Ultrasound Daily Digest Thu Aug 19 15:32 Volume 5: Issue 18 Today's Topics: A few more patches Bank-switching redux Cakewalk out? Demos that don't work... FILE REQUEST Gratuitous Flame-bait GUS and Syndicate sound - the solution! Maestro 16 sound card MSC Stereo & GUS SBOS & OS/2, Stereo in Win Mod Pro SBOS option parameters for Willy Beamish? Sierra GUS support Stereo? Yeah, maybe... ULTRASOUND DAILY DIGE 1/2 ULTRASOUND DAILY DIGE 2/2 Ultrasound Daily Digest V5 #17 VR Show features GUS (?) WANTED: Keyboard Sololist When will the MAXX be released? WinMod Pro.... 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, 18 Aug 1993 20:54:29 -0400 (EDT) From: dionf@ERE.UMontreal.CA (Francois Dion) Subject: A few more patches Message-ID: <9308190054.AA08840@brise.ERE.UMontreal.CA> On archive.epas.utoronto.ca, you can find: acguit.zip, a multisampled (9 samples) accoustic guitar. Who said you couldn't get more realist guitar patches? BTW, if anybody does a midi file with this with lots of chords, i'd like to hear it... I have not done much real world applications, just playing live a few chords and stuff (very hard to do with a keyboard i must say to simulate the good feel). There are samples of each strings plus a few more in the higher octaves. Unzipped it is in the 400K territory... BTW, who said you couldn't do a patch > 256Kb? Now if only we had the >64kb wavesamples... guns.zip, are 2 .38 pistols and a machine gun (big, like a manual gattling). The .38 is intended to replace instrument 127, which is supposed to be a gunshot. ttone.zip: have fun, these are touch tones :), small but cool. TR707: another bunch of percs from a TR727 Drum machine from Roland. Nice sounding samples, no hiss. More to come... (and i'm looking into the GS controller 0 thingy too!) 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, 19 Aug 93 06:32:33 PDT From: deraud@power.amasd.anatcp.rockwell.com (Robert Lee DeRaud) Subject: Bank-switching redux Message-ID: <9308191332.AA06515@power.amasd.anatcp.rockwell.com> >From: Christopher Jon Wilkins >Subject: Custom patches, banks, etc. >On the topic of how to organise custom patches ... >The current idea being thrown around is to create a `bank loading' >program to swap ultrasnd.ini files. This might be O.K. as a temporary >solution, but I think we should really seriously lobby Gravis to >modify the windows drivers instead. OK, six or seven messages later (I've been gone for a while: jury duty (gag, barf))... >From: Phat H Tran >Subject: Custom patches, Sonic Sound. >Managing custom banks/patches can be quite complicated. If we get to >define multiple banks in ultrasnd.ini, how will we choose among them >in a .mid? We can use controller 0, but then we would have to modify >Media Player and other sequencers to look for it to keep track of >which program calls occurred in which banks so that the correct patches >can be cached. Thus, we will need to ask Twelve Tone, Howling Dog, >MidiSoft, Microsoft, etc., to revise their software to accomodate bank >switching on the GUS. (I'm assuming that current sequencers ignore >controller 0 when scanning for patches to be cached.) Doesn't the GM standard already implement bank switching or is this just a GS (Roland-only) thingy? Note that the controls to handle it are already in Recording Session. This sure looks like a convenient place to hook this stuff in without breaking a lot of existing S/W. ************************************************************************ 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: Wed, 18 Aug 93 08:34:03 EDT From: ciabatto@esc.syr.ge.com (David Ciabattoni) Subject: Cakewalk out? Message-ID: <9308181234.AA19101@escsyr.esc.syr.ge.com> Hi. I remember seeing a few weeks ago that Windows Cakewalk 2.0? is due out, (I thought it was yesterday the 17th). I am just curious if it did actually come out and if someone has purchased it. Does it have the needed patch caching? Also, I bought a crap joystick a year ago and now since I have some time to play games want a REAL joystick that works well with Gus and the Ultrajoy port/software. Can some of you send me the names of the joystick you use and if you like/do NOT like it, so I don't waste my money again. (Ill collect and post a list of my findings is there is not already a list floating around.) Thanx Ciabatto@esc.syr.ge.com ^^^^^ ( . .) ____ -- Dave =oOo=====oOo=== ".. all we are is Dust in the wind" (ohhh, violin solo) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 