GUS Daily Digest Tue, 11 Jan 94 0:07 Volume 10: Issue 11 Today's Topics: Glitch free sound recorder needed. GUS & SBPro? Gus & Sound Canvas GUS + Sound Canvas GUS, Windows & NDW 2.0 Having FTP Problems to theoris? Indycar Limitations at Epas MIDI, Patch Man, etc. New Windows drivers... VFAQ OS/2+GUS+Doom Is not an option OS/2 drivers with GUS SDK OS/2 MM Problems with Patch Manager in Windows Railroad Tycoon and Gus Tech Support Request from the Gravis distributor in Taiwan Using DOS4GW under OS/2 What are these files for? 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, 10 Jan 1994 11:02:00 +0000 (GMT) From: "Robin W. Glover" Subject: Glitch free sound recorder needed. Hi, I'm looking for a program capable of recording (preferably in .VOC format) to the hard disk *without* pops, glitches and dropouts occurring when hard disk access occurs. I seem to recall that this requires quad buffering or something similar. I only need to record mono, at up 20 22KHz, but I need to be able to record several minutes in one go. Any suggestions? I'd also like to find a sound conversion program for DOS that works. The convert.exe program on the 2.06a install disks keels over every time I try to use it, and although winconvert does do the job, it's a pain having to start windoze all the time. Cheers Robin +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Robin Glover | Did you really want to talk about | | Department of Meteorology | the weather, or were you just trying | | Reading University, UK | to make polite conversation? | | swrglovr@uk.ac.reading | - Groundhog Day | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jan 1994 08:35:33 -0700 (PDT) From: Doug Whittier Subject: GUS & SBPro? Well, there are a few games that hate my GUS, so I'm getting a SBPro to go with it. Any advice? Is this working for other people? How about Windows? I need the wavetable for composition in Windows, but I might want to use the SBPro for .WAV recording or playback. Out of luck? Thanks in advance. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jan 1994 19:43:42 -0500 (EST) From: bpage@infi.net (Bob Page) Subject: Re: Gus & Sound Canvas original poster wrote: > > A buddy of mine has a Roland Sound Canvas and he just possibly might buy a GUS > > but what he wants to know is whether he can get the two to work simultaneously. > > Specifically, can you have a GUS playing any digital sounds (like SB in Megaem) > > and having the Sound Canvas MIDI passed on to the actual Sound Canvas through > > the MIDI port on the GUS. Also, is the external MIDI part of the GUS MPU-401 > > compatible? What we want to do is run games with Sound Effects going on the GUS > > and the MIDI music on the REAL Sound Canvas. > > Just to clarify things, the original poster is refering to using a Roland Sound Canvas (an external midi module with only midi din's in) and the GUS midi out port at the same time with the GUS DAC capability. As most of you know the GUS (or at least the older model that I have) does not provide a MPU-401 compatible midi out port. I know that there are Roland cards that have MPU-401 ports on board, and I also know that if you own any sort of MPU-401 card you can co-exist with the GUS card, but in order to use an external MT-32 or Roland Sound Canvas (the modules now; not on a PC slot card) you must use an additional card that is MPU-401 compatible. If I'm still wrong on this please let me know. BTW, the GUS midi port DOES work beautifully with my Sound Canvas when I'm in Windows. :) -- --- Bob Page (bpage@infi.net) =-=.=-=.=-=.=-=.=-=.=-=.=-=.=-=.=-=.=-=.=-=.=-=.=-=.=-=.=-=.=-=.=-=.=-=.=-=.= ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jan 1994 10:59:52 EST From: mkalisia@electrical.watstar.uwaterloo.ca Subject: GUS + Sound Canvas Thanks for the response guys, but I have to clarify one point. We want to have the Sound Canvas hooked up to the GUS MIDI box --- WITHOUT --- the MPU-401 card. Reason is, this is on a laptop with one expansion slot. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jan 94 11:08:00 PST From: Richards Roger Subject: GUS, Windows & NDW 2.0 Grant Carter, I have used the pmak110.zip GUS Windows drivers with NDW 2.2 and have 32 bit disk access on without a slowdown or other problems. Perhaps it is NDW 2.0? Do you have the Norton Anti-Virus TSR loaded? I don't. ..Roger ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jan 1994 11:37:18 +0100 (NFT) From: Zeljko Horvat Subject: Having FTP Problems to theoris? I saw someone having problems using anonymous FTP to theoris.rz.uni-konstanz.de. Well, just to make it clear once again : 1.) Theoris refuses to serve people outside europe. 2.) Theoris does not allow a login from hosts which are not registered in the DNS. This means if your host does not have/has an incorrect entry in the responsible name server you won't be able to get in. Talk to your network admin to get the records fixed. 3.) We won't change 1) or 2). Don't ask. Cheers -- -------------------------------------------------- ++++++++++++++ Z. Horvat | MIME & | Rechenzentrum Universitaet Konstanz | METAMAIL | ++49-7531-88-2405 | ACCEPTED | ++++++++++++++ zh@nike.rz.uni-konstanz.de Z -------------------------------------------------- I'd rather be rich then sexy. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jan 1994 23:42:27 +1100 (EST) From: Andrew See Subject: Indycar To the guys who wanted better sound out of Indycar Racing: I had a look at the files the other day and noticed that Indycar uses the new 32 bit DLL version of the "Miles" drivers. Such drivers for the GUS are currently in development, and are due for release within a week or so, as far as I know. This means you will be able to add native GUS support to Indycar. It may even be possible to hack your UMID32.INI file to use a custom digitised Auto engine patch. Now that *would* sound good. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Jan 1994 08:51:19 +0800 (SST) From: Tan Ken Hwee Subject: Limitations at Epas I read with bemusement Thomas' problems with disk space at Epas. I think it's great the type of service we've gotten from Epas and I think it's sad that there's a shortage of disk space. The solution is clear. BUG GRAVIS to either (i) take over in providing a main ftp site - that means, pay for FULL internet access and not just email whatjamightcallits that seem to fail every so often - and run a ftp server. (ii) spring a grand or so for a 1GB Hard disk to be given to Epas for Gus-only use. C'mon, what's $1000 for a company the size of Gravis? The existence of Epas has ensured the continued support of many a GUS user. If Gravis cannot handle the management of a ftp site, then at least give Epas the necessary equipment to do so properly. It can be done. All it takes is a chequebook.... ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jan 1994 10:42:11 -0500 (EST) From: Phat H Tran Subject: MIDI, Patch Man, etc. > Date: Sun, 9 Jan 94 12:51:25 GMT > From: Duggan Chris F BSc 2 Info Sci 93-94 > Subject: FTP > > Does anyone have any idea why the theoris.rz.uni-konstanz.de FTP site will not alow me to log in as FTP ? I don't use that site, but you might want to try anonymous instead of ftp. > Date: Sun, 9 Jan 1994 21:36:48 +1030 (DST) > From: Michael Scholten > Subject: Mic Input > > Everything midi is now working well. Unfortunately my Mic input is > suffering now. Even though I am still limited to 8-bit, I had intended > using Patch Maker Lite to play with recording .WAV files and turning them > into patches. I had used the Windows Sound Recorder with the old drivers > fairly successfully. Now I get almost nothing. Any Ideas? Do you have your mic input on (the mic input leaks when it's disabled, so you might think it's on when it's not)? Are you using the new mixer? Is your mic a sensitive one? > Also, I would dearly like to have a clear understanding of the GUS MAX. > Does it exist yet? If not, is it a _definate_ and when? Some people > write as if they've got one already. It's not out yet, and it probably won't be out until after the 16-bit DB is out. > for new products from Gravis. (What ever happened to 3D sound?). 