GUS Daily Digest Wed, 11 Jan 95 9:37 PST Volume 18: Issue 10 Today's Topics: 3.59 disks ! --> SB-Pro and GUS Co-existence 562b driver switches Defective GUS max? descent and mp2 flute patch ... GUS and Descent (TIP:BUS CLK!) GUS Daily Digest V18 #8 GUS Daily Digest V18 #9 (4 msgs) How does one register their GUS (second hand)? KQ7 and GUS... KQ7 Speech MAXSBOS Motherboards Motherboards without NMI Opti chip set OPTi chipsets Problems with Descent and GUS Still no solution to WFW 3.11 LOCKUP with 3.59 Disks Thanks Ultrasound ACE Ultrasound ACE press release When do we get a new Patch Maker Lite (or 'Heavy')? 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, 11 Jan 95 15:08:54 GMT From: ljb@spclmway.demon.co.uk (Lewis Berrie) Subject: 3.59 disks ! --> SB-Pro and GUS Co-existence > Date: Tue, 10 Jan 1995 14:11:23 +0800 (GMT+0800) > From: the FLAT^^TOP > Subject: 3.59 disks ! > > read in yesterday's digest about 3.59 locking up windows... > well... it happens for me too... sometimes.... but i have an excuse... > i also have an sbpro card in my machine and have lots of TSRs high.... > however, i do notice that 3.57 worked flawlessly b4..... > > some stuff i notice about 3.59 (which might be attributed to my > machine) > 1) the GUSmax is NOT properly initiated with ultrinit.exe, cos after > this line is run, i use inertia player, the system will lock up.... > play midi also locks up..... i isolated it to the GUSmax not being > init properly.... cos after running playfile the GUSmax will be > fine.... ie.... turn on computer, boot up.... use iplay ...hang... > turn on computer, boot up, playfile (any wav file), use iplay... no > problem.,..... use play midi... no problem...... anyone got this > problem ? > > 2) windows sometimes hangs too.... but also solved by running the > short wav file to somesort init the card... > > so now i have this little bat file called init.bat which is run b4 > launching anything.... > contents of the file are...playfile -snd -f8000 d:\gus\enter.snd > > anyone got better ideas... please post here... I have similar problems with my set-up (SB-Pro 8-Bit at 220, GUS MAX at 240). The disks I am using are the ones supplied with my card (3.57, I think). I have had no problem with Windows, but when I bought Magic Carpet I started having problems ... with my SB-Pro !!! Since Magic Carpet does not have native GUS support (I've tried the Alpha mode and couldn't get it to work), I selected SB-Pro. But from a freshly booted machine, when I run MC, no sound or music from the SB-Pro. But if I play a .WAV file using playfile before I run MC, music and sound from the SB-Pro !!!!! Presumably, ultrinit.exe does not do its job properly, causing a clash with the SB-Pro (Int 5, DMA 1 : GUS Int 7, DMA 6&7). So I too have written a custom batch file that plays a .WAV file out of the GUS before I run the game. I have had no problems with software which uses the GUS natively. I suppose the question is : What does playfile do that ultrinit doesn't ??? Could it be DMA interference ???? The reason I kept the SB-Pro when I bought the GUS MAX was to support games and other software that do not natively support the GUS (I was not convinced of the effectiveness of the GUS's emulation software, although I am playing with MAXSBOS now), but the co-existence is not pure harmony, but it's advantages way outway the disadvantages. Lewis. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jan 95 10:28:57 EST From: jday@bank-banque-canada.ca (Jim Day) Subject: 562b driver switches Hello, I just purchased a Gravis UltraSound Max. I also have a Panasonic 562b CD-ROM drive. The driver that comes with the drive is cdmke.sys. I have setup (removed jumpers and connected interface cable and sound cable) the GUS Max for the Panasonic drive. Can you tell me what switches on the cdmke.sys driver will work with the GUS Max? I previously had the drive on its propietory interface card with the following: devicehigh=c:\batch\cdmke.sys /d:mscd001 /P:300 /A:0 /T:5 /I:10 I left the default 340h address on the Max. The documentation with the Panasonic drive is terrible. I'm sure other users have this same sound card / CD-ROM combo. Anything to get me up and running would be appreciated. Jim Day Ottawa, ON jday@bank-banque-canada.ca ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Jan 95 18:43:49 EST From: rschutt@pen.k12.va.us (Ryan Andrew Schutt) Subject: Defective GUS max? I believe my GUS max may have a problem. When I run the diagnostics, I get a 'bad dma data compare (read)' error. I have tried just about every different combination of