19 Aug 93 12:21:48 -0400 From: "Momentary language, sexual situations" Subject: Demos that don't work... Message-ID: <9308191621.AA00470@magick.tay2.dec.com> Has anyone had any luck with the emf_ecl.zip demo? All I can get is 'Packed file is corrupt' messages. And no GUS support either. :-) On the same theme, debute_f!.exe runs pretty well until it gets to the "flying through the tunnel of dots" part. The "tunnel" is missing and I just get brief flashes of dots and then an error message, "Can't free up program memory (9" or something like that. Sure enough, tools like Manifest report alot of free memory gone and it takes a reboot to fix it... Am I the only one with these problems? DDA ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Aug 93 06:21:08 From: jason.lin@support.com Subject: FILE REQUEST Message-ID: <9308180621.A4083wk@support.com> File Request: If anyone has a copy of Ultima 7 MIDs(Arranged for GM), could you please send an uuencoded copy to me via email? Thanks in advance.. --- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- = Jason Lin ~Captain Goodnight~ = - Internet: jlin@batpad.org izzyvu9@mvs.oac.ucla.edu - = jason.lin@support.com jlin%ghs.uucp@usc.edu = - Fidonet: 1:102/837 - =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 19 Aug 93 06:33:34 PDT From: deraud@power.amasd.anatcp.rockwell.com (Robert Lee DeRaud) Subject: Gratuitous Flame-bait Message-ID: <9308191333.AA06521@power.amasd.anatcp.rockwell.com> >From: Phat H Tran >Subject: Efficiency in Patches >It's great to see all those new patches people are making. However, they >are usually so BIG! Sometimes they need to be big, but often, better >use of looping, enveloping, and compromises in sampling rate and/or bit >resolution can yield a much smaller patch that sounds nearly as good as >the larger one. [snip] >Envelopes. Remember to use the enveloping and AM/FM features instead >of sampling an entire note complete with sustain and decay. >From: Christopher Jon Wilkins >Subject: Shorter Patches thoughts ... >The general principle of shorter patches is O.K., but I'd like to point out >that AM and particularly FM can chew up a fair bit of CPU time on the GUS. Well, you're both sneaking up on one of my 'hot buttons', so I guess it's time to repost this (originally sent to gus-sdk awhile back). It really is relevant (honest :-)): One of the main problems with sample-playback synths (at least those without extensive and expensive back-end signal processing) is that they cannot emulate classical analog synths worth a damn. The kind of beast I'm talking about typically has MiniMoog somewhere in its gene pool: Signal Generator ---> VCF ---> VCA ---> Output along with LFO's, controller wheels, envelope generators, etc providing "programmable" control inputs to the VCF and VCA. The GUS can do a decent enough job of emulating the VCA since amplitude ramping is available, but it cannot handle the VCF at all: the frequency content of the output is ENTIRELY controlled by the sample being played. The next part of this conversation typically goes like: "Well, get a MiniMoog or Prophet or whatever and sample it!" WRONG! With the exception of some (optional) keyboard-follow effects, the control inputs to the analog synths VCF are INDEPENDENT of the note being played. In particular, the LFO frequency and envelope generator time constants are usually fixed. Playing back the samples at various pitches makes these emulated controls appear to follow the pitch. E.g. if the sample is played back an octave higher than recorded, the LFO seems to be running twice as fast and the envelope reaches its release point at half the expected time. The only way out of this is to multi-sample AT EVERY NOTE! (So when is the 8MB "SuperGUS" coming out?) [An aside: anyone truly serious about synthesizers owes it to him/herself to sit down and fool around with an older analog synth at least once. But be warned, the knob/slider twiddling can be truly addictive!] So...the whole point of this is the question: can a GUS emulate a VCF by using what amounts to a two-dimensional sample? If we have a bunch (say 512) of small, simple waveform tables (say 512 samples each), that's one 256K memory bank. Each table has a different frequency content, i.e. it corresponds to a different VCF setting. The idea is to switch from table to table while the note is playing to emulate the VCF, in the same way that the amplitude is changed to emulate the VCA. But