HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: darrylo@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Darryl Okahata)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
Subject: Re: Ordering the PAS-16
Date: 22 Jul 92 18:40:52 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Santa Rosa, CA

In comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard, jms20@po.CWRU.Edu (John M. Sully) writes:

> I just called MediaVision to inquire about the PAS-16 card...
> According to the FAQ, the price is $215, but MediaVision 
> said $349!!!

     The FAQ price is probably the street price, whereas the MediaVision
quote is list price.

> Am I just looking in the wrong place?  If so, can someone suggest 
> where I should order it from (places that can be trusted...)

     Try PC Connection (they advertise in PC Magazine).  Their prices
aren't the lowest, but they're one of the few mail-order companies that
I trust.  I've ordered from them without any problems, and I've only
heard good things about them from others (however, I'm sure someone,
somewhere, has a horror story -- no company can be 100% perfect ;-).

     If anything, PC Connection might be "too good".  A while back, I
placed an order with them.  As I'm more than two days away via UPS
ground, they sent the order via air express (standard practice for many
items).  Unfortunately, while I received my order in less than a week
(2-3 days after placing a credit-card order), I also:

1. Received a call at work, from the air express company, asking if
   someone would be at my home to receive the package.

2. Had to hop into my car and drive home to receive the package, as no
   one else was available.  Fortunately, I didn't have any meetings or
   pressing assignments to do ....

You might want to ask about other shipping options.

     -- Darryl Okahata
	Internet: darrylo@sr.hp.com

DISCLAIMER (unoriginal): This message is the author's personal opinion
and does not constitute the support, opinion or policy of
Hewlett-Packard.  Any resemblance between the above views and those of
the author's employer, his terminal, or the view out his window are
purely coincidental.  Any resemblance between the above and his own
views is non-deterministic.  The question of the existence of views in
the absence of anyone to hold them is left as an exercise for the
reader.  The question of the existence of the reader is left as an
exercise for the second god coefficient.  (A discussion of
non-orthogonal, non-integral polytheism is beyond the scope of this
article.)
From: k_deegan@bessel.concordia.ca (kenneth deegan)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
Subject: Stereo WAV format
Keywords: soundcard multimedia advice
Date: 26 Jul 92 05:17:48 GMT
Organization: ECE - Concordia University


Hi people,

  I have an ATI Stereo F/X card. This card has a stereo record option, and
creates a stereo WAV file. this is great except that the software that came
with the card does not let you play with the left and right channels in an 
independent way. I would like to be able to do this, so that I can add stereo
effects (like a sound going from one channel to the other and the like.

Does anybody know the format of the stereo WAV format, and thus know how
to decompose it into two mono WAV files (I could then work on each in
soundtool and then remix them using the inverse formula of the split).
I am assuming this can be done. I hope it can be done, because if not
I have to sample each channel sep, work on each, and then play each out
to a tape deck and use a mixer. A lot of work. 

Software that does the split would be great, but if all I can get is a bit
of info that would be good too. If I have to write the splitter and joiner
myself, I will post them here for others to use.

Thank you in advance.

ken...
From: tardif@outaouais.ulaval.ca (Pierre-Martin Tardif)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
Subject: Is this a good deal ???
Date: 24 Jul 92 01:11:33 GMT
Organization: Universite Laval

Hi everyone !

	I have been enjoying this group for a while and
I have a question:
	I know someone who is willing to sell its
	Roland MT-32 sound module for 315$US. Do
	you think it is a good deal and do you
	know if it is at least as good as the
	today's PAS-16, SBPro, AdLib Gold and
	Gravis Ultrasound ???  Should I wait
	a little and buy a newer card or
	go for this one because it is good enough ??????

Let me tell you that my main use of the card will be to
compose music.  The secondary one will be to hear the
'music' during games.....

So, if you have a MT-32...better, if you had a MT-32 and
switched to another one, can you help me ???


The last two news I got from here (Quebec city) is:

	1- AdLib is back again but with a new owner...
		Shippings will start in one week.

	2- The Gravis Ultrasound is on its way...
		My favorite computer store will
		have one next week.