irq's and dma's, and I have tried it on two computers with identical results. Also, I sometimes got a SB midi irq timeout on the diagnostics too. Does anyone know what these errors mean? My board is a 1.8 revision. I am using the 3.59 disks. I also cannot get my card to work under windows. On one computer, windows totally locks up right after the intro screen. On a second computer, windows doesn't lock up, but it says there is a problem with the grvultr.386 file. Please help me out here!! Thanks!!! Ryan Schutt rschutt@pen.k12.va.us ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Jan 1995 20:08:47 -0500 From: arg2@po.cwru.edu (Adam Glick) Subject: descent and mp2 to answer (or hopefully answer) two quesitions from the last digest. the mp2 is a new sound only format. i've only seen it used on WWW sites. but its ok, no better or worse from my stand point than any other. as for descent probs. i had a prob with that and ROTT and i found out it was because i had switched some of the main patched in the ultrasnd/midi directory. it needs to load all the patches and the ones i had were too big for my 1 meg. when i switched them back it worked fine. descent works fine with just my max and if ya wana know how to beat the last guy its in the faq. (LOOK ON IRC CHANNEL #DESCENT) (oops caps lock button) also anyone know why i used to have to load sbos and then unload it to run windows, now with the new drivers i don't have to. -Adam arg2@po.cwru.edu 'A person who believes one thing will solve all their problems is a fool : they're twice the fool if they believe the thing that will fix their problems is money' ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Jan 1995 23:30:49 -0500 From: Schitzo Subject: flute patch ... Message-ID: can anyone direct me to a half decent flute patch that isn't too large so i can replace the standard GUS flute patch (which is to me, not too elegant sounding). i've checked out the three in propats (which are the only ones i can find). the smallest one sounds slightly better but there is too much blowing sound that accompanies it. the other two have less of that noise but is WAY to large to be replacements (and they still don't sound quite right). a flute should sound elegant ... not course and rough which is what i'm getting out of all of these patches. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jan 1995 01:05:49 -0500 (EST) From: Daniel LeBlanc Subject: Re: GUS and Descent (TIP:BUS CLK!) > Hi! I have a problem with my GUS and descent. I have a GUS+SB16 combo. > If I use the GUS for both digital and music, descent would hang at > random parts of the game. Sometimes it would go for minutes without hanging > and sometimes, it hangs in the screen where it shows a progress bar as > it loads the 'wad' file or something. I just fixed my problem wich was similar to yours... In my [AMI] BIOS setup the AT BUS CLK was set to CLK/4 having a DX2/66 this makes it 16Mhz.. which is probably to high.. I changed it to CLK/6 and now Descent as become a great game! ..I probably found the problem i had with RAPTOR too even tough the game is no longer on my hard disk... I guess DESCENT and RAPTOR are games that shake up motherboards more than DOOM and all the other stuff out there do.. I'm so glad this is fixed for me... Hope this helps... -Daniel ho yes, next time i'll try CLK/5... ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jan 1995 09:03:38 +0500 From: iclnl!pvh@relay.NL.net (Pieter van Horssen) Subject: Re: GUS Daily Digest V18 #8 > > Date: Sat, 7 Jan 95 22:08:38 CST > From: "Maarten Woldring" > Subject: Is the GUS-MAX the card for ME ?? > > YES, you're right i don't own a MAX YET... > I have saved enough money to buy one but am still wondering if this THE > card to buy. I think i will by a MAX but i have some questions > I would be pleased with ANY answers so PLEASE...... > > The biggest drawback of a MAX seems (to me) to be the maximum amount of AM. > - Is this enough for BIG MIDI-peaces? Maarten, I have a (old) GUS with 1 Mb and I have had large Brass band scor s in MIDI running on it, so no problem. It is not the length but the numbe of different patches you ant to use at the same time. > - Can the MAX handle ADPCM compression on things like MIDI instruments? I had a discussion about ADPCM in relation to editing WAV files created wi h ADPVCM switched on. You expect the MAX its 16bit recording facility to h ndle that. The answer was rather vague. Some s/w like Wave Lite can import ADPCM files, but the MAX need to be able to read the filetype. I do not th nk it can, but may be there is clever dick who tells me otherwise. > - What is the dynamic range (&distortion) according to GRAVIS? 