Ultrasound Daily Digest Mon, 26 Apr 1993 Volume 3 : Issue 26 Today's Topics: 2nd Attempt - Alone In The Dark 2nd Attempt - Cakewalk Dune II and SBOS Dune II Problems with my Soundblaster Blow... Memory Problems Miscellaneous GUS for music things StarCon II Ultrasound Daily Digest V3 #23 Ultrasound Daily Digest V3 #24 Ultrasound Daily Digest V3 #25 unsubscribe once 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: Mon, 26 Apr 93 00:22:19 +0200 From: chief@lysator.liu.se Subject: 2nd Attempt - Alone In The Dark Message-ID: <9304252222.AA13700@ruben.lysator.liu.se> In GUS Digest Vol.3 #20 whubis@teal.csn.org (Walter A. Hubis) writes: >> Has anyone else had any problems with the GUS with the >>Alone in the Dark demo? When I choose digitized sound effects with >>the Soundblaster DMA, I get this strange garbage out of my speakers, >>it sounds almost like a voice talking backwards. The music is >>fine, but the digitized sound effects all sound like garbage. [stuff deleted] >> Installed the new installation disks (2.01) >> Installed the new SBOS (2.04) Finally! Another voice, except mine (which no-one noticed) about ALONE! Yes, yes, yes! After installing the new set of disks and SBOS 2.04, those backward-talking sounds appear. It has nothing to do with DOS 6.0 or the amount of memory on the GUS unfortunately. I have tried everything I could think of to fix this, but the only remedy is to use them old SBOS drivers. 1.22 works best for me. What on earth did you do to SBOS Gravis? > Anyone else had problems with Doublespace? Does it use a DMA channel? Like I said, it isn't DOS 6.0 at all that causes these mysterious satanists (haha) in ALONE IN THE DARK. It's the new set of disks together with SBOS 2.04. markus@info.umoncton.ca (PAULIN MARC Y.) wrote: > Remember, select SoundBlaster WITH NO DMA!!! ____ Are you kidding me? I don't want the game to be last in a race with a turtle! It's so S-L-O-W without DMA, and the effects always come too late without DMA. Go for working & tested versions of SBOS (like ye good old v1.22) and DMA. That's what works best for me at least. -/- Erik ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Apr 93 00:21:39 +0200 From: chief@lysator.liu.se Subject: 2nd Attempt - Cakewalk Message-ID: <9304252221.AA13694@ruben.lysator.liu.se> In GUS Digest Vol.3 #20 CHRIS FORGERON writes: > I've hear~rd much about this piece of software, but have yet to come across > it. Can anyone tell me a FTP site where this is, or other means of obtaining > this software? Cakewalk [pro] is a commercial MIDI Sequencer that runs under Windoze (these days it does at least) from Twelve Tone Systems, Inc. (I believe). A demo circulated on the net a year or so ago, but I haven't seen it since. I guess you'll have to contact your local dealer, or call them directly. I don't have their phone number, sorry. -/- Erik ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Apr 1993 12:35:15 -0700 From: Eric N. Liao Subject: Dune II and SBOS Message-ID: <199304251935.AA05631@aerospace.aero.org> Someone said he couldn't get Dune II to function correctly with SBOS. Just wondering, are you using an EMS manger like QEMM 6.0x? I remember that with QEMM loaded, the digitzied sounds worked fine (SBOS 2.04), however at the end of the mission, the game just hung. The guy is supposed to say "You have completed your mission", but instead it hangs. When I just use HIMEM.SYS, I don't have this problem. However, I have to "fight" in order to get 600,000 bytes free, otherwise there is no music. Hope this helps. The vulcan gun noise is WAY OFF from the genuine Soundblaster (in Strike Commander), otherwise I think the music is pretty similar. At times it sounds better than a SB, at times the GUS with SBOS sounds worse. ------------------------------ Date: 25 Apr 1993 22:05:43 -0400 (EDT) From: PIRHANA MASTER Subject: Dune II Problems with my Soundblaster Blow... Message-ID: <01GXFZGHFDDU9EDSWA@ritvax.isc.rit.edu> It's interesting to read about the lockups in Dune II whenever you install the radar outpost. I have the same problem--this was after I applied the patch to upupgrade to v1.07; get in touch with me directly. PS-Are you using OS/2?? That may be a partial cause. I am, if that matters Jeff ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Apr 93 0:40:19 PDT From: Vincent Poy Subject: Memory Problems Message-ID: <9304250740.AA12794@nic.cerf.net> Well, I hope someone can help me out, I bought memory for the GUS to upgrade it to 1 MEG from 256K base memory... Well, I'm having the following problem, with both GUSDRAM.EXE (GUS DRAM Tester), GUS Disk v2.05 Setup Diagnostic DRAM Testing Utility, GUSTEST (GUS Tester): I