Thank you !
-- 
Pierre-Martin Tardif, etudiant gradue  (email: tardif@gel.ulaval.ca)
Laboratoire de Vision et Systemes Numeriques
Universite Laval, Pavillon Adrien-Pouliot, local 00100-I, Ste-Foy, Quebec,
Canada, G1K 7P4         (418-656-2131, ext 4848)
From: ssc@waikato.ac.nz
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
Subject: Roland D-50 and MIDI for PC's
Date: 24 Jul 92 15:42:11 +1200
Organization: University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

I have a number of questions regarding MIDI.  It is for my cousin, he has an
Amiga (WAIT! this posting is not about Amigas), and is thinking of selling it
to get a 386 PC.  Presently he uses the Amiga as a sequencer and sampler for use
with his Roland D-50 synthesizer (in a band) and wants to know what there is
in the way a PC sequencing software (in particular Dr T's).  Are there any
descent Roland D-50 patch editors and patch librarian programs for the PC? 
(commercial or otherwise).  Also which sound card has built in MIDI connectors 
(or available as an optional extra), and is also capable of playing sampled 
sounds while at the same time reading and writing to MIDI? (this IS important).
He was considering buying the Sound Blaster PRO until I told him that you can't
play sampled sounds at the same time as using MIDI (I read this somewhere,
probably in the reference manuals) because of shared DMAs or interupts (not
sure which).  Does the PAS-11 permit this?  What about the Gravis?

Any help would be very much appreciated.
Shane.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
From: kevin@tycho.lmsc.com (Kevin Anderson)
Subject: Re: Wanted:  MIDI Fileformat
Reply-To: kevin@dipl.rdd.lmsc.lockheed.com
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 92 00:27:04 GMT


>Does anyone have further informations about the Fileformat as
>specified in the MIDI 1.0 Standard?  Any hints (line ftp sites etc.)
>are welcome!

See the posting I did regarding MIDI adapter questions (SB and PAS)
for Dan Goldwater.  I mentioned some good sources for MIDI information.

Kevin Anderson
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard,comp.music
From: driesse@qucis.queensu.ca (Anthonie Driesse)
Subject: MPU-401 programming
Followup-To: poster
Organization: Computing & Information Science, Queen's University
Date: Sun, 26 Jul 1992 18:06:48 GMT

There must be many people who have written software to send
and receive midi data through MPU-401 and compatible midi
interfaces.  I'd like to ask those people some questions:

Is there a reliable, well documented, installable device driver
that handles the painful aspects of MPU-401 programming?

Is there a reliable, well documented library of subroutines that
handles the painful aspects of MPU-401 programming?

Is there a reliable, well documented programming environment that
includes support for communication with the MPU-401?

Note, that I am interested in public domain as well as commercial
solutions. 

Please e-mail responses and I will summarize.

Thanks in advance, Anton.

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
From: hsiaoe@marcus.its.rpi.edu (Eric Hsiao)
Subject: Re: Sound Boards
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 22:59:14 GMT

I also recommend the PAS-16.  It's a better designed and better built board
than the SB Pro, and it's hardware SB compatible.
             - 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-write  > games, industry news, IBM, Amiga, etc.< |
From: slider@pongnet.chi.il.us (Paul Casey)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
Subject: Info on Sound Blaster 16 from Prodigy
Date: 25 Jul 92 17:06:54 CST
Organization: Temple of Pong

PRODIGY(R) interactive personal service         07/25/92
 
    PC USERS LOOKING TO TAP THE SOUND FEATURES OF MULTIMEDIA, or
    those just desiring more realistic music or sound effects,
    will be interested in a new add-on card from Creative Labs.
       The multimedia hardware company is preparing to release a
    16-bit version of its popular Sound Blaster card. Sound
    Blaster 16 provides CD-quality stereo. The device will be
    targeted at a wide range of PC enthusiasts, from home users
    to business people.
       Sound Blaster 16 is scheduled to ship by later summer. It
    will sell for $349.
       Sound Blaster 16 includes a stereo digital/analog mixer
    that works with all audio sources.  It also features a stereo
    music synthesizer that uses a 20-voice FM technology.
       The unit provides a playback response from 5KHz to
    44.1KHz and 16-bit audio sampling.  It uses the same 90
    decibel CODEC chip found in professional digital audio tape
    (DAT) systems. Sound Blaster 16 offers a 4-watts-per-channel
    amplifier and volume, bass and treble controls. Microphone,
    and stereo line-in jacks are provided. A MIDI (musical
    instrument digital interface) port with Sound Blaster and
    MPU-401 support is also included.
       Sound Blaster 16 is compatible with all software that
    supports the current Sound Blaster card.  The new unit also
    works with Windows 3.1 application. The device will be
    bundled with an extensive library of software titles. The
    programs are designed to take full advantage of the card's
    advanced sound capabilities.
       "The Sound Blaster 16 achieves the highest audio quality
    possible on inherently noisy PC systems," says Creative Labs
    President W H Sim. "In addition to optimizing all components
    for noise reduction, we used a 4-layer printed circuit board
    that further suppresses the noise from the PC power bus."
       "At a suggested retail price of $349, Creative is making
    professional quality, presentation-level PC sound affordable
    to virtually any PC user who wants state of the art
    quality," observes Sim. "Creative believes that the
    availability of Sound Blaster 16 will help accelerate the
    already rapdily moving multimedia PC category."
       Founded in 1988, Creative Labs develops and markets sound
    and video boards, as well as other multimedia-related PC
    products. The Milpitas, Cal-based company says it has over 1
    million customers.
 
