Ultrasound Daily Digest     Fri Aug 13 00:07     Volume 5: Issue  12  

Today's Topics:
						  808ho and playmidi
					  Beta Testing Needs Filled
						  choosing keyboards
					  Gus and Realms of Arkania
		   Hit it harder: I can't hear it over the guitar!
							LANDS OF LORE
							 many things
							 OS/2 Drivers
							 Power Chords
					   Sierra will support GUS!
						  Slow SBOS loading
					  The DEATH of SBOS (2 msgs)
							Ultima 7 Mids
					Ultrasound Daily Digest V5 #11

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: Fri, 13 Aug 1993 00:25:28 -0400 (EDT)
From: dionf@ERE.UMontreal.CA (Francois Dion)
Subject: 808ho and playmidi
Message-ID: <9308130425.AA18174@brise.ERE.UMontreal.CA>

Hmmm... seems i have added a few bugs while i corrected others in 808add1.
Nothing important really, but:

Christopher, what is the problem with 808ho? It is scaled 0.0... And what is
the problem exactly with playmidi and how did you remedy to it? Is it only
with playmidi? Cause my 727, 626 and 909 sets are made the same way...

If there is really a problem, expect to see 808add2.zip on epas... :(

Under beta currently: TR727, steeldrum, military snare and ANASYN3. Yup, new
analog synths. anasyn1 is not usefull anymore since it's v1.00 patches, but
i have remade them in the anasyn3. These are bubbly phat acid sounds (very
different from the bleepy sounds from anasyn2). A few of these may end up
on epas this weekend (or maybe today, but i doubt it).

Also i am uploading today the touchtone patches and waves. Pink noise and sines
will come later.

Ciao,
-- 
Francois Dion
	'  _   _   _ 
 CISM (_) (_)  _) FM       Montreal , Canada       Email: CISM@ERE.UMontreal.CA
	  (_)  / . _)             10000 Watts          Telephone no: (514) 343-7511
_______________________________________________________________________________
Audio-C-DJ-Fractals-Future-Label-Multimedia-Music-Radio-Rave-Video-VR-Volvo-...

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1993 18:21:38 -0500 (CDT)
From: "Alan S. Estenson" <este0005@student.tc.umn.edu>
Subject: Beta Testing Needs Filled
Message-ID: <Pine.3.05.9308121838.A4170-a100000@student.tc.umn.edu>

After an extra overwhelming response, I am no longer accepting beta testers
for my midi "jukebox" program for Windows. In other words,

NO MORE BETA TESTORS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

If you were interested, thank you.  If you sent e-mail to me, volunteering
to be a beta-tester, you will be receiving one of two replies.  The first
informs you that you are a beta tester, and gives further information.
The second informs you that my beta testing quota has been filled, but
thanks for responding!

Watch for the official release of Mycroft's Midi Surfer in approximately
10 days.

Thanks!

--
Alan S. Estenson     aka "Mycroft"    aka este0005@student.tc.umn.edu
Aerospace Engineering     / University of Minnesota / Minneapolis, MN
Rosemount Aerospace, Inc. / Burnsville, MN   #std. disclaimers apply#

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

Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1993 10:30:19 +0930 (CST)
From: Gavin <SCARMAN@hfrd.dsto.gov.au>
Subject: Re: choosing keyboards
Message-ID: <930813103019.1bd69@hfrd.dsto.gov.au>

>Buenos Nochos Moin Froinds,
Konnichiwa minasan

>I wonder, are there keyboards that allow you to turn off the velocity sensitive 
>feature?
Well you can tell some sequencers to ignore velocity information (recording 
session?), or it's easy to do a global edit and make all velocity info the same, 
say 64.

