Ultrasound Daily Digest Sat, 18 Sep 93 0:46 MDT Volume 6: Issue 17 Today's Topics: Anyone working on OS/2 drivers Computer Shopper bogus review GUS CDROM interface GUSDELAY v0.3 uploaded to epas (2 msgs) Load and unload SBOS MIDI box midi FAQ..did it get anywhere? Mitsumi/GUS oooooohhhh...getting a little worried... Prince ? Replies, replies, replies... Ultrasound Daily Digest V6 #16 (2 msgs) zork.exe 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: Fri, 17 Sep 93 11:45:02 EDT From: troutski@aol.com Subject: Anyone working on OS/2 drivers Message-ID: <9309171145.tn19879@aol.com> A fellow by the name of Hadden Hoppert is actively working on them. Last I knew (about 5 days ago), they were coming along, and might be ready to beta in a couple of weeks. (My guess, not his). He's on Prodigy, but I don't know his ID offhand and I cancelled my membership so can't check for you. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 Sep 1993 16:43:39 +22311151 (CDT) From: csssb@ux1.cts.eiu.edu (Shawn Brown) Subject: Computer Shopper bogus review Message-ID: <9309172143.AA43504@ux1.cts.eiu.edu> I am a new GUS owner, as of September 10, 1993. I had read the Sound-Site newsletter for about a year, and followed the ...soundcard news group for some time. I choose the GUS since it perfectly matched my needs: 1. MIDI capable 2. compatible with popular games (SBOS works great) 3. actively supported by users 4. relatively inexpensive ( compared to other MIDI capable cards ) I am comfortable making minor software modifications, and have easy access to FTP sites. In one short week I have used my GUS enough to know I made a good choice. I was quite surprised to see a posting stating that the GUS had received a low rating in a Computer Shopper article. I immediately looked up the article and proceeded to read with unbelief the fact that a group of listeners had rated the GUS at the bottom of the MIDI pile. As I read more closely, the truth came out... The GUS had been rated mostly on it's ability to reproduce sounds read in through it's 8 bit AD converter, and compared to boards with 16 bit AD converters. This was the basis of the Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) rating, the bandwidth rating, and the general listening tests. Although it is simply true that an 8 bit input is noticeably worse than a 16 bit input, the article barely mentioned that if the sample is prerecorded (other than through GUS), in 16 bits, that the GUS, with it's excellent 16 bit DA output, actually sounds better than all of the other 16 bit boards rated, with the exception of the $599 retail Turtle board. The factor that motivated me to write this posting is that I feel this article may mislead many who are looking for the best value in a multimedia setup. If one does not wish to record their own sounds, but rather wants to be able to reproduce existing sounds, the GUS is the clear winner. ( best signal to noise ratio, second best MIDI sound ) Please read the review, or at least the box on how the testing was done before forming any negative views of the GUS. Oh, I do feel better! Shawn ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 Sep 1993 11:38:00 +0000 From: Clarke Brunt Subject: GUS CDROM interface Message-ID: <00972AD7.8FF5E681.24971@lsl.co.uk> What exactly does the GUS CDROM daughter card interface (or indeed that of any other sound card) do for you? Does it achieve anything different from plugging the CDROM into a dedicated interface card other than saving a slot? I've seen people saying things like "Once I get the CDROM daughter card, I'll be able to play digital sound direct from CDROM to GUS". Is this rubbish? (I assumed that by this statement, they meant WAV data, not just audio). I know that the GUS has pins for CD audio-in, but these would be usable whatever the CDROM was plugged in to ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 Sep 1993 13:26:33 -0400 From: davidm@marcam.com (David MacMahon) Subject: GUSDELAY v0.3 uploaded to epas Message-ID: <9309171722.AA08394@ottawa.marcam.com> David MacMahon Systems Administrator davidm@marcam.com <---New address, use this one davidm@opl.com <---Old address, don't use this one ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 