HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: davecole@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (David Cole)
Subject: List of Soundcards: add new SB16, etc.
Organization: Northwestern University, Evanston Illinois.
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 03:22:07 GMT


Until I revise the list, here are some updates:

The Oct 27 issue (gee, they must deliver these mags in a special DeLorean)
 of PC Magazine, p. 61, announces 3 products from Creative Labs:

Sound Blaster 16, with 4 operator 20 voice FM, volume, bass, treble controls,
onboard mixer, and midi port.  List price $349.  (But Computability ad in same
issue lists it for $189).

Of more interest to me was the next product:

MIDI Blaster: external general midi device with PCM sampled sounds and
20-instrument polyphony.  128 instuments, 33 effects, and 55 percussion (they
call 'em "drums").  List: $499.

Interesting.  Sounds like direct competition for the Roland modules.  In the
photo, the MIDI Blaster has a very strange shape.  Why isn't it sold as a card
product??  If they wholesale it at 50% of list, it should sell for around
$275.

Last product was: Port Blaster, list $199.  8-bit DACs and 4op FM.  Their
answer to Media Vision's "Audio Port".  Plugs into parallel port.


BTW I saw somewhere that Creative Labs paid Brown-Wagh some whopping amount to
terminate B-W's rights to exclusive distribution (if I remember correctly, it
was $15,000,000).  The amount paid for Adlib recently is small spuds compared
to that. Creative will have to sell quite a few Blasters just to pay off B-W.


Other manufacturers: The new Microsoft card is to be the "Windows Sound
System" at $289 list.  16 bit digital, but no midi or joystick ports. 
Supposed to ship this month (October).

The new DAK $200 "Media Master" card just happens to have similar specs to the
RTM/Omni Labs "Audio Master" card -- which calls its chip the "Media Master
Sound Circuit".  Might be more than coincidence....

Cardinal Technologies, who is supposed to ship a card based on the new Sierra
"Aria" chipset, is in fact listed in PC Week as shipping FM (OPL3) cards since
August.  "Sound Studio", they modestly call it.  (Cardinal makes Video boards
and modems also, they are in Lancaster, PA).

Several other new cards due this Fall, using Sierra and Ensoniq chips.

Cheers,


Dave Cole

davecole@casbah.acns.nwu.edu
dcole@ua.d.umn.edu
Xref: sparky comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard:2914 comp.os.os2.apps:7226
From: dic5340@hertz.njit.edu (David Charlap)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard,comp.os.os2.apps
Subject: Re: Sound cards for OS/2
Date: 16 Oct 92 17:23:59 GMT
Organization: New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, N.J.

In article <hrpdko.17@pnv.palm.cri.nz> news@massey.ac.nz (USENET News System) writes:
>                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>I was under the impression that Sound blaster music works fine under OS2 but 
>that the digitised sound part of the board won't work.

All features of the SB work fine under OS/2.  If a software vendor is
dumb enough to build timer-dependant loops into his sound code, the
sound is going to come out garbled under multitasking.  This goes for
OS, including Windows, OS/2, and NT.  The program expects it's timer
interrupt at a certain speed, and the code doesn't ever consider that
it might not be getting that speed, so things come out slow.

Well-written programs which use the SB interrupt and DMA to send sound
(like Creative Labs recommends) work fine.



-- 
David Charlap         |"there aren't 50,000 things for which it's worth writing
dic5340@hertz.njit.edu| software; and the computer industry doesn't have enough
----------------------+ programmers to create that much good software.
Therefore, most of it must be worthless" -- Boris Beizer "The Frozen Keyboard"
From: michael.hagerty@nitelog.com (Michael Hagerty)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
Subject: Piano/keyboard teaching
Date: 9 Oct 92 19:47:00 GMT
Reply-To: michael.hagerty@nitelog.com (Michael Hagerty)
Organization: Nitelog BBS - Monterey, CA - 408-655-1096

On 10-08-92, JOHN FLOWERS wrote to ALL:

JF> I am looking for piano teaching software. I have a PC, a MIDI board
JF> (PAS 16) and a keyboard(yamaha YPR-9). Can someone point me in the
JF> right direction? Shareware preferred, commerical would be OK.

Software Toolworks was reportedly working on a version of the software
for the Miracle Piano Teaching System which would work with any MIDI
keyboard and a sound card.  You might want to give them a call to check
it out.  I have their keyboard and have been hoping to upgrade eventually.

