Ultrasound Daily Digest     Tue,  9 Mar 93       Volume 2 : Issue  64 

Today's Topics:
					  **** Gusmod 2.10 released!
							 2 Joysticks?
				  [GUS] SBOS -- Please read, Gravis.
	  [GUS] vmap 1.0 -- volume change and key velocity remapper
							 add-to-list
						   A tip on X-Wing
				   Building layered Patches for GUS
					 Cakewalk + GUS = silence :(
					Check out a GUS at Best Buy...
					  Check SBOS via Batch file
							  Chipsets 
			 GUS: Names of future releases to support it?
					 GUS cohabitating with the SB
					 New wavetable text (2 msgs)
							 SBOS 1.42B2
						  SBOS Game Support
			 SQ5 Works just fine for me..... Here is HOW.
			   Ultrasound Daily Digest V2 #63 (3 msgs)
					   X-Wing woes continue...

	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.

	*** HEY!!! *** 

	Before you ask a question, *** READ THE FAQ ***.  It's
available on the request server and the ftp sites, or check the
newsgroup archives.

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

Date: 7 Mar 93 22:30:57 MDT
From: sl859@cc.usu.edu
Message-Id: <1993Mar7.223057.64893@cc.usu.edu>
Subject: **** Gusmod 2.10 released!
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

Against my better judgment, I have been convinced (by other people) to release
Gusmod 2.10 in advance.  The release was supposed to come out with Protracker
Studio 16 (the compsoer), but it wasn't finished as of now.  Here's the what's
new list from Gusmod 2.10:

	- Looping really does work properly now. :)  (or so we think!)
	- Loop pops are now really history!  It was a bug on crossing DRAM page
	  bounds.
	- Still some interesting sample pops, but...
	- Retrig really does work now.
	- Gusmod now properly frees itself from the GF1 IRQ.
	- 15 and 31 instrument .MODs are supported.
	- Older versions of Gusmod (including 1.1) were allocating 4,096 bytes
	  for each pattern instead of the required 1,024 bytes.  This has been
	  remedied.
	- 16-channel support added!
	- 5-octaves supported!
	- Tuning for 5 octaves is approximate, but normally sounds pretty good.
	- Mods are now converted into a PS16 file format.  This format is the
	  packed 16-channel format for Protracker Studio 16 and Gusmod 2.10+.
	- Note frequency table deleted for a supposedly "working" algorithm.
	- Volumes that are 1 now work.
	- Volumes are now a bit more "linear."
	- GTSR now loops properly.
 
In addition, patterns are compressed now under the new format.  This means that
most mods drop drastically in length.  

Anyway, everyone, have fun.  I'm doing plays this week (Rodger's and
Hammerstein's Carousel) and I'll check in to see how many bug reports I get,
but I won't be able to do anything with this until at least Saturday.

Have fun!

(Oh, yeah, it's on archive.epas.utoronto.ca in
/pub/pc/ultrasound/submit/gmod210.lzh)

Josh

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

Date: Tue, 9 Mar 93 0:46:19 CST
From: Bill Lockett <wrl7611@tamsun.tamu.edu>
Message-Id: <9303090646.AA23055@tamsun.tamu.edu>
Subject: 2 Joysticks?
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

I was just wondering if and how youu can connect to joysticks to the GUS?
I have heard of a Y connector working, but don't know where to find one.
Please let me know if this is possible, and how and/or where I can 
build/buy such a connector.

Thanks,
	Bill

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

Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1993 03:11:55 GMT
From: ptran@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca (Phat H Tran)
Message-Id: <C3JvJv.Hw8@watserv2.uwaterloo.ca>
Subject: [GUS] SBOS -- Please read, Gravis.
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

As any regular reader of this group knows by now, I'm the poor slob who's
still using SBOS 1.20 even though the emulator is currently up to version
1.4b2.  That's because only SBOS 1.20 handles the digital speech and 
sounds properly on my computer.  Versions 1.22, 1.23, 1.37, and 1.4b2 all
have one or more of the following problems:

		1.  The digital sounds konk out early.  They don't die
			altogether for the rest of the game, but the sample that
			is playing is cut prematurely, especially if it's long. 
			An example would be speech that dies mid-sentence.

		2.  Certain portions of digital sounds do not play.  For example,
			the frog sample that came with my SoundBlaster has three
			"ribbits", but playing it with Voxkit through SBOS 1.22
			and up will randomly result in one, two, or three croaks.