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 93 17:28:32 -0700
From: cliff@trifid.astro.ucla.edu (cliff UCLA Astronomy)
Subject: Gus and Realms of Arkania
Message-ID: <9308130028.AA02772@trifid.astro.ucla.edu>

 I'm trying to use the miles drivers with this game and I'm having
problems. I put the .adv files in the directory and now sound.bat
 has the option for choosing the GUS. When I do that, it compliands
 complains about the drivers. When I start the game, there is alot of
 nice music for the intro but then I get  unable to detect sound card
 just before the game starts. Do I need to use specific settings for
 using the AIL drivers in this game? Please e-mail your reply. Thanks

 cliff

 cliff@trifid.astro.ucla.edu

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 93 06:18:58 PDT
From: deraud@power.amasd.anatcp.rockwell.com (Robert Lee DeRaud)
Subject: Hit it harder: I can't hear it over the guitar!
Message-ID: <9308121318.AA15489@power.amasd.anatcp.rockwell.com>

>From: snowdog@binkley.cs.mcgill.ca (Rodney CHANG)
>Subject: Re: choosing keyboards

>To add my two cents to the "which keyboard should I buy" thread,
>if you don't know how to play piano/keyboard, don't get a velocity 
>sensitive keyboard.  I am the ultimate piano klutz, and I tried 
>recording using a Korg once, and it sounded like trash because of the 
>varying volumes.  Don't try it at home kids if you ain't got the skills 
>to play with a velocity sensitive keyboard.  I wonder, are there 
>keyboards that allow you to turn off the velocity sensitive feature?

Probably...but it's trivial with most sequencers (Recording Session etc) 
to force all notes in a (recorded) track to a specific velocity value, 
kind of like quantizing but for velocity. (I have to do this for my 
oft-cursed Casio CZ3000, which not only has fixed-velocity, but at a 
uselessly low value.) Believe me, you WILL want the velocity-sensitive
feature eventually!

************************************************************************
Lee DeRaud                             Will program Windows for food.
Rockwell Int. AESD                    (Hey, I'm easy but I'm not cheap!)
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
	  My own opinions only, not those of Rockwell International.
   (Yeah, right: like anyone around here cares what *I* say...NOT!)
************************************************************************

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 93 20:13:55 
From: jason.lin@support.com
Subject: LANDS OF LORE
Message-ID: <9308122013.A9461wk@support.com>

Does anyone know how to make Lands of Lore to use both G1FMIDI.ADV and
GF1DIGI.ADV?  I was able to use GF1MIDI.ADV but if I also add GF1DIGI.ADV I'll
receive an memory error message every time I run LANDS.EXE.  BTW, I have hex
edited DRIVERS.PAK correctly..  Any information would be appreciated.. Thanks.
-Jason

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 93 00:28:48 GMT
From: thomasvk@blackhl.hacktic.nl (Thomas van Kuipers)
Subject: many things
Message-ID: <P3Nk9B5w165w@blackhl.hacktic.nl>

to several:

Hi Steve,
 
I read your ultrasound-dig-post and would like to say that 
your problem is in the same area as one other guy from Iceland 
a few weeks ago. I don't have TWO soundcard in one system, 
but i think i know to solve that sort of problems (By the 
iceland-guy it is working /soundblast and gus).
 
I think the best setting is:
The 'normal' soundblaster or comp. to be at 220 hex. irq 5 or 
7 and dma 1. Try the gus 'around' that. Gus-settings are then 
240 hex. irq 11. and dma 7 (16bit-dma)
 
Your initialize problem is solved (i think) when you use 
ultrainit.sys in config.sys with the correct setting (the ame 
as in autoexec) of dma and irq and adress. Just add:
Device=<drive>:<path>ultrinit.sys ultra.......=....
or so (i you would have it exactly email me)
 
The driver makes it sure that most programs 'see' the 
soundblaster (not emulated .... you still must use sbos or so) 
and initialize the gus (sound off if there is noise).
 
If this doesn't work or you have already tried, email me about 
it. If this isn't a solution in of your problem (because two 
soundcards) than you have to write a simple initialize program 
to do that (if you can't perhaps i have one or so).
 