Regards, Mikey (michael.hagerty@nitelog.com)
 * JABBER v1.3B1 #B042 * James Brown: I've fallen and I can't get down!
                                                                                                                
Xref: sparky comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard:2772 comp.os.os2.apps:7164
From: das9674@usl.edu (Stephenson Daniel A)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard,comp.os.os2.apps
Subject: Re: Sound cards for OS/2
Date: 14 Oct 92 12:36:00 GMT
Article-I.D.: usl.1992Oct14.123600.25810
Organization: University of Southwestern Louisiana

In article <1992Oct13.224046.9088@pacdata.uucp> jimh@pacdata.uucp (Jim Harkins) writes:
>In article <RZHJsB1w165w@billapc.UUCP> baustin@billapc.UUCP (Bill Austin) writes:
>-mig@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Meir I Green) writes:
>-
>-> What sound cards are supported under OS/2?
>-
>-I have a SB-Pro and the only peep that I've heard from it while running
>-OS/2
>-Under a Dos windows or a full Screen Dos session the plyaback quality
>-of .mods dropped to below my threshhold for listening.
>
>Parrot also won't work under OS/2.  However, Falcon 3.0 with a soundblaster

Jim, didn't you find the frame rate to be too slow under OS/2?  I thought so
THen again, you might have a 486DX2/66 or something and it not matter....

>
>
>-- 
>One of the great ironies of our time is that voters with brains are
>greatly outnumbered by voters without brains, yet somehow the
>intelligent fail to perceive that not everybody thinks the way they do,
>thus they fail to argue persuasively for their points and then are
>surprised when the majority makes dumb choices.
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------
>Jim Harkins                         [ucsd|uunet]!pacdata!jim
>Pacific Data Products               jim@pacdata.com
>--------------------------------------------------------------
>


-- 
Dan Stephenson, a *true* FORTRAN Hacker                        das9674@usl.edu  
"I have never understood why it should be neccessary to become irrational in
 order to prove that you care. Or indeed why it should be neccessary to prove
 it at all."  -Avon (Blakes 7 _The Duel_)               
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
From: dedmunds@selkirk.sfu.ca (Darran Edmundson)
Subject: Re: GUS comments
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 01:10:43 GMT

gting@fraser.sfu.ca (Gabriel Sii Kuok Ting) writes:

>I suppose in your haste you didn't read the readme.bat file. It contains a
>few newer stuff not found on the compatibility card, like you have to run
>sbos with the -x3 parameter for Links386 to run. 

Nope, I did read it (and by the way the option is -x2 for links386 ;-).
My problem was that I didn't accept the default interrupt setting of 7
since I have this assigned to LPT1 - I should have just left everything
alone.  I now have sound in all games although Links has locked up
twice which has never happened before.  I'm still trying to track down
this problem.

I hope this card sells well and other game developers support the GUC.
Is Gravis a listed company?

-- 

Darran Edmundson
darran@chaos.phys.sfu.ca

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
From: gting@fraser.sfu.ca (Gabriel Sii Kuok Ting)
Subject: Re: GUS vs Soundblaster
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 22:05:35 GMT

andrew@frip.WV.TEK.COM (Andrew Klossner) writes:

>So, to summarize: the Gravis Ultrasound has knock-your-socks-off sound,
>but its Soundblaster support can slow down the game so much that you lose
>if games are your main interest.  Sigh.

I'm sorry if my initial post about the SB emulation had people implying that it
sucks bad with games. It was just my luck that the initial games I tried did
slow down, and moreover, it was two of my old favourites - Wing Commander 2 and
Stunts. However, all the other games I later tried ran with hardly any 
glitches, and was just as fast as when I used my old SB: Gods, Speedball2, 
Space Quest 4, Rise of the Dragon, Ultima 7, Indy 500 and Prince of Persia.
Even in WC2 itself, it was only the cinematic sequences that were a pain in the
ass, the in flight sequences were just slightly slower than when I tried it
out on a friend's 286. 

>  -=- Andrew Klossner (andrew@frip.wv.tek.com)

-- Gabriel Ting (gting@sfu.ca)

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
From: gonzaled@ucsu.Colorado.EDU (LGV/MC)
Subject: Wing Commander II with PAS-16
Summary: Can this work?
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 05:36:45 GMT

Has anybody been able to run Wing Commander II with sound through a Pro
Audio 16?
I have a friend who says he gets nothing at all with his PAS.  If you've
had experience with this, please return e-mail or followup to this article.

