GUS Daily Digest Tue, 15 Feb 94 0:07 Volume 11: Issue 13 Today's Topics: .MPG player?? (was .AVI player question) 4D Boxing and Megaem Adding patches to Patch Manager Cakewalk Pro ground loop isolator GUS, Windows and AVI GUS Daily Digest V11 #12 (3 msgs) Moose! RAM at $3, but 120ns RAM chips at Radio Shack?? Real GUS and MegaEM The sbos -o3 option Windows, GUS & AVI X-Wing and music 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: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 18:17:23 -0500 (EST) From: Timothy B Martin Subject: .MPG player?? (was .AVI player question) Excerpts from GUS: 14-Feb-94 GUS Daily Digest V11 #12 by GUS Server@dsd.es.com > I NEED an AVI *without* any hangup. Give me a honnest answer. Thank you. I too would like to find a nice AVI player that works with the gus. But even more so, i would like to find a MPEG player! I have Xing's 2.1 Mpeg player...for dos and windows. The windows one freezes up and i have to ctrl-alt-del it. The dos one uses sbos, so with teh fast screen update, it flickers, and shows some frames twice. I have vmpeg which shows truecolor mpegs but it has no sound (it's a dos only no windoze) My question? Well..the mpeg stats are easily accessable, could one of you cool, kick ass coders whip out a GUS/Truecolor player? i don't even need full screen...i nice little window would be fine with me! Thanx.. ------------------=============> Tim! <===============--------------------- | Email? "Sleep is good, | | tm43+@andrew.cmu.edu Dreams are better." | | IRC - Xeltar ~A.J.C. | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 14 Feb 94 23:15:14 EST From: jeffow@aol.com Subject: 4D Boxing and Megaem Anybody know how to configure Electronic Arts 4DBoxing using Roland Music and SB digitized sounds? When set for Roland, the music is fine, but nothing FX comes out when boxing. When set for SB (still, using Megaem), a couple of digitized sounds are heard, but when the referee is introducing the boxers, nuthin! Its an OLD game, and works ok thru SBOS, but I was wondering if any innovative mind can tell me a fix. Thanks! ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 16:14:13 -0800 (PST) From: RON@scotty.idtinc.COM Subject: Adding patches to Patch Manager Hi All. This is my first posting to this list, so if my question(s) have already been answered, please pardon my redundancy... I recently downloaded a WAV-to-PATCH converter (wavpat05.arj) from one of the ftp sites (I can't think of which one at the moment). I though it would be neat if I could throw some WAV sounds into my Recording Session compositions. Well, the converter works find but I can't figure out how to add my new patches to the Patch Manager. I tried adding one to the patch list file pointed to by ULTRADIR (I think); I got it to list in Patch Manager but could not access it or play it on the keyboard. Has anybody tried this and knows how to help me out? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. By the way, what with this GUS0038.ZIP? Is it worth the trouble of d/l and install? Opinions, please. Ron King ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 14 Feb 94 15:11:47 EST From: Alpha comes with the future built in Subject: Cakewalk Pro I'm interested in buying Cakewalk for Windows Professional. Does anyone have suggestions on where to get a good deal on it? I'm assuming that the direct mailers will be cheaper. Thanks. Drew ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 14 Feb 94 22:26:45 EST From: dmcintyr@muselab.ac.runet.edu Subject: ground loop isolator At my new appartment there seems to be some sort of nasty electrical interference or something... Whenever I turn off the flourescent (did I spell that right? I don't think I've ever actually written that word down before...) light and the computer is on there's a nasty *KER POP* sound which disturbs me. If the stereo alone is on then there is no *KER POP*, but if the computer is on too it makes the gut-wreching "she's gonna blow" sound. Would a ground loop isolator help this problem, perhaps? Or would I need to get something extreme like an UPS to solve this problem? (The obvious solution is not to use the light while the computer and stereo are on, but try telling that to my wife...) If a ground loop isolator would help the problem, could someone tell me the Radio Shack part number? My local RS dude didn't have a clue on earth what I was talking about when I asked for one, but said he would order me one if I had the part number... Thanks... Any info/suggestions/etc. are welcome by e-mail (preferably) or to the digest. I know this question gets asked a lot, but, as is often the case, I never worried about it until *I* started having weird problems... --Michael-- << dmcintyr@muselab.ac.runet.edu >> <> ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 13:49:43 -0500 From: Narimane NABAHI Subject: GUS, Windows and AVI Hello, I'm using the Gravis UltraSound since November 1992 and, in 2 years, I NEVER had any chance to see an AVI (or any Windows Video) correctly. I posted a message last year, but nobody had a solution to this problem: I have a 486DX2-66, 8 Meg RAM, 800MB+ HD IDE, ATI ULTRAPRO 2 MEG VRAM VL-BUS....... and when I want to play an AVI, the video hangs for about 1/20 second each 1 second!!!! I have the LAST NEW disk set of the GUS (with the new mixer, epic pinball etc.) and the problem remain unsolved. I tried different DMA chanels without success. I don't want an answer like 'Maybe you should do this....' or 'We don't know anything about this problem...'