Anyway bye, see your reply,
 
Thomas van Kuipers
Netherlands
Europe
Email: thomasvk@blackhl.hacktic.nl   



To Craig,
 
In reply of the ultradig:
 
Didn't you have seen MMPM/2 by OS/2 2.1 GA? IF YOU ONLY HAVE 
those software for os/2 (which isn't the only software) than 
you still can play sounds through doing everthing (and more).
 
If you haved seen mmpm/2 at work you sure must do. 
 
I might add that although there is software, more than could 
be nice. (i know that there is more stuff for windows, but IF 
there are os/2 drivers than winos/2 is working with sound 
also ........)
 
Bye,
 
Thomas van Kuipers
Netherlands
Europe
Email: thomasvk@blackhl.hacktic.nl 



To Phat,
 
You/I wrote:
 
"The GF1 was partly designed by Forte, so I would imagine that Forte
had a big hand in the GF2 as well.  (I think the GF stands for Gravis
Forte.)  Thus, the GFx series would likely only show up in Gravis'
products and not their competitors'.  I don't expect to see a GF2-
equipped GUS in the near future."
 
*** Thanks
 
"> >>>>> Please Gravis reply to what IS coming and what is CRAP!
>  
> >> Watch out Gravis guys the concurence is near you. I heard 
> some card called studio or so (i don't exact name yet) for 
> second hand $250 (so the card is more expensive than gus) 
> ..... You probably what about it? The main thing is that it is 
> an SB and SB PRO and SB 16 ASP and Waveblaster and GUS and 16 
> bit recordering and SCSI-2 on board ALL in ONE! 
 
I'm a little skeptical...
 
> Some friend of mind (a bit a gus-freak is ALLREADTY going to 
> sell the gus, because of the reason). What i didn't mention is 
> it features:
> 16 bit recording and play back
 
The Aria chipset can apparently only do 12-bit recording.
 
> 32 voices wave table syntesizes
> 1 mb (8 mb max) of RAM on board.
> 4 mb ROM protious samples (like waveblaster).
> SCSI-2 on board (for fast scsi-cd-rom)
> a DSP (digital sound processor) on board!!
> and last but not least the ARIA chipset.
>  
> This means that with aria you have hardware gus compatible. In 
> the board sb pro is hardware(!!) compabtible and all so PAS 
> comp. RAM and ROM is the best way combined with a thrue DSP 
> you can get voice-regnition.
>  
> I don't know more about it but it looks through my and the 
> information as the ultimate sound card at the moment (in shop 
> i think it cost about $400 or so if avaible), because sb 
> pro/gus/ram/rom/dsp/scsi .... what more do you need??
>  
 
A test drive. :)  This card doesn't sound technically feasible, 
especially all its compatibility modes."
 
**** Didn't know that Aria only support 12-bit recording. Only 
know that it offers the same features like gus (i didn't think 
it was comp.).
 
**** Futher i have phone to the local store, where i saw one. 
This is what i came up with (different from earlier:
Card:            Sonic Sound.
Price:           $250
Upgrade:         $120 (to 8Mb rom)
Features:        0.5 Mb Rom (samples) expandable to 8 Mb ROM
				 32 SRAM /cache ram.
				 SB comp. / Adlib comp.
				 (NO sb pro/ sb 16 or wave comp.)
				 Aria chipset
				 DSP (digital Sound Processor)
				 Voice recognition with upgrade.
				 32 voice (wave table synthesizes) 44.1 Khz. 
				 SCSI-2 on board supporting: Tape streamers
											 Cd-rom
											 Future HDD.
				 And more ....
 
It looks like a sort of GUS (with daugter board) with hardware
comp. sb for games 
with prof. programs and DSP!! and a bit rom/ram/cache and 
scsi-2 for a somewhat 'reasonable' price. (BUT an sb pro or
Pro audio spectrum BESIDES Gus is also an alternative, except
if you WANT a DSP).
 