Thanks.
From: terry.walter@outlan.ersys.edmonton.ab.ca (Terry Walter) 
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
Subject: RE: THE GRAVIS ULTRASOUND
Date: 13 Oct 92 03:22:00 GMT
Reply-To: terry.walter@outlan.ersys.edmonton.ab.ca (Terry Walter) 
Distribution: world
Organization: Outland BBS-UUCP

I agree, like someone said to me in a post before, (forgot who), Gravis
aimed the card at those that play games, and if they want to digitize in
16 bit, 44.1K stereo, then they will have the option of purchasing the
daughterboard.  I say, if you buy a sound card just to play games, get a
SB 2.0.
From: morgan@dl5000.bc.edu (Morgan Stair)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
Subject: GUS Compatability
Date: 14 Oct 92 16:54:40 GMT
Organization: Institute for Space Research, Boston College


  Is GUS an SB Pro compatable card?

  From the way this card is described
why couldn't a driver be written for it to emulate an SBpro, SB16 or
an AdLib Gold card?
--
***************************************
* Morgan Stair <Morgan@DL5000.BC.EDU> *
* BC / Institute for Space Research   *
* (617)552-8783                       *
***************************************
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
From: hsiaoe@barh108.its.rpi.edu (Eric Hsiao)
Subject: Looking for PAS joystick port pinout config
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 14:23:35 GMT

I want to build a Y-cable for the joystick port for the PAS-16 card.
However, joystick ports that are also used as midi connectors somewhat
differ from the standard configuration, but only for joystick #2.
If anyone has a schematic or know where I can get a Y-cable that can be
used on "midi-joystick" ports, please let me know.
                   Thanks,
                    Eric
-- 
| Internet: hsiaoe@rpi.edu         > Read GIF News - a freely copied news  < |
| Bitnet: userHA6G@rpitsmts.bitnet > magazine in .GIF file format.  Color  < |
| To get GIF News, FTP to here:    > articles on reviews of programs,      < |
| netserv1.its.rpi.edu /pub/misc   > games, industry news, IBM, Amiga, etc.< |
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
From: nbw1@quads.uchicag.edu 
Subject: Re: SB16; where is it?
Reply-To: nbw1@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 02:19:32 GMT

In article <1992Oct8.193648.25421@ichips.intel.com> smintz@sedona.intel.com (Stephen Mintz exp 11/92~) writes:
>
>What ever happened to the sb 16...isn't it aspose to be out by now...I ever heard
>is was moved up...
>Stephen

The Sound Blaster 16 has been released as of last week, it will be available
mailorder next week, retail stores week + 1/2

nbw1@quads.uchicago

dont try to order from me, I already goot about 59 back ordered.

(nice card, I have one, better than most people think!)
From: jong@wright.seas.ucla.edu (Jong Y. Lee)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
Subject: PAS soundcards
Date: 15 Oct 92 01:00:27 GMT
Organization: SEASnet, University of California, Los Angeles


Hi netters!

It might be FAQ, but our newsserver expire articles very early and I can't
find FAQ from passed articles.
Anyway, I have a question on PAS Pro/16 soundcards.  I currently own a 
Soundblaster (non Pro), and am thinking about upgrading it to ones that
can handle CD rom.  I know PAS 16 is the best choice, but $200+ price tag
is a little heavy on me.  So the next choice is PAS Pro, but I'm not sure
if it's any better than SB Pro or not.  
I know PAS 16 can do 44.1Khz sampling and 16 bit stereo.  What about its 
less powered brother PAS Pro?  I think I heard that it only handles upto 
22Khz sampling rate or somesuch.  Is it true?  More importantly, does it 
make whole lot of difference when you listen to the music from CD?  
Does the sampling rate make any difference in terms of the quality of music?  
(not technically, but to your ears).
SUN uses 8Khz for their audiofiles and it sounded pretty good to me.
Besides the fact that SB Pro doesn't have a real SCSI interface, is there
any other drawback in choosing SB Pro?
If someone out there has a spec comparison among those soundboards, would
you please elm it to me?

Thanks in advance.


Jongyoon

jong@seas.ucla.edu
From: mfrazer@scott.skidmore.edu (matthew frazer)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
Subject: Re: Music for SBPro (Regarding RBGDemo2 also)
Date: 15 Oct 92 14:42:13 GMT
Article-I.D.: scott.1992Oct15.144213.25342
Organization: Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs NY
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]