		3.  Often, samples in games will not end when they're supposed
			to, but will instead loop or barf up the contents of 
			audio RAM.  This problem prevents me from using any of the
			later SBOSes with UW1 and UW2.

None of these problems exist with SBOS 1.20.  I've told GravisTech
about my problems with the later SBOSes, hoping that they'd address
them, but from the performance of the latest two SBOSes (1.37 and 1.4b2),
it doesn't look like they have, and I fear that they'll continue
releasing new versions of SBOS that will fail to work properly with my
machine.  Although SBOS 1.20 works very well for me, I'd like to take
advantage of the improved FM emulation in the new emulators.  

Phat.

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

Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1993 03:58:52 GMT
From: ptran@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca (Phat H Tran)
Message-Id: <C3I324.E93@watserv2.uwaterloo.ca>
Subject: [GUS] vmap 1.0 -- volume change and key velocity remapper
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

I've just uploaded a little utility I've written which will remap the
volume changes and key velocities in Roland .mids so that they will play
more correctly on the GUS.  The file is called vmap.zip, and can be 
found on epas in the submit directory.

Also, I'm wondering if those of you with both a Sound Canvas or MT-32
and a GUS can compare the remapped files on the GUS to the original
files on the Rolands to see if the utility is remapping properly.  

Here's the text file that I've enclosed with the program:

vmap 1.0
========

INTRODUCTION

Normally, MIDI files written for Roland soundcards will sound strangely
mute on the Gravis Ultrasound (GUS).  This is because the volume
response of the GUS is exponential whereas that of the Rolands is
linear.  The loudness vs. setting plot for each type of card is shown
below:

			  |                                   /
			  |                                 / *
  Perceived   |                               /   *
  Loudness    |                             /     *
			  |                           /      *
			  |                 Roland  /        *
			  |                       /          *
			  |                     /           *
			  |                   /             *
			  |                 /              *
			  |               /               *
			  |             /               **
			  |           /               **
			  |         /               **
			  |       /              ***
			  |     /           ****    GUS
			  |   /        ****
			  | /********
			  +------------------------------------
			  0                                  127
						  Volume Setting

What vmap does is remap the volume changes and key velocities in the
MIDI file so that the notes will play with the same relatively volume
on the GUS as on the Rolands.  The formula used is:

				   V' = log(V + 1) * 127 / log(128)

A remapped Roland file will sound "fuller" than on the GUS than the
original.

INSTRUCTIONS

To use vmap, invoke it at the command line as follows:

	vmap in.mid out.mid

Vmap will then remap in.mid and output the result as out.mid.  (Of
course, you can substitute your own filenames for in.mid and out.mid.)
Don't try specifying the same file for in.mid and out.mid.

Remapping a .mid written specifically for the GUS or one that has
already been processed by vmap will put the volumes somewhat out of
whack.

BUGS

Vmap has not been tested very thoroughly, so there may be bugs that will
crop up as the program is exposed to .mids more exotic than the ones I
have to test it with.  Bug reports and/or comments can be sent to
my Internet account (ptran@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca).  Particulary, if vmap
reports "Unexpected EOF." when processing a .mid file that you know is
intact, tell me!  There may be several MIDI messages that I don't know
about which can cause vmap to lose its framing.

Phat Tran

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

Date: Mon, 08 Mar 93 21:58:22 CST
From: ZHANG%UKANVM.bitnet@vmd.cso.uiuc.edu
Message-Id: <9303090359.AA25676@orca.es.com>
Subject: add-to-list
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

add-to-list

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

Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1993 17:35:58 -0600
From: ken@austin.ibm.com (Ken Goach IBM)
Message-Id: <9303082335.AA16118@daedalus.austin.ibm.com>
Subject: A tip on X-Wing
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

This is gonna be like telling you the sky is blue, but some may
benefit from it.

I was having trouble getting all the sounds with the X-Wing demo.
There are three programs that you run before running the demo -
one's for SB, one for Adlib, and one other (PC speaker) that tell
where sound goes/does setup. Make sure you run these. Things will
work a whole lot better! 

Then again the game is out, so most of what I said is moot.

Happy trails,

Ken

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

Date: Mon, 8 Mar 1993 23:33:42 GMT
From: bjornhk@dhhalden.no (BJORN HAAVARD KLEVEN)
Message-Id: <bjornhk.170.731633622@dhhalden.no>
Subject: Building layered Patches for GUS
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

In article <nofsinger_c-040393100907@meded5.med.upenn.edu> nofsinger_c@a1.mscf.upenn.edu (Chuck Nofsinger) writes:
>From: nofsinger_c@a1.mscf.upenn.edu (Chuck Nofsinger)
>Subject: Building layered Patches for GUS
>Date: 4 Mar 93 15:08:33 GMT
>I bought a GUS from the suggestions in this news group.  Unfortunately it 
>doesn't even approach the sound quality of real sampling synths, eg the 
>ASR10, K2000 etc.  