can the sample base address be twiddled this way without generating an ugly assortment of clicks and pops? (Note that the table OFFSET is not modified, so there is a reasonable continuity in the output sample stream, assuming the wave tables are properly constructed.) [Another annoying aside: I THINK this is how the Fairlight worked, but since they cost >$30K, I never got one to use at home :-)] Comments? -------------------- (I went away for awhile, but I'm back now...) This whole subject is an ENORMOUS can of worms, especially as regards compatability - I've stayed away from it in the digest, not wishing to provide irresistable flame-bait to the gamers, MOD fanatics, and SBOS twiddlers. :-) What we REALLY need is source code to the Windows driver. There is really only a very loose connection between the (current) GUS patch format and the ultimate capabilities of the underlying H/W model. I'm very much afraid that the GUS will get locked into a patch model without layering, velocity mapping (using different sample sets or subpatches as volume increases) and other such stuff that (I think) the H/W will support. ************************************************************************ 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, 19 Aug 93 09:16:53 EST From: David Mitchell Subject: GUS and Syndicate sound - the solution! Message-ID: <9308182318.AA28444@hp.com> Some time ago I asked how to get digitized sound working with Syndicate - music worked without a worry, but sounds were "off". Last night I stumbled on a solution (courtesy of one of my workmates with a PAS-16, who had the same trouble): - YOU NEED TO SET THE INTERRUPT IN BOTH THE BLASTER AND ULTRASND VARIABLES TO 7 (AS OPPOSED TO 5) I did this, ran SBOS, ran GUS-SYND and voila! Windows rattling all round the house, dogs in my neighbourhood started barking, traffic ground to a halt... time to drop the volume! I tried making a .BAT file to do all this, then restore BLASTER and ULTRASND after exiting Synd back to their normal values, but SBOS seemed to kill the .BAT file in its tracks. I spent, oh, maybe 30 seconds on this...I'll look at it again one day. For all those having the same problem, this fix worked for me. Dave Mitchell ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1993 10:55:39 +0200 From: Guido.VanDenBerghe@esat.kuleuven.ac.be Subject: Maestro 16 sound card Message-ID: <9308180855.AA12100@updike.esat.kuleuven.ac.be> Hi All, A few days ago I bought a MAESTRO 16 sound card. It comes with an ARIA chip and a DSP, 1/2 Mbyte rom sounds, a MPU 401 comp. Midi interface, an adaptec scsiII controller. It has a 16 bit DAC and a 10 bit ADC. The card should be adlib and soundblaster compatible. The rom is upgrad. to 1 Mbyte. It has no stereo line out, only a stereo amplified out. (270 US$, incl tax.) I was mainly interested in the aria synthesizer. It sounds AWESOME, even my old MT32 sounds better. I also have a Roland E-70 (Sound Canvas). I wonder if someone can tell me how close the GUS is to the SC ? Where in Belgium, Holland can I get a GUS or at least listen to it ? Everything on the Maestro 16 sound card is good, except the sound of the ARIA synthesizer! If you want a card with a good scsi (e.g. better than a future domain scsi) controller, a real mpu 401 compatible midi interface (exactly the same as my roland mpu interface), soundbl compatibility consider such a card. If you want a good synthesizer-card, just forget it. Ciao, Guido. guido.vandenberghe@esat.kuleuven.ac.be ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Aug 93 15:56:08 +0200 From: eralh@eras70.ericsson.se (Lars Hansson R/UP) Subject: Re: MSC Stereo & GUS Message-ID: <9308181356.AA06840@eras70> If you want to use MSC stereo with your GUS you need an update from Animotion. According to the manula you are supposed to be able to reach them on CI$, bau I havent found them there. The best way of obtaining the update is to call their BBS at (205) 591 57 95 (or 57 15, Im not sure which is the the voice and which is the data one). --- Lars Hansson Ericsson Radio Systems AB, Sweden "Steve Jobs new wife were prety sad, when she, at their wedding nigth realized why his company is called Microsoft" ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1993 14:45:48 -0400 (EDT) From: Phat H Tran Subject: SBOS & OS/2, Stereo in Win Mod Pro Message-ID: > Date: Tue, 17 Aug 93 08:34:33 EDT > From: High-IQ male seeks multiplicative inverse > Subject: Does anybody listen to