GUS Daily Digest            Thu, 2 Dec 93   007          Volume 9: Issue   2  

Today's Topics:
						 Answers to Digest #1
				   bank switching and patch caching
							  Buying one
							   cd roms
								F117 A
				   Front Pages Sports: Football Pro
						  FS5 sound effects
								 FYI
							Gabriel Knight
					   GUS Daily Digest V8 #23
					   GUS Daily Digest V8 #29
				   GUS Daily Digest V9 #1 (2 msgs)
				   How to run sam & max with megaem
					  LucasArts "Rebal Alliance"
							   Mega'Em
						  MIDI Cable source
						   midi file format
						   NHLPA and MEGAEM
		NMI problem SOLVED !!! (maybe it works for you too !!)
						   re : Sam 'n Max
						 Shadowcaster and GUS
					Windows 4.0 & Os2 for Windows
					   Wing Commander + MEGAEM

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: Wed, 01 Dec 1993 11:38:47 GMT
From: Clarke Brunt <CLARKE@lsl.co.uk>
Subject: Answers to Digest #1

There were a lot of questions today concerning MIDI and sequencers.
I wish they were directed to the Musician's Digest instead. I'm still
reading the General digest for the time being, but many people may
not be (I hope they weren't posted to both - we don't want that either).

> When is the 16-bit recording/playback card available

Don't know, but don't forget that the GUS always did do 16-bit playback.

> Does the GUS support special effects in MIDI like pitch bend, etc.?? 

It is more up to the driver to support MIDI effects than the GUS itself.
Certainly, the GUS Windows driver supports pitch bend, and sustain.
I don't think we have ever seen to full list of what controllers are
supported.

> Is there a way to hook up a Creative Labs CDRom, be it connector or
jurry-rigging, to the GUS??

The GUS has CD-audio in pins. If your CDROM drive has audio out pins, then
they can be connected with the appropriate cable. I don't know if any
GUS daughter boards will interface to a Creative Labs CDROM though. I
have said many times that as far as I know, connecting via a daughter
card provides no benefits other than perhaps cost and saving a PC slot.

> Well, I got the Encore 3.0 tp play MIDI, sort of.  By sheer
> accident, while I was using Recording Session to play a MIDI file
> I had made with Encore of the same name, I found that suddenly,
> Encore would now play.

As usual, Encore is not doing patch caching, so you have to call
up Recording Session, or Patch Manager, os something to do it for
you. There is no answer other than to get updated software which
does cache patches. Or use MIDI mapper, and load a restrcited set
of patches which fit in memory and approximate to the whole GM set
(not very satisfactory) - this is what the load1024.mid etc files
are about - there is not space or time here to discuss this fully.

> Cubase for windows...

Same problem as above - no cure other than an updated Cubase.

> Patches...

We'd all like a better way of creating patches. Patches playing at
wrong pitch would indicate an incorrect setting in patch.exe, but
which?? How to change it?? Gravis mentioned PatchMaker Lite (?)
coming soon - look out for it.

> Pitch bending... it's vital that I find an easy way to store pitch-
> bend information in midi scripts.

How this is to be done would depend to the sequencer in use.
Certainly to achieve a smooth pitch bend needs a whole sequence of
patch bend messages - pretty tedious to enter manually.

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

Date: Wed, 1 Dec 93 13:30:29 +0100
From: f93-maj@nada.kth.se
Subject: bank switching and patch caching