I post up a fax or so perhaps in a week (when my modem/fax is 
being installed and i phone the local store to fax a message) 
perhaps.
 
Oh yeah, technically THEY can do EVERYTHING. Perhaps you COULD 
imagine a chip design to work with ALL the different chips for 
soundcard (to interact with GF1 and OPL 1 to 4(!) and DSP, 
Mixer chips and more) only the card is going to cost more than 
an SB/SB pro/16 + waveblaster + gus + pas and more together 
and the card wouldn't fit one slot i think.
 
Bye,
 
Thomas van Kuipers
Netherlands
Europe
Email: thomasvk@blackhl.hacktic.nl     

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1993 22:45:30 -0400
From: Alan Campo <henlopen@tigger.jvnc.net>
Subject: OS/2 Drivers
Message-ID: <199308130245.AA14155@tigger.jvnc.net>

  Hi everybody, I just wanted you all to know that Hadden Hoppert, a guy on
the Prodigy GUS BB, has been given the go-ahead by Gravis to develop OS/2
drivers on his own.  Hopefully, we'll get quicker results than from AG/forte,
because this is someone that actually wants to see theis thing done. :]
  Anyway, I'll keeps y you posted on further developments in this 
area.  He says that we should expect basic betas within a month.

  Joe Hughes   "I've had a wonderful evening, but tonight wasn't it."

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1993 22:21:19 -0500 (EST)
From: STU_JABIRCHE@VAX1.ACS.JMU.EDU
Subject: Power Chords
Message-ID: <01H1O9QKZT5E8WW9LU@VAX1.ACS.JMU.EDU>

Although I haven't received my upgrade disks yet, my roomate (whom I mailed
the card with at the same time) received his awhile back and it is only a
matter of switching computers to use the stuff. One thing I cannot figure out
is how to do controls. I have read his manual and perused the help stuff, but
all is says is what controllers are, not how to implement them in Power Chords.
I have tried using the controller window to send a stream of increasing values
on controller 10, but I get nothing for my efforts. Any suggestions/comments/
clues?
P.S. - I have no keyboard, or I would use Cakewalk.

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1993 16:19:54 -0400 (EDT)
From: Phat H Tran <ptran@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca>
Subject: Sierra will support GUS!
Message-ID: <9308122019.AA28610@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca>

I asked the Sierra Rep on CIS about GUS support and here was his reply
(posted without permission... but I don't think he'd mind...)

>Date: 12 Aug 93 02:06:07 EDT
>From: Sierra On-Line <76004.2143@CompuServe.COM>
>To: <ptran@sciborg>
>Subject: Ultrasound?
>Message-Id: <930812060607_76004.2143_CHN54-10@CompuServe.COM>

>Hi Phat,

>It is true that Sierra does plan on providing a GUS driver in our
>future products. I don't know the date or title of the first game to
>provide GUS support, sorry, it hasn't been decided or announced as
>yet. I don't think you are being too optimistic, it's just not at the
>top of the systems development teams priority list.


>Happy Gaming!

>- Chris/Sierra On-Line Tech Support

Maybe it's a good idea to email them thanks and encouragement?  (Or maybe
not... depending on how busy the reps are...)

Phat.

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

Date: 12 Aug 93 14:01:48 MET-1METDST
From: Rene den Hertog <denhertog@coh.fgg.eur.nl>
Subject: Slow SBOS loading
Message-ID: <MAILQUEUE-101.930812140148.416@hb1.fgg.eur.nl>

Hello all,

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1993 12:41 GMT+0100
From: RTHI%BTMA74@se.alcbel.be
Subject: The DEATH of SBOS
Message-ID: <01H1NPLDKIC08WXX50@btmv56>

I agree with Adrian, Megem (13b) offers far more superior sound than SBOS.