Sep 1993 13:38:09 -0400 From: davidm@marcam.com (David MacMahon) Subject: GUSDELAY v0.3 uploaded to epas Message-ID: <9309171734.AA08447@ottawa.marcam.com> GUSDLY03.ZIP contains GUSDELAY.EXE v0.3 and GUSDELAY.TXT GUSDELAY.EXE is a program written by David MacMahon (me) that enables your GUS to record data and playback those same data after a delay. The delay can be so short that you can't notice it or it can be as long as 256K of GUS memory/sample rate will accommodate. It demonstrates (quite well) that simultaneous recording and playback is both possible and well within the realm of the GUS and the low level SDK. Version 0.3 offers the following features: * Stereo or mono operation * Up to 14 voices can be used (7 pairs for stereo) * The volume, delay, and pan position (balance) of each voice (pair of voices in stereo) can be independently adjusted. * Recording to disk In short, GUSDELAY turns your GUS into (among other things) an ideal delay unit for musical instruments that has more functionality that many delay units costing (almost) as much as your GUS did!!! (O.K., so it doesn't run on a nine volt battery and you can't kick it across the room... :-) Enjoy! Dave David MacMahon Systems Administrator davidm@marcam.com <---New address, use this one davidm@opl.com <---Old address, don't use this one ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 Sep 93 09:30:35 -0400 From: adhir@oberon.umd.edu Subject: Load and unload SBOS Message-ID: <9309171330.AA28576@oberon.umd.edu> Hey all - I recently bought a Thunderboard to coexist with my GUS and for the most part it is working fine. I must say, I am _very_ happy to be rid of all that SBOS bullsh*t :-). Loading and unloading SBOS seems to do something to the GUS (letting some registers 'float' or something is what I've heard) which allows the Thunderboard to work reliably. The problem is this, occassionally (and there does seem to be some pattern to it), I'll get an 'SBOS Interrupt Time Out'. Usually, by cycling the power on my machine I can get it to load/unload correctly. So my qauestion is this: couldn't someone write a small utility to put the GUS into 'floating registers' mode or whatever it is so that a) I can get rid of SBOS off my drive and b) it will be quicker and more reliable. How hard would this be to do? If someone decides to write this little gem of a utility, could you add options to activate line in and output, too? Thanks! -----------------------------------___------------------------------------- | Al Dhir, Programmer Analyst /___\ UMCP Ag-Engineering Dept | | Internet: adhir@is-next.umd.edu (o o) (301) 405-1197 | -------------------------------ooO-(_)-Ooo--------------------------------- "Women... you can't live with 'em, pass the beer nuts." - 'Norm' on Cheers ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 Sep 1993 11:28:50 +0000 From: Clarke Brunt Subject: Re: MIDI box Message-ID: <00972AD6.48472E81.24969@lsl.co.uk> > There was a file on epas on how to construct a MIDI box for the GUS... > has the file been relocated, or is it not for the public...? I'm pretty sure that the MIDI box info is in the FAQ - make sure you get the latest copy though - at one time there was information with pins backwards on the GUS MIDI connector. I made by own MIDI box using this information, and it works fine, if that makes you any more confident! I tried direct email to "Phil J." but got 'unknown host'. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 Sep 93 15:31:08 BST From: james@maths.exeter.ac.uk Subject: midi FAQ..did it get anywhere? Message-ID: <2615.9309171431@maths.exeter.ac.uk> Did the gus midi FAQ get off the ground? If not I will post a TOC soon and start my own. -- James Andrews, Computer Development Officer, Exeter University Maths Dept ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 Sep 93 11:58:00 CDT From: Don Eller Subject: Re: Mitsumi/GUS Message-ID: <199309171658.AA01934@albania.inst.medtronic.COM> > > >Has anyone else got the Matsumi daughtercard? Is it worth getting? > >Incidently the price I was quoted was $30 plus s&h. > > I have a Mitsumi CD, but not the daughter card. However, I guess I don't > understand why anyone would bother with the card unless they were out of