 
Copyright 1992 Prodigy Services Company. All Rights Reserved.

Paul Casey  "Slider"
slider@uumeme.chi.il.us
-or-
slider@pongnet.chi.il.us
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 14:18:20 -0400 
From: Carl Loeffler <cel+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: HELP WITH Sblaster and C, please!!

I got a Sblaster Pro--- and YIKES notice the developers SW kit is
using MICROSOFT C, and GUESS WHAT--- I'm using METAWARE C.
What to do besides shipping the board back?

Suggestions most appreciated!

Carl Loeffler
STUDIO FOR CREATIVE INQUIRY
CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
cel+@andrew.cmu.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
From: siffert@ucsu.Colorado.EDU (Thunder-Thumbs)
Subject: Telemart number
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 19:10:33 GMT

It has been widely publicized that Telemart has the best known price
for the Gravis Ultrasound.  However, the phone number has *not* been
publicized!  :)  Pleeeeeease tell us!

Anyone?  Bueller?  Bueller?



-- 
*  Curt Siffert                  *  'Love is like toast -                 * 
*  Thunder-Thumbs                *   burnt on the outside with            *
*  siffert@ucsu.colorado.EDU     *   gobs of butter all over it.'         * 
*  Paper-Mache Cows Forever...   *   - Me   (Geez, who else?)             *
From: SSCHEMA@ibm.gwdg.de (Stefan Schemat)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
Subject: MIDI output under Windows 3.1
Date: 31 Jul 92 12:34:45 GMT
Organization: GWDG, Goettingen

Hi,
does anybody knows, how to play a single MIDI note under Windows 3.1 ?
A short sample source text would be nice.
Thanx Stefan (SSCHEMA@ibm.gwdg.de)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
From: tjo3s@galen.med.Virginia.EDU (Thomas John O'Shaughnessy)
Subject: Roland LAPC-1 Source
Followup-To: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
Summary: Looking for mail order source
Keywords: ROLAND LAPC-1 MAIL ORDER
Organization: University of Virginia
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 19:53:06 GMT

I'm looking for a mail order company that carries the Roland LAPC-1.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

					Thanks,
					Tom

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard,ba.market.computers,misc.forsale.computers,ba.forsale.computers,comp.sys.ibm.pc.games
From: pschwrtz@lynx.cs.washington.edu (Paul Schwartz)
Subject: Re: Opinions on Open vs. Closed bidding? (was SBPro forsale)
Organization: Computer Science & Engineering Dept., Univ. of Washington, Seattle
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL3
Distribution: comp
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 92 18:08:10 GMT

fineman@markov.arc.nasa.gov (Charles Fineman) writes:
: 
: Ok, here's a poser for you all:
: 
<deletedd>
: it would be fair play to honor those requests or if I should keep 
: the bidding closed?
: 
: 	Chuck
: 
: --

	It would be fair to open it only if you were to notify everybody who
had already bid what the current bid level was.  ie. as at an auction.

--
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Paul Schwartz       pschwrtz@lynx.cs.washington.edu
From: andrean@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Andre Arianto Nurwono)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
Subject: Re: Software sugestions... (addtn to FAQ-how to play big samples)
Date: 29 Jul 92 19:29:19 GMT
Reply-To: andrean@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Andre Arianto Nurwono)

|>>>
|>>>oops....forgot to metion that I'm using a Soundblaster Not-a-Pro on
a 486/33..
|>>>thanks for sugestions....
|>>

I think a software called Digiplayer ver. 3.0 by Prof Timo Salami
uses the HD as virtual memory. You can record & playback samples
as big as your harddisk. It`s a great software, uses 2 pages of
memory EGA/VGA & smooth scrolling for the user interface.
Location : snake.mcs.kent.edu at /pub/SB-Adlib/players/dp30.arj

|>>Why not try putting that 8 Megs of Ram to good use...
|>>

|>Well, he's using a classic Soundblaster card, so I guess he'll end up
|>with 10 minutes of 11Khz samples.  Now, how do you put that on
|>floppies... ^_^

DOS Backup utility works just fine to backup a large single file. It cuts
the file just to fit the maximum floppy space, even if you use a disk
extender like Maxi or int13x to get 1.7 MB floppies, BACKUP still fills
them up.

