Ultrasound Daily Digest     Fri, 11 Dec 92       Volume 1 : Issue  45 

Today's Topics:
						CD-INTERFACE conector
					   error messages: Playmidi
				GUS and linking audio form CDROM drive
					  GUS publicity ....  NOT !
						 Index Files For Epas
						   Maximum Overkill
					  MCS for Windows and WINMOD
							  MCS Stereo
					More on OPTi chipset with GUS
					 Percussion maps/MT32PAT.CFG
			   Reading Adventures in OZ - what i found
					  SB emulation sounds funny.
					  Where can I get the SDK???

	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.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Thu, 10 Dec 92 10:39:16 MET
From: Frank van Ierland <franki@prso.pttnwb.nl>
Message-Id: <9212100939.AA06929@ux07.pttnwb.nl>
Subject: CD-INTERFACE conector
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

I've finaly received my long awaited GUS from MCS. Instalation was realy easy
everting works on its default setting. 

As i've recently installed a NEC-CDR84 internal CD-ROM drive in my
computer i would lik to know the pinout of the 4 pin CD-AUDIO connector
on the gravis board. My gues is  L--R but i'am not sure.

Has anny one out there used this connector ?

		Tanks


 
--
Frank van Ierland                     ||  Domain: franki@prso.pttnwb.nl
Cap Gemini Pandata T&D                ||  Voice : (+31) 70-39.57.206
#include <disclamer.h>                ||  CIS   : 70032,3223

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

Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1992 12:59:42 -0500
From: Markus Ngus <mcng@undergrad.math.uwaterloo.ca>
Message-Id: <92Dec10.125943est.250919-1@descartes.uwaterloo.ca>
Subject: error messages: Playmidi
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

According to tech suuport at Grivs..  
	"Sorry, out of memory" refers to my machine's memory has run out

and "Out of Memory (hold_buffer)! " refers to out of memory on the ultrasnd card..


can someone confirm this.

referring to exactly.. ( I have a 1 MEG upgrade)



please comments. thanks.

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

Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1992 12:25:13 +0000 (GMT)
From: Lyn Holman <E.M.Holman@reading.ac.uk>
Message-Id: <Pine.3.05.9212101209.B26601-9100000@suma1>
Subject: GUS and linking audio form CDROM drive
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

There are 4 connector pins on the GUS denoted by 'CDROM' (top - about
centre of card) which I have been told by my supplier over here are for
audio input from a CDROM drive, the 2 centre pins being ground and the
other L and R inputs.  
Has anyone tried to link in using this - and if so with what results.

Any information would be much appreciated.  Thanks.

Lyn Holman

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

Date: Thu, 10 Dec 92 16:05:48 GMT
From: ulmer@tardis.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM (Richard Ulmer)
Message-Id: <1992Dec10.110548.25553@ncrcae.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM>
Subject: GUS publicity ....  NOT !
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

In article <1992Dec9.160612.14553@cbnewsj.cb.att.com>, felixc@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (felix.cabral) writes:
|> I've seen a few response against my original article. This one speaks a bit
|> clearer with the comparison. Thanks. I did mention the GUS is superior but
|> the important thing I keyed on was the fact that it is not currently
|> supported by the same wide support the SBpro has. No question about the
|> GUS being a great board. I just want those who choose a board to play games
|> and for simple sound creation not to make the mistake and buy a GUS thinking
|> it will have a better SB emulation than the SB itself. If you want to use
|> your sound board today on the great games available now go with the SBpro.
|> Thats my point. It won't sound any better than the SBpro if it could handle
|> the SB emulation at all.

My response to your post was not meant to be a flame.  I just got the
impression from your post that you had not heard the GUS and there is
a big different in sound quality.

As far as avoiding the real issues no one is generaling stating that GUS
SB emulation is better that a real SB.  In fact most of the complaints (other
than the OPTi problems) about the GUS are with SBOS and the SB emulation.
Most people who are advocating the GUS are doing so based on the board's
potential and not its current software support base.  For the 
conservative buyer who wants flawless support in past and present games 
and does not really care about sound quality then the SB is the logical 
choice.  For the buyer who is interested in the best possible sound quality 
(in this price range) or who has outgrown the toy sounding FM on the SB and is 
looking forward to the native support in future games then the GUS is a 
great choice.

