
Message-Id: <9303070136.AA18614@piapot.USask.ca>
Subject: Chipsets
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

The ultrasound is not alone!
In the February PC-world Multimedia Suplement, it gave a list of about 48
sound cards--and their specifications.

Apparently, the GUS is among 4 cards which use the Ensoniq chipset
(the Ensoniq DOC-II, if I remember).

The other companies are:
ASC (the AudioMaster) 
DAK (the BSR Media Master)
OmniLabs /RTM (the AudioMaster)

However, I am probably wrong about these card's chipset--they all only have 24
voices, as opposed to the Gravis' 32.

My guess is they use an older version (but I could be wrong).

Gossip item 2:  The reason that Sierra isn't supporting GUS is that it is 
the owner of the "Aria" chipset, the newest thing on the market.  It's much
more expensive, but it has a DSP built into it.  I could be wrong (maybe they
aren't affiliated with Sierra Semiconductors).

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

Date: Sat, 06 Mar 1993 12:57:29 EST
From: Hard On The Beaver <jabussey@ualr.edu>
Message-Id: <009691A7.5BCC9AE0.9388@ualr.edu>
Subject: Composer 669 1.3
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

| From: IN%"ultrasound@dsd.es.com"  "Ultrasound Daily Digest"  2-MAR-1993 02:19:24.54

HELP!!!! 
	I finally found a composer! But it friggin locks up when I run it! I 
have tried it with a CLEAN system and still no go!! has anyone gotten this thing
to work with SBOS? It says in the docs that you need 640k and NO memory
managers! But I have to load SBOS to run it! The program is Composer 669 1.3.
Please help! I have a 386/40, 4 meg of ram, 512k SVGA trident 9000 video card,
and running DOS 5.0.

Thanks in advance,

Jacque

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

Date: 5 Mar 93 15:22:49 GMT
From: morgan@dl5000.bc.edu (Morgan Stair)
Message-Id: <MORGAN.93Mar5102249@dl5000.bc.edu>
Subject: GUS incompatibility??? Help
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

	   I own a 486dx about two years old and for some reason my GUS
   doesn't work to well with it. It's not the card because I've tried two
   different ones and there is no difference. This leads me to ask if it
   is either: 1) An incompatibility with my motherboard?
		  2) An old version of SBOS if so where do I get a newer one?
	   Please respond some one who knows I hate having no sound. The
   GUS kicks butt otherwise. Can't wait for a shoot out in a PC magazine.
   My only other complaint is that tech-support sucks at Gravis I called
   several times and the people who answerd knew nothing.


   nheyman@shade.skidmore.edu 

Sorry to say I had the same problem.  I had one of the first 486-33
motherboards out, Intel chipset.  System consistantly hung at random
places in mididemo.

My solution was to get a new motherboard.  I got it from a friend in a
computer store.  You can get one in "Computer Shopper" magazine
(available at almost any computer store).  Look in the adds toward the
back.  Get a bare bones (no CPU no RAM) 64k motherboard.  I DON'T
recommend getting a motherboard with VESA slots, still too buggy
(trust me, I've tried).

If possible shop around and spend a little more if necessary for an
"opti" chipset, it is VERY nice.  They had one problem a while back
with the "82c206" chipset and bad 16bit DMA transfers.  From what I
hear this is easily spotted because there will be THREE "opti" chips
on the motherboard, instead of two, but I don't think you'll find
it on any new motherboards today.

Things to ask...

  Ask them to look at the motherboard and tell you how many chips they
see labeled "Opti".  Make sure there's two.  If you're worried ask
them to read all the numbers to you, write them down, and call GRAVIS
tech support to see if they're okay.

  Ask them to look in the manual for the motherboard and tell you if
they find anything (unless they already know) about UNIX compatible.
If it's there, that's a good indication of a solid motherboard.  You
could pick up the most recent Unix Hardware Buyers Guide from
news.answers.  That will give you some good advice and background (if
you can't get it email me and I'll send you my relatively recent copy).

  Ideally you could look for a motherboard that is expandable to 64M
of RAM (32M is the most common), a max of 512k cache, and make SURE it
can be reconfigured for a 486DX2/66 chip if you want expandability.  I
could be wrong, but my gut says that if it's built with this kind of
environment in mind, it'll be more solid.

  All these "nice" options shouldn't cost you much more, they're just
hard to find.  Remember, you're not buying a CPU, you're not buying
RAM, and cache beyond 64k make VERY little difference to a 486DX/33
(64k gets Norton SI 71.3, 256k get Norton SI 72.0).

