GUS Daily Digest            Sun, 12 Mar 95  9:37 PST     Volume 20: Issue  12 

Today's Topics:
	ADPCM sound, ACE again, recording quality, Pmode megaem, NNITO
				   Clarification on proposed theory
						 Dark Forces and GUS
					   GUS Daily Digest V20 #11
						GUS Max hangs WFW 3.11
				   Internet Phone and a Cheap Mike
						  Long live the GUS
						   Mike won't work.
					  motorola 680x0 has no dsp
				  Recording Studio Bonus Pak Problem
						SB and Gravis together
			   update to daily digest archives on epas

Standard Info:
	- Meta-info about the GUS can be found at the end of the Digest.
	- Before you ask a question, please READ THE FAQ.

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

Date: Sat, 11 Mar 1995 19:54:36 +0000 (GMT)
From: Sam <Samuel.Marshall@durham.ac.uk>
Subject: ADPCM sound, ACE again, recording quality, Pmode megaem, NNITO

> demo for no sound at all, it still does not run. So the full version 
> works with the GUS naitively? Any clue if they will make patches to do 
> the same with tie fighter or their other games (without emulating cards)? 

Shouldn't think so. I don't have tie fighter but X-Wing works fine with 
megaem, sounds really good - much better than an sb anyway, I guess not 
as good as a roland - so I don't know what you're complaining about :)

As far as I remember music worked on the tie fighter demo as well.

> > For just playing them, sound drivers which do this (CODECs) come
> > with MicroSoft CD products, such as Encarta and Dangerous Creatures.
> > Possibly these drivers might be available on ftp.microsoft.com - they
> > sound like the sort of thing you wouldn't be expected to pay for.
> 
> I believe MS Video for Windows includes these drivers--but I can't get
> them to work!  Try as I might, I can't play a compressed file under
> Windows with MSVideo installed (version 1.1?).

Our Control Panel has a new icon installed, in addition to the system
sounds one and the drivers one, (it's called sound something-or-other)
which lets you choose which sound thingy to use. Have you tried this? 

It was causing problems at one point. It changed Sound Recorder to default
to 16-bit all the time, which made the display go wrong, so I simply
turned off the compression or whatever it was and things worked again. 

> Subject: solution to GUS-recording problems (perhaps)
> 
> Some one complained about noisy sound digitizing/recording. 
> These are basics, but by experience, you can get these wrong anyway.

We have a standard GUS (8-bit) which USED to sound really good when 
recording. I could tell the difference between 44 khz 8 bit recording of 
a CD and 16 bit realthing, but only just.

However now it is really noisy (and has been for some time). It's an 
older GUS so there aren't any volume controls etc, and the noise occurs 
from either microphone input (with a microphone :> ) or the line in. (oh 
yeah, turning the output off when recording doesn't make any difference 
either.) It seems to us that the noise started when we installed a new 
internal modem - is this possible?

> Subject: Ultrsound ACE
> 
> Could someone either send me specs/info about the ACE or point me to where I 
> could find this info?  A friend of mine is considering buying one, and would
> like more info on it.  All I could tell him was the it was Ultrasound compatible
> and supposedly desgined to work well with other sound cards.

It's a 512k Gus, using GusMax memory though, with no cdrom interfaces, 
joystick / midi ports, or recording facilities.

If you want to see the press release, it's ACE.TXT on the ftp sites. (Or 
if you happen to have Imphobia #9, it's on there as well).

> Hi,
> Could anyone please tell me wether there will ever be a way of getting the
> GUS to work with DOS4GW games. I can't get sound out of more than 50% of my

Gravis are supposed to be releasing a protected-mode (DOS4GW-compatible) 
version of MegaEm. In fact they were supposed to release it end December. 
I think we heard from someone with an alpha version, so it isn't 
vapourware, but possibly they are having problems making it work with 
different games, computer systems, etc.

(I didn't think this was possible anyway, so I'm not surprised they are 
having trouble).

Sam

--> Home Page <-- ** Go on, try it! ** --> http://www.dur.ac.uk/~d405ua <--
  --> [1mLatest Feature[m:  BUGFIX: realtime fractalzoom in 3K (486/P5).. <--

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Date: Sun, 12 Mar 1995 00:34:19 -0500
From: rwyckoff@biddeford.com (Richard Wyckoff)
Subject: Clarification on proposed theory

In regards to Bryan's message about GM-compatible arranged music, it's my
opinion that the benefits of compatibility of the GM standard are far
outweighed by the horrible variation in patchsets on GM sound cards.  I
think that GM has far more applicability with professional MIDI devices such
as keyboards and sound modules, as the effort to make affordable soundcards
seems to usually mean that patchsets are thrown together without the amount
of care a synth manufacturer would use for a product aimed at musicians.