3D sound is already out, but only a few demos support it. The 3D sound effect is entirely done in software, so no new hardware was released for it. > Date: Sun, 9 Jan 1994 12:23:13 -0500 (EST) > From: "Todd C. Gleason" > Subject: Re: new win drvr: waves but no midi > > Excerpts from mail: 8-Jan-94 GUS Daily Digest V10 #8 by GUS Server@dsd.es.com > > I had the same problem but now I'm embarassed having found out what I was > > doing wrong: In haste I copied _everything_ from the .zip into > > \ultrasnd\windows - the problem was that the new ultrasnd.ini needed to > > be in \ultrasnd. > > I did that, and copied the ultrasnd.ini into that dir, giving me two > copies of it...and I still have no midi whatsoever. What is the newest > driver, now? You must also edit the PatchDir fields (all of them) in ultrasnd.ini to point to your /ultrasnd/midi directory. > Date: Sun, 9 Jan 1994 04:21:15 -0700 (MST) > From: jhender@nyx.cs.du.edu (djkc) > Subject: Patch Manager not listing patches > > For some reason, my Patch Manager (in Windows) doesn't list the patch files > anymore. I've setup Patch Maker Lite, GUSDK, and other programs; could > something have affected the manager? Edit the PatchDir fields in ultrasnd.ini (the one in your /ultrasnd directory, not /ultrasnd/windows) so that they point to your /ultrasnd/midi directory. > Date: Sun, 09 Jan 1994 21:55:33 -0200 > From: JOSE ROBERTO FEHSE > > Dear GUSers, > > I've installed some new drivers for windows I found in epas. Then the > Patch Manager stopped working. So, I switched back to the old ones. > Then I got patch maker and its drivers and Patch manager started to > work again. Well, the problem is that now the patchloader stopped to > work. It just doesn't downloads the patches. Any ideas? Again, make sure that the new ultrasnd.ini is in your /ultrasnd (not /ultrasnd/windows) directory, and edit all the PatchDirs in the file to point to your /ultrasnd/midi directory. I haven't checked out patch loader specifically, but since these steps work for the majority of Windows MIDI/Patch problems, it might be worth it to give them a try. Phat. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jan 1994 10:20:20 -0500 From: jgamache@AIX1.si.usherb.ca (Jerry Gamache) Subject: New Windows drivers... VFAQ I will try to be short and clear for everyone experiencing problems with the new windows drivers (AKA the Patch Manager problem). 1) You need to EDIT ULTRASND.INI and change all the PatchDir entries to the correct directory (the one with the .PAT files). 2) You need to copy ULTRASND.INI (the one you just edited) to the main directory (the one where all the main files are installed, usually \ULTRASND ) In any case, GRAVIS, the README file is VERY misleading and contains some mistakes. I really think it should be revised. Maybe you could add an INSTALL.EXE that would ask for the ULTRASND directory (or read the ULTRADIR variable), correct the PatchDir entry, and copy ULTRASND INI to where it belongs. Less than 50 lines of code... A la prochaine, Jerry Gamache ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jan 1994 10:07:47 -0400 (EDT) From: "By this time, my lungs were aching for air" Subject: OS/2+GUS+Doom Is not an option OK, After plodding about with the Doom OS/2 conundrum, the problem lays (Brace yourself for an unexpected surprise) the GUS. Yet again, a game that directly supports the GUS doesn't work. I remember the old 2.1 beta would die hard on Star Control II- this one simply locks up. The settings are not the key to getting it to work- in fact, Doom's readme is pretty emphatic about the settings. But it doesn't matter- in fact, you can get Doom to run with the default template settings. Music works fine, no surprise. But the digital FX don't work- the game sits and stares at you with music playing and never makes it past the intro screen. Looks like the GUS has a problem with digital audio.....GUSMOD and Playmidi work fine, but playfile generated an illegal instruction. Makes me wonder why SBOS plays the .SND file, but doesn't work. Looks like there's