Since patch caching/uploading must be done before the song is played,
the gus driver can't respond to any midi messages to switch bank but
must be order via the midiOutCachePatches command in the Windows API.
So programs must be aware of this in exactly the same way as they are
aware of NORMAL patch caching (1 bank). The prog's count up witch
patches are used and sends a command to load those pathes into GUS-
memory. Included with that command is a number that says wich banks
the patches should be loaded from. This defaults to 0. In order to
load patches from more than one bank the app must issue sepearate
midiOutCachePatches commands for each bank used. I am not aware
of any sequencer that uses other than the deafult bank 0 but it should
be quite easy to implement the Roland GS standard of bank changing so
when control change 0 + Bank no is encountered then the said Bank no
is used for subsequent patches on that track JUST LIKE patch cache
aware app's must always do, just that they assume bank 0 and do not
track/recognize Ctrl-Chg 0 to change banks.
If you have CakeWalk, Cubase or somthing like that, write to the
resp companies and ask them to include this feature in future
versions (just as Power Chords Pro will do, it might be a good
point to point out that (at least one of) their concurrents are
doing this).
There is also a function in th API called midiOutMessage wich sends
non-standard messages to the driver. It would be fun to know if
there is any such messages implemented for the Ultrasound driver...
It could be used to do quite advanced things like real-time patch
editing and such, if only the appropriate function calls were
available (via midiOutMessage).

/FMJ

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

Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 12:49:00 GMT+1
From: <HEYROVSKY@km1.fjfi.cvut.cz>
Subject: Buying one

Is GUS available in Europe? I mean places like Germany or the Czech 
Republic.
And how much does it cost?
And does it actually have 32 16bit D/As?

Thanks

Emil Heyrovsky
heyrovsky@km1.fjfi.cvut.cz

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

Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1993 13:10:07 -0800 (PST)
From: Eric Gustafson <egus@efn.org>
Subject: cd roms

What are the currently availble cd rom interfaces/daughterboards?  I'm
looking to get a doublespeed.  Will gus support the doublespeeds?  Is
there a scsi-2 adaptor?
I'd like to go as cheaply as possible so assume a daughterboard for the
gus will be cheaper than a dedicated cd-rom card.  What would my drive
options be? I'm thinking mitsumi since I'm running under os/2 dualboot.

Any suggestions welcome!

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

Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 10:53 MST
From: Bryan Brown  <BRYAN@GSE.UTAH.EDU>
Subject: F117 A

I remember reading a while back that someone had said that Micro Proses F117A
sounded great with the Megaem 2.000b23 whatever.  I agree the sounds and the
music is much better than I was getting with SBOS but it seems like the
voices are comming out the the PC Speaker.  For instance at the start of a
mission when the voice says "Cleared for takeoff."   This voice comes out of
the PC speaker and, of couse, sounds icky.  Does anyone know of a solution
for this?  I've tried setting MEGAEM with the -sbi7 and -sbi5 switches but
nither helped.  Thanks in advance for your help.

										Have a swell day.
										  Bryan Brown
BRYAN@GSE.UTAH.EDU

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

Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 13:17:20 -0600 (CST)
From: Fitzgerald Jr Steele <fjsteele@icaen.uiowa.edu>
Subject: Front Pages Sports: Football Pro

Some asked me about Front pages Sports: Football Pro.  Unfortunately, it
isn't a simple upgrade.  Dynamix released it a new game.  They made that
game a hell of a lot better, even if it is a hell of a lot more
complicated.  Anyway, I bought it at Best Buy for $39.95 (Everything was
on sale last weekend!).  Anyway, it's worth it.  Now, if I can figure out
what to do with the old version. . .


--------------------==========*********==========----------------------
Jerry Steele                         "I wish I had time
fjsteele@icaen.uiowa.edu                  to come up with a cool SIG!"
fsteele@umaxc.weeg.uiowa.edu
--------------==============*************==============----------------

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

Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1993 10:58:03 -0600
From: Don Eller <don.eller@inst.medtronic.com>
Subject: FS5 sound effects

To the person who asked about FS5 with ultrasound

I haven't tried FS5 with megaem yet, but with Sbos the best solution I've found
is to configure FS5 for synthesized sounds instead of digital sounds.  This 
gives a poor emulation of engine sounds, but at least they're stable and don't
cut out and react correctly to throttle settings.

I will repost when I try Megem.