                            
Andre Nurwono               | "Ho, haha, guard, turn, dodge, parry, spin, ha,
andrean@cc.utexas.edu       |  thrust... (BOINNNG!)"  - Daffy Duck

Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
From: greaham@a.cs.okstate.edu (GREAHAM DARIN DONA)
Subject: Wher are the SB Pro Win 3.1 Drivers?
Organization: Oklahoma State University, Computer Science, Stillwater
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 92 20:33:55 GMT

I might have missed this in an earlier conversation, but does anybody
know where the Sound Blaster Pro for Windows 3.1 drivers are?
I tried ftp.cica.indiana.edu but it wouldn't let me access the "pub"
directory.
Thanks...
greaham@a.cs.okstat.edu
From: davecole@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (David Cole)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
Subject: Re: Gravis UltraSound Offer..
Date: 28 Jul 92 03:08:44 GMT
Organization: Northwestern University, Evanston Illinois.

In article <1992Jul27.191206.22803@news.uakron.edu> 
tim@chaos.math.uakron.edu writes:
>I just got off the phone with Gravis and here is more info on the 
>ultrasound card:
>
>	1)  Will be shipping on or before 2nd week of august.
>
>	2)  There is an offer from Electronic Arts that if you buy one
>            EA title you can buy the ultrasound for $99.00
>            Here is the number for info:  1-800-245-4525 ask for ultrasound 
>            offer.
>
>	3)  Is is sound blaster compatable via a software driver.
>
>	4)  They are working on os/2 drivers for there board.
>
>	5)  It will work in either a 8-bit or 16-bit slot.
>
>	6)  It will use the higher interrupts on a 16-bit slot
>
>
>
>				I will post more when I know more..
>
>
>All the above info is current as of 7-27-92.. But may change..


Number 1) is the only one that will change.  If it doesn't change, none of the
others _CAN_ change.  If the design of the card isn't finalized now, there is
no way that it can ship in 2 weeks.

I have yet to see any adequate information on how this card is supposed to
make sound.  Everything I have heard makes it sound like a hardware .mod
player.  It apparently has no wavetables in ROM.  All waves must be loaded
from disk into a small amount of RAM.  What samples does it come with?  Are
they multisampled across the instruments range?  How are they looped?  Are
there on-board effects (reverb, chorus, flange, etc.) like on the Roland cards
to give the sound some depth and life?  When you are playing a piece with full
16 channel multitimbral and lots of instrument changes, is it going to be
thrashing the disk to load samples?  Does it have to stop playing to get new
instrument sounds?  Does it have onboard digital filters, envelope generators,
and so forth needed for realistic or even the most basic synthesized sound?
How programmable is the synthesis architecture?

Any real information about how the thing works would be appreciated Tim.

Dave

Department of Conceptual Engineering
Northwestern University

>
>-- All my comments are mine alone..
>=============================================================================
>Timothy Smith                  |  email: tim@chaos.math.uakron.edu 
>The University of Akron        |  
>Dept. of Mathematical Sciences |  
>Akron, Ohio 44325-4002         | 
>=============================================================================
From: krw1@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (Kevin Weiner)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
Subject: Re: Turtle Beach Multisound
Date: 30 Jul 92 13:20:18 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University

>If I understand correctly, this card has a Proteus 1 with some DSP
>capabilities as well ? Do programming tools for accessing the DSP
>exist for a person such as myself ? Also, is there a driver to allow
>it to be triggered from standard MIDI interfaces i.e. MPU-401
>compatible ? Will it work with cakewalk ? Questions, questions. ...