a real problem here- and given Gravis' BLAZING SPEED concerning OS/2 support, looks like it might be time to buy an SB again.... PS- Anybody that cares to tell me whether or not they got Doom to run with Digital sound on a GUS in OS/2 should post their solution, should one exist, on ALT.GAMES.DOOM since there's about thirty OS/2 using GUS owners with a similar gripe. PPS- Yes, I did check the settings. Jeff **************************************************************************** * * * Goldschlager- because you can't puke a Rolex.... * * * **************************************************************************** ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jan 1994 11:46:49 -0500 (EST) From: rjm@dretor.dciem.dnd.ca Subject: Re: OS/2 drivers with GUS SDK pil!zapo@PacBell.COM (Zapo Zapper) wrote: > Subject: MPU 401 + GUS > > ... > > I was wonder, as a question to all you techies. I know OS/2 can handle using > 16-bit drivers in a 32-bit operating model, why can't this be done for > DOS4GW? Also, there is a book, $40 called 'Writing OS/2 Device Drivers in > 'C'' > > I will BUY this book for anyone who thinks they can combine it and the SDK to > come up w/OS/2 2.1 drivers... Darn, I already have it :( (2.0 version). I am writing an OS/2 driver for the Ultrasound and am using the GUS SDK exclusively to interact with the card - it did require some porting though. -- # Robert J. Manley, rjm@dretor.dciem.dnd.ca # # NTT Systems Inc., Toronto, Ontario, CANADA # # OS/2:OSs :: 92,93 Blue Jays:MLB :: Canada:World # ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jan 94 4:19:03 CST From: chuth@lonestar.utsa.edu (Cornel H. Huth) Subject: Re: OS/2 MM > From: pil!zapo@PacBell.COM (Zapo Zapper) > I was wonder, as a question to all you techies. I know OS/2 can handle using > 16-bit drivers...32-bit operating model, why can't this be done for DOS4GW? Don't know. Not sure what the question is. > Also, there is a book, $40 called 'Writing OS/2 Device Drivers in 'C'' > I will BUY this book for anyone who thinks they can combine it and the SDK to > come up w/OS/2 2.1 drivers... Hey! Great. But things to consider: 1. It's not the "writing an OS/2 device driver" that is difficult, it's writing a compatible OS/2 MM driver that is. You could, conceivably, write an OS/2 device driver in just a few lines. You won't find the info needed on writing an OS/2 MM driver for the GUS in a broad-coverage book like the one you cited. And, do you really think that's much of an incentive? Anyway...maybe just a twist in there. 2. The SDK provided by Forte (I doubt Gravis has much to do with its contents) will provide about a 1% head-start in the finished, working, OS/2 device driver needed. It's not a matter of copying the SDK code and plugging some API stuff here and there. No, it's a matter of being able to develop code (and from the ground, up) to make the driver handle MIDI, Vox, and multi-media schtuff. None of this is in the SDK (this would make it, after all, a snap -- and if it were a snap the OS/2 MM support would already be here). In other words, anyone doing this is doing so starting from scratch. Ground-zero. What's in the SDK is only the documentation of what makes the card work (but still not complete). Ahh, I can see that this is getting a bit too much, but, as someone that has made the GUS work, and from nothing, I can say with authority that any single person attempting to do an OS/2 MM-spec'ed device driver is in for one long project. And if Gravis/Forte really are developing (right now) OS/2 support, then this guy is going to be one mad dude. When was the last time you heard of GUS OS/2 support, and what was it you heard? Think about it. ...and then the alarm clock clanged! For DOS users: MM010GUS.ZIP. A MIDI file player. For the technical-minded type. If you aren't a programmer, probably not for you. Lots of numbers flying around and some interactive input. Good sound. FTP anonymous: archive.epas.utoronto.ca in submit; also at wuarchive.wustl.edu in pub/MSDOS_UPLOADS/sounds. -- Cornel Internet: chuth@lonestar.utsa.edu Fidonet: 1:387/800.8 BBS: The 40th Floor;V32b@1(210)684-8065;M-F:5pm-9am,WE:1p-9a CT ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jan 94 3:29:21 CST From: Chevnut@osuunx.ucc.okstate.edu Subject: Problems with Patch Manager in Windows There have been a couple of references to problems with Patch Manager and the new Windows drivers. I think this is the solution. First Patch Manager does not support multiple banks yet. Therefore, the only files that you will be able to cache are those listed under the [Ultrasound] section of the ultrasnd.ini file. If you are not seeing any patch choices in Patch Manager, or they are not loading properly be sure the following section appears at the front of your ultrasnd.ini file. [Ultrasound] PatchDir=c:\ultrasnd\midi [Melodic Patches] 0=acpiano . . . 127=ringwhsl [Drum Patches] 27=highq . . . 87=surdo2 Hope this helps, and if you want to play with files in the other banks you will still have to edit ultrasnd.ini by hand or get MPB06.zip off of epas. Greg [Tramp] ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jan 94 11:18:29 EST From: Philippe Chayer Subject: Railroad Tycoon and Gus Hello Gussers... Do any of you know how to set up sbos to play RR Tycoon ? I can have sounds, but they play off tune or do not end... is it normal or is there a solution ? Thanks... -- Philippe Chayer chayer@info.polymtl.ca _________________________________________________________cut here______ If it's there and you can see it, then it's real. If you cannot see it and it's there, then it' transparent. If you cannot see it and it's not there, then you deleted it... ;) See ya !!! ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jan 1994 18:03 CST From: T4100076%twncu865.BITNET@pucc.Princeton.EDU Subject: Tech Support Request from the Gravis distributor in Taiwan Hi GUS community, During the period of distributing GUS in Taiwan, I have received many problems , some are solved by myself, but more are not. I hope you can help not only m e, but many GUS users, who can't access INTERNET in Taiwan. 1.How can they solve the problem of "NMI disable"? Must they replace a mothermoa rd? It seems impossible for them. 2.One customer, when he was installing the GUS 2.06a driver disks, failed at the test of SB functions and GUS functions. And he failed to load the SBOS,too. andsbos return him with a message of " "error on load of patch library -- c:\ultrasnd\sboslib.sbs" What happened? How should I tell my customer to solve it? Any reply will be appreciated. Pach Lin, Tech Supportman of GUS in Taiwan. t4100076@twncu865.ncu.edu.tw ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 11 Jan 1994 11:27:19 +1000 From: Peter.Enzerink@FINANCE.ausgovfinance.telememo.au Subject: Using DOS4GW under OS/2 Just my two cents worth; I have a product at work that uses DOS4GW that I wanted to run on an OS/2 machine. It couldn't be started from an OS/2 window because OS/2 didn't recognise the program as a valid DOS program. Easy, I started a DOS box and ran it there. I don't know whether this will help anyone trying to run games using DOS4GW, but it's worth a try! ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 10 Jan 1994 17:45:42 +1030 (CST) From: Gavin Subject: Re: What are these files for? >to Gravis twice (Dec. 26 and Jan. 1) Yeah I don't think it's fair for them to break over Christmas! Seriously though, your mail may not be even getting to them, this is an ongoing problem. >1.mysterious subdirectory (ISFYZQVO.TWJ) Never heard of it. I would assume you can delete it, I certainly don't have it. However its presence may indicate that something didn't go as planned in the installation. >2. ...SBOSDRV.SYS This is for use by SBOSDRV and doesn't go anywhere except in the SBOS dir, and definately not in the config.sys. It actually contains the bases for the SB emulated instruments. You don't need to worry about it ( I sound like a politician). >3...safe to remove device=C:\ULTRASND\ultrinit.sys ? Yes. ------------------------------ End of GUS Daily Digest V10 #11 *******************************