News


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Electronic Cow are pleased to announce the release of two new software packages:

Scribble Synth

Scribble Synth is another software-based sound synthesizer, in the same vein as Electronic Cow's previous release Snippit Synth. However, the synthesis model used in Scribble Synth is completely different - it's a true additive synthesizer, but with a difference! You actually draw in frequency envelopes with the mouse!
It works by transforming mouse "scribbles" (of which there can be up to five per sound) into 2D frequency spectrum plots by the software automatically.
Both low and high frequency bandwidths can be defined, and up to twenty bands can be comprised in one 'scribble'. These plots are then placed in the time domain, and Scribble Synth interpolates individual envelope shapes for each frequency band.
The results can be quite amazing! Strange sci-fi warbles, time-based pitch and filtering effects, plus frequency modulated sounds are all possible with Scribble Synth, as well as some really deep bass sounds!
Sounds can then be exported to tracker programs, direct-to-disk sequencers/recorders, and sample editors in either AIFF, AVR or SPL formats. Both eight and 16-bit formats are supported, and any frequency between 8 and 50KHz!
Scribble Synth also allows you to dump the sounds via MIDI to an MSDS-compatible sampler, or the Akai S900/950. The main features include:

  • AVR/AIFF/SPL 8/16 bit sample export at any frequency (up to 50KHz)
  • Digital audio playback of sounds on the Falcon and STE/TT
  • MIDI sample dump for Akai S900/S950 and all sample dump standard samplers
  • On-line help utilising ST-Guide, plus an eight-page CD-booklet manual
Scribble Synth requires at least 1Mb memory and a 640x400 display to run. Due to hardware limitations, audio playback is not possible on STF/STFM models - but you can still generate samples!

Scribble Synth costs £16 plus P&P (£2 UK, £3 Europe, £4 ROW)


EC-909

Ever fancied Re-Birth on the Atari platform? EC-909 is an analogue drum machine emulator for the Atari STe/TT or Falcon. EC-909 features sixteen original TR-909 sounds (including bass, snare, toms, rim, clap, and cymbals), with various controls (pitch tuning, volume attenuation, and attack shape), and an interface everyone will have seen somewhere before.
EC-909 can create single bar patterns (in real-time on the Falcon), then export them to your direct-to-disk recorder or sample editor as AIFF or AVR format samples. Both 8 and 16-bit formats are supported, as well as mono or stereo options. The program will also allow you to export the pattern as a standard MIDI file for loading into your MIDI sequencer!
EC-909' s main features include:

  • AVR/AIFF 8/16 bit sample export, either mono or stereo
  • 16 unique TR909 style drum sounds
  • Tempo and bar length controls
  • MIDI triggering for drums and pattern playing
  • Exports patterns as type 1 MIDI files
  • Undo
  • On-line help utilising ST-Guide, plus an eight-page CD-booklet manual

There are two versions of EC-909, one for the STe/TT, the other for the Falcon. EC-909 requires at least 1Mb memory (4Mb on the Falcon) and a 640x400 display or higher. EC-909 does not run on STF/STFM models due to the lack of digital audio hardware.

EC-909 costs £25 plus P&P (£2 UK, £3 Europe, £4 ROW)

Floppyshop, PO Box 273, Aberdeen, AB15 8GJ
Tel/Fax: +44 (0)1224 312756
Email: floppyshop@cyberstrider.org
Web http://www.floppyshop.cyberstrider.org/

Electronic Cow, 350 Broadwater Crescent, Stevenage, Herts, SG2 8EZ
Telephone the technical support line for more details:
+44 (0)411 544133
Email: electronic_cow@dial.pipex.com
Web:http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/terrace/abi91/cownet.htm


Power Up +

Not content with scoring a respectable 85% in AC#5, MC Soft and Empty Head have updated and improved Power Up, Power Up Plus is the result.
Now your car is confined to a smaller "hot spot" on the screen so you have a better range of view ahead. There's extra gameplay options including shooting, oil slicks and horns, a new sound system, some revamped graphics and extra circuits for those too excited about racing to spend time labouring over the track editor.
This update is free to existing owners which is great news.
All you have to do is return your master disks with an stamped, self-addressed envelope to your local distributor:

  • UK: Floppyshop
  • Australia, NZ etc: Anthony Green
  • France: TR Buz
  • USA: Systems for Tommorrow
  • Czech Republic: Karel Rous