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

Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 23:20:58 -0600 (CST)
From: Phil Johnson <pjohnso2@ua.d.umn.edu>
Subject: FYI

  If anyone is interested, I recently purchased Leisure Suit Larry 6 and 
it actually comes with the Gravis drivers (a la Ultramid)... 
  The sounds are EXCELLENT and the music is just as SUPERB.  The audio in 
this game is 100% top-notch (the sounds are a helluva lot better than on 
my buddy's PAS16).  
  And, for LSL fans, the game itself was nifty (though, I solved it in 
six hours) and had some great** humor.. incidentally, they used an 
"MA-17" rating that SEGA has been employing. 

  And now, could someone be kind enough to post a message to the digest 
concerning the patches for MIDI that are out.. and which ones are 
actually improvements over the 2.06 disks?  Thanks.

*Phil
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
| pjohnso2@ub.d.umn.edu  Univ. of Minnesota - Duluth | "Lawnmower Man's in |
 -----------------------------------------------------  your head now,     |
													 |  Jake."             |
								 | -- Jeff Fahey in    |
							 | Stephen King's THE  |
							 | LAWNMOWER MAN       |
													 |_____________________|

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

Date: Wed,  1 Dec 93 14:28:00 BST
From: b.williams44@genie.geis.com
Subject: Gabriel Knight

Hi,
  I have just purchased the new Sierra game, Gabriel Knight "Sins of the
 Fathers" and it refuses to work with Megaem, SBOS or the Sierra GUS Drivers.
 And contrary to the readme file in the Sierra GUS drivers that states all
 the games released in the future after KQ6 would have GUS support built in,
 This game does not! The only way I can get this game to load and run is with
 the PC Speaker. MOO, X-Wing, LOL, etc. all work fine with Megaem and GUSAIL
 Drivers, but this game seems to have the Flu. Can anyone help? Thanks
 
							***StarHawk***

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

Date: 24 Nov 93 17:38:00 PST
From: EBULALACAO@CSUPomona.Edu
Subject: Re: GUS Daily Digest V8 #23

Well...I've got 16mb of RAM on my DX2/66 myself...and Second Reality worked fine...I don't think it's your computer's memory...

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

Date: 30 Nov 93 08:09:00 PST
From: EBULALACAO@CSUPomona.Edu
Subject: Re: GUS Daily Digest V8 #29

Hmmm...you got Hardball III to work with thenew MEGAEM?  How?  I can only
get the Roland music working, but not the Sound Blaster digitized sound...
anyy special instructions?

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

Date: Wed, 01 Dec 93 10:04:48 EST
From: "Hyun Park" <hp0@osprey.cis.ufl.edu>
Subject: Re: GUS Daily Digest V9 #1

I've managed to install new window driver for my GUS, but
now it takes long time to get out of windows.
When I select FILE/EXIT/OK, there were a lot of Hard Disk activities
before it got out of windows.
Same when I switched back to the old drivers.

Anybody can help me with this problem?

My system:

GW2000 DX2/66V
DOS6.2/Win 3.1/NDW2.0
GUS/2.06Disks

Thanks.

-Hyun Park

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

Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 12:11:46 -0500 (EST)
From: Phat H Tran <ptran@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca>
Subject: Re: GUS Daily Digest V9 #1

> Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1993 22:32:07 -0800 (PST)
> From: John Armstrong <jarmst@kaiwan.com>
> Subject: MIDI and CDRom Questions
> 
>   I have two questions.  The first : Does the GUS support special
> effects in MIDI like pitch bend, etc.??  Second : Is there a way to hook
> up a Creative Labs CDRom, be it connector or jurry-rigging, to the GUS??

Yes, the GUS supports several of the more common controllers such as
pitch bend and panning.  However, it has no effects processing capabilities
such as reverb and chorus.

As for the CD-ROM, the GUS doesn't have a built-in CD-ROM interface. 
You'll need one of the CD-ROM daughtercards to hook a CD-ROM to the
GUS (unless all you're hooking up is the CD audio line, which the GUS
has an input for).  I'm not sure if there's a CD-ROM daughtercard
compatible with CL's interface, but I don't think so.