bought (6) NMBS Part Number: AAA1M304P-08 (44256-08) 80ns DRAM chips.... I installed all six off them and when I run the test, it usually reports that the DRAM test failed.. then I remove two chips from Bank 4 and the entire test passes so I brought those two chips back to the store and exchange it for another two and then installed it and the same thing happened on the DRAM test. so once again, I brought two chips back and exchange them again for two new ones and the same thing happened again... This happened for two more times so I finally decided to ask people in this channel if they are having the same problem as I am.. I was won- dering if it is the brand of the chips..... My GUS came with NEC 80ns DRAMS so I was wondering if any of you have the same DRAMS that came with your GUS? Also, which brand of DRAMS have you found the GUS to be compatible with? I'm considering getting Texas Instruments 70ns 44256-07 DRAMS since the GUS Manuals recom- mended Texas Instruments or equivilent fast page mode DRAM chips, anyways, Help!!!!! Your help would be appreciated! Vince ------------------------------ Date: 25 Apr 1993 13:49:28 PST From: chrisw Subject: Miscellaneous GUS for music things Message-ID: <9304252050.AA09873@leland.Stanford.EDU> ------------ Took my GUS back yesterday for a swap to see if I could get one that recorded silence when there was silence (my last one had one of the ADCs moving back and forth between 7A and 7B even with shorted inputs). Unfortunately, my new one does as well, but it's 81 and 80 it moves between and it's the other channel from the first one. This is a big improvement, though, because before it was in the channel used for mono recording and now it's in the one used only for stereo recording. Makes me wonder, though: does my local store just have a bad batch of GUSes or do they all have this problem? I think I've decided to just live with it and wait for the 16-bit board to come out. Speaking of which, wasn't it due out by now? Anyway, a second story: the line input on the GUS IS a proper line input level. If you're having problems getting adequate levels from a CD player going in the line input, it probably means that someone has sold you some leads with built in resistance. They do this because 3.5mm stereo -> RCA plugs is what people might try to use to play back a walkman through a stereo system. Since they would use the headphone out they build in resitance to stop them blowing up the input stages of their amplifiers I guess. Anyway, the bottom line is this. Don't believe that leads that come in a packet that doesn't mention built in resistance will actually not have any built in resistance. THe basic symptom to look for is this. If you plug your CD player into the line in input with the volume on full in a noisy part of a CD this should cause the recording inputs to clip (reach maximum values). If it doesn't, someone may have sold you stupid leads. Or, an alternative test, playing back a CD through the line in input should not result in a lower volume level then playing it back straight into the amplifier. Yet another issue. Someone was asking about whether it was necessary to use the WINDOWS MIDI MAPPER. The basic answer seems to be no, but it all depends on your application software. Cakewalk for Windows does not need the midi mapper: you just set up an MPU-401 and an Ultrasnd as different ports and send the normal 16 midi channels to each of them. I think the Media player or whatever it's called does use it though. Other applications might as well. One last thing: how many voices should you choose to have running in the Windows ultrasnd synth driver? Does it matter at all? And why the cryptic comment about precisely 14 voices on a 386SX? In particular, can anyone tell me why I shouldn't ask to use the full 32??? (I'm using a 486DX33 if it makes a difference). I really can't understand why you get a choice at all: if it's got 32 voices why can't we use 32 voices (less 2 for DACs)? Anyone know anything about this mysterious issue? Any suggestions would be much appreciated, Chris. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Apr 93 13:22:13 PDT From: "JAMES HARGRAVE" Subject: StarCon II Message-ID: <9304252033.AA17884@orca.es.com> Hey, I remember reading something about a patch/fix for StarCon, can any one send me any info on it? I have some weird/neato problems with it. Some times when I'm playing the Super Melee the ships start making the wrong sound, for example just the other day the human ship (when it fire's a missle) made the sound(s) a Pkunk does when it is re-fueling.. it's not THAT anoying and can sometimes be really funny but it would be nice to know if there is a way to fix it. Also, a few days ago I was playing against a friend, the phone rang, so either we paused the game (or maybe we just let the game sit at the ship choosing screen, ie. one of us had just died).. any way to cut a long story short the game was silent for about 5-10 mins and then suddenly started playing every sound starcon has all in a row, it scared the crap out of my friend. Other then these 2 small problems Star Control 2 is debateably the best game I've ever played, so if any one has any ideas how I could fix these 2 problems please let me know.. Thanks -James ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- D1140167@bcit.bc.ca -or- 1:153/769@fidonet.org -or- BBS:(604)261-6144/5735 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Apr 93 0:43:02 PDT From: Vincent Poy Subject: Re: Ultrasound Daily Digest V3 #23 Message-ID: <9304250743.AA12815@nic.cerf.net> > Date: Fri, 23 Apr 93 13:26:56 CDT > From: ddebry@itchy (Dave DeBry) > Subject: Readers in the San Francisco area? > Message-ID: <9304231926.AA07867@itchy> > > I've always wanted to meet readers from the list, and now I > have the chance. > > I'm going to be in the San Francisco Bay area on May 4-6. If > any of you are out there and would like to get in touch, let me know. > (Essentially, I'm going to have a lot of free time out there and I > don't know anyone in the area, so I'm looking for something to do. :) > > I could make T-shirts... > > > > Dave DeBry 1993 World Tour > > May 4,5,6 San Francisco & the Bay area > > > ;-) > > Well, I'm in San Francisco and would be glad to meet you! :) ------------------------------ Date: 26 Apr 93 14:35:56 U From: "zz Paul Murgatroyd" Subject: Re: Ultrasound Daily Digest V3 #24 Message-ID: <9304260437.AA06821@kirk.bu.oz.au> >Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1993 19:03:01 -0700 >From: Eric N. Liao >Subject: Strike Commander and SBOS >Message-ID: <199304240203.AA13992@aerospace.aero.org> >Amazingly, Strike Commander works fine with SBOS (at least on my system, a >486sx/33 with 8megs RAM and MSDOS-5, QEMM 6.02, etc.etc.etc) Works on mine as well..(486DX/50, 16 meg RAM, QEMM 6.02). >However, I tried Strike Commander at Egghead, and I did notice one horribly >wrong sound effect. The vulcan gun on SBOS sounds like this horibly high- >pitched whine...worse yet it sounds like it's clipping (too loud for the GF1.) I would think this has quite a bit to do with the SBOS choice od instrument. If Origin had used a digital sound instead, we would not have this problem. >The real noise (on a genuine SB) is a noise that I can only describe as a >repeating drum. It sounds decent, but I liked the gun noise in Jetfighter II >more. I reacquired my Sound Galaxy NX from a friend (I had only lent it to him) when I heard the crappy machine gun noise when using SBOS. I am now using my Sound Galaxy for Strike Commander, and the UltraSound for everything else. >Are their any digital SFX in the game? The only I can find are in the intro. Yes, there are....bombs dropping, missiles firing, targets blowing up, and things of that nature. ------------------------------ Date: 26 Apr 93 14:41:20 U From: "zz Paul Murgatroyd" Subject: Re: Ultrasound Daily Digest V3 #25 Message-ID: <9304260438.AA06838@kirk.bu.oz.au> >Date: Sat, 24 Apr 93 10:24:15 MES >From: fischer@tmpmbx.netmbx.de (Axel Fischer) >Subject: Strike Commander & GUS >Options are -o2 and -p. Funny that...I am using SBOS 2.04, and I needed no options at all. >Absolutly great, digitized speech is great too. Engine noise is a bit >off, but I can live with all. All other things are ok. The gun noise is crap, and the usual problem with odd sounding FM music is evident (ie:it sounds pretty bad in places, like when drums are used). If you dislike the engine noise, you may find the in game music to be more tolerable. >I get the speech package today, but i would guess it will work like SC. Yes, it works with the speech pack, just as you would expect. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 25 Apr 1993 10:59:57 -0400 (EDT) From: Kevin Holly Subject: unsubscribe once Message-ID: I am receiving 2 subscriptions/day. Please unsubscribe one of them. Thanks Kevin ------------------------------ End of Ultrasound Daily Digest V3 #26 ************************************* Digest Address: ultrasound@dsd.es.com To post to tomorrow's digest Request Server Address: ultrasound-request@dsd.es.com To subscribe, unsubscribe, and request files Owner Address: ultrasound-owner@dsd.es.com To contact a human if the server has troubles FTP Sites: archive.epas.utoronto.ca pub/pc/ultrasound wuarchive.wustl.edu systems/msdos/ultrasound