One thing to consider about the SB standard is its future.  If sound
standards follow the same path as video standards then owning a SBpro
2 years from now may be like owning an EGA today.  And look at how
many games don't support the EGA today.  Proability won't pane out
that way, but with the GUS and these new WAV boards coming out in the
future you never know.


Rick Ulmer              internet:  ulmer@ncrcae.Columbia.NCR.COM
NCR MCPD Columbia            uucp:      ...!uunet!ncrlink!ncrcae!ulmer
3325 Platt Springs Road    voice:     (803) 739-6035
West Columbia, SC 29170


 So if you want to flame don't avoid the real issues
|> I mentioned here and the original post.

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

Date: Thu, 10 Dec 92 23:05:00 EST
From: mfrazer@skidmore.EDU (matthew frazer)
Message-Id: <9212110401.AA01490@scott.skidmore.edu>
Subject: Index Files For Epas
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

I think it might be a good idea if we started having index files (you
know like 00-index.txt or something) for the directories in epas ftp
server, I admit that I've not been dloading everything because I
haven't gotten my gus, and probably won't for a month more or so at
least, as I'm waiting to get my holiday shopping bills paid up before
I go rewarding myself. But when I do get it I'd like to know what is
there, I was looking around today and there are no descriptions of any
kind.
Sooooo, anyone wanna do it?

-- 
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-This message was brought to you by Matthew Frazer-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
I tell you they have not died, their hands clasp, yours and mine -Windom Earle
				   Finger mfrazer@scott.skidmore.edu for more
--------------------------------=Be Seeing You=--------------------------------

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

Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1992 16:57:54 -0500
From: KWAN  RICHARD SIK YIU <kwanr@ecf.toronto.edu>
Message-Id: <92Dec10.165805edt.6873@skule.ecf.toronto.edu>
Subject: Maximum Overkill
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

	I've read that there is a new .exe file of Max. Overkill for the GUS.
Could any one kindly upload that file to epas.utoronto.ca. I want to hear that
digital sound!
	Thanks in advance!

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

Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1992 11:57:09 -0500 (EST)
From: Philip Andrew Nemec <blackdiamond+@cmu.edu>
Message-Id: <of9rPZy00VpD0Sm1c5@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: MCS for Windows and WINMOD
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

I've used Winmod quite a bit with the old (1.2 I believe) drivers and it
worked fine with my GUS...  I'd be interested in more specs on MCS
Stereo though!

I have yet to hear any stereo from Windows actually...

My setup:

486 DX2/50
16M
Future Domain SCSI
IBM Token Ring
DOS 5.0, NDOS and recently 4DOS
QEMM386, DV/X, WIN 3.1

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

Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1992 16:53:45 -0500
From: KWAN  RICHARD SIK YIU <kwanr@ecf.toronto.edu>
Message-Id: <92Dec10.165352edt.6482@skule.ecf.toronto.edu>
Subject: MCS Stereo
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

	I've recently installed the MCS Stereo, it is great! Unfortunately, there are still some functions I could not use with my GUS. The volume control on
Midi and Digital Recorder seems not working. The Mixer Console, I even could notload it at all. Also the Digital Recorder, I could not set it to STEREO, 44kHz,
all I can record is 8 bit, 22kHz (or 11kHz), MONO wav file. It works fine on my
friend's SB Pro. 
	During the installation, it asks me what sound card I had, I could not 
find GUS, so I chose unlisted one. I think that the problem, but I want to make
sure if any GUS owner who also have MCS Stereo for Windows got the same problem
and if any one of you could help me to solve this situtation. The MCS with GUS
sound great together. however I want to use all the functions of the MCS and notpart of it. Perhaps I need a new GUS windows driver, any idea when it will come
out, the driver now I'm using is dated 11/04/92 ver 1.2?.
	Thank in advance, and I hope to hear any useful solutions from any GUS
owner!

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

Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1992 02:58:54 GMT
From: iam@stiatl.salestech.com (Ian Mercado)
Message-Id: <1992Dec10.025854.4658@stiatl.salestech.com>
Subject: More on OPTi chipset with GUS
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

twong@civil.ubc.ca (Thomas Wong) writes:
>There is more than one thread under this subject so read them all. But
>also note that there are others that says they have their soundcard (SB
>Pro and/or GUS) working on a opti computer. So, it may work, it maynot
>work. My only advise is to stay away from this motherboard since it's
>not only soundcards that it has trouble with.