I may be wrong about this, but I'm pretty sure you should not be using
himem.sys with either of the rbg demos. Read the docs, I'm pretty sure
it says to make a booot disk, cuz of the way it uses protected mode. I
did this, a boot disk, with no config.sys in it, and it all works fine.
--
===============================================================================
    "I was kind of dissapointed actually. I mean here he is the great and
    evil BOB and the worst thing he can do is squeeze a tube of toothpaste
                            out from the middle."
            -Something Someone Said About The Finale Of Twin Peaks
Matthew Frazer              |   Matthew Frazer    | mfrazer@skidmore.edu 
Skidmore College            |   5 Stevens Way     |  My SAAB is not old
Saratoga Springs NY 12866   |   Durham NH 03824   |   It is experienced
===============================================================================
                              Be Seeing You!
===============================================================================
From: michael.hagerty@nitelog.com (Michael Hagerty) 
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
Subject: Re: Piano/keyboard teach
Date: 12 Oct 92 22:19:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: Nitelog BBS - Monterey, CA - 408-655-1096
Reply-To: michael.hagerty@nitelog.com (Michael Hagerty) 

On 10-12-92, Phil Schlesinger wrote regarding the Miracle Piano:

CN> Folks - I used to work for Egghead Discount Software.  We DELIBERATLEY
CN> discouraged customers from buying it for a few reasons, even though we
CN> sold it:
CN> 1)  IT'S EXPENSIVE (approx. $400)
CN> 2)  Unless you're gonna use it everyday for AT LEAST an hour every week
CN> for more than a year (this includes weekends and holidays), you'll
CN> never achieve the final result (Handel's Water Music).  Also, no
CN> machine can and will ever replace a human when it comes to teaching
CN> anything

Interesting perspective.  DAK is selling the product by phone/mail for
$199, about the price of an OK keyboard.  I don't consider that expensive.

Curiously, some people learn faster than others.  Some are blessed with
excellent manual coordination and some are ham-fisted.  As with any
teaching device, your milage may vary.  The MP is certainly cheaper than a
number of hours with an instructor, only to discover that you are
hopelessly clumsy, un-gifted or even completely absent of talent.

I bought it because I wanted to learn to use a keyboard.  I had intended to
purchase a keyboard and had, on a number of occasions, picked one up in a
store.  Each time I marched down to the cash register, I asked myself,
"Just how are you going to learn how to play this?"  I had instruction in
school, but that was on reed instruments and a piano is a lot different.
The net result was that each time I picked a keyboard up, I ended up
putting it back, unbought.

Now for the downside...  The MP is not an easy teacher...  In fact, it is
a flaming Prussian.  I can recall, from my school days, always being able
to get away with an occasional easy practice by showing "effort".  MP does
not understand effort, only "results".  It can be very, very frustrating.
I am one of the relatively un-gifted students. :-)

{Flame_Mode=On} (use ROT13 to view)
Ba n frcnengr vffhr, pbapreavat gur rguvpf bs ohfvarff, V nz bssraqrq ol
Cuvy'f fgngrzrag: "Jr QRYVORENGYRL qvfpbhentrq phfgbzref sebz ohlvat vg sbe
n srj ernfbaf, rira gubhtu jr fbyq vg".  Vs n fgber vf abg tbvat gb cebzbgr
n cebqhpg vg pneevrf, rira tbvat fb sne nf gb qvfpbhentr phfgbzref sebz
ohlvat gur cebqhpg, qbrf gur fgber abg unir gur erfcbafvovyvgl gb abg pneel
gur cebqhpg va gur svefg cynpr?  Vf gurer ab erfcbafvovyvgl gb gur bevtvany
qrirybcre gb rvgure cebzbgr be qvfpbagvahr?
{Flame_Mode=Off}

Regards, Mikey (michael.hagerty@nitelog.com)

 * JABBER v1.3B1 #B042 * I  my dogs (actually bitches, since "dogs" are male)
                                                                                                                                          
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
From: kevin@dipl.rdd.lmsc.lockheed.com (Kevin Anderson)
Subject: Re: DSP on disk recordings
Summary: xxx
Keywords: xxx
Reply-To: kevin@dipl.rdd.lmsc.lockheed.com
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 92 23:56:15 GMT

johnf@scd.hp.com (John Flowers) writes:

>>Ok, now that I have a PAS 16, I would like to record something, then
>>play it back pitch shifted but with the same tempo.  This would require
>>some sort of digital signal processing.

>>I am an electrical engineer and programmer, so what I need to hear/read
>>about is the function that would either be done in software or on some
>>DSP chip I could port on a board in my PC.

>Look for some code that'll do a fourier transform on your sound sample.
>That'll switch it from time-domain to frequency-domain.  Once you're in
>the frequency-domain, changing pitch is a snap.  Then another fourier
>transform and you're back to a time-domain sample.  (This is as I
>understand it from my Systems class - I've never done this)

>This is not going to be fast, especially on a PC.  A board with this
>function built into hardware would probably be a better choice than a
>PAS 16.  Post in comp.dsp for more info.  If you want, I can dig up
>some companies that make DSP boards, but they aren't cheap ($500 up
>to $20,000).

