GUS Daily Digest            Wed, 26 Jan 94  0:07         Volume 10: Issue  26 

Today's Topics:
						  DMA one more time
					   GUS Daily Digest V10 #20
				  GUS Daily Digest V10 #25 (5 msgs)
						  GUS DRAM problems
				  Howling dog stuff and Gravis offer
					 MIDI functionality with GUS
							  MIDI Patch
					   OPTi chipset explanation
						  PC200mkII Keyboard
							 SQ4 and PQ3
							 Voice Assist

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: Tue, 25 Jan 1994 14:49:35 -0500 (EST)
From: "K.S. Holly" <u8843389@muss.cis.mcmaster.ca>
Subject: DMA one more time

OK, one last question.....

I have the UMC chipset that doesn't do 16 bit DMA. Even though not having 
16 bit DMA may not be a big deal, I am going to go back to the company 
that sold me the computer because as far as I am concerned, this 
motherboard is NOT 100% IBM compatible so therefore I did not get what I 
paid for.

Now my question: Opti must have admitted to their screw up since they put 
out a fix for it (or did the fix come from somewhere else?). Has UMC 
publishes anything that verifies the problem? I know that when I go back 
to the computer store, they will not believe me that there is a problem 
until I prove it to them. If I could get some documentation or some other 
info it would help my cause immensely.

Any help will be much appreciated.

Thanks

Kevin

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

Date: Tue, 25 Jan 94 11:32:59 PST
From: Scott Bobo <scott@mothra.rose.hp.com>
Subject: Re: GUS Daily Digest V10 #20

Some folks are looking for GUS DRAM and are having trouble locating compatable
parts at a fair price.  How about $4 per part and I pay shipping?  E-mail if
interested.  These are TI 100ns parts (the same as what was shipped on my GUS).
I don't have many, so you may want to act fast.

scott@mothra.rose.hp.com

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

Date: Tue, 25 Jan 94 00:43:38 PST
From: chrism@huey.nic.bc.ca (Chris Mackay)
Subject: Re: GUS Daily Digest V10 #25

> After a reboot, the first started working, but the latter three
> banks always fail.  SETGUS DRAM diagnostics start (!?) at 351K and
> finish with a message that "DRAM FAILED (351K)" or some such.  I've
> tried shuffling DMAs and IRQs, to no avail.  The DRAMs I used are
> Sanyo 256x4 70ns, model number LC324256BP-70.

 Probably a stupid question, but did you plug the chips in the
right way?? When I first got my GUS, I ripped some 256x4 chips
off an old EMS board I had and plugged 'em in. Anyways, I
booted up and everything beyond the standard 256k chips
failed. So I took the GUS back out, and found that I had put
them in upside down. I'm lucky I didn't fry the GUS or the
chips(though the chips were real hot!)

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

Date: Tue, 25 Jan 94 11:40:40 EST
From: bprince@mcs.capital.edu (Brian Prince)
Subject: Re: GUS Daily Digest V10 #25



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

Date: Tue, 25 Jan 1994 12:38:36 EST
From: dth2@Lehigh.EDU (Dave Horoschak)
Subject: Re: GUS Daily Digest V10 #25

Is there any way to convert PAT files into WAV files?  I am interested because
I would like to use my GUS to sample sounds and then put them up on my Maui
card.  Or, is there any documentation on the make-up of PAT files?  Last, does
anyone know if there are any plans on upgrading the max amount of RAM on the
GUS?  Thanks a lot.  Later...
 - Dave


 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
					Dave Horoschak  -aka-  dth2@lehigh.edu
						Chief engineer of WLVR 91.3 FM.
			   Treasurer & Project Engineer - Lehigh Formula SAE
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Tue, 25 Jan 1994 12:52:53 -0500 (EST)
From: Phat H Tran <ptran@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca>
Subject: Re: GUS Daily Digest V10 #25

> Date: Mon, 24 Jan 1994 07:31:20 -0800 (PST)
> From: mikebat@netcom.com (Mike Batchelor)
> Subject: Re: DOS4GW and QEMM's Stealth
> 
> a one-byte patch for DV-compatibility, though).  I am going to try Shadow
> Caster in DV today, now that I have 32 bit AIL drivers for it, and the GUS
> offloads sound overhead from the CPU, so it ought to fly pretty good! :)

No, it won't fly any better than with any other souncard.  The AIL
interface restricts the GUS to a synth and streaming DAC.  Music is
played on the synth, while digital sound effects are sent to the
DAC as they are played.  There are no provisions to take advantage
of the GUS' hardware properly.