  My guess at your final price is under $200.  You could end up under
$150.  I wouldn't go for the $100 motherboard... I'd question it's
reliability.

  I pulled my CPU easily with a tiny flat head screwdriver, though I
practically had to stomp on it to get it into my new motherboard.  Be
prepared to replace a SIMM.  Odds are the internal tests have gotten
better in the last few years, and they do wear out with time (and
handling).

  Good luck, and remember, this is just MY OPINION!  Use it to your
advantage, but I take NO responsibility for your actions.

  Morgan

PS.  I cross posted this to comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware so others could
	 benefit from this and CORRECT my misconceptions :)
--
<morgan@DL5000.bc.edu>

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

Date: Sat, 6 Mar 1993 10:37:52 -0800
From: Eric N. Liao <liaoe@aero.org>
Message-Id: <199303061837.AA13255@aerospace.aero.org>
Subject: GUS support in Sierra & Origin
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

Well, I wrote to three (Lucasfilm, Sierra, Origin) internet addresses concern-
ing GUS support in games, and I got 2 responses (Sierra & Origin.)

Unfortunately for us, we will not be seing native-GUS support in Sierra or
Origin games.  Sierra used the same generic message given to other people
("even though Sierra supports more sound cards than...we will not be...etc.")

Even though a lot of people are angry and *hurt* by Sierra's decision not to
support the GUS, at least they've come out and spoke the trut.  For a while,
I got the impression Sierra might produce GUS drivers for their games, but
finally someone from Sierra has admitted they have no plans for the GUS.
At least respect the people.  If you go out and say "boycott, boycott, write
nasty letters" then I BET other companies who have the same position as
Sierra will start answering with ambiguous messages. ("We are considering the
GUS in our games.  We must hire programmers...etc.etc.")

As for Origin, it took about 1-2 weeks (the address was to a person who could
not answer my quetion.  She pointed me to "Wayne", who did answer my qeustion
about the GUS.)

Origin claims that sound is implemented in the first stages of game development.
Whether or not this is true, Wayne said that it isn't likely ANY 1993 Origin
products will include GUS support.  I remember that Origin was pretty slow in
supporting the SB Pro (which had the full backing of Creative Labs), so I'm not
surprised.

Remember that other companies may be on theultrasound digest, and if they see
us flaming companies for not supporting the GUS, they might start lying about
their plans & the GUS.

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

Date: Sat, 6 Mar 93 15:01:38 -0500
From: dauria@cs.bu.edu (David DAuria)
Message-Id: <9303062001.AA12785@csa.bu.edu>
Subject: Lucasfilms compuserve e-mail address
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

For anybody who cares,  LucasArt's e-mail address is
75300.454@compuserve.com

Enjoy it.(And hopefully LucasArts will be a bit more receptive to supporting
the GUS than sierra)
David D'Auria
dauria@csa.bu.edu

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

Date: Sat, 6 Mar 93 21:44:57 GMT
From: laurent@ismennt.is (Laurent Somers)
Message-Id: <9303062144.AA22364@akureyri.ismennt.is>
Subject: no subject (file transmission)
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

subject:  GUS&Roland

I just want to apologise for my double message.  I have a modem connection,
and it slipped a bit the first time.  I didn't know it had actually succeeded
the first time...

Anyway, since I'm at it, I'd like to delve a little into the practical
side of the problem with making a Roland emulator.

As we have heard, the problems involved in making an AdLib emulator stem
from the fact that it is difficult to make a superior card emulate an
inferior (FM) technology.  This has in the past given some support to the
claim that SBOS is a palindrome.  Yet this argument should not apply to Roland
cards.

Granted, it is good to have AdLib & SB emulation, since even more software
supports these cards than the Roland synths.  When you think of it, the
necessary changes to SBOS would mainly involve specifying different ports and
loading bigger patches.  I know this isn't as easy as it sounds, but could
someone please give a valid argument against this (other than the ones I
approached in my previous message)?

Just for the records, I have a 48.6K MT-32 emulator for an AdLib FM card,
and I know CL has something similar for the SBPro 16.  And since I know
that CL is imitating Gravis and coming up with a Wavetable synthesis add-on,
I sure hope CL's SBPro won't be able to use the WTS with their emulator
(at least not until the GUS has one!).

If someone has some .txt's on programming the LAPC-1, I'd appreciate if
these could be forwarded to klingon (or e-mailed to me).

When I think of how much such an emulator would facilitate the GUS's
sales & marketing, I keep wondering why there isn't such a driver yet
(finishing the patches for it first?).