A faster, and cheaper, way of doing it would be to record at 1 particular
sampling rate, then play back at another.  You wouldn't, though, keep
the same tempo.  The way to do it is to change the sampling rate in
the .wav file header from the old rate to the new rate.  .wav headers
are 44 bytes long.  The sampling rate is a two byte unsigned integer stored
at locations 24 and 25 (low byte, hi byte).

BTW: an FFT would not preserve tempo.


Kevin Anderson
From: boxall@qut.edu.au
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
Subject: Soundblaster 2.0 and Space Q 1 (VGA)
Date: 9 Oct 92 12:46:07 EST
Organization: Queensland University of Technology

SPACE QUEST 1 (VGA) PROBLEMS WITH SOUNDBLASTER V2.0
---------------------------------------------------

When I install the soundblaster option the following message 
appears during startup:

	UNABLE TO INITIALIZE MUSIC HARDWARE!

The program then continues but without sound. It works fine on 
the ADLIB setting and other software.

Hardware config :

	Soundblaster V2.0
	486Dx-33Mhz
	8Mb RAM
	Trident SVGA card

Any help would be appreciated.


Wayne.

boxall@qut.edu.au

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
From: tarjan@iastate.edu (Spurticles)
Subject: Re: THE GRAVIS ULTRASOUND
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 17:09:45 GMT

In article <1992Oct14.135226.14698@tamsun.tamu.edu> edb9140@tamsun.tamu.edu (Ed Boling) writes:
>We'll that's all real nice with those prices that you have listed, but the GUS is NOT 16 bit at that price, nor does it have a SCSI ability at that price.  You should compare apples to apples and not compare apples to oranges.
>
>just my $0.02 worth
>
How is it not 16 bit? That I dont understand.. and as to SCSI..
I dont need SCSI right now.. and I dont feel like paying extra for 
a peice of shit SCSI adapter like the SB Pro's or the PAS 16's....

For 124 (plos 8 for shipping) you can get the GUS from Telemart..

Sounds awesome to me.. even though I have to wait till the 21st..
but screw it i think it is worth it..





Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
From: GJAMES@HUSKY1.STMARYS.CA (GJames)
Subject: GUS will be discontinued !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Organization: Saint Mary's University
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 18:26:01 GMT

I was just talking to a retail outlet here who had 20 GUS cards. Although 
all of the cards had been sold the store was only ordering enough to cover 
the XMAS rush. According to the salesman, who apparently has contacts at 
advanced gravice, there will be a GUS PROFESSIONAL soundcard released in the 
spring. This card will offer all of the features of the GUS and will also 
have simultaneous 24 channel stereo (24 left adnd 24 right), a 15 watt amp, 
a 64 channel mixer, fully MIDI and MPC compliant, 16 MB max ram, onboard 
68030 processor to handle all sound manipulation and he thought all of the 
standard I/O ports as well. 

This is all supposed to cost in the $300.00 Can. range.

Can anybody confirm or deny this for me.

If it is true I sure am happy I didnt but the GUS. I think I'll wait a while 
to see what developes.

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
From: bjornhk@dhhalden.no (BJORN HAAVARD KLEVEN)
Subject: Re: GUS!! Help meeeeee...
Organization: Ostfold College
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 12:24:17 GMT

In article <1992Oct10.181109.19055@intacc.uucp> xi@intacc.uucp (Tony Fong) writes:
>From: xi@intacc.uucp (Tony Fong)
>Subject: GUS!! Help meeeeee...
>Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1992 18:11:09 GMT
>
>Well..  After the long wait over the last couple of months I now have the
>Gravis Ultrasound Card sitting inside my computer. 
>The sounds have been great.. when it worked.
> 
>I'm having some problems with WINDOWS..  Now I bought GUS with a friend and he
>has had absolutely no problems.  As for me I've encountered a couple of
>things.  Once in a while I get a PARITY error from the computer and it
>crashes. And WINDOWS will not detect the card.  I've made sure (4 times) that
>its plugged it nicely, and I've even switched the bass port address.  Nothing.
>If anyone in the area of Vancouver could give them a shout for me (there 1-800
># is constantly busy) or no if any solutions?

The parity error might be solved if you set the DMA to 1 instead of the 
default 7. This according to Gravis.
 
    -=* Bjorn :: bjornhk@sofus.dhhalden.no
  ACCESS DATA :: TEL: (+47)-9-17 50 48/61-97 791 FAX: 61-97 791
                 BBS: 61-97 304/97 945
 
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard,comp.os.os2.apps