> Date: Mon, 24 Jan 1994 17:45:45 -0500 (EST)
> From: Damian Frank <damianf@WPI.EDU>
> Subject: GUS DRAM problems
> 
> I just got my GUS a week ago, and am quite happy with it.  I just today
> received my eagerly awaited shipment of DRAMS, and as soon as I could,
> plugged them in, with the usual precautions (grounding etc).  Unfortunately,
> as soon as I could boot and run GUSDRAM, it showed the banks as there ("good
> good), all of them (even the first!) failed rapidly.

Neither GUSDRAM nor the DRAM diagnostics in Setgus are 100% reliable. 
They will sometimes erringly report DRAMs as bad which are quite okay.
If you don't hear clicks or staticky noises in your patches, then
you should be able to use your DRAMs with confidence.

> Date: Mon, 24 Jan 1994 14:54:15 +0200 (IST)
> From: Guy Tal <guytal@ccsg.tau.ac.il>
> Subject: Playmidi vs. Media-Player
> 
> One of you mentioned a while back that he noticed a difference between 
> the sound as played by Playmidi and the one he gets while running 
> Windows. 
> I have encountered a bigger problem - I have downloaded the file 
> beetho27.zip from one of the ftp sites, and while it plays just fine 
> using Playmidi, it won't play at all using Media Player on windows (it 
> does work with Recording Session, however). Any ideas ?

Can you upload beetho27.zip to Epas (or mail it to me?)  You're not the
only one to report problems with it and I want to check it out to see
what's so special about it.

Phat.

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

Date: Tue, 25 Jan 94 12:43:35 MST
From: Juggler <IH23%UTEP.bitnet@UTEPVM.EP.UTEXAS.EDU>
Subject: Re: GUS Daily Digest V10 #25

> From: Damian Frank <damianf@WPI.EDU>
> Subject: GUS DRAM problems
>
> After a reboot, the first started working, but the latter three banks always
> fail.  SETGUS DRAM diagnostics start (!?) at 351K and finish with a message
> that "DRAM FAILED (351K)" or some such.  I've tried shuffling DMAs and IRQs,
> to no avail.  The DRAMs I used are Sanyo 256x4 70ns, model number
> LC324256BP-70.

I got those EXACT same chips the other day myself and got the EXACT same
errors!! I took my chips back and got some 80ns, different brand, and
popped them in with NO problems. The idiot at the computer store wanted
me to bring in my GUS so he could put them in and show me they worked.
I told him these chips are compatible, cuz I tried EVERYTHING with them
to no avail. You need to send those chips back and get some new ones.
I don't think they are GUS compatible...

---
- = Juggler = -  [ IRC: jugular - vrave: jug ]
IH23@utep.bitnet
IH23%utep@utepvm.ep.utexas.edu
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Sometimes I wonder about the charmic implications of our actions"
								  -Farmner Vincent in "Hell Motel"
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Tue, 25 Jan 94 13:49:57 MST
From: tschmidt@pefs1.micron.com (Tom Schmidt)
Subject: Re: GUS DRAM problems

In reply to Damian Franks posting on Mon, 24 Jan 1994 17:45:45 -0500 (EST),
: From: Damian Frank <damianf@WPI.EDU>
: Subject: GUS DRAM problems
: 
: I just got my GUS a week ago, and am quite happy with it.  I just today
: received my eagerly awaited shipment of DRAMS, and as soon as I could,
: plugged them in, with the usual precautions (grounding etc).  Unfortunately,
: as soon as I could boot and run GUSDRAM, it showed the banks as there ("good
: good), all of them (even the first!) failed rapidly.
:
: After a reboot, the first started working, but the latter three banks always
: fail.  SETGUS DRAM diagnostics start (!?) at 351K and finish with a message
: that "DRAM FAILED (351K)" or some such.  I've tried shuffling DMAs and IRQs,
: to no avail.  The DRAMs I used are Sanyo 256x4 70ns, model number
: LC324256BP-70.
:
: What I'd like to know is whether there's something I'm doing wrong, or if I
: have to go and wrestle with the memory company and get some replacements.
: Any help would be greatly appreciated.