In my last message it might have seemed like I was saying that MIDI
compatibility should be dropped altogether - but I really only meant the GM
patch standard.  I find (and I'm sure many game composers find) that MIDI
sequencers are MUCH easier to use than any of the .MOD-style editors.  Most
large game companies create original music for each project, rather than use
libraries of GM tunes - I have a feeling that if they were given the choice
between using the GM patchset or another standardized method which would
allow them total freedom in instrument choice for their MIDI files, they
would often go with the latter.  And in many cases where the GM set *is*
appropriate for a project, they could almost certainly record the music on
professional GM gear and include it as 16-bit canned audio and get a much
better sound than using the GM patches on any of today's low-to-mid-range
soundcards.

		Richard Wyckoff
--
Please register this product now to avoid uninterrupted use.

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

Date: Sat, 26 Mar 94 15:06:45
From: musicman@werple.mira.net.au
Subject: Dark Forces and GUS

I too have Dark Forces and have being playing it  for a few days now with NO problems with GUS 
slowing down the game!..

I suspect that the warning in the readme file is there to protect Lucas Arts if for some reason slow 
down did occur at least they could then turn around and say "hey did you read the warning in the 
readme file"..

Has anyone out there actually had any slow down with GUS support??

Cya

Anthony

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

Date: Sat, 11 Mar 1995 13:33:11 -0700
From: deand@worldgate.edmonton.ab.ca (Dean Drolet)
Subject: Re: GUS Daily Digest V20 #11

In Digest V20 #11 Reginald Atkins wrote:

>1st    don't buy from TC computers if they tell you the NMI is enabled 
>   it is probably a lie to sell components.

I am sure that you will find most "techs" at computer stores to be very
un-informed and will tell you anything that you WANT to hear.

>2nd    don't get Award BIOS it is total shit!

I really have to disagree with you on this one.  I have been using Award
BIOS' for nearly a year now and I have NOT seen any problems whatsoever.  As
a matter of fact, I really like the Award BIOS over the AMI BIOS' that I
have used over the years.  It is just as configurable and its auto-config
option works a little better for performance tweaking than AMI's BIOS.  But
this is still all very Chipset dependant.  Why not buy the ASUS MB SV2GX/4
WITH Award BIOS and SiS471 chipset and see how happy your GUS will be.  It
also supports 5 or 3.3V CPUs.  I also saw a 23% performance increase with
just the MB alone over my old one. NMI is also enabled on this MB.

Just a few thoughts.

PS: Award BIOS' is now the main BIOS manufacturer that is on most of the new
high end MBs being shipped now.
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------
deand@worldgate.edmonton.ab.ca           | You can't expect to wield supreme
executive power
R3204@nait.ab.ca                         | just because some watery tart
threw a sword at 
dean.drolet@traider.ersys.edmonton.ab.ca | you. - Dennis from Monty Python's
Holy Grail
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------

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

Date: Sun, 12 Mar 1995 12:28:01 +0100 (MET)
From: Martin Olsson <marols@ulmo.stud.slu.se>
Subject: GUS Max hangs WFW 3.11
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.950312121951.4411A-100000@ulmo.stud.slu.se>

I've had a problem with my GUS Max ever sisnce I upgraded to Windows
for Workgroups 3.11. The problem has ocurred on two different machines
(my old 486 Dx 33 with an American Megatrends BIOS and my new AMD
486 DX2/80 with an AMI BIOS) so I don't think the problem is with my
computer.

This is the problem: when I use the setup program that came with the
GUS disks (I've tried all versions from 3.53 to 3.59 including GUS0048
and GUS0047) the windows installation seems to work fine, but when I 
start windows it hangs the computer after the logo screen. The mouse
stops, and the keyboard locks up. The only solution there is to the
problem is to remove the CODEC_BASE=32c (I've tried all other settings
as well) from the SYSTEM.INI file, thus disabling 16bit recording.

Does anybody have any ideas? I am getting a tad irrate at not being
able to use the Max for high quality sampling under windows.

Is there a hardware problem with my card? 


 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
You want a glimpse of        Martin Olsson             Poetry, music
the future?              marols@ulmo.stud.slu.se  programming, education
Imagine a boot              Ringgatan 37 A   layout, publishing, art
repeatedly stepping      752 63 Uppsala, SWEDEN     photography, theatre
on a face.                 tel: 46(0)18-555626              get in touch
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Sat, 11 Mar 95 14:03 PST
From: ksoule@mobius.net (Kent E. Soule)
Subject: Internet Phone and a Cheap Mike

I need to set up my GUS (rev 3.7) to use Internet Phone.  After some
research, it appears that I need a dynamic mike with a preferred impedance
of 500 ohms; and a reverse splitter (to channel a single mike into both the
L & R channels).

Am told that Radio Shack offers a mike meeting these specs for about $12.

Comments, cautions or suggestions, please.

Kent

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
			 Kent E. Soule             San Francisco
		 Voice: (415) 771-2659      FAX: (415) 771-1603
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Sun, 12 Mar 1995 09:58:58 GMT
From: ct91@cityscape.co.uk (Damian Scully)
Subject: Long live the GUS

Thanks to everyone who replied to my letter regarding DOS4GW and the GUS. I
now love my GUS again as almost all of my games work with it. The PMODE
program works brilliantly, and every GUS user should get a copy. While I'm
here, what is this 'ACE' that I keep hearing about.
									  |||||||
									 ( o   o )
										 |
										\_/

								   Damian Scully
							   ct91@cityscape.co.uk

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

Date: Sat, 11 Mar 1995 14:26:38 -0500
From: rstenson@panix.com (Rick Stenson)
Subject: Mike won't work.