this from Gravis? > Message-ID: <9308171229.AA09751@easynet.crl.dec.com> > > It seems that there are so many people asking about SBOS and > OS/2.... > > 1) Why doesn't it work? > > 2) Why can't it be made to work? Since the really well-written DOS apps > have no trouble running in OS/2, doesn't this point a finger at SBOS? > Is there any way to get a driver written so we can at least get digital > audio and let a different driver handle the music? > SBOS uses the NMI, and OS/2 doesn't like that. > Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1993 00:01:26 -0600 (CDT) > From: ddebry@grue.dsd.ES.COM (Dave DeBry) > Subject: Win Mod Pro -- no stereo? > Message-ID: <9308180601.AA29359@grue> > > Ok, I'll bite. What am I doing wrong that makes WinMod Pro > not work in stereo mode with a GUS? When I turn Stereo on, I get > absolutely no sound from the UltraSound. Any hints? > You have to choose a playback rate of 11025, 22050 or 44100, as those are the only rates at which the GUS will handle interleaved stereo. Phat. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Aug 93 11:08:00 PDT From: "Tamashiro, Joey" Subject: SBOS option parameters for Willy Beamish? Message-ID: <2C7270BE@felix> Anyone out there have the CD game "Willy Beamish"? Before I start experimenting to find the right combination which works, I thought someone might have already gone through this excercise. The problem is with the speech. Most speech segments cut out portions and also repeat portions like there is an echo. Thanks. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1993 03:23:06 -0400 (EDT) From: Phat H Tran Subject: Sierra GUS support Message-ID: After hearing that Sierra plan on supporting the GUS, the naysayers came back with "that'll only be through Windows." So I checked up with the CIS rep again, and here was his reply: >Date: 18 Aug 93 02:15:24 EDT >From: Sierra On-Line <76004.2143@CompuServe.COM> >To: >Subject: Ultrasound again > >Hi, > >>I hear that the support will only be through Windows. > >Nope, the driver will be for DOS, Windows programs should work now >with the GUS as long as the drivers are setup and the right patches >are loaded. > > >Happy Gaming! > >- Chris/Sierra On-Line Tech Support Phat. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 19 Aug 93 06:33:06 PDT From: deraud@power.amasd.anatcp.rockwell.com (Robert Lee DeRaud) Subject: Stereo? Yeah, maybe... Message-ID: <9308191333.AA06518@power.amasd.anatcp.rockwell.com> >From: FINK_MARTIN/HP2000_13@idacom.hp.com >Subject: No Stereo-In in WINDOWS >Well I hope the folks at Gravis are listening to this >one. >I just bought a microphone at Radio Shack. I made sure >it was the stereo one ( it's actualy got two mic heads >on it). I used the sound recorder in WINDOWS to record >my daughter, to find out only the left side of the mic >was working. At first I thought I had a defective mic >and then a deffective GUS. I tried using the DOS based >'playfile' that came with 2.06 disks, and it worked fine. This is PROBABLY a hardware problem: as good as the functional (i.e. electronic) part of the GUS is (IMHO), the mechanical part well and truly sucks. I chased a similar problem for days on the output side and traced it down to the connector socket on the back of the card: wiggling the cable is often enough to make the left channel drop out even though the plug is fully seated. Three of the four sockets feel somewhat loose. Also, the MIDI connector widget has no tiedown screws on the GUS-end connector: it just sort of HANGS there. Somebody saved a couple pennies per unit...which I then spent for duct tape! Sometimes the obvious thing isn't... ************************************************************************ 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: Wed, 18 Aug 93 13:47:34 From: john.smith@gravis.com Subject: ULTRASOUND DAILY DIGE 1/2 Message-ID: <9308181347.A2600wk@gravis.com> ----------------------------- >From: High-IQ male seeks multiplicative inverse > Subject: Does anybody listen to this >from Gravis? > It seems that there are so many people asking about SBOS and >OS/2.... >1) Why doesn't it work? >2) Why can't it be made to work? Since the really well-written DOS apps > have no trouble running in OS/2, doesn't this point a finger at >SBOS? > Is there any way to get a driver written so we can at least get >digital > audio and let a different driver handle the music? ----------------------------- No we never read the digest Actually