!!!! I really LOVE the GUS and for my multimedia presentations I NEED an AVI *without* any hangup. Give me a honnest answer. Thank you. Xavier Rustom ps: reply by E-Mail and specify my name in your message... it's not my account. LOGIX INNOVATION, MONTREAL, QUEBEC (514)735-7850 ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 12:55:52 -0500 (EST) From: Phat H Tran Subject: Re: GUS Daily Digest V11 #12 > Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 00:40:11 -0800 (PST) > From: jtang@argon.chem.ucla.edu (James Tang) > Subject: ANSWER: Syndicate/AIL32 solution > > All you need to do is edit the file contain the patch assignment. You > need to change 27 to 24 for the Jazz patch. Also, don't specify which > port (edit your synd.bat file and remove the flag for i/o port). > It worked great after that. That fixes one bug: the divide error. But the plasticky perc bug in gail3213 will remain. Luckily, gail3214.zip fixes both the divide errors and the percussions. > Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 00:36:21 -0800 (PST) > From: jtang@argon.chem.ucla.edu (James Tang) > Subject: ANSWERS: GUS0038.ZIP Installation problem > [...] > Oh GUS0038.ZIP also replaces some of the windows driver. It wouldn't > work until I change all of the *.ini and updated the missing patch > files. To avoid this problem, delete ultrasnd.ini from your \ultrasnd directory before installing gus0038.zip. If you've already installed gus0038.zip without deleting ultrasnd.ini, then run install.exe, choose Restore File(s), and restore ultrasnd.ini. > Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 11:52:07 +1100 (EST) > From: Iain Huxley > Subject: GUSTRIT.ZIP > > anyone know where I can ge this file? Archie shows no matches. > Perhaps someone could u/l it to epas if it's not already there It should be on Epas. That's where I got it from. > Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 19:25:22 -0800 (PST) > From: chrism@huey.nic.bc.ca (Chris Mackay @SO) > Subject: music cutting out in X-Wing > > I'm wondering why the midi music in x-wing in all the playable sequences cuts out after a second or so into play?? I don't know if it's the new Megaem or what?!? My GUS has 1 meg of memory on it. t It's not a problem with the GUS or with Mega-Em, but with your memory manager. Try playing the game with as few TSRs loaded as possible. > Date: Sun, 13 Feb 1994 17:53:43 -0700 (MST) > From: Derek the Dweebosaurus > Subject: RAM Chips at Radio Shack for <$3 apiece! > > I was in Radio Shack and I saw their 256x4 RAM chips on sale: 9 for > $24.95 (Cdn) regularly $49.95. I don't know why they sell them in > packages of 9... > > The only thing is that they are 120ns. The chip number is TMS4256-12NL > first line, then HH948 001 S on the next line... I don't know the > manufacturer, but the "watermark" on the chip is I think an outline of a > province or state with an italic "i" inside... maybe Intel? Texas Instruments, most likely. > Anyone know if these are OK? Can one mix the 120ns chips with the 70ns > chips that were supplied with the GUS? Will there be any noticable > performance deficiency (with a 386-33, 8-bit DMA since 16 doesn't work on > mine...)? It doesn't hurt to mix chip speeds, but 120ns is slower than the recommended 100ns. However, it might still work since the 100ns recommendation is not very stringent. > Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 13:44:38 -0500 > From: Narimane NABAHI > Subject: Windows, GUS & AVI > > I'm using the Gravis UltraSound since November 1992 and, > in 2 years, I NEVER had any chance to see an AVI (or any Windows > Video) correctly. I posted a message last year, but nobody had a > solution to this problem: I have a 486DX2-66, 8 Meg RAM, 800MB+ > HD IDE, ATI ULTRAPRO 2 MEG VRAM VL-BUS....... and when > I want to play an AVI, the video hangs for about 1/20 second each > 1 second!!!! I have the LAST NEW disk set of the GUS (with the new A 1/20 second hang isn't much of a hang at all! > mixer, epic pinball etc.) and the problem remain unsolved. I tried > different DMA chanels without success. I don't want an answer like > 'Maybe you should do this....' or 'We don't know anything about this > problem...'