48Mhz I would say. Distortion I do not know. > - Can anyone give me the technical specifications of the MAX -in what do > these differ from the normal GUS- (i HAVE read the FAQ..) CD-Rom connection for 3 different types. 16-Bit recording facility (GUS is 8-bits). > - What is the latest version of hard- and software? (3.4 and 3.59?) There is a diskset of 3.59 going round, but there is also a lot of noise a out that set not be able to install or other (clicking) problems. > - Can i expect problems with my configuration? (SOY VESA mainboard, sing e > chip (86C460?) ASIC, AMD DX2-66, 8MB, AMI-bios, VLB-controller, VLB > S3-805 video, mouse on COM1, modem on COM2.. I think you should be allright > - Can i connect a tripple or quadra-speed cd-drive to the card? I suppose you could. But you would be better off if you buy a SCSI-2 card Future Domain) with a Rom of that speed. Two reasons: 1. You separate the oad of reading from de cd-rom to the SCSI and that way the porocessing of he MAX is not disturbed by handling the CD-Rom. 2. If you ever want to buy a larger SCSI disc for use of direct recording (you now have the facility ith the MAX), you do not have to buy a SCSI card again. > - Can i get the 1mb card for under fl. 500,- (in the Netherlands)? where GW Trading sells them and Dunnet in Roterdam. > > > *What are the alternatives -other wavetablecards with RAM onboard- to lo k > for (I know of the AWE32 but my sympathies go towards Gravis (guess i li e > the name.. GRAVISSS..)) You should know that there is no alternaTIVE for the GUS MAX. May be the T rtle BEACH cards, but they are really for professional work and have not s ch good sounds or 3D possibilities. Succes, Pieter van Horssen, Amsterdam (pvh@iclnl.icl.nl) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Jan 1995 14:47:55 -0500 (EST) From: Sinclair Shuit Subject: Re: GUS Daily Digest V18 #9 Hi there, I have just picked up some nifty S3M files, but alas!... I get a nasty NOT ENOUGH MEMORY error when using S3MPLAY...... There were no command line options available for S3MPLAY, or at least my version of it. Can anyone recommend a good player for S3M files? Sinclair |\|||/|_|\|||/|_|\|||/|_|\|||/|_|\|||/|_|\|||/|_|\|||/|_|\|||/|_|\|||/| | sshuit@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca Sinclair Shuit | |Geeky .sig joke : Trent Reznor + TCP/IP = NINternet | |\|||/|_|\|||/|_|\|||/|_|\|||/|_|\|||/|_|\|||/|_|\|||/|_|\|||/|_|\|||/| ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jan 1995 08:55:45 +1100 (EST) From: Andrew Leahy Subject: Re: GUS Daily Digest V18 #9 On Tue, 10 Jan -1, GUS Server wrote: > some stuff i notice about 3.59 (which might be attributed to my > machine) > 1) the GUSmax is NOT properly initiated with ultrinit.exe, cos after > this line is run, i use inertia player, the system will lock up.... > play midi also locks up..... i isolated it to the GUSmax not being > init properly.... cos after running playfile the GUSmax will be > fine.... ie.... turn on computer, boot up.... use iplay ...hang... > turn on computer, boot up, playfile (any wav file), use iplay... no > problem.,..... use play midi... no problem...... anyone got this > problem ? Exactly the same thing happened to me! I installed 359 on two machines, one was a DX2 66 with a GUS Max, the other a DX2 33 with a standard GUS. After I hard-reset (Ctrl-Alt-Del didn't cut it) things worked fine (so it's not a real hassle), the install docs should say something about having to reset for things to work. _____________________________________________________________________________ Andrew "Alf" Leahy, mailto:a.leahy@uws.edu.au Computer Systems Officer, http://www.st.nepean.uws.edu.au/~alf Dept. of Computing, Uni. of Western Sydney, Nepean phone: 047 360622 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Jan 1995 14:12:48 -0800 From: "Gary Wingert" Subject: Re: GUS Daily Digest V18 #9 > Date: Mon, 9 Jan 1995 12:51:49 -0800 (PST) > From: Emory Menefee > Subject: Midi to GUS using QB > > I wonder if anyone has used Quick Basic to send sequences of MIDI code > directly to the GUS? If so, and you are willing to divulge any hints, I > would be most grateful. My knowledge of C or assembly is poor, and to > learn it well enough for this task would take me a long time, I think. > > Many thanks, Emory Menefee You might try Ruckus v1.1: Soundcard toolkit for DOS BASIC... >From SIMTEL20 and mirrors: ftp://oak.oakland.edu/SimTel/msdos/sound/rukq110.zip I don't have it here, but I seem to