slots. > The Mitsumi comes with a 16-bit interface card that does DMA, drivers, etc. The > daughtercard does not buy you anything except: > > 1) It saves a slot > > 2) I presume it has the audio connector to plug the CD audio out into > the GUS audio in. But you can make one of those fairly easily > from Radio Shack parts, or do what I do and just use wires > externally to plug Audio Out from the CD card bulkhead into > Audio In on the GUS bulkhead. > > Hope this helps... > > Burns > I have modified the redbook cable that came with the Matsumi CD so that it is now plugged into the redbook-in jack on the GUS. This works ok, though mechanically, it is too small to seat properly on the GUS connector. I'm more concerned with the performance of the CDROM drive, since I'm convinced that the drivers that came with the Matsumi drive are not written very well. I believe that the Matsumi drive has some buffer (as documented in the Matsumi manual) that is not being utilized properly. I've spent hours playing with the parameters in both mscdex and the Matsumi device driver trying to optimize the performance, but I find that although the drive has good access times specs and meets the 150 Kb throughput in benchmark tests I've run, it frequently exhibits pauses (drive access light even goes out) that I haven't experienced with similar drives from other manufacturers. The best performance that I've seen has been with the SoundBlaster Pro and Panasonic (150 Kb) drive. I was hoping that Gravis might have spent more than just the minimal effort required to make an interface adapter card, and that the drivers might have been designed by someone who knew something about measuring and designing the drivers for best access times, and throughput and eliminate those pesky dead-times, that I suspect are caused by poor handling of DMA overrun conditions. Since Matsumi doesn't have any support numbers to call, and I suspect they wouldn't spend much effort to address this issue anyway, I was hoping to interface the drive to a board support by a company that seems to care what their customers think. Unfortunately, their sales department needs to get a manager that understands that the company doesn't make any money if they take orders and forget to the ship product. PS: I wish Gravis would offer the Panasonic 523 (300 KB) CD-ROM as $200-$250 upgrade to the Ultrasound. I bought a kit from Reveal at Best Buy for $325 that offers a card (Soundblaster, SoundSource, Covox SS hardware compatible) plus the Panasonic 523, two CDROMs (Software Toolworks Mulimedia Encyclopedia ($75 value) and a special Multimedia disk put out by Microsoft for Reveal that includes a wonderful Multimedia tutorial, movies, sound effects, midifiles etc). The only gotcha was that Reveal didn't have a CD-ROM device driver that worked, I had to copy it from a friend who had a Soundblaster Pro, and the Windows drivers didn't work, so I had to use the ones that come with windows for the soundblaster card version 2.0 -- Otherwise the package is an incredible bargain, worth the price even if you threw away the sound card( Assuming the GUS would drive it). The sound board is a curiosity in that it works with native software for the Soundblaster, as well as native software for Soundsource, or Covox SS. I only tested soundblaster and Soundsource quality, which sounded better than either a real Soundblaster or a real Soundsource in my opinion. Oh I almost forgot to mention it even came with a small pair of speakers ($10 value) I wish I had found this out before I bought the Matsumi CD, oh well at least maybe I can influence Gravis to save other people from this mistake by providing a similar bundle with the GUS. Based on their experience with SBOS they might even want to strike a deal with Reveal and offer the Ultimate bundle GUS + Reveal kit for a combined price of about $450. I don't see how anyone could top this, as Reveal offers the 16bit version of this bundle for $550, and there is no wavetable midi capability. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 Sep 93 13:03:00 PDT From: "Ford, Richard x2056" Subject: oooooohhhh...getting a little worried... Message-ID: <2C9A1828@smtpgat2.csir.co.za> Morning all I have read with interest - and not a little exitement - news, reviews, and general blurb on the GUS - so I decided to go for the big one and so I have ordered the MAX with 1meg onboard (at R1405 - not cheap!) The vendor demanded a deposit as he thinks I should go for an SB (he is not willing to take any responsibility for the GUS card, or its support!) Having already decided the GUS is the card of my dreams (by mapping my perceptions over it, rather than evaluating it (difficult over here where no-one is willing to import one with which we can play :( )) I decided to go ahead anyway... Now I read all this good stuff (Ultrasound Daily Digest Fri, 17 Sep 93 0:46 MDT Volume 6: Issue 16 ) about Gravis support (or lack of...) along the lines of 'you can't complain about the support - there isn't any!' am I getting fidgety or not?... ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 Sep 93 09:31:48 EDT From: eths1306@ele.etsmtl.ca Subject: Prince ? Message-ID: <9309171331.AA09067@ele.etsmtl.ca> Hi everybody, I would like to know if someone as a trick to make the GUS 2.06 work with Broderbund's Prince of Persia 2 ? Please reply to me directly ... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | Styve Ethier | Take one more look at what you found old | | eths1306@ele.etsmtl | And in it you'll find something new | | ETS Montreal, Canada | -Depeche Mode | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 Sep 1993 11:10:56 -0600 (CDT) From: ddebry@grue.dsd.ES.COM (Dave DeBry) Subject: Replies, replies, replies... Message-ID: <9309171710.AA16784@grue.dsd.ES.COM> John Patrick Lestrade scurries across a keyboard, producing this: > I am finally buying a cdrom to go with my GUS and I would like to make > sure that I am not making a mistake in buying the Panasonic 562. Bart Adam Larrenaga scurries across a keyboard, producing this: > Does anyone know if the daughterboard that connects the GUS to A CD-ROM is > available yet, and if so, what price? Was it ever resolved if the GUS has a high enough amount of thoroughput to actually run a CDROM as a CDROM, instead of just an audio CD player? Phil J. scurries across a keyboard, producing this: > There was a file on epas on how to construct a MIDI box for the GUS... > has the file been relocated, or is it not for the public...? It's in the FAQ. Look for "gusfaq" on epas, or mail to the request server to get a copy. Patricio W. Schurter Garriga scurries across a keyboard, producing this: > I sent my registration card 'bout two months ago, can I know if you > guys at Gravis received it?. When are you shipping the new software? Uh oh, it looks like someone didn't read the disclaimer: "These lists are not owned or operated by Gravis. There are Gravis employees on the lists, but the owner of the lists is not one of them. Please don't mail your complaints concerning the Ultrasound to him." Honestly, folks, I have NO idea about your registration. I work at a computer graphics company (es.com), and maintain the lists from here. If your registration card is here, then the mail system is more screwed up than anyone has possibly imagined. -- Dave ddebry@ debry@ \ DeBry dsd. peruvian. | "It's not whether you win or lose the race, but how es. cs.utah. | you look with the big cardboard taco on your head." com edu / ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 Sep 1993 08:22:49 -0400 (EDT) From: Phat H Tran Subject: Re: Ultrasound Daily Digest V6 #16 Message-ID: > Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1993 09:40:57 -0500 > From: John Patrick Lestrade > Subject: Can I mate a Panasonic 562 with the GUS? > Message-ID: <199309161440.AA22709@Ra.MsState.Edu> > > I am finally buying a cdrom to go with my GUS and I would like to make > sure that I am not making a mistake in buying the Panasonic 562. > (I checked the FAQ and there was no mention of cdroms) > The GUS doesn't have a CD-ROM interface, only a CD audio header. You'll have to make sure that the Panasonic comes with an interface of its own or buy the appropriate CD-ROM daughtercard. I'm not sure if a daughtercard exists for the Panasonic 562. > PS: After telling all of my friends about the superiority of wavetable > over FM, I was very disappointed to see the GUS look so bad in the > recent