Is it your own samples that sound bad? Remember that the GUS can currently 
only sample with 8 bit resolution! The 'real sampling synths' you refer to 
probably use 16 bits, and thus gives a much better result!

>
>As they say, caveat emptor, and at this price... In any case I'm wondering
>if
>I can salvage my investment by building real patches with velocity switched
>waves etc.
>
>Is there any software that will help with this? Or is there some other card
>that will let me do what I want?

Patch editors from several parties will be available. They will allow you 
to use 16-bit samples from another source to create patches for the GUS 
synth. The 16-bit daughterboard is scheduled for mid Apri, and I've 
reason to believe hey'll make it on time this time!

	 -=* Bjorn :: bjornhk@dhhalden.no
   ACCESS DATA :: TEL: (+47)-9-17 50 48/61-97 311 FAX: 61-97 312
				  BBS: 61-97 945 300-14400 bps, 24 hrs

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

Date: Mon, 8 Mar 93 17:02:45 EST
From: ccastge@prism.gatech.edu
Message-Id: <199303082202.AA03660@prism>
Subject: Cakewalk + GUS = silence :(
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

   Has anyone been able to get CakeWalk for Windows, v1.00, to work with the
GUS?  I have the most recent windoze drivers installed (I believe), and I've
tried selecting Ultrasound Synth, Ultrasound Midi, and Microsoft MidiMappper,
all to no avail... i.e., no sound ever comes out from Cakewalk. I've even
tried loading patches manually with Patch Manager, and playing files w/media
player first (which actually plays the files), but still Cakewalk remains
silent.

Anyone have any clues/ideas?  I've used IRQ 5 and 7, and DMA 1 so far... Tho
I doubt thats the prob... (oh, and GF1 IRQ 11).


ccastge@prism.gatech.edu         | Why are we here?              --Neil Peart
a.k.a., Guy Elden Jr.            |   Because we're here...       ------------
Currently being 'frizzle-fried'  | Why does it happen?
in the CS realm...               |   Because it happens...  Roll the Bones...

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

Date: Mon, 8 Mar 93 8:57:10 MST
From: Stuart Yoshida <yoshida@elektra.fc.hp.com>
Message-Id: <9303081557.AA08928@elektra.fc.hp.com>
Subject: Check out a GUS at Best Buy...
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

  I went to Best Buy on last Friday (5 March) just to browse around, and
  I took the opportunity to listen to a GUS with some of the new
  unreleasd patches (Gravis sends a demo pack to Best Buy stores which
  contains a portion of the new GM set).  My first reaction was that if
  this is what we can expect from the released patches, there'll be a
  lot of ecstatic people out there!

  The music was excellent; the drums were crisp, and the guitar samples
  were convincing (especially when the notes *weren't* being
  pitch-bent).  All this through some cheesey self-powered speakers, and
  without any type of effects processing!  I'm drooling just thinking
  about running the GUS with the new patches through my rig...

  Hey Gravis, where are those patches?! :-) :-)

--

  Stuart Yoshida

Internet: yoshida@elektra.fc.hp.com
   Voice: (303) 229-2324

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

Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1993 01:43:23 -0500 (EST)
From: Benoit Fiset <fiset@CAM.ORG>
Message-Id: <199303090643.AA14943@Altitude.CAM.ORG>
Subject: Check SBOS via Batch file
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

Hi GUS users,

 Has anybody have an idea to check if SBOS is loaded. I need this in a
 batch file (With Errorlevels)


 Thanks for your answers !



Ben Fiset

(fiset@Altitude.CAM.ORG)

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

Date: Mon, 08 Mar 93 13:05:05 -0500
From: "It's your hand, Buckaroo" <dantonio@magick.tay2.dec.com>
Message-Id: <9303081805.AA14320@magick.tay2.dec.com>
Subject: Chipsets 
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

> Apparently, the GUS is among 4 cards which use the Ensoniq chipset
> (the Ensoniq DOC-II, if I remember).

No, the GUS doesn't use the DOC-II, it uses a custom ASIC (the GF1).
However, they did license some firmware from Ensoniq if I remember
correctly...