remember from looking at it that it is what you're looking for.. Gary ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Jan 1995 22:34:30 -0800 (PST) From: Sky Woo Subject: Re: GUS Daily Digest V18 #9 > Date: Mon, 9 Jan 95 14:48:13 PST > From: "Ferdinand Mataragnon" > Subject: GUS and Quarantine > > I have a GUS and SB16 combo. GUS is ULTRSND=240,7,7,11,12 and SB16 is > IRQ=5, low dma=1, high dma=5, address=220, midi = 330. > > I've tried Quarantine on both cards and Quarantine sounds better on the > SB16. Really! When I use it on the SB16, everything is clear. When I used > it on my GUS (v3.7), there was a lot of distortion. Right from the beginning > where there's supposed to be an explosion sound, all the way to the exit. > The sound for the ImageExcel dude sounded really bad too. Very bad distortion > there. Has anybody else experienced this? Before I tell you what's wrong with your configuration, I need to say that whether you play with a SB16 or a GUS, it will sound virtually the same if you configure the GUS correctly that is. I have the hard disk version and there is no midi what so ever. I dunno about the cdrom version, but all the sounds and occasional music in the Quarantine hard drive version is just a bunch of .VOC files. These are tape recorded affects and are just raw playback so whether your using a GUS or SB16, it'll sound almost the same. Ok, the reason why Quarantine is sounding like shit is because your using irqs above 9 for the GUS. DOS4GW.EXE is an extremely crappy dos extender and can't handle high level irqs. Try setting your SB16 above irq 9 and find out how good it suddenly sounds. So, you should extend the same amount of courtesy you gave to your SB16 and give the GUS a try at irq 5. The DOS extender that comes with Quarantine is also an old version. 1.6 I think it was, and might cause your computer to hang. What I did was copy over the latest version of the DOS extender and it cured some lock ups I was getting. Strange though that id Software managed to get DOOM to work with high irqs. DMA channel shouldn't matter as DOS4GW supports them all, but you might as well set it to a low channel just to be safe. > Date: Mon, 9 Jan 95 14:48:13 PST > From: Buddy > Subject: Line in problem > > I can't seem to get my GUS to enable the 'line in' connection. I just > installed a SBPro for those games that don't work so well with the GUS > and I wanted to run the sound through the GUS' line in and then both of > them out to my amp. I have tried ultrinit -l but it doesn't seem to work. > Am I missing something? This is a long shot and it may or may not be your problem. Try ultrinit -l -o instead. Or ultramix -oe -le. > Date: Mon, 9 Jan 1995 19:05:36 -0800 (PST) > From: George > Subject: UltraSound ACE > > I heard one of Advanced Gravis's new radio ads (finally!) at Sunday > during the _ON COMPUTERS_ radio show. Just to let you know, the > UltraSound ACE isn't something technologically new, but it's a good > idea. Basically, it's a $99 card (yes $99) that serves as an add-on (yep > an add-on) which means it's not meant to replace a SB/SB-PRO, etc... Wow, thanks for the info. The same digest I ask the question, I also get an answer. That's never happened to me before. I was hoping that this would be Gravis' big one, but unfortunately it wasn't. You say, it'll work with GUS applications, even though there is no DAC or ADC? ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Jan 1995 17:28:57 -0600 (CST) From: "" Subject: How does one register their GUS (second hand)? I just bought a GUS v3.4 and would like to register my GUS with Advanced Gravis. Is there an email address that I can send info such that I can become a registered member? Any info would be appreciated. Bruce Haugh yrp456@freenet.mb.ca umlam083@cc.umanitoba.ca VE4 VFR ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Jan 95 11:25:37 -0800 (PST) From: Francis Li Subject: KQ7 and GUS... To be able to hear background MIDI music properly, set the MIDI Mapper to one of the "Ultra XXXK" configs where XXX is the amount of RAM you have on the card. Then, use Media Player to run the LOADXXX.MID in the ULTRASND\MIDI directory (again, where XXX is the amount of RAM on your card). This will load a subset of the General MIDI patches and allow you to hear music in the GUS. Isn't this in the GUS helpfile and also in the FAQ? ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Jan 1995 22:50:15 +0200 From: timo@hieti.pp.fi (Timo Hietikko) Subject: KQ7 Speech I am having problems with KQ7 speech. It works fine for sometime, but after it comes "garbled" and stops. I have GUS windows drivers V5.47 (GUS with 256 kB memory) and I have tried to adjust patch and playback DMA buffer size, but the results are not good. The speech plays while but it stops always. Is somebody get speech working good with KQ7 ? Which settings (DMA buffer size etc.) ? Timo Hietikko ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jan 95 14:34:41-010 From: amfg@cic.teleco.ulpgc.es (Angel Fern'andez Gonz'alez) Subject: MAXSBOS Could anybody say with what game does it work and what are the improvements?. It didn't work for me with the WC3 demo, WARCRAFT and the lionking. . ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jan 95 11:56:22 GMT From: kmh@kid01pml.icl.co.uk (Kieran M. Hoban) Subject: Motherboards I wrote to this list a few days ago asking about which motherboards to buy. I have decided now to compile a list, but I guess I need some help. I have received a couple of answers about motherboards (thanks to those concerned!) but I will need more! Please, if you have time, could you send me details of the motherboard you are using - including:- Manufacturer Chipset (including BIOS date) Architecture type (ISA, EISA, VLB, PCI) Processor thanks to anyone who mails me. I will send personal thanks as the replies arrive. I believe this document would be helpful to anyone wanting to upgrade. Thanks to all, Kieran Hoban P.S. Send all replies direct to me...don't clog up the digest, I don't want to get flamed ;-) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Jan 95 14:32:23 EST From: Fred Cass Subject: Motherboards without NMI To people considering a new motherboard... Avoid UMC and BIOTEQ! I had to install a new motherboard to support my new 1gig drive :) so I went for the BIOTEQ because it was cheap. Well all seemed fine and well for weeks because I was playing all the new games with native Ultrasound support :). Then I restored some other games requiring SBOS, and nothing seemed to work right. I would not get the NMI message except occasionaly upon exiting a silent (meaning no sound seemed to work) game, and typing SBOS again, I would get the "NMI is disabled on this PC" message. So I replaced the BIOTEQ board with a UMC board, and got even stranger results. Never did I get an NMI message from SBOS with the UMC board, but games which were configured for Sound Blaster would simply crash my system, reboot it, or print strange errors on a black screen like "ar0000". So then I figured it must be the GUS, so I changed every possible setting known unto man, and still no luck. So I swapped the motherboard for a third time with a Micronics motherboard, and everything worked beautiful (not to mention with the onboard Enhanced IDE, my drives crank out 4800k/sec transfer rate now!). I asked the dealer why a mb mfg would leave out NMI, and he said, to save ten bucks they emulate the keyboard controller and other things right in the mb support chips. So the moral of this story is: Never buy UMC or BIOTEQ motherboards...they are garbage... -=Fred Cass=- (fcass@mv.mv.com or cass@pcbuoa.ako.dec.com) PS. Other than this, I have never had any trouble with my GUS. The best soundcard hands-down. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Jan 95 15:15:39 EST From: "Burns Fisher, VMS Development 10-Jan-1995 1515" Subject: Opti chip set You asked how to know which Opti chips have a problem with the GUS. The problem is that some of them don't do 16-bit DMA quite right. I think there is a missing pull-up resistor or some such. But in any case, I only saved a bit of the explanation, so I don't all the details, including the full chip number. But here is the info I have: -----Begin saved info----------- Now, the big question is, how do you tell what you have, an OPTi/UMC '206 or an OPTi/other '206? To tell the difference, look at the top of the '206 chip on your motherboard and note where it was manufactured. Chances are it will be one of two places, Taiwan or Korea. The ones from Taiwan are from UMC and *may* have the problem (if UMC hasn't already fixed it -- I don't know if they ever have). If you have one from Korea, you're golden and should have no problems (those are made by Samsung). ------End saved info-------- Hope this helps enough! Burns ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Jan 1995 21:30:55 -0500 (EST) From: Mike Batchelor Subject: Re: OPTi chipsets Not the GUS Server once wrote... > > ------------------------------ > > Date: 9 Jan 95 17:15:00 EST > From: "VULCAN::WATTERS_C" > Subject: OPTi Chipset - which to avoid? > > I've got a chance to pick up a motherboard fairly inexpensively, but it > does have an OPTi chipset. This used to be a problem for the GUS. Which > sets should I avoid? Any of the recent ones (past two years) are OK as far as I know. OPTi 82C895 and 82C495SX work for me (both are VLB boards). -- \\\ Mike Batchelor /// mikebat@clark.net \\\ M.Batchelor@babylon4.clark.net /// "The avalanche has already begun. It is too late for the pebbles to vote." ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jan 1995 10:10:40 -0600 From: ken@austin.ibm.com (Ken Goach IBM) Subject: Problems with Descent and GUS Well, let me post yet *another* note about having trouble with Descent! I cannot get this game to work with *any* audio on my GUS. -When I pick the GUS for digital sounds, it locks up. Even if I select "Test sound card" off the setup menu it locks. -When I pick the GUS for music only, it plays a couple of notes and hangs (and yes, the DESCNET.CFG has 22 instead of 44 on the appropriate lines regarding mhz of patch playback). -This happens whether I pick only digital audio, only music, or both digital audio and music. -The game plays fine without any audio (but that's no fun!). I've got my GUS on address 220, DMA 1, and IRQ 7. I've tried the GUS IRQ at 2, 3, 5, and 7 and all fail. Haven't moved the DMA since so many games require it at 1. It seems that the patches are being loaded into the GUS, but it just locks up after a couple of notes. I noticed a couple of files with HMI in their names, so I assume Descent uses the new HMI drivers. Hmm. First time I've tried them. But since MEGAEM never ever worked for me (it locks up the same way), I'm noticed surprised HMI fails too. I did get the game to dump with error messages. Something about an exception error, I believe, or memory fault. I can do it again to see what the exact message is if anyone can help. It appeared to be memory related. Thanks in advance for any help! Ken ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Jan 1995 14:41:09 -0800 (PST) From: Mike Barboni Subject: Still no solution to WFW 3.11 LOCKUP with 3.59 Disks Please, can anyone else help? All of the present solutions do not work... My system locks up in Windows for Workgroups v.3.11 after I've installed the Ultrasound Software Disks v.3.59 and then try and drop to DOS, via the "DOS PROMPT" Thanks in advance, Mike Barboni barboni@ucsd.edu ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jan 1995 02:03:33 -0500 (EST) From: Buddy Subject: Thanks Thanks to all those that told me to use -o in the ultrinit line. Kevin ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Jan 95 14:10:31-010 From: amfg@cic.teleco.ulpgc.es (Angel Fern'andez Gonz'alez) Subject: Ultrasound ACE Somebody said this is a upgrade. But I wonder, from what to what ?. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Jan 95 13:30:20 MST From: tschmidt@pefs1.micron.com (Tom Schmidt) Subject: Ultrasound ACE press release For those of you that wanted to know more about the Gravis Ultrasound ACE board, here is their press release on it. I don't know what features it lacks from the GUS or GUS MAX. I would guess that it lacks the CD-ROM interfaces of the MAX. It looks like it also bundles the Ultrasound Experience CD-ROM with the package. Tom SUBJECT: ADVANCED GRAVIS INTRODUCES THE ULTRASOUND ACE(TM) NEW CARD ACES THE COMPETITION BY OFFERING OWNERS OF ALL 8 AND 16-BIT SOUND CARDS AN AFFORDABLE WAY TO UPGRADE TO WAVETABLE SYNTHESIS AND ENHANCED DIGITAL AUDIO SOURCE: PR Newswire via First! by INDIVIDUAL, Inc. DATE: January 6, 1995 INDEX: [14] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 6 /PRNewswire/ via First! -- Advanced Gravis Computer Technology Ltd. (OTC Bulletin Board: GRVSF; Toronto, Vancouver: AED) has announced the latest addition to its UltraSound line of sound cards, the UltraSound ACE, an Audio Card Enhancer. Unlike other wavetable upgrade cards on the market, UltraSound ACE does not require any special connectors or adaptors and is the only one that works with any 8 or 16-bit sound card. Instead, UltraSound ACE plugs directly into an expansion slot on the PC and co-exists with the sound card already installed. In addition to offering 32 voices of professional wavetable synthesis, UltraSound ACE also adds the benefit of 16-bit, multichannel digital audio, all for an expected street price of under $100. Sound cards that use older FM synthesis technologies result in artificial sound reproduction that is generally unkind to the human ear. The UltraSound ACE offers realistic sound reproduction by using digitally recorded samples of real instruments. The net result is