This problem has been posted several times before.  The Sanyo chips simply do
not work with the GUS.  Apparently, they are not JEDEC standard 256Kx4 DRAMs.
Try to get them exchanged for one of the vendors listed below.

Here is my 256Kx4 DRAM vendor cross reference that I have posted before.  It
has been updated some, and I have requested that it be placed in the FAQ.

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

This is a list of vendors that make JEDEC standard 256Kx4 Fast Pagemode
DRAMs.  I am not saying that all of these will work in the GUS because the
timing and power consumption of every vendors design is slightly different.
Nor have I personally tested each of these vendors in the GUS.  If anyone has
pros or cons about any of these vendors, or knows of additional vendors parts
that work with the GUS, please post them to the digest or E-mail me so that
we can update this list and get it into the FAQ.

This is only a cross reference list that I put together with a little research
into various DRAM data books and the IC Master 1993 master selection guide.
For simplicity, I am leaving the speed grade designation off (a -10, -8, -7,
or -6 extention at the end of the part number).

Manufacturer        Part Numbers of 256Kx4 Fast Pagemode DRAMs
--------------------    ------------------------------------------
Micron Semiconductor    MT4C4256
AT&T            M441024
EDI         EDI44256C
Fujitsu         MB81C4256P
Goldstar        GM71C4256A
Hitachi         HM514256AP
Hyundai         HY51C4256 or HY53C4256
Intel           21014
Mitsubishi      M5M44C256BP
Mosel-Vitelic       V53C104
Motorola        MCM514256AP
NEC         uPD424256C
OKI         MSM514256
Panasonic       MN41C4256
Samsung         KM44C256BP
Sharp           LH64256
Siemens         HYB514256
Texas Instruments   TMS44C256
Toshiba         TC514256BP

You may have noticed that the Sanyo part (LC324256BP) and the NMB part
(AAA1M304P) are not included in this list.  This was done because several GUS
users have reported problems in the digest when trying to use them to upgrade
the GUS.  I also could not find the Sanyo part in the IC Master or other data
books, so I am not exactly sure whether or not it is an JEDEC standard 256Kx4
Fast Pagemode DRAM.

I repeat:  I am not recommending any one part type or vendor.

_____      ___     Tom L. Schmidt
  |  |    /   \    Manager - Component Characterization
  |  |    \___     Micron Semiconductor, Inc.
  |  |        \    2805 E. Columbia Rd.  Mail Stop 376
  |  |____\___/    Boise, ID  83709-9698
				   tschmidt@vax.micron.com or tschmidt@pefs1.micron.com

Note:  These opinions are mine and are not necessary shared by Micron


P.S.  If anyone has been able to get the Sanyo or NMB parts to work, please
let me know.  Also, if you were not able to return them for one reason or
another and have not use for them, please send them to me and I will test them
to see what they really are and I will post the results.

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

Date: Tue, 25 Jan 94 13:03:27 CST
From: dwaldron@ccmail.rrddts.donnelley.com
Subject: Howling dog stuff and Gravis offer

I've been out of this group for awhile.

I'm thinking about ordering Power Chords upgrade or pro,
also  Mr. Drumstix Music Studio.

Anyone care to comment on these?

Its an old offer, does anyone have an email address for Howling Dog Systems?

Also, from reading the FAQ, I can order a 1 meg upgrade through Gravis,
does there exist an order form that I can download and print?

Finally, I missed the DOOM craze, is there a way to get better sound 
effects out of doom 1.1?  Must I wait for doom 1.2?

Doug Waldron
Dazed and Confused Incorporated

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

Date: Tue, 25 Jan 1994 15:18:29 GMT
From: Clarke Brunt <CLARKE@lsl.co.uk>
Subject: Re: MIDI functionality with GUS

>I am in the process of buying a MIDI-adapter and a Roland PC-200mkII
>keyboard for my 1Mb GUS. The keyboard has velocity-sensitive keys,
>pitch-bender/modulation key, reverb and chorus level key plus some
>other neat features. Will these features be supported by the GUS
>Windows driver? (I have the new driver installed).