it is printed and posted on our cork board nearly every day. Remember SBOS uses the NMI (Non-maskable int.). OS/2 is a protected envir. which does a great job of protecting other applications from programs which try to remap/reroute interrupts. But it can't handle the NMI. Hence SBOS won't work properly under OS/2. If you are wondering why we use the NMI here is my standard answer about SBOS and the NMI. NMI stands for Non Maskable Interrupt. When an NMI is generated the PC will finish executing its current instruction then go and handle whatever called the NMI. This is usually caused by the parity checking circuitry of your PC when an ONBOARD PARITY ERROR has occured. SBOS requires a way of latching onto the PC in such a way that games won't interfere with it. By hooking onto the NMI, SBOS has a chance to run. This type of emulation works great for any games that don't try and do something wierd with the NMI (F15 II for instance). There was problems with older versions of SBOS (1.x) where the user would get NO sound at all out of SBOS. This was eventually narrowed down to an NMI problem with a FEW motherboards. It seems the NMI never got generated on these PC's or if it did the CPU wasn't responding to them. Hence, SBOS never had a chance to run. So instead of SBOS simply giving the user NO sound it gives users the following message, "NMI procedure on this P.C. is disabled". The only known ways to correct this problem are to: 1) Make sure the parity circuitry on your PC is enabled. This can usually be done by making sure PARITY is enabled in your extended CMOS 2) Replace the motherboard. NOTE: You don't need to replace the CPU. A new motherboard will range from $100-400 on average. Remember, there is nothing wrong with your GUS or SBOS. SBOS is simply reporting a problem which has always existed with your PC and is just bringing it to light. Hope this helps. John Side Note: Regarding the NMI error on Tandy 4850EP's (486DX2/50): Under the power supply there is a bank of four DIP switches. According to the Tandy tech manual, DIP 1 is marked "Reserved for factory use"...in fact this switch enables the parity checking for on board memory. Thus solving the NMI problem. ====================== Thought I should make you all aware of what has been happening in the last little while. NEW GRAVIS NODE APPLICATION =========================== I released a new Authorized Gravis Node application kit called GRAV-APP.ZIP. This has been updated to take into account SBCNET, new worldwide hosts and new policies. If you are interested in becoming a Gravis node please take a look at this file. You can download it from our BBS or any of our Gravis nodes. | Authorized Gravis BBS Nodes List | as of | July 15, 1993 | Name Location Node No. BBS Phone No. Speed ============================================================================= Advanced Gravis Burnaby, Canada *1:153/978 (604) 431-5927 V32bis | *13:900/3 | *94:850/103 | %gravis.com Deep Cove BBS White Rock, Canada 1:153/915 (604) 536-5859 DS MIDI 1040 Vancouver, Canada 1:153/7040 (604) 732-4446 V32bis Infinite Dreams Vancouver, Canada 1:153/7042 (604) 733-6432 DS | (604) 733-8193 V32bis WolfPack Richmond, Canada 1:153/811 (604) 275-3047 DS T-8000 Info. System Calgary, Canada *1:134/160 (403) 686-2236 DS16.8 | t8000.cuc.ab.ca (403) 246-4487 V32bis | ftpmail@t8000.cuc.ab.ca (403) 686-0816 V32bis Download Dungeon Ontario, Canada 1:229/318 (705) 749-3233 V32bis | (705) 749-2345 V32bis | (705) 749-9632 V32bis Super Sonic Ontario, Canada 1:250/722 (416) 225-2872 2400 | (416) 225-8942 DS QWERTY Quebec, Canada 1:167/625 (514) 473-9357 V32bis The Sound Barrier New York, USA 13:420/0 (718) 979-6629 DS | (718) 979-9406 V32bis Music Connection Texas, USA (Plano) 1:124/3109 (214) 596-2827 DS | 1:124/3110 (214) 964-3743 V32 CyberSpace - The Matrix Texas, USA(Carrol) 1:124/6201 (214) 394-9339 V32bis | 13:100/22 JoyFull Noise Oregon, USA *1:105/55 (503) 335-9600 &DS | *1:105/5 (503) 335-3053 ZV32bis I can 'C' Clearly Now! Iowa, USA 1:290/102 (515) 472-3651 V32bis Open Access BBS Norway, Europe 2:210/18 +47-61-97945 V32bis The 1st Dutch MIDI BBS Netherland, Europe 2:281/610 +31-85811892 V32bis Geniaal BBS 2 Netherland, Europe 14:1000/3 +31-2290-43038 V32bis | +31-2290-45816 V32bis New Age System Estonia, Europe 2:490/12 +372-2-606319 V32bis StarPort Finland, Europe 2:220/630 +358-0-804-4626 DS | +358-0-804-1133 2400 StarFire Germany, Europe 2:2400/105 +49-9131-538303 V32bis AWAX-CBL