Turtle Beach does not yet have developers' kits available for the
MultiSound.  Right now, MultiMedia Extensions is the only way to program it.
It currently works with all MME-compliant software, including Cake for
Windows.  Software MPU emulation should be available soon under Windows,
allowing it to be used with conventional DOS MIDI programs in a Window.
Two developer's kits are planned - one for DOS MIDI programmers, and another
for handling the 56000.  There is already a similar kit available for their
high-end 56K digital recording system, so I wouldn't expect this to be too
far off (though not necessarily inexpensive).  There is also a hold up
regarding disclosure of the interface technology which solves various DMA
related performance problems that other cards experience.  Some larger
companies are interested in licensing this technology, so specs won't be
released until that settles down.
-- 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kevin Weiner        Lehigh University Computing Center        (215) 758-3991
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard
From: reimert@mamacass.etdesg.trw.com (Scott P. Reimert)
Subject: Re: Help with PAS16 "Speech"
Organization: TRW Inc., Redondo Beach, CA
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 92 00:18:42 GMT

In article <FINEMAN.92Jul27105241@markov.arc.nasa.gov> fineman@markov.arc.nasa.gov (Charles Fineman) writes:
>
>On Mon, 27 Jul 92 01:03:25 GMT, lchong@polyslo.csc.calpoly.edu (Leo Chong) said:
>>Nntp-Posting-Host: polyslo.csc.calpoly.edu
>
>>In article <1992Jul25.203853.7432@polari> night@polari.online.com writes:
>>>Computer:  IBM 486 25MZ AST Brand
>>>
>>>Windows sounds work fine, and so do game sounds.  I got the
>>>MVSOUND.sys line added back into the config.sys.  However, I
>>>can't get my ULTIMA VII game to "talk" to me like it use to!
>
>>>  STUFF DELETED
>
>>Wow, now that makes FOUR cases of PAS-16 not running speech on a 486.
>>PAS should seriously call back all their cards or offer a 5 dollar upgrade
>>for a revised product within the next two weeks because I am seriously
>>getting impatient reading this f***ing newsgroup hoping someone would
>>come up with a solution to this deal.
>
>Has anyone *NOT* had this problem?
>
>	Chuck
>--

I haven't had the speach problem. I don't run Ultima though. I've had the
card for a couple of months and have had ZERO compatabilty problems, and
no failures of any sort. I've used it for 44.1Mhz STEREO recording, Wing-
Commander, Falcon 3.0, Windows 3.1 Apps, MIDI-Synth. It just plain works
great! This is on a 486/33 (see my previous response if you need to know
about system config.)
I would be inclined to look at system incompatabilities. How many people
who are experiencing problems have motherboards built at Joe's Korean auto
repair and motherboard shop? You often get what you pay for in this biz,
and if you only pay $500 for a 486/33 MB, you *could* be asking for it.


-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Scott Reimert  \    reimert@mamacass.etdesg.trw.com     /Standard disclaimer:
Redondo Beach, CA \______________________________________/"Blah blah blah ... "
__________________|Always store beer in a cool dark place|_____________________
Xref: sparky comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard:818 alt.sb.programmer:290
From: bill@solaria (Bill Neisius)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard,alt.sb.programmer
Subject: Play Any File through SoundBlaster
Date: 27 Jul 92 22:38:57 GMT
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL4

I have just uploaded to wuarchive.wustl.edu:/pub/MSDOS_UPLOADS

	PLANY09.ZIP - Play Any file through SoundBlaster


Here's the description:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Play Any File through SoundBlaster - version 0.9 July 1992

SUMMARY:

        PLANY input_file [-r speed] [-s] [-u] [-i irq] [-p port]

        input_file: Sound file name. Required
        -r:    set output rate (samples/sec)
        -s:    sample is signed
        -u:    sample is U_LAW
        -i:    IRQ. default is 7
        -p:    port. default is 544. (220h)


DESCRIPTION:

        PLANY will play any sound file through the SoundBlaster.
        Currently supported sound types:

                SoundBlaster .VOC
                Sun/NeXT/DEC .AU
                Windows .WAV
                Sounder/Soundtools .SND
                Amiga .8SVX  .IFF

        In addition, PLANY will attempt to detect and play the sound 
        samples contained in Amiga .MOD files.

        If PLANY is unable to identify the header of the sound file,
        it will default to 'unsigned' and '11000 samples/sec', unless
        changed by command line options.

        Press any key during playback to terminate output.


REFERENCES:

        Sblast_BSD_1.4  - Sound Blaster BSD Unix device driver
                                Steve Haehnichen

        SBDOS           - MS-DOS Sound Blaster driver
                                Michael Fulbright

        SBDAC           - Sound Blaster DMA
                                Jeff Bird

        SOX             - Sound Exchange universal sound sample translator
                                Lance Norskog
                                Guido van Rossum
                                Jef Poskanzer
                                Bill Neisius


COMMENTS/SUGGESTIONS:
        
        Bill Neisius
        bill@solaria.hac.com