Well, before I bought the GUS, I had (still have) a Thunderboard which
worked flawlessly (except for Falcon 3.0, and that was fixed when
OFT came out) on my OPTi motherboard.  It's not as if I was able to forsee
any of these problems when I purchased my computer over a year ago.

BTW...one more v-e-r-y strange thing about the GUS.  Occassionally, the
computer would absolutely not boot when the GUS was installed.  I tracked
down the problem and figured out when I had the cover removed from the
case, the computer would boot.  But if I put the cover back on, the computer
would not boot.  (It would get past the memory check stage, but refuse to
read anything from the hard drive.)  When I took the GUS out, the computer
would always boot fine.

Can ANYONE offer an explanation for this sort of behavior???

Ian

-- 
The system?  33MHz80486with64Kcache16MBof70ns |  Ian Mercado: iam@salestech.com
4x9SIMMS1MBTseng4000videoboard200MB15msIDE     --------------------------------
harddriveCOM1:COM2:LPT1:onstandardportsandinterrupts |   I am NOT a signature
"But it was too slow, so I re-wired it..."           | virus.  Copy me and die!

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

Date: Thu, 10 Dec 92 11:44:26 PST
From: ee52fgh@sdcc15.UCSD.EDU (Anthony Tang)
Message-Id: <9212101944.AA20089@sdcc15.UCSD.EDU>
Subject: Percussion maps/MT32PAT.CFG
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

The Percussion note values in MT32PAT.CFG are exactly the same as in
default.cfg.  I'm assuming, of course, that all the percussion maps
to the same note values (I don't think it's a 100% match up, but it
should be close).
Anyways, in response to Ken Goach's questions about channel 10/patch
128, etc, it seems that most midi devices automatically make
anything going to channel 10 map to the percussion patch, whatever
it may be (127 or 128).  The values defined in the percussion patch
are actual "note" values.  (If you had a MIDI keyboard, when on
channel 10, depending on which note you play, you'd get the
corresponding percussion sound).
In Windows, since the Ultrasound corresponds to general MIDI, you
really don't need a patch map at all for anything (unless you want
to have fun detuning or playing with volumes).  As for the
percussion, you need to go into the patch map editing (not the
channel assignments).  There should be an option for percussion
which will let you map out the percussion patches.  For an example,
you might want to take a look at the MT-32 percussion patch map
included in Windows.  (You may need to install some drivers to get
it...)

Happy GUSsing everyone...

Anthony Tang
aktang@sdcc13.ucsd.edu

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

Date: Thu, 10 Dec 92 07:24:12 PST
From: RICH CATENA DTN 321-5170 <catena@arrcee.enet.dec.com>
Message-Id: <9212101516.AA13186@enet-gw.pa.dec.com>
Subject: Reading Adventures in OZ - what i found
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

Hi Everyone,

I oringinally had problems with digitized voice hanging my machine in "Reading
Adventures in OZ" by Davidson. This would happen no matter what switches I used 
with SBOS. What I've found ( it has been mentioned in the digest before) is that 
the I option in the SET BLASTER line of autoexec.bat MUST match the irq of the 
soundblaster in the game setup.

Also, on the issue to patch loading in windows; I've looked in the multimedia 
programmers reference and there are two calls wich load patch caches into 
boards. I'm waiting for an answer from gravis but I suspect this is what loads 
the patches into the GUS. If this is true it should be a simple matter to put 
together a Visual Basic program to let you select which program #'s (patches) 
you want enabled for which midi channels. This is the support which needs to be 
built into the sequencers themselves I beleive.

Have Fun!

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

Date: Thu, 10 Dec 92 12:23:21 CST
From: eason@ncp1d.StPaul.NCR.COM (Dale Eason)
Message-Id: <9212101823.AA01251@ncp1d.StPaul.NCR.COM>
Subject: SB emulation sounds funny.
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

Has anyone with a GUS and SoundBlaster found that the  GUS melody lines 
in Wolf3d and Keen games sound funny compared to the SB.  They sound tinny,
like they are pitched an octave higher than  on the SB.  The bass
instruments seem ok to me.  