more realistic and natural music reproduction. And, unlike other wavetable upgrade sound cards that have a fixed instrument set in a non-changeable ROM chip, UltraSound ACE features a unique RAM-based wavetable system. Consumers can edit any of the existing instrument and sound effects patches, or they can create new sounds that supplement the standard General MIDI patch set of 192 instruments that is included with UltraSound ACE. Today, virtually all other wavetable upgrade cards require a special 26- pin connector that the majority of PC sound cards do not have. For owners of such cards that include Sound Blaster Basic(TM), Sound Blaster Pro(TM) and compatibles, there has been no viable upgrade or add-on path. With the introduction of UltraSound ACE, the only upgrade card that works with any FM sound card, Advanced Gravis has given consumers and retailers a universal solution that is both affordable and logical. The UltraSound ACE is quick and easy to install. The DOS and Windows 3.1(TM) software installation is completely automatic and optimizes the system for the best combinations. To ensure its universal ease of use, UltraSound ACE has also been independently tested and certified by PCTest Corporation* with the most popular hardware and software available. Over 50 computer configurations (including 21 different sound cards) were tested to ensure compatibility and ease of installation. "The UltraSound ACE demonstrates Gravis' continuing commitment to producing high quality, yet economically priced multimedia solutions," said Grant Russell, President of Advanced Gravis. "For consumers who desire to upgrade their current FM card, but do not want to sacrifice compatibility or savings, the UltraSound ACE is the perfect solution at a wonderful price point. Adding to the ACE's appeal is the inclusion of a CD-ROM with over 100 megabytes of additional software. More than 10 popular games including DOOM(TM) and Jazz Jackrabbit(TM) are included, all of which have dynamic UltraSound soundtracks. Powerful Windows-based music programs including MidiSoft(R) Recording Session and Power Chords(TM) are also included to allow consumers to experience the depth and realism of wavetable music synthesis. With all the bonus software, consumers will realize the benefits of the UltraSound ACE immediately and appreciate the superior music and sound support from the multitude of games and commercial application that support the UltraSound music and gaming standard." The UltraSound ACE works with all 386 and higher IBM(R) PCs and compatible computers and is designed to work with any 8-bit or 16-bit Sound Blaster(TM) or compatible sound card. UltraSound ACE features a 5.6 megabyte General MIDI patch set 512K of onboard memory, and supports applications written for Windows 3.1, Sound Blaster, Roland(R) MT-32, General MIDI and UltraSound. Stereo connector cables are also included. In addition to the UltraSound ACE, Advanced Gravis Computer Technology Ltd. also designs, manufactures and markets high quality microcomputer peripherals including UltraSound MAX, Phoenix(TM) Flight & Weapons Control System, Analog Pro(TM) Joystick, PC GamePad(TM), MouseStick(R) II and Mac GamePad(TM). * PCTest Corporation was founded in 1990 and provides testing services for hardware and software manufacturers, specializing in multimedia products. Their clients include such diverse companies as Intel, Virgin Interactive, Sierra On-Line, Compton's New Media, Papyrus, and Dynamix. For more information, contact PCTest Corporation at 503-590-4650. /CONTACT: Bryan Del Rizzo, Marketing Communications Executive for Advanced Gravis, 604-431-5020, ext. 1082/ (GRVSF AED.) [01-06-95 at 08:35 EST, PR Newswire, File: p0106083.300] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Jan 1995 10:39:29 -0800 (PST) From: George Subject: When do we get a new Patch Maker Lite (or 'Heavy')? --- Sorry if this is the wrong Digest to post to but since more people read this Digest... When do we get a newer and better Patch Maker? I find v1.12 a bit inferior to make good patches. Any plans to add more features such as the ability to edit all of the envelopes parameters? If the GUS is also supposed to be a good midi card for musicians and if one of its strengths is supposed to be in its RAM capability and the flexibility of making custom patches, then why does it seem that AG gives this such a low priority in their development? Surely there are more GUS midi musicians here than NT users. ;-) -George ------------------------------ End of GUS Daily Digest V18 #10 *******************************