I've tried X-wing with Megem in SC mode and it is great. Now we are playing
with power :-)

The only thing I miss is the digitised speech, but Jayeson told me he's working
on it.

Greetings,

Roland.

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

Date: 12 Aug 93  9:44 -0700
From: Thomas Wong <twong@civil.ubc.ca>
Subject: The DEATH of SBOS
Message-ID: <4123*twong@civil.ubc.ca>

How many games out there actually do support Roland though? For example,
ftp.ulowell.edu is the main msdos game site and I can't find a single
game in there that supports a Roland.... well, I didn't look through
every game but I can't find any in there so far. The bulk of the games
are still SB/Adlib so... SBOS will be around for awhile longer yet.


Thomas.

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 93 05:43 PDT
From: Jason Lin                            <IZZYVU9@MVS.OAC.UCLA.EDU>
Subject: Ultima 7 Mids
Message-ID: <9308121242.AA19991@orca.es.com>

A while back someone uploaded a copy of Ultima 7 MIDI songs to epas.  I have
lost my copy and I can't find it anymore on all three FTP archive sites.
Could someone reupload them again to epas or email an uuencoded copy to me?
Thanks in advance...

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

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1993 16:32:39 -0400 (EDT)
From: Phat H Tran <ptran@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca>
Subject: Re: Ultrasound Daily Digest V5 #11
Message-ID: <9308122032.AA29008@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca>

> Date: Wed, 11 Aug 93 16:22:28 EDT
> From: pccmoddan@aol.com
> Subject: Diamond's Sonic series
> Message-ID: <9308111622.tn63672@aol.com>
> 
> Folks, don't believe it for a moment. The Diamond Sonic Series sound cards
> are just like all the other *Aria* boards, and don't have *any* RAM, only
> have 1mb of ROM, etc. 
>

Yup...  From what I've heard of the Diamond Sonic Sound, it's just another
cheesy .5 or 1 Meg ROM only Aria synth.  Only compatible with itself and
sorta with the SB (like the GUS).  Hardly the ultimate soundcard.
 
> Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1993 15:58:18 -0400
> From: jericho!gord (Gord Wait S-MOS Systems Vancouver Design Center)
> Subject: Patch Editing Questions
> Message-ID: <9308111958.AA07833@smos.bc.ca>
> 
> A question: I was messing with the patch editor (I went Ahhhhh into a
> mike under uss8) and having fun, but I'm not sure I understand whats
> happening with the loop start/end points in patch.exe (gravis one). I
> set the start and endpoints to an obvious start and end of a complete
> ahhhh waveform, got a noise somewhat like I expected.  I then moved the
> endpoint to the end of the Next waveform, expecting to get the same
> noise but one octave lower. Instead I got the same noise!! Is this a
> bug, or is patch.exe being tricky and maintaining the same final output
> pitch no matter what I set the start/end loop points to? Another

The loop points do not affect the perceived pitch of the sound, generally,
since the periods of the waveforms aren't changed in any way.  The more
waveforms included in the loop region, the longer the loop.
 
Phat.

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

Date: (null)
From: (null)

I am very happy with the GUS because :
- it installs and runs flawlessly, except for this sbos problem,
  and produces excellent sounds (windows, dos)
- the support and additional software on epas and other ftp-
  sites and through the lists is great.
  Many thanks to all those people who must be putting a lot of
  effort in maintaining these services !
- within six weeks I've received a box with the update disks
  and documentation.
- etc...

See you all....
Rene den Hertog,


					  Erasmus University Rotterdam
Internet : denhertog@coh.fgg.eur.nl          Erasmus Reken Centrum
Name : Rene den Hertog                                 PO Box 1738
Tel. : (31)-10 4087416                           3000 DR Rotterdam
Fax. : (31)-10 4362719                             The Netherlands

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End of Ultrasound Daily Digest V5 #12
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