DDA

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

Date: 8 Mar 93 16:41:33 -0400
From: dodson@ac.dal.ca
Message-Id: <1993Mar8.164133.11841@ac.dal.ca>
Subject: GUS: Names of future releases to support it?
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

Does anyone out there have that list of titles which will be supporting 
the GUS?  I remember it from about a week ago, but didn't extract it.  
Anyway, now I have gotten myself into this string over in ...games ; someone
asking which card they should buy.  methinks I have gotten under the ire 
of every SBPro owner on the face of the earth.  But I am having fun, and 
doing my good deed for the day, so it would be nice to have this list to 
refer to...
 
Thanks!  Bruce          dodson@ac.dal.ca      "IN GUS WE TRUST"
 

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

Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1993 20:46:46 -0500 (EST)
From: kekims@ultb.isc.rit.edu (Ken Kindler)
Message-Id: <9303080146.AA15511@ultb.isc.rit.edu>
Subject: GUS cohabitating with the SB
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

	Hi all. I think I've seen people mentioning that they have their SB
or SBPro in their PC with a GUS (Everybody following all those acronyms?)
Anyways, I know the manual says you can't have them both installed in
the same machine and I wanted to hear about other peoples experiences
before I tried this. If this is possible, or even if it isn't, maybe
this should be added to the FAQ.
	I love the GUS, but I'd rather just use the old SB for games until
the SBOS situation gets stabilized. Thanks all...
-- 
Ken Kindler -- KEKIMS@ULTB.ISC.RIT.EDU

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

Date: Mon, 8 Mar 93 1:48:37 EST
From: dionf@ERE.UMontreal.CA (Francois Dion)
Message-Id: <9303080648.AA24304@brise.ERE.UMontreal.CA>
Subject: New wavetable text
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

I got some suggestions and stuff for the wavetable.txt file, so i made some
midifications, and added some vital information on the GUS. I also tried to
delimitate what is done in hardware. Flames to /dev/nul, comments to me.

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: Mon, 8 Mar 93 1:52:28 EST
From: dionf@ERE.UMontreal.CA (Francois Dion)
Message-Id: <9303080652.AA24346@brise.ERE.UMontreal.CA>
Subject: New wavetable text
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

Sorry, i forgot: it's on epas. If you want a copy because you dont have ftp,
ask me. Now, what's the most important thing next? I have some running
projects, but dont know what i should finish first. Patches?

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: Sun, 7 Mar 1993 10:19:08 -0800
From: Eric N. Liao <liaoe@aero.org>
Message-Id: <199303071819.AA22457@aerospace.aero.org>
Subject: SBOS 1.42B2
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

I've tried the new SBOS with several games.  I noticed that SBOS 1.42 does not
always "activate" corretly.  As a matter of fact, it is rather consistent in
not loading correctly with X-Wing and Dune II.

With Dune II, first, I load SBOS.  THen, I run DUNE II, and I get NO digitized
sound effects.  After exiting, and running Dune II for the 2nd time, I get
the digitized sound effects.

With X-Wing, the problem is nearly identical.  Right after loading SBOS, I
run X-Wing.  It seems to hang, but pushing esc several times and waiting a
little bit will pop up the menu.  After exiting to DOS, and re-running X-Wing,
the music & sfx work fine.  During the game, the tie-fighter noise really
slows down the system.  THis is on a 486sx-33, so I'd hate to see it on a
386sx.

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

Date: 8 Mar 93 12:07:46 
From: Simon Whittaker <SWHITTAK@gst-soft.demon.co.uk>
Message-Id: <9303081247.aa06385@gate.demon.co.uk>
Subject: SBOS Game Support
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

Yo!!

Did somebody mention that a game included its own SBOS patch(es) ? If
so, what was this game ?

I understand that the people at these Game Software companies have so
many bits to add/fix that adding GUS support it just one item on a
list of many things. I think that that Gravis could help things by
having a fully operational card and S/W and tech support, making the
whole GUS business a whole lot more respectable. Perhaps a good place
to start for GUS games support, would be to release SBOS patches ?

TTFN

Simon







=====================================================================
Simon Whittaker                                 GST Software PLC
Software Engineer                               Meadow Lane
Research and Development                        St. Ives
												Huntingdon
email : swhittak@gst-soft.demon.co.uk           Cambridgshire
voice : +44 (0)480 496789  ext 2204             PE17 4LG
fax   : +44 (0)480 496189                       England

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

Date: Sun, 7 Mar 93 15:37:17 EST
From: Mike Ellis <mikee@seas.gwu.edu>
Message-Id: <9303072037.AA10093@sparko.gwu.edu>
Subject: SQ5 Works just fine for me..... Here is HOW.
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

I had the same problems with lockups where sound would just continue to play
even though the game had actually DIED.

try loading your SBOS with a -o2 -x3. (the -o2 should do it).