> Date: Tue, 30 Nov 93 14:58:06 EST
> From: jwarren@mcs.capital.edu (Jeremy Warren)
> Subject: More on Encore 3.0 and Playing Midi
> 
>   Well, I got the Encore 3.0 tp play MIDI, sort of.  By sheer accident, while I was using Recording Session to play a MIDI file I had made with Encore
> of the same name, I found that suddenly, Encore would now play.  Essentially,
> what has to be done, is to open up Session, then open a file with the same name
> you are editing in Encore, assign instruments, and then switch back to Encore
> and the MIDI features for playback will now work.  Does anyone have _any_ idea
> why this is happening, or how to fix it so that I don't have to go through all
> of this?  I guess that Encore is not loading pathces correctly, but I am unsure
> as to how to fix this.

Encore sounds like it's not patch caching.  The sequencer has to scan the
MIDI file for required patches and tell the GUS driver to load them up
before playing.  Only recently have some sequencers started doing this.
Patch caching has to be integrated into the sequencer by its developer,
so ask the makers of Encore to do so.  In the meantime, you can use 
Patch Manager (which comes with the GUS) to load the patches for Encore.
Use Patch Man's Load from file... function to load the patches for a
particular MID.

> Date: Tue, 30 Nov 93 10:37 GMT
> From: jaco@cee.hw.ac.uk (John Clark)
> 
> 2)  Patches.       I'm trying to replace some of the lower quality sounds
>                          by sampling sounds using the Windows WAV sampler, and
>                          loading them as raw data into patch.exe (as supplied
>                          with the GUSSDK).  This all works fine, but I cannot
>                          seem to get the new patch to play back at the right
>                          pitch/speed under windows.  Basically, I find some of
>                          the drum sounds and percussion effects a little
>                          too mechanical and artificial for my needs.  What
>                          I'd like is an automated conversion *that works*,
>                          unlike several of the shareware things I've tried.

A patch making utility (surprisingly named Patch Maker :) for Windows should
be out soon.  It's simple to use and works very well.

BTW, music-related questions should be directed to gus-music@dsd.es.com
if you intend to reach the right audience.  Many of those on the music
digest have unsubscribed from the general digest (most notably, Francois).

Phat.

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

Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 03:30:15 -0500
From: fwang@sbcs.sunysb.edu (Frank Wang)
Subject: How to run sam & max with megaem

very straightforward -
Megaem
emuset -F22
?

don't forget at install, to choose General Midi, AND soundblaster,
using 'advanced mode'.  never mind how general midi isn't highlighted as
a valid choice - you can still select it, and test it okay.

to the guy at the puppet address, I can't seem to mail there.  please
mail me at fwang@sbcs.sunysb.edu, so I can reply directly to your 
address if you have more problems.

			- Frank

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

Date: Wed, 01 Dec 93 16:45:00 PST
From: Richards Roger <tcemail!rnd1.indy.tce.com!RichardsR@uunet.UU.NET>
Subject: LucasArts "Rebal Alliance"

Just saw the new LucasArts "Rebal Alliance" CD-ROM game with native 
Ultrasound support!!!  I want to buy it- has anyone out there seen it 
running?  Anyone know if this is a good game?  ($50 is a bit too much just 
for a GUS demo!)
 ..Roger

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

Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 20:05:32 -0500 (EST)
From: m8088044@llohio.ll.pbs.org (Fred Coffey)
Subject: Mega'Em

To Whoever:
	I'm looking for the latest version of Mega'Em for the GUS.  If
anyone has it, could you please contact me via E-Mail.  Thanks!  I've been a
subscriber to the Digest for a few weeks, and boy do you guys (and gals)
sure love it.  I'm anxious to see what all the raving is about....