It doesn't do reverb or chorus. I believe that these are 'signal
processing' type effects, and the GUS does not have a signal
processor.

It does do velocity, pitch bend, and modulation though (and sustain
as well).

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

Date: Tue, 25 Jan 1994 22:09:41 -0600 (CST)
From: Fitzgerald Jr Steele <fjsteele@icaen.uiowa.edu>
Subject: MIDI Patch

Hello.

I just got the new Windows Drivers (better late than never) as well as the
Xwing sound files from EPAS (xwngsnds.zip).  I found out that I am missing
the Midi Patch tremstr.pat.  It doesn't seem to be in any of my
installation disks (I checked v1.21 2.06L and 2.06a).  I thought I
remember seeing this file on epas but it's not there, nor is it in any of
the mirrors.  Does anyone know where I can get this patch?  Are there any
Midi Libraries on the 'Net?

Incidently, should this have been posted to the music digest?  I wasn't sure.

--------------------==========*********==========----------------------
Jerry Steele                   "Give me a lever, and a place to stand
fjsteele@icaen.uiowa.edu                  and I will move the world"
fsteele@umaxc.weeg.uiowa.edu                     -- Archemedes
--------------==============*************==============----------------

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

Date: Tue, 25 Jan 1994 11:22:09 -0800 (PST)
From: david.roberts@amd.com (Dave Roberts)
Subject: OPTi chipset explanation

> Date: Sun, 23 Jan 1994 21:02:08 -0400 (EDT)
> From: Roger Frederi Clark <helios@strauss.udel.edu>
> Subject: Chipsets yet again...
> 
> I've seen some posts recently about this subject, and I have a couple of
> questions that some guru might be able to answer out there.

It's explained below.

> Ever since I purchased the GUS(15 months ago) and found out about 8 vs. 16 bit
> DMA, I've been trying to get a 16-bit DMA to work because it's purportedly
> faster(yes, I'm a speed-freak).

You shouldn't notice the difference unless you're recording to disk.
If you just playback, the 8-bit DMA channels are just fine.

> Yesterday I tried once again.  In SETGUS, I change DMA from 3 to 5,6,or 7,
> go to test, and "On board parity error".  I know about the problem with
> the Opti chipsets, but my chips advertise UMC on them.  Specifically, part
> numbers UM82C481AF, UM82C482AF, and UM82C206AF.  On a post a couple of
> days ago, I noticed the "82C206" part of the last chip number as being
> suspect.  Does that mean 16-bit DMA is out for me too even without Opti? 
> If so, then explain this one.

Okay, people have been very confused about the whole "OPTi chipset
problem" for a long time.  As explained below, the problem is not
OPTi's at all, but does involve them.  Here's the real scoop as near
as I can tell.  This information comes from the person sitting across
the aisle from me here at work.  He used to work at OPTi, so this is
about as official as you can get.

The chip in question is known as a 82C206.  This chip is standard in
the chipset business and compatible versions of it are made by a
number of companies.  For those of you who care, this chip contains
all the ISA-bus standard motherboard peripherals (e.g., DMA
controller, interrupt controller, real-time clock, etc.).

Now, a version of this chip made by UMC in Taiwan contained (still
contains?) a bug in the DMA controller.  In particular, at the end of
a DMA cycle a signal on the ISA bus is not driven to its inactive
state, but rather allowed to float.  As a result, the timing
specification for that signal is not met.  This problem only occurs
when 16-bit DMA is used, not 8-bit.