Moscow, Europe 2:5020/105 +7-095201-5115 ZV32bis MultiMedia Singapore, Asia 6:600/408 +65-2521220 ZV32bis Paranoimia-Art of Noise Victoria,Australia 3:635/541 +61-3-379-7041 V32 | Files Only ============================================================================= UltraSound Connection Florida, USA (813) 787-8644 DS Logical Solutions Calgary, Canada 1:134/10 (403) 299-9923 V32bis TechTalk Calgary, Canada 1:134/40 (403) 280-4938 V32bis P.O.P. Finland, Europe 2:221/119 +358-18-550136 DS | +358-18-550982 DS ============================================================================= NOTE(S): - All systems are No Parity, 8 Data Bits, 1 Stop bit (N81) | - All systems are online 24 hours/day | - Speeds: V32bis - 14,400 bits per second (CCITT standard) | HST - 14,400/16,800 bits per second (US Robotics Prop.) | DS - 14,400/16,800 bits per second (HST/V32bis) | - * - Files are File Requestable | - % - EMail Only. No FTP or Telnet. | - & - Does not accept >= 2400 baud calls | - Z - Zyxel (16.8K and 19.2K bps) About the Gravis Nodes ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- All nodes are independent BBSs', and are not run or sponsored by Gravis. As such the logon procedures for each BBS may vary. For instance, some give you immediate access, while others have a probation period which may last several days. All nodes are encouraged to offer all the Gravis files and messages to first time callers but this may not always be the case. If you are interested in becoming an Authorized Gravis Node you may file request or download GRAV-APP.ZIP from the Gravis BBS. Other Sources for UltraSound Files: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | CompuServe: GO PCVENB area #14 71333,350 | GO MACDVEN area #10 75300,733 | FTP Sites: archive.epas.utoronto.ca pub/pc/ultrasound | wuarchive.wustl.edu systems/msdos/ultrasound | Internet EMail: Tech Support 1 (Paul Malcolm) tech1@gravis.com | Tech Support 2 (Matthew Arbeid) tech2@gravis.com | Sales sales@gravis.com | Internet: UltraSound Digest: ultrasound%itchy@dsd.es.com | GUS SDK Digest: gus-sdk%itchy@dsd.es.com | To post to tomorrow's digest | Request: Daily Digest Server: ultrasound-request%itchy@dsd.es.com | GUS SDK Digest: gus-sdk-request%itchy@dsd.es.com | To subscribe, unsubscribe, and request files | Owner Address: ultrasound-owner%itchy@dsd.es.com | To contact a human if the server has troubles NOTE: the %itchy and dsd domains will be removed sometime during the beginning | of June. So ultrasound%itchy@dsd.es.com will become ultrasound@es.com. ============================================================================== ALIASES ======= I am still trying to fix the problem with our aliases. IE: tech@gravis.com, sales@gravis.com. We upgraded to a new internet mailer before I went to Finland 4 weeks ago and it seems to still have bugs. I'll let you all know when it is working correctly again. PRESS RELE ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Aug 93 13:47:37 From: john.smith@gravis.com Subject: ULTRASOUND DAILY DIGE 2/2 Message-ID: <9308181347.A2601wk@gravis.com> (Continued from previous message) ============= This is a press release for the MIDI connector box that was originally released to the press on May 24th '93. As you know I hate releasing things before their time. So I've held off releasing this press release until the product actually started shipping. The MIDI connector box started shipping over 3 weeks ago. May 24, 1993 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: TORONTO: AED VANCOUVER: AED OTC BBS: GRVSF Advanced Gravis Introduces UltraSound(tm) MIDI Adapter VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- May 24, 1993 -- Advanced Gravis has just made it easier for users to fully utilize the high quality audio reproduction of their UltraSound audio board with the introduction of the UltraSound MIDI Adapter. The universal UltraSound MIDI Adapter allows users to connect various MIDI devices to the UltraSound board via an attached four foot connector cable, and features MIDI IN, MIDI OUT and MIDI THRU. MIDI Activity Indicator LEDs for MIDI IN and OUT allow users to diagnose problems with the MIDI setup. Two D15 connectors allow the adapter to also be used to connect two joysticks or other controllers. The UltraSound MIDI Adapter is compatible with other sound cards utilizing a D15 connector. According to David Reid, vice president of marketing for Advanced Gravis, "The Gravis MIDI Adapter Box allows