Is there a fix for this?  

Thanks, Dale Eason
Eason@stpaul.ncr.com

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

Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 09:54:52 +0100 (MET)
From: Andreas Henning <d2henan@dtek.chalmers.se>
Message-Id: <9212110855.AA21417@dtek.chalmers.se>
Subject: Where can I get the SDK???
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

Hi! I bought a GUS two days ago, and I am very satisfied.
Now I am very interested in programming the card, and would like
to know where I can get a software developers kit.
Is it available, and if so, at what cost?
Do I have to order it from Gravis, or can it be bought in a computer
shop? 

I would also like an OS/2 driver for the card. (Any news?)

Any help appreciated,

-- 
Andreas "Mr Spock" Henning            |Hydrogen is a gas, which,|   Chalmers
e-mail : d2henan@dtek.chalmers.se     |given enough time, turns |  University 
BBS    : +46-(0)31-132310             |into people.             |      Of
Snail  : Traelasv. 23 42168 V.F Sweden|                         |  Technology

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

Date: Thu, 10 Dec 92 19:49:55 -0800
From: kejohnso@nike.calpoly.edu (Kurt E. Johnson)
Message-Id: <9212110349.AA1308371@nike.calpoly.edu>
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

Hi everyone. 

   I've had my GUS for a little over a week and I'm one happy customer.  
I do have a few questions, so here goes.  I've seen it mentioned that a lot 
of people are setting channel 10 for the percusion in Windows.  Could 
someone post how to do this and why?  I assume it is the reason why I don't 
get any sound from the 'drum' program.  I've looked through most of the 
digests that I've saved and can't find anything on it.  
   Also, when are we going to see some midi players that look like some of 
the mod players I've seen.  I'd like to see something that's got bars that
go up and down (or sideways), wavy lines that move with the music, etc.
Anyone know of any in progress or why there haven't been any made yet or
if there are any already?
   That's it for now.  Keep on GUS'n.


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
= kejohnso@hebe.calpoly.edu     = I'm a recovering SoundBlaster owner =
= kjohnson@polyslo.calpoly.edu  =      -Happy GRAVIS ULTRASOUND owner =
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

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

Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1992 10:12:09 -0600
From: graham@cs.utexas.edu (Ralph Arnold Graham)
Message-Id: <9212101612.AA06072@tokio.cs.utexas.edu>
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

There has been a lot of dialogue concerning Sierra and LucasArts (and other
companies) support for the GUS.  The general concensus is to write, phone,
post, or e-mail to these companies requesting GUS support.  It seems to be
working.  If other companies start supporting the GUS, Gravis will sell more
of the boards.  In a similar light, I would love to see Gravis support their
GUS with OS/2 drivers.  I know of 7 people (including myself) who are
considering the purchase of a sound card, but all run OS/2 exclusively.  I
ordered a GUS without checking on this issue first.  It has not yet arrived,
but I was unsuccessful in getting a friend's GUS to work on my machine using
the SBOS that was shipped.  (I haven't tried the beta SBOS because he took
his board back).  He has shelved his GUS in favor of his original SB until
better support is available - he may even consider selling it.  The other
five people are all brothers and family who are unwilling to risk the purchase
of a board without knowledge of near-future OS/2 support.  It looks as if
they may go with the SBPro (one is considering the ATI F/X).

There must be dozens of other people in the same boat - I have only known
about the GUS for a week now.

So this is an earnest plea to Gravis for a promise of OS/2 support.  It seems
only fair since they wish other game manufacturers to support their board.

On a side note, if anyone has gotten the GUS to work with Wolfenstein under
OS/2, *please* send me e-mail detailing any SBOS switches (and SBOS version #),
VDM DOS settings, etc.  I get as far as the voice saying SBOS is loaded, but
the process is killed when "wolf3d" is executed.  The game works fine w/o
the GUS, and I don't have the OPTI chipset nor any shared interrupts, etc.
Unfortunately, I cannot experiment further until I receive the board.

Thanks...

	-Ralph Graham       graham@cs.utexas.edu

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End of Ultrasound Daily Digest V1 #45
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