There are three ways around this problem:
	1. Make the GUS use 8-bit DMA rather than 16-bit.  You
probably won't see any problems with this.  8-bit DMA is perfectly
capable of keeping up with the GUS.  16-bit DMA is more efficient,
however, so if you are also doing a lot of other stuff on the bus,
this can help (e.g., recording to disk).  For simple playback, no
problem.
	2. Solder a resistor onto your motherboard to pull the
floating signal line to its inactive state faster.  This will cause
the signal to meet its timing spec.  Requires that you know how to
drive a soldering iron and feel comfortable doing very minor surgery
on your motherboard.  If this is a name-brand PC and the warranty is
still valid, send it back and have them send you another one.  The
file gus0013.zip in the GUS archives contains specific information
about the problem and tells you where to solder the resistor.
Gus0013.zip can be found on theoris.rz.uni-konstanz.de in
/pub/sound/gus/gravis/patch.  Note that it is not on
archive.epas.utoronto.ca (because only newer GUS files are kept there)
or wuarchive.wustl.edu (because wuarchive crashed as lost a lot of
archived information -- all the GUS stuff, as near as I can tell).
	3. Buy a new motherboard.  If you just got your motherboard,
tell the manufacturer that it's defective (check for NMI being
disabled, while you're at it -- might as well kill two birds with one
stone) and have them give you a new one.

Now, some details about OPTi, UMC, and how to tell if you have a
problem.  Now, I said above that the problem is really UMC's, not
OPTi's.  Why is OPTi's name connected with the problem.  Well, OPTi
buys 82C206s from a couple of people, UMC among them.  Those relabeled
UMC parts are the ones that cause the problem, and unfortunately most
people who started to notice the situation had UMC parts relabeled as
OPTi rather than UMC.  As a result, this started getting called the
"OPTi problem" in GUS circles.

Now, there have been a number of people who also report that their
OPTi chipset has no problem.  This is consistent with the above
paragraph.  As I said, OPTi buys '206s from a number of people.  Those
from other manufacturers do not have the problem and work just fine.

Now, the big question is, how do you tell what you have, an OPTi/UMC
'206 or an OPTi/other '206?  To tell the difference, look at the top
of the '206 chip on your motherboard and note where it was
manufactured.  Chances are it will be one of two places, Taiwan or
Korea.  The ones from Taiwan are from UMC and *may* have the problem
(if UMC hasn't already fixed it -- I don't know if they ever have).
If you have one from Korea, you're golden and should have no problems
(those are made by Samsung).

Okay, everybody got all that?

Dave Roberts
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
I/O and Network Products Division
david.roberts@amd.com

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

Date: Tue, 25 Jan 94 08:46:20 EST
From: oehler@ispvax.dnet.ge.com
Subject: Re: PC200mkII Keyboard

Good Morning all,

Tor Fargi, God of Thunder (toref@dcs.gla.ac.uk) asks whether the
Roland PC200mkII modulation, pith bending and chorus controllers would 
work under windows.

Well, I recently aquired this keyboard and have played a bit with it.  
Here's what I know:
Pitch Bending - Supported, works like a champ
Modulation - Supported, work great, too
Chorus - Haven't tried it yet.

I will guess, however, that the chorus feature is not supported by
the windows drivers because the GUS has no chorus effect in hardware
(like the WaveBlaster does).  I'll give it a shot tonight and post again
tomorrow with the results.

Have a day,
Pete Oehler

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

Date: Tue, 25 Jan 1994 13:35:29 ADT
From: "Craig Galbraith" <J5OA@acad1.UnbSJ.CA>
Subject: SQ4 and PQ3

Quick question...
	I can't seem to get the gus drivers from GUSDRV.EXE for sierra 
games to work with Space Quest IV and Police Quest III.  I keep 
getting an error that it can't find "patch.004" or "4.pat".  I used 
uminstal.exe like it said and copied over the proper files...maybe 
these games aren't new enough to use with the drivers...I dunno.
	Thanks. .
	Craig Galbraith
	j5oa@unbsj.ca
	


						are you phishsperienced?

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

Date: Tue, 25 Jan 1994 21:42:33 -0500
From: David A Denis <denis@acsu.buffalo.edu>
Subject: Voice Assist

I borrowed Voice Assist from my roomate, and get can't  get it to work.  It is
for wINDOWs so I thought it would work fine.  But, I click on it, and it
says SB card neeeded.  I try to install th e SB drivers adn it won't work
at 220 and 7 IRQ.  Its like it won't rwecognize it at all.  Any ideas on how to get it to 
run?  Sorry for the typos, I can't backspace for some reason.  Having it
fixed tomorrow.
Dave

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

End of GUS Daily Digest V10 #26
*******************************