BTW, Josh:  How soon until GusMOD 2.1  (Since it's supposed to be on the
Gravis disks and they're being duplicated now(at least the GSMIDI patches))?

Laurent F. Somers
(laurent@akureyri.ismennt.is)

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

Date: Sun, 7 Mar 93 0:01:26 GMT
From: laurent@ismennt.is (Laurent Somers)
Message-Id: <9303070001.AA21284@akureyri.ismennt.is>
Subject: no subject (file transmission)
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

Subject:  GusMod 2.04 lockups

While waiting for GusMod 2.1, here's a way to run Gusmod & GTSR multiple
times without lockup - it uses the TSR Utilities from TurboPower Software.
I use the net-versions - I'm not sure whether 'mark' is enough.

GM.BAT
@echo off
if %1x==x goto end
marknet d:\GusMMARK
GUSMod %1
relnet d:\GusMMARK
:end
*********
GT.bat
@echo off
if %1x==x goto release
marknet d:\GTSRMARK
GTSR %1
goto end
:release
relnet d:\GTSRmark
:end
*********

GTS.bat
@relnet d:\GTSRMARK

I hope this helps.
- Laurent F. Somers
(laurent@akureyri.ismennt.is)

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

Date: Sat, 6 Mar 1993 14:59:02 -0500
From: Roger Frederi Clark <helios@brahms.udel.edu>
Message-Id: <199303061959.AA08835@brahms.udel.edu>
Subject: Pinout for the GUS.
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

Someone asked for the pinout for good 'ole GUS, here's what Gravis told me.

1-XY common Joystick A (+5v)
2-Button 1 on A
3-X coord on A
4-Button common on A (ground)
5-Ground
6-Y coord on A
7-Button 2 on A
8- +5v
9-XY common Joystick B (+5v)
10-Button 1 on B
11-X coord on B
12-MIDI TX
13-Y coord on B
14-Button 2 on B
15-MIDI RX

That's what the pinouts says, but my MIDI interface still doesn't work. :(

Roger Clark
helios@brahms.udel.edu

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

Date: Sat, 6 Mar 1993 10:41:11 -0500 (EST)
From: jyanowit@orixa.mtholyoke.edu (Jason Yanowitz)
Message-Id: <9303061541.AA06407@orixa.mtholyoke.edu>
Subject: SBOS 1.4b and Carmen San Diego
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----


As my friend's little bro and sister were in town, she asked me
to hook up some games.  Borrowing a copy of
Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego Deluxe (and yes,
the perso I  borrowed it from said "Here, use this, I won't
be for the next few days, so it shouldn't be a problem"), I
experimented with SBOS v1.42b and it.  First results weren't
good, as it would get to the point where you're flying to another
destination and hang.  Then, i finally hit on this
combination:
sbos -o1 -x2

Now, some of the music is messed up, but the samples sound fine,
and some of the music sounds good.  A few times it ran into problems,
but if I hit the ESC key to go past the animation sequence, all
was copestic again.

That's my only experience with SBOS, as I'm not much of a game
player (StarCon 2 sounds GREAT in native mode though...).
I haven't tried out earlier version of the software, so I
can't compare.

Jason "I hate Sierra Games too...." Yanowitz

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

Date: Fri, 05 Mar 93 17:18:18 
From: john.smith@gravis.com
Message-Id: <9303051718.A3226wk@gravis.com>
Subject: SBOS V1.4B2 - WIDE BETA
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

This message was originally addressed to ALL
and a carbon copy was sent to you.
					----------------------------------------
About SBOS 1.4B2 Wide Beta
--------------------------

We have been receiving many beta test reports from people since
announcing the release of V1.4B2.  There have been a few things
which are quickly becoming apparent.

At least 60% of the reports we are getting back are from users
who have incorrectly installed the new update.  I will try and
make it a little more clear here.

STEP 1: Delete all files in your ULTRASND\SBOS directory
STEP 2: Delete LOADSBOS.EXE and SBOSDRV.EXE from your ULTRASND directory
STEP 3: Unzip all files in GUS0014 into your ULTRASND\SBOS directory
STEP 4: Copy LOADSBOS.EXE and SBOSDRV.EXE from your SBOS directory to
		your ULTRASND directory.
STEP 5: Go to your SBOS directory and type GV to read the README file


NOTES: 1) Make sure you follow these steps.  Many people are not completely
		  removing their old SBOS.  Most are forgetting about the two .EXE
		  files in their ULTRASND directory.
	   2) Make sure your BLASTER environment variable is set correctly.
		  If it isn't certain games will not run, such as Wolf3D.  Here
		  is an explanation of the BLASTER environment variable.