us to combine the superior sound quality of wave table synthesis with the large standard of MIDI equipment. Our UltraSound board and MIDI Adapter are the perfect complements to any keyboard, sequencer or other MIDI controller." In addition to UltraSound(tm), Gravis' 16bit CD-quality stereo sound card featuring wave table synthesis and recording, Advanced Gravis Computer Technology Ltd. also designs, manufactures and markets high quality microcomputer input devices, including the Gravis Analog Pro Joystick and GamePad for the IBM platform, and the MouseStick II and GamePad for Macintosh. For more information contact Brad Craig, market development manager for Advanced Gravis at 604/431-5020 ext 1074. TECH NOTE ========= I've been getting some questions about doing simultaneous recording and playback on the UltraSound. I thought I would investigate it and here is what I came up with. TITLE: Advanced Gravis Tech Note #20 AREA: PROGRAMMING DATE: Aug 17, 1993 KEY WORDS: ULTRASOUND PROGRAMMING RECORD PLAYBACK SUBJECT: Simultaneous Record and Playback Yes it is possible to record and playback on the UltraSound simultaneously, but there is some information you should be made aware of. If you enable Mic/Line In and try to play data through the UltraSound at the same time then BOTH channels will be mixed for the final output. There is NO way to disable the Mic/Line in from being passed to the line out. Hence, you can record and playback at the same time but keep in mine what you are trying to record and what you are trying to play through the UltraSound will be mixed by the time it is outputed. You could use this to your advantage however. For example, you could write a recording studio program which would record to disk and while it is recording have the UltraSound verbally tell the user how much disk space they have left. There are no immediate plans to add the feature of recording without monitoring and still have the line out enabled. AWAY FROM THE OFFICE ==================== I'll be in Colorado Springs for a BBS convention from Wed Aug 25th until Tue Aug 31st. Hopefully finding out how to get our BBS connected to the Internet full time . I will also be going in to the hospital on Thur Sept 9th and I am expected to be off work for a week. So it may take a little while for mail to get answered or Gravis news to get released. Thought I should pre-warn you all before all this happens. After all, most of you are my backup . DEMOS & INTROS FROM ASM'93 ========================== We now have most of the intro's from Assembly '93 and some of the demos on the Gravis BBS & nodes. I'm still waiting for the release of UNREAL2 from Future Crew as I'm sure we all are ;-) That's all for now. TTUL John --- ~ QMPro 1.50 05-8925 ~ People say I'm indecisive. Am I? I don't know. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Aug 93 07:18:52 CDT From: rforeman@amoco.com (Rusty Foreman) Subject: Re: Ultrasound Daily Digest V5 #17 Message-ID: <9308181218.AA13121@orca.trc.amoco.com> Please remove me from email list. Thanks ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Aug 93 08:29:55 EDT From: I smell garlic....I'm outta here Subject: VR Show features GUS (?) Message-ID: <9308181149.AA27454@easynet.crl.dec.com> Color me surprised....when I walked into a 'Virtual Reality' show in Boston last night, there were some 486's (loaned by Digital- had to get that in there) running, of all things, PLAYMIDI. Nothing saying that the GUS was inside...the software looked, uh, real familiar. If Digital did a multimedia bundle and the card they used was the GUS, there'd be some more sales... Good to see Digital has chosen the proper soundcard. On a different note, has anybody tried getting a GUS and an SBPro to work at the same time? What things do I need to keep in mind to pull this off?? Any known OS/2 problems? On yet another different note, is there any benefit in putting my GUS into a local bus slot? I know that the card has a 16-bit connector, (local has 32) but will the local slot address the card at the processor speed (33 MHz), rather than the 8MHz ISA bus? On a final different note...as far as the NT drivers for the GUS goes: 1) Do the Windows drivers work? 2) Does SBOS work in a DOS session? NT has been pretty slow in sales here, near Boston....the guy I talked to at Egghead (he was 'aware', i.e., not your typical computer sales type) said they have only sold TWO copies since the retail release. Given the ripples that the Sumitomo factory explosion caused, RAM SIMMs have really gone through the roof, and NT wants 16 MB as a minimum. Throw in the fact that the OS costs as much as a GUS (flame me if I'm wrong) and you see you're talking a lot of cash. This has probably taken a chunk of sales. The only people that will use NT for home use are hardcore gadget types (like me) and software developers. This may change over time, but it won't be overnight. NT will not take the industry by storm, at least not in the next six months. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Aug 93 16:22:20 MDT From: Stuart Yoshida Subject: WANTED: Keyboard Sololist Message-ID: <9308182222.AA14054@elektra.fc.hp.com> Okay, all you GUS'ers, I'm looking for a keyboard soloist who's interested in helping me out with a native GUS sequenced song that I'm working on. I have a cool and funky tune that I'm composing (of course, you may not agree with me on the "cool and funky" part :-), and I'm in need of a studio-type muscian who's willing to add a killer keyboard solo. Since I'm doing this for free on my own time, the only thing I can offer is co-credits on the song and my enthusiastic input. But I think there's plenty of possibility for synergy and having fun. My thoughts on how this process would work are as follows: I send you the file in MID or POW (MIDI or PowerChords) format via Internet or Compuserve, and you add in your coolest chops. You send me back the results, and I "audition" what you've done. If I pick your work, then we become co-authors of the song and awaaaay we go! The really mondo part about this is that we could live in compeletly different parts of the world and yet compose a song together. I forsee many iterations on the song, but all in the name of making it the best possible product. Eventually I'd like to put the song into PowerChords format and submit it to Howling Dog as an example that they'd distribute on CIS and song disk. If you're interested, please send me a note at the Internet address listed below. adTHANXvance, P.S. Hey, ERIC BELL: I'll probably need PowerChords Pro for this project. When's it going to be available? -- Stuart Yoshida Internet: yoshida@elektra.fc.hp.com Voice: (303) 229-2324 ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 19 Aug 93 13:24:54 EST From: "Bryan Cass" Subject: When will the MAXX be released? Message-ID: <0097141CB0FCB3E0.2021B473@idx.com> Does anyone know if/when the MAXX is to be released? I'd like to buy a GUS now, but if the MAXX has the 1 meg memory already on it with all of the other goodies thrown in for good measure, I think I'll wait for it. Or, will there be an upgrade policy for those who buy the GUS right before the new version is released? Bryan P.S. Are there dealers that have the GUS in stock? I called around and either they don't have it, or it is on backorder. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1993 23:49:58 -1000 (GMT-10:00) From: Paul Murgatroyd Subject: Re: WinMod Pro.... Message-ID: > From: ddebry@grue.dsd.ES.COM (Dave DeBry) > Subject: Win Mod Pro -- no stereo? > Message-ID: <9308180601.AA29359@grue> > > Ok, I'll bite. What am I doing wrong that makes WinMod Pro > not work in stereo mode with a GUS? When I turn Stereo on, I get > absolutely no sound from the UltraSound. Any hints? I have no problems with WinMod Pro in Stereo (v0.004b). I do remember that WinMod Pro stopped working for me a while ago, and simply re-installing it solved my problems. Also, check that your sample rate is something that makes sense. I use 44100 for my sample rate, but WinMod Pro happily accepts numbers like 17623 as a sample rate. It should still work, but one wonders what the program is doing trying to match to a weird sample rate like the above example. One thing that doesn't work properly is the volume control.....stay away from the volume slider. I am sure that is what caused WinMod Pro to fail and force me to reinstall it. ------------------------------ End of Ultrasound Daily Digest V5 #18 ************************************* To post to tomorrow's digest: To (un)subscribe or get help: To contact a human (last resort): FTP sites: archive.epas.utoronto.ca pub/pc/ultrasound wuarchive.wustl.edu systems/msdos/ultrasound archive.orst.edu pub/packages/gravis FTP mail server: mail-server@nike.rz.uni-konstanz.de Hints: - Get the FAQ from the FTP sites or the request server. - Mail to for info about other GUS related mailing lists (UNIX, OS/2, GUS-MIDI, etc.)