Computer Shopper (just arrived Sept 15). It is at the bottom! > What were the dotes evaluating this time? SBOS? > Date: Fri, 17 Sep 93 03:29:58 +1000 > From: bradbury@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au (Christopher Bradbury) > Subject: Opti > Message-ID: <9309161729.AA26170@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au> > > Can any one explain to me the problem with opti chipsets and the GUS? > I have a 486dx2-66 VLB with an opti chipset and have previously had an 386dx > -25 with an opti chipset and I have never had problems that where realted to the GUS and the chipset. > > Could someone please eith er explain this or give me an example or problem that I can try so as to exploit or prove this theory!!! Only SOME Opti chipsets have a fault in their DMA controller. If you haven't experienced any problems using a 16-bit DMA channel, then you're OK. > Date: Thu, 16 Sep 93 17:05:06 CDT > From: Don Eller > Subject: ordering things direct from Gravis > Message-ID: <199309162205.AA27567@albania.inst.medtronic.COM> > [...] > > After about six weeks, I figured the card wasn't coming, since it > never appeared on my Mastercard bill, and I never received any phone > calls, or letters about it. Since I lost their 1-800 number, I tried > sending mail to sales@gravis.com and waited for a reply. > > Nothing happened, and that was a week ago. Gravis must be recording all their registrations and orders on napkins. :) > Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1993 08:07:56 -0400 (EDT) > From: Steve Seixeiro > Subject: SBOS switches > Message-ID: <9309161207.AA29286@sirius.corel.ca> > > What I would like to know is what switch I use to unload SBOS. I've > looked through almost all the documentation I have about it but haven't found > the switch to unload it. sbof -f will unload SBOS. > Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1993 19:44:49 -0300 (ADT) > From: Gravis Ultrasound Lover > Subject: ULTRAMID and LINE IN > Message-ID: > [...] The latest ultramid (ver 1.02) will accept the -l switch to keep the line in enabled. Phat. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 Sep 93 7:06:04 PDT From: mikebat@netcom.com (Mike Batchelor) Subject: Re: Ultrasound Daily Digest V6 #16 Message-ID: <9309171406.AA13075@netcom2.netcom.com> Not the Ultrasound Server once wrote... $ $ Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1993 08:07:56 -0400 (EDT) $ From: Steve Seixeiro $ Subject: SBOS switches $ $ What I would like to know is what switch I use to unload SBOS. I've $ looked through almost all the documentation I have about it but haven't found $ the switch to unload it. SBOS -F. If it doesn't unload, then you didn't load it last. Load it last thing, and then you can unload it. $ ------------------------------ $ $ Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1993 19:44:49 -0300 (ADT) $ From: Gravis Ultrasound Lover $ Subject: ULTRAMID and LINE IN $ $ Is there a way to leave the 'Line IN' enabled when loading ULTRAMID? $ Here's why. I'm currently playing The 7th Guest. I found out that during $ the intro screen, a soundtrack is being played directly from the CD. But $ my CD audio OUT is plugged into my GUS' Line IN. When I load ULTRAMID, $ the Line IN is automatically turned off. If I run 'GSET LO' (which puts It should be enabled by default. It is for me. I get CD audio during the intro without taking any special steps. My Mitsumi line out is run *inside the computer case* from the small 4 pin connection on the back of the drive to the small 4 pin connection on the surface of the GUS card, not the jacks at the backplane. But it should also work connected to the jacks on the backplane. Perhaps it is your CD that needs a command to enable its line out? -- Mike Batchelor | mikebat@netcom.com | This space for rent mikebat@qdeck.com | ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 Sep 1993 12:11:45 -0500 (CDT) From: Michael Allen Subject: zork.exe Message-ID: I remember seeing an article in the newsletter telling how to get better sound out of the demo. Can someone please repost the intructions? thanks in advance mike ------------------------------ End of Ultrasound Daily Digest V6 #17 *************************************