I cannot get my mike to work with any application, Windows or otherwise.
Have enabled input in Ultramix, checked mike on other equipment.
It is plugged into correct port. etc..
Any hints anyone??

Respond via e-mail also please.

Thanks.
***********************************
rstenson@panix.com [Rick Stenson]

Very funny Scotty...
Now beam down my Damn Clothes!!

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

Date: Sat, 11 Mar 1995 18:33:24 -0500 (EST)
From: gt0074b@prism.gatech.edu
Subject: motorola 680x0 has no dsp

>From: Bryan Maher <bsm@SEI.CMU.EDU>
>Subject: New Standards, Existing Standards...

> ...
>
>Yes, a new standard of multi-channel hardware assisted mixing would be nice
>but in general, most people who try to change standards fail.  The Amiga, like
>the Mac's, use Motorola CPU's which have integrated DSP capabilities.  It is
>natural for them to use this functionality for their sound output.  Even
>today, Pentiums can not do signal processing as well as a 68040 let alone a
>PowerPC.

   No offense, but that's rubbish.  The motorola 680x0 line of processors
do not have integrated DSP capability.  The only advantage that the Motorola
CPUs have are slightly faster floating point units when compared to the same
generation of Intel x86 CPUs.  The Pentium has vastly improved floating
point, though.  The reason the Amiga used 4-channel hardware mixing was
because it had a custom audio chip, much like the GUS's GF1 DSP.
 If the sound card manufacturers standardize on the Interwave, the move
towards MOD-style music will be even greater than it is now.  I hope Gravis
isn't the only one that uses the Interwave, because I as others am very
dissatisfied with the current majority of DAC+FM sound card garbage.

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

Date: Sat, 11 Mar 1995 17:47:08 -0600
From: scannon@mail.utexas.edu (Steve Cannon)
Subject: Recording Studio Bonus Pak Problem

I am having a problem getting the Recording Studio bonus pack software that 
comes bundled with the GUS to record from my MIDI keyboard.  I used to have 
this working flawlessly on a 386/33 but I recently bought a Micron P90 with 
Windows for Workgroups preinstalled.  Now, I can use Patch Manager to load 
the patches without any problems but when I run the Recording Studio and 
attempt to record my keystrokes from the keyboard, nothing is recorded.  I 
have checked the settings for drivers and Windows 3.1 Multimedia is 
selected.  However, when I exit this section, it tells me I have no drivers 
installed.  But in the Control Panel Drivers section, the Gravis is there!  
Funny thing, everything else seems to work OK.

Can anyone give me some enlightenment on what might be wrong?

Regards,

Steve Cannon

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

Date: Sat, 11 Mar 1995 22:58:14 -0600 (CST)
From: Reginald Atkins <ratkins@comp.uark.edu>
Subject: SB and Gravis together
Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.950311225350.8601A-100000@comp>

Someone wrote about getting a SB or SB Pro and a Gravis together.....

1st Give the SB(Pro) 220 hex, Dma 1, and irq 7....all standard 
soundblaster defaults...I bought a SB because of the motherboard and it 
is picky.

2nd Get the Gravis off any SB compatible base addreses (thats anything 
except 220 and 240) I use 210, give the Gravis Dma of 3 and it keeps its 
irq of 11. 

This enables me to use the gravis with all my GUS games (Doom and 
Heretic), and enables me to use Megaem (with SB support of megaem 
disabled, since there's a real SB in there) and the SB picks up anything 
that is not native GUS or will not work with Megaem.

that appears to work for me.

Good luck.

Reg.

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

Date: Sat, 11 Mar 1995 17:29:46 -0600 (CST)
From: rwright@dhostwo.convex.com (Randy Wright)
Subject: update to daily digest archives on epas

I have updated the tar image of daily digest archives on epas
(/pub/pc/ultrasound/submit/daily.tar) to include some missing issues
that have been located.  Thanks to Erik (chief@lysator.liu.se) for the
following issues:

	vol-04/15
	vol-12/11
	vol-15/11
	vol-16/28

This means that volumes 4, 12, 15, and 16 are now complete,
to the best of my knowledge - at least there are no missing
issue numbers in the volumes.

These GUS Daily Digest volumes are still missing the following
issues - but it's possible none were ever issued with these numbers:

	vol-03/{03,32}
	vol-08/02
	vol-11/{47,48}
	vol-14/{02,03,04}
	vol-17/{17,18,21}

If anyone can supply any of these issues, please let me know;  I will
continue to update the daily digest archive with any supplied issues.

-- 
Randy Wright            Usmail: Convex Computers
Phone: (214) 497-4868           3000 Waterview Pky.
Email:  rwright@convex.com      P.O. Box 833851
					Richardson, TX  75083-3851

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End of GUS Daily Digest V20 #12
*******************************