Fred

-- 
Fred Coffey ----------->  m8088044@llohio.ll.pbs.org   ad501@yfn.ysu.edu      
Sandusky, Ohio            ^^^^ Primary Address ^^^     aq298@po.cwru.edu
"....for the world is hollow and I have touched the sky." -- Unknown

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

Date: Wed, 01 Dec 1993 16:05:48 -0600 (CST)
From: "WILL HATCHER, AKA SILIKON" <WCH1965@tntech.edu>
Subject: MIDI Cable source

I have found a source for the MIDI cable for $14.99.  I don't know for sure if
it is the Aztech one or not, but it says that it "connects to game port,
providing joystick extension and MIDI input/output."  It's listed right about a
MIDI kit that does specify Sound Galaxy.  The kit comes with software, so I
assume that that's the only difference.

Anyway, the source I'm referring to is Midwest Micro.  They are listed widely
in the Computer Shopper.  Their phone # is 1 800 552 8080.

Of course naturally, I find this item the day after I build my own :).  But
mine does work, though.

Have a nice day,
Silikon

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

Date: Wed, 1 Dec 93 18:41:24 MST
From: dustin@edna.gse.utah.edu (Dustin Caldwell)
Subject: midi file format

Hello,

I have uploaded a report of what the midi file format is and how it works, 
along with some utilities to epas.(MIDIFILE.ZIP)
If anyone cannot get to it for whatever reason, let me know and I'll figure 
something out.

good luck,

Dustin

dustin@gse.utah.edu

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

Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 11:42:20 -0400 (EDT)
From: "K.S. Holly" <u8843389@muss.cis.mcmaster.ca>
Subject: NHLPA and MEGAEM

Has anyone found any solutions to the locking problem with NHLPA when used
with MEGAEM?

I have managed to get it to play a full game if I don't ask for replays or
anything but it still crashes at the end of the 3 stars announcement. 
Also I have this annoying background static during the game.

I have tried booting all different configs, with and without drivers i.e.
mouse, smartdrv, etc and none really made a difference except that it
SEEMED to be a little more stable without the mouse but that is a pain.

I've alos tried loading megaem with /sbi5 and no difference.

Anyone have any ideas?

Kevin

p.s. What's Jayeson's address again?

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

Date: Wed, 1 Dec 93 20:10 MET
From: hst@mh.nl (Klaas Hemstra)
Subject: NMI problem SOLVED !!! (maybe it works for you too !!)

Hello everybody with the NMI problem with SBOS (GRAVIS too),

My brother has a motherboard that had (until today) the NMI problem
when loading SBOS (NMI procedure on this PC is disabled).
Today he accidently solved the problem !!!
The motherboard is a ALI-486 motherboard.

He was fiddling around with some jumpers on the motherboard, and found
a jumper for the type of screen adapter. It was a three pin jumper,
where connecting pins 1 & 2 means 'mono' and 2 & 3 means 'color'
adapter.
But he saw NO (repeat NO) jumper on it.
So he though "That is strange... lets put a jumper on it".
When he did that (color screen of course) the NMI procedure was
working !?@?!

I don't see what the screen type has to do with the NMI, and neither
does my brother, but who cares, when you suddenly have your SBOS
running (and MIDI-in works ok too in Windows).

My guess is that the bios (AMI bios by the way) is puzzled by the non
existing screen type, and does not init the NMI correctly, but this is
just a guess...

Maybe this works for you too !!!!

Klaas

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

Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 11:54:59 +0100 (MET)
From: Christian Malmin <malmin@stud.unit.no>
Subject: re : Sam 'n Max

In yesterdays digest someone complained about troubles with GUS and Sam'n'Max

When I got the game, I did following (after installing to the HD) :

Start Megaem with SCC emulation (Default)

Run install

Select advanced soundcard install

Select general MIDI for music and Soundblaster for effects

This works fine, the speech in the beginning is not of high quality, but then again, it is SB emulation.

After the new Megaem was available I haven't even bothered to try SBOS on any games.  (The reason is obvious :-) )

I use the default IRQ and DMA setups, so there is nothing much to it...

- Warning - : With Megaem , do not try to make the game use SB Pro or SB 16.