I used 1.20 which worked fine.
1.42B gave inferior sound, so I switched back.

have fun,

	MikeE

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

Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1993 14:34:21 -0400 (EDT)
From: Carl Litt <litt3509@mach1.wlu.ca>
Message-Id: <Pine.3.05.9303071412.A21441-9100000@mach1.wlu.ca>
Subject: Ultrasound Daily Digest V2 #63
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

> Gossip item 2:  The reason that Sierra isn't supporting GUS is that it is 
> the owner of the "Aria" chipset, the newest thing on the market.  It's much
> more expensive, but it has a DSP built into it.  I could be wrong (maybe they
> aren't affiliated with Sierra Semiconductors).

Sierra On-line has no connection with Sierra Semiconductors.  Sierra
Semiconductors is most well known for the 24-bit Hi-color DAC chip found in
most new hi-end video cards.

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

Date: 8 Mar 93 10:07:52 U
From: "Wallace Poulter" <wallace_poulter@inbox_router.kerner.com>
Message-Id: <9303081812.AA00985@kerner.com>
Subject: Ultrasound Daily Digest V2 #63
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

In response to your letter received Sun, Mar 7, 1993 at 2:57 AM

Good Morning all,
Just wanted to let you know that while you can send LucasArts e-mail at the
address listed in Sunday's Digest, we do get the Digest every day as we are
interested in keeping up with what is going on in GUS land.

Wol@LucasArts

	 *     *     *     *     *

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

Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1993 22:47:02 PST
From: Bob Tinsman <bobti@sco.COM>
Message-Id: <9303072247.aa25345@scooa.sco.com>
Subject: Ultrasound Daily Digest V2 #63
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

> Sorry to say I had the same problem.  I had one of the first 486-33
> motherboards out, Intel chipset.  System consistantly hung at random
> places in mididemo.

Hmmm, that sounds familiar. I paid $149 over a year ago for this 486/33
motherboard (no CPU--that was $440!) that was "last year's model" at 
the time. Intel chipset. The thing is, it's worked fine until I put 
the darn GUS in it. It will hang in mididemo like yours and it will also
hang after just a couple playfiles. And when it hangs, even resetting 
it won't work--I have to turn it off. 
...
> 
> Things to ask...
> 
> 
>   Ask them to look in the manual for the motherboard and tell you if
> they find anything (unless they already know) about UNIX compatible.
> If it's there, that's a good indication of a solid motherboard.  You
> could pick up the most recent Unix Hardware Buyers Guide from
> news.answers.  That will give you some good advice and background (if
> you can't get it email me and I'll send you my relatively recent copy).

HAH!! I've run SCO Unix, including the beta Open Desktop 3.0, without a 
hitch, on this board. In fact, I've been working for SCO support for 
2 1/2 years and doing Unix support for 5 years. I've very rarely seen 
cards that have caused a lockup so bad you can't reset the computer. I'm
sorry, but the GUS card is very picky about what motherboard it's in.
Normally, you are correct about the fact that if a motherboard can run
Unix, it's pretty solid. I don't know what kind of demands GUS is making
on my motherboard that it can't satisfy, but I wish there were some
"known good" motherboards that were fairly cheap. Even better, I wish
that Gravis had done a little bit more testing on the different kinds
of motherboards out there and made fewer assumptions about their specs.

So, does anyone have a favorite 486/33 motherboard that works well with
the GUS that only costs around $150 w/o CPU? Actually, it would be pretty
cool to have local bus, or is that too much to ask for that price?

Bob

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

Date: 08 Mar 1993 08:27:54 -0500 (EST)
From: DEATH BEFORE DISCO <JKS4675@ritvax.isc.rit.edu>
Message-Id: <01GVK4VRU3FM95O221@ritvax.isc.rit.edu>
Subject: X-Wing woes continue...
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <ultrasound@dsd.es.com>

After reading the useful info about not having enough of the 640K limit
imposed by Lord Gates and his merry minions, I got about 620K of lower
DOS off a boot disk. Still no sound blaster, on any version of SBOS.

I NEED digitized voices...If I go too long, parts of me shrivel up  :-)

Seriously, the only clue is that I'm occasionally unable to unload
SBOS using the "-f" switch.

HELP!!!

Jeff

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

End of Ultrasound Daily Digest V2 #64
******************************
