From: jkb@suned1.Nswses.Navy.Mil (John K Bunk)
Organization: NSWSES Code 4g13 - Opinions: Are Mine Alone
Subject: Why I'm not buying GUS yet!
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 10:29:36 -0800
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I've always thought wavetable synthesis with RAM loadable sounds was the way
to go for PC music making.  When I've discovered the Gravis Ultrasound card,
I thought my prayers have been answered.  However, the following problems still
prevents me from shelling out the bucks quite yet:

1)  Why, oh why, did the card have 16 bit output (great) but ONLY has 8 bit
sampling input as a default (not so great).  I can't think of any situation
where this combination makes sense.  Furthermore,

2)  Finding the card itself is difficult enought (more so than the SCC-1 card 
I have), but finding the 16 bit daughter card is downright impossible (at least 
from my search).  Without the 16 bit sampling input, I cannot buy this card at 
all.  Nobody at any computer store I've been to has heard of GUS or the 
daughter card.

3)  Sure the price of the default card is great, but to make this card my primary
card for music synthesis, I already need the daughter card (which I can't find)
AND a 1 Meg expansion right out of the box.

4)  The (as far as I know) non-standard MIDI interface (non-MPU401).  Furthermore,
I don't know if MIDI in / out jacks come standard with the card or do I have
to find another non-existent daughter card to add to the 16 bit sampling!

5)  (more of a question than a gripe)  Can I drive the GUS with MIDI data
through the MIDI ports (assuming it has them) instead of internally?
I'm looking for a way for GUS to coexist with a Roland SCC-1 card and through
Windows 3.1.  I was thinking of using the Roland card as the MIDI interface and
running MIDI data out from the Roland, through a MIDI cable, and back into
the GUS.  Somewhat kludgey, but will it work?

6)   Nobody has mentioned any way of converting .WAV, MIDI sample, etc. to
sounds that GUS can use for wavetable synthesis.  What a market if this is
possible.  I'm thinking of this as I read many complaints of "static" in
default waveforms which is packaged with GUS (and how everyone says they
could be better).

These items I talk about above probably would not bug me very much (especially for
the price of the card!), but other cards rumored to be coming soon sounds like
they would give GUS some real competition soon.  So unless Gravis gets their
marketing, software, and sample library act together, I'm going to wait for
something better.

Hopefully, someone will shed some light on my gripes above, and convince me
to buy a Gravis Ultrasound soon!

John

-- 
                      John Bunk, Code 4G13, NSWC-PHD 
                       jkb@suned1.nswses.navy.mil
    Any statements / opinions made here are mine, alone, not the Navy's.
              But that's OK, the Navy is usually wrong anyhow.