 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	 _/_/_/_/_/        _/_/    _/_/   Christian Malmin , Trondheim, Norway
   _/        _/       _/  _/ _/ _/    E-mail : malmin@stud.unit.no
  _/                 _/    _/  _/     
 _/                 _/        _/      
_/         _/      _/        _/       "We shall arise!"
 _/_/_/_/_/   _/  _/        _/ _/                   Sepultura.
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 09:58:51 -0600 (CST)
From: Jonathan Paul Quick <jpq0042@tamsun.tamu.edu>
Subject: Shadowcaster and GUS

I've seen a number of listings posted in this digest as well as in the
comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard newsgroup indicating that it is possible to setup
Shadowcaster to permit usage with Mega-Em. I've tried a variety of setups
using the installation program to no avail. My first impression was that
Shadowcaster couldn't possibly work with Mega-Em given the fact that it uses
protected mode... Any ideas?

jpq0042@tamsun.tamu.edu

Money can't buy happiness.
(but then, it can make a sizeable down-payment...)

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

Date: Wed, 1 Dec 1993 13:37:13 -0500 (EST)
From: mailletm@ERE.UMontreal.CA (Maillet Martin)
Subject: Windows 4.0 & Os2 for Windows

Hi ! Dear GUSSER !

Since about 6 months, everybody want to know about support for OS2 and more 
recently support for Windows NT.  I think that gus must be support by all
operating system.  But with the announce of OS2 for windows and the very 
powerfull promise CHICAGO (windows 4.0), Windows seem to be THE personnal
operating system for next......1 year (who knows....).

Gravis support us since the beginnig of GUS adventure (may 1992), but I think
that we support us since the very beginning.  So...... I want to know (and I'm
sure that everyone want to know) directly from GRAVIS, what about operating
support for ULTRASOUND in a near future and what about support for new 
operating system.

Think about it, in jun 1994, everybody will jump on Windows 4.0, if drivers
are not compatible, what we will do...... waiting for drivers, with no more
support..... I don't think so..... So, does Gravis know if Ultrasound will be
incorporated in standard Win4.0 installation, does they supply drivers          when win4.0 hit the road, or WHAT !!!!!

Gravis talk to us, now, we want to know....... (dramatic ambiance,,,,,)

Suriously, thanks Gravis for the Ultrasound, thanks to everybody who support
the GUS, but give us response soon.

Martin
mailletm@ere.umontreal.ca

   

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

Date: Wed, 01 Dec 1993 14:19:38 +0100
From: Jens-Uwe.Jansen@Germany.EU.net
Subject: Wing Commander + MEGAEM

Hi everybody,

since I got my hands on the new MEGAEM I dug my old games out of my treasure
chest to try them with it. 

The music in Wing Commander sounded great, but the effects were quite
annoying (sp?). So I sat down for a few hours trying to find out which
instruments were for which effect and changed them to some suitable sounds.

The result are the following changes to the ultrasnd.ini file:

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

[Melodic Patches]
0=pistol1       # Fire Rocket
1=fx-fret       # Craft rushing by
3=fx-fret       # Asteriods rushing by
5=woodblk       # Mass Driver Cannon
16=toms          # Hull Hit
17=pistol1       # Laser / Neutron Cannon
18=sqrwave       # Some Beeping
19=distgtr       # Afterburner
20=syntom        # Shield Hit
96=xylophon     # Targeting
123=syntom      # Object Crash

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

I hope that my remarks are self-explanatory. 

Note that the pistol1 patch isn't standard. It's the one from epas to replace
the ringwhistle. All other patches are standard. It isn't very good, but quite
an improvement over the original. Your taste may be different from mine, be
free to change the patches to your taste.

Are there any FX-patches out there ? Maybe they sound better than the
instrument patches ?

Has anyone done this for other games ? Please share with the community ;-)

	Ciao,
	Jens-Uwe Jansen

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

End of GUS Daily Digest V9 #2
******************************