!!!! I really LOVE the GUS and for my multimedia presentations > I NEED an AVI *without* any hangup. Give me a honnest answer. Thank you. If you're playing the AVI off the HD, then use a disk cache. The AVI will pause at regular intervals if the disk has to be accessed. Also, try all the free DMA channels (and be sure that you're setting the DMA channels for Windows correctly -- using older setguses only sets the DMA channels for DOS). Because playing AVIs involves DMAing from disk and DMAing to the soundcard, juggling the DMA priority of the soundcard can aid performance. (DMA 1 has the highest priority, 7 the lowest.) These are honest suggestions based on my experience with the GUS. On my system, I can't use the GUS on DMA 7 to play AVIs reliably. I have to use DMA channel 1 or 3. However, in DOS, I need to use DMA 7 to play long WAVs off the HD without pausing. Phat. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 15:47:03 -0500 From: "Michael Grant Wilson" Subject: Re: GUS Daily Digest V11 #12 on Sun, 13 Feb 1994 19:25:22 -0800 (PST), chrism@huey.nic.bc.ca (Chris Mackay @SO) wrote: > Subject: music cutting out in X-Wing > > I'm wondering why the midi music in x-wing in all the playable sequences cuts out > after a second or so into play?? I don't know if it's the new Megaem or what?!? ... > This is not a gus problem. I've run x-wing with an honest-to-god-real MPU-401 and a SoundCanvas (the definitive General Midi device) and get exactly the same behaviour. For me just hitting escape to get the setup dialog and then returning to the game causes the music to come back. McQ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 14 Feb 94 14:25:25 EST From: dan@vlad.bowker.com (Daniel Nicholson) Subject: Re: GUS Daily Digest V11 #12 replying to tam@amisk.cs.ualberta.ca: >> gus natively...(ANY IRQ me thinks...) . Sounds great and its got this >> wicked bit in it where it says....."Unreal sound support" and then >> it flashes to the next screen shot of the control menu for sound card >> selection and well, the ULTRASOUND is highlighed on the menu (above >> the SB16 and the others... *BIG GRIN* I wonder why??? ) > >great! i've seen the ad of this game in CGR, it seems to be a great >game! BTW, what's "Unreal sound support", is it a joke or something? it might be. David Foote, one of the programmers, has a very amusing opinion of demo groups. >> I'll upload it before the weekend is up. I'm sure Interplay wont mind >> distrubuting there demo... ;) > > can't wait to see it. folks, PLEASE don't think that the music in the demo is what's going to be in the game. the music in the game will be MUCH better. the music that ended up in the demo was an unfinished (actually just begun) piece that i had sent to them for testing purposes. it ended up in the demo. what can i say :) however, please note that unless Techtonics gives me the contract that they promised in _June_ of 1993, this game will not have _any_ soundtrack. If all you people who enjoyed the music in Star Control II would be so kind as to write to techton@aol.com and tell them that you'd appreciate this game having a soundtrack, it would be super. Otherwise, Star Reach may not come out for quite a while. - Dan Nicholson, Levisionet Audio Group ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 10:27:32 +0000 (GMT) From: Toby Subject: Moose! The 32 bit AIL drivers for syndicat have been fixed. get gail3214.zip from epas. the GUSTRIT DEMO IS ON WASP.ENG.UFL IN THE /PUB/MSDOS/DEMOS/ALPHA/G DIRECTORY. (I THINK) Where can this SSI demo be found? # | \ / ~~|~~ /~~~\ ! ! {} ............................ | # * < \ /\ / /~\ | | |---| /\ {} Pessimism? It'll never work. > * # | \/ \/ \_/ | \___/ ! ! /~~\ {} ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ | # ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 11:25:16 GMT From: Clarke Brunt Subject: RAM at $3, but 120ns >I was in Radio Shack and I saw their 256x4 RAM chips on sale: 9 for >$24.95 (Cdn) regularly $49.95. >The only thing is that they are 120ns. The chip number is TMS4256-12NL >first line, then HH948 001 S on the next line... I don't know the >manufacturer, but the "watermark" on the chip is I think an outline of a >province or state with an italic "i" inside... maybe Intel? >Anyone know if these are OK? Can one mix the 120ns chips with the 70ns >chips that were supplied with the GUS? Will there be any noticable >performance deficiency (with a 386-33, 8-bit DMA since 16 doesn't work on >mine...)? I seem to remember that the GUS specification said chips must be 100ns or faster (smaller number), so 120ns appear to be out of spec. It doesn't matter what your computer is, or what speed it runs at - it means that the GUS will expect to read data out of the chip after allowing it 100ns to 'get ready'. If the data isn't ready by then, then the GUS will just read anyway, possibly getting a duff value. So you them at your peril - they might work, and so well and good if they do. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 18:13:04 -0500 (EST) From: Timothy B Martin Subject: Re: RAM chips at Radio Shack?? Excerpts from GUS: 14-Feb-94 GUS Daily Digest V11 #12 by GUS Server@dsd.es.com > The only thing is that they are 120ns. The chip number is TMS4256-12NL > first line, then HH948 001 S on the next line... I don't know the > manufacturer, but the "watermark" on the chip is I think an outline of a > province or state with an italic "i" inside... maybe Intel? This would be TI. As in Texas Instraments. And the STATE that is outlined..well..that would be texas! :) > Anyone know if these are OK? Can one mix the 120ns chips with the 70ns > chips that were supplied with the GUS? Will there be any noticable > performance deficiency (with a 386-33, 8-bit DMA since 16 doesn't work on > mine...)? You MUST have 100ns or faster. The GF1 will be expecting to get a response in 100ns, so if the memory is slower, then you will no doubt have problems on your hands. sorry! ------------------=============> Tim! <===============--------------------- | Email? "Sleep is good, | | tm43+@andrew.cmu.edu Dreams are better." | | IRC - Xeltar ~A.J.C. | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 14 Feb 94 08:03:51 EST From: tmcreek@eos.ncsu.edu Subject: Real GUS and MegaEM > Date: Sun, 13 Feb 94 10:12:19 EST > From: madbax@aol.com > Subject: X-Wing and GUS and MegaEm.... > Hey, > Try some other IRQs. 220,1,1,11,5 (or 11,7) generally work the best. > Maybe 7,7 or 5,5 if you still can't get it to work. > MegaEm won't run very well at all with a CL Sound Blaster installed with > the GUS, or a stand-alone MPU-401 interface. Make sure the game is set up > for the right sound options (I know, I know ). Maybe copy your game > saves into another directory and re-install the game... > (Oh, and if you're tryin> g on another DMA but 1, "I" never have been ab > le > to make it run *consistantly* for me. But that may just be my system) > Later. > > --Joe Huh? This is the ONLY way that I run MegaEM. I don't really trust software Sound Blaster emulation so I use MegaEM with my SBPro. BTW, my GUS is on DMA 7. -- tmcreek@eos.ncsu.edu \ "Thank you, sir. Would you like a bag? Senior Operator, NCSU CSC Dept. \ No. One woman in my life is enough." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- No one besides me would be caught dead claiming the views expressed here ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 21:29:54 +0100 (MET) From: Rickard Falk Subject: The sbos -o3 option Do anybody know why sbos can install it self when I use the -o3 option, but if I don't use the -o3 option it only gives me "nmi disabled"? Don't sbos use the nmi if I use the -o3 option, or? Rickard ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 14 Feb 94 15:51:30 EST From: madbax@aol.com Subject: Windows, GUS & AVI Greets, >I want to play an AVI, the video hangs for about 1/20 second each > >1 second!!!! I have the LAST NEW disk set of the GUS (with the new > >mixer, epic pinball etc.) and the problem remain unsolved. I tried "Well, maybe you should" probably get a new AVI player. I found one that works seemingly without flaw for me. I uploaded it to Dave Redfern's BBS (813-787-8644) as VIDEO.ZIP, if that's any help. I'll try to get it to a friend and FTP it...(AOL and their silly gateway). > different DMA chanels without success. I don't want an answer like > >'Maybe you should do this....' or 'We don't know anything about this > >problem...'!!!! Oh, darn. Later. --Joe ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 14 Feb 1994 11:11:47 -0700 From: Stephen Rozum Subject: Re: X-Wing and music Chris wrote: > I have a problem with X-Wing and the new Gravis > drivers(GUS0038.ZIP). Here's the problem: The intro works > fine, but when I start to play any part(pilot proving ground, > historic missions), the music starts up and then just cuts > out. I don't hear it again. I'm using Megaem and Emuset with > defaults on both(I've tried MT but no difference.) Chris I installed the lastest drivers this past weekend and ran Megaem for the first time with my xwing. Yes, I had the exact same problem. The lack of music in my case was caused by my memory manager QEMM 7.03 using the stealth feature (ST:M). Once I turned off ALL stealth and re-optimized the memory everything worked correctly. > Also, when > I am approaching the Rebel Alliance ship(can't remember name), > I get a high-pitched whining sound mixed in with the music(an > instrument?) Does anyone else have these problems or a fix???? There is nothing that can be done with the high-pitched sound. Basically, it is a flute that is trying to sound like the engine. When you get into battle you will find alot of other sounds that are annoying. Someone has uploaded to the GUS bullentin board a file that will bring back the expected sounds in xwing. I believe the file is called xwing.zip or xwingsnd.zip. This file contains patches for producing the expected sounds. The only sounds that cannot be fixed are the high-pitched flute (it is lowered an octive) and the targeting of a ship (no sound or very very soft). Hope this helps, --Stephen ------------------------------ End of GUS Daily Digest V11 #13 *******************************