		  SET BLASTER=A220 I7 D1 T1

		   Base Addr. --^   ^ ^  ^-- Type of SB to emulate. ALWAYS T1
			  MIDI/SBOS IRQ-| |- ALWAYS DMA 1!


You will find an explanation of these procedures in the README file
provided with the update.

We will be coming out with a new version of SBOS early next week
which will fix some valid problems such as UWII and a glitch
with KQVI on some computers.  Hang in there we are almost there.

John

cc: ultrasound@dsd.es.com
---
 ~ QMPro 1.01 05-8925 ~ Soon To Be A Major Motion Picture.

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

Date: Sat, 6 Mar 1993 18:06:17 -0400 (AST)
From: Shadow Of Fear <markus@Info.UMoncton.ca>
Message-Id: <Pine.3.02.9303061817.A5983-c100000@clement>
Subject: Solution to SQ5 bug.
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
	  Directly from his dark office on the top of a dark Tower.....
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

	I heard from many people about a bug in the SoundBlaster support
in Space Quest 5.  I just bought Space Quest V and discovered the bug. 
The game hangs when it wants to play a digitized sound.  I had to put the
game in Adlib mode to play, but I wasn't very happy with that.
	This morning, while fooling around in my hard drive, I didn't
something that seemed to fix the problem.  I did it again several times
and SQ5 was coming out of my speakers with music and sound effects.  Is it
possible I discovered a way to kill the bug?  I'll explain what I did. 
Try it and tell me if it works.
	1 - I run the INSTALL program and set everything to SOUNDBLASTER
and save the settings.
	2 - Reboot computer.
	
	Now you game is set up for soundblaster.  The following procedure
is what I do everytime I want to play SQ5.  It sounds stupid, but it works!!

	1 - Run the INSTALL.EXE program.  Don't modify anything.  Now,
exit the INSTALL.EXE program.  Yes, you just go in and out without
modifying anything.

	2 - Load SBOS (I'm using the latest SBOS - 1.42B os something like
that). 
	   
		3 - Load SQ5.  You'll receive an "Error Initialising Sound
Device".  Ignore the error message.  Just press ENTER and the game will
start loaded with sound effects (digitized) and music.  The game doesn't
hang anymore.  At least, for me.


	So now you know.  Please, try it and tell me if it works for you.
										 ____
			  _  _  _                  / \   \ 
			/' )' )' )                |   |   |           
			  /  /  /                 | (_|__/         \   
			 /     /  __. .__    ___  |   |  __.  . .   \  .   ___ 
			/     (__(_/|__) )__/(__   \_/__(_/|__)\_)__/\__)__) <_ 

					Markus on QuartzPARADISE and AfterFive
							(506)855-4974 - Canada
+---------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+
|            markus@info.umoncton.ca          | "My son, ask for thyself    |
| For Talk:  markus@clement.info.umoncton.ca  |  another kingdom.  For that |
|---------------------------------------------+  which I leave is too small |
| When all else fails,  read the instructions |  for thee" - King Philippe  |
+---------------------------------------------+-----------------------------+

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

Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1993 23:46:50 GMT
From: ittschir@TechFak.Uni-Bielefeld.DE (Tim Tschirner)
Message-Id: <9303052346.kp20858@tacom-emh1.army.mil>
Subject: WAVUTL20.ZIP - WIN3: Wave Utilities, loop and play WAV files
Summary: Reposted by Keith Petersen
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

I have uploaded to WSMR-SIMTEL20.Army.Mil and OAK.Oakland.Edu:

pd1:<msdos.windows3>
WAVUTL20.ZIP    WIN3: Wave Utilities, loop and play WAV files

This file contains two Wave Utilities for MS-Windows 3.1 or above,
Looper and Player.

With Looper, you can play .wav files continuously in the background, and
Player simply plays .wav files by double-clicking them in a File Manager
window.

Looper and Player also support the PAS-16 specific special feature to
play back two .wav files simultaneously.

This is a direct replacement for The Wave Utilities 1.1 (WAVUTL11.ZIP).
The new features are a File Open Dialog, an online help file for Looper
and the use of the Borland Windows Custom Controls.  The file BWCC.DLL
must be in the Windows\System directory.  To keep the archive size small
we didn't include it.  As it comes with a lot of other Shareware programs
a lot of people already have it.

With best regards,

Tim Tschirner
ittschir@techfak.uni-bielefeld.de
uteca030@unibi.hrz.uni-bielefeld.de

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

End of Ultrasound Daily Digest V2 #63
******************************