Email:cichon@airtime.felk.cvut.cz
Web Sites:http://novell.felk.cvut.cz/~cichon.rtime/pu/pu.htm
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Way/8171


Atari Authors


Matthew Bacon of Cadenza Software has started a campaign to bring programmers and users closer together to ensure the survival of the Atari platform and production of future software.
Everyone can help:
  • Programmers, Distributors and Suppliers: Please consider writing a brief profile about your products and plans for the future and send a copy to Matthew for inclusion on the web page,
  • Users: Download and read the Atari Authors profiles posted on the web pages and encourage programmers with feedback and suggestions for new projects.
  • Users with web pages: Download one of the Atari Authors buttons and include a link from your pages to the Atari Author pages.


Matthew Bacon, Cadenza Software
Email: cadenza@cyberstrider.org
WEB :http://www.cadenza.cyberstrider.org


StarTrack

StarTrack is a complete hardware and software audio mastering solution for TOS based computers using the VME bus of Atari TT, Medusa and Hades machines.

The StarTrack hardware card offers clean digital 24-bit mastering at a sample rate of 96KHz - a first on any platform! This means you could connect two Soundpool Analog8 for 16 separate analogue outs! The soundcard and software can then output 16 channels at full 16-bit.

There's an optional DSP 56002 card running at 66MHz - double the speed of the Falcon DSP56001. This card allegedly outperforms an Intel Pentium Pro(R) running at 200MHz. TT owners should definitely consider adding this card to free up their main processor to enable problem free eight track playback/output at 48KHz.

SWE - Stephan Wilhelmbr> Development of Hard- and Software
Niehler Str. 312
50735 Koeln
Germany

Tel: +49 (0)221 7127380
Fax: +49 (0)221 685184
Email: stepwil@aol.com
Web :http://members.aol.com/swenet/index.html


STem

This is the first (and only) Atari ST emulator for Acorn RISC OS platform.
David Sharp started the project in February 1997 and development is ongoing in his spare time. It's still very much a work in progress but is now capable of running some games albeit slowly. The core emulator is written in C++ using the GNU compiler with small small amounts of hand optimised assembly language for added speed, where required, and to interface with RISC OS. STem v1.02 was released on 8th March 1998 and now includes full Blitter chip emulation which speeds up many graphic operations.
Email:sce196@soton.ac.uk
Web :http://www.soton.ac.uk/~sce196/stem/


SMURF v1.0

SMURF is a stylish image viewer and editor, programmed by Christian Eyrich and Olaf Piesche of Therapy Seriouz Software. They're currently working on the English release, in the meantime here's a few more teasers:,br>

  • The current German release includes over 63 import modules including:
    BMP, IMG, TIFF,GIF, JPEG, Targa, GODPaint,RAW, ICN, IFF, Neochrome, PCX, PICT, Pixar,SGI, TruePaint, XBM & XGA.
  • There are also fourteen (eclectic) export modules:
    Degas Elite, BMP, CMP, Enhanced Simplex, 16-bit Falcon raw, GEM (X)IMG, GODPAINT, Inshape Image, PCX, PIX, PIXAR, PPM, SGI, TGA and Truepaint Image.

There's still no sign or mention of mainstream formats such as TIFF, JPEG and GIF but there's still time.
There are five different dither modules, 36 edit/filter/effects modules which offer some exciting options for manipulating images. There's an excellent 5x5 filter which sports 71 pre-defined filters. Other fun selections include Solarize, Twirl, Wind, Spherical Image and Bump It Up.
On a more serious note there's some mundane functional options including Rotate, Clip'n'Pic and SoftScale and finally some photo manipulation style options including Gamma correct, Brightness, Contrast and Greyscale. External plug-in modules offer batch conversion and GDOS printing facilities.

The user interface can be adjusted from Standard to Therapy and there's on-line Bubble-GEM help along with a skeleton ST-Guide hypertext inviting the user to refer to the printed manual. UK support will be via CyberSTrider although currently no registration details have been announced.

Email:

Web :http://www.cyberstrider.org/


Computer Dungeon

Computer Dungeon now carry Atari Computing magazine and the ST Plus fanzine. ST Plus fanzine is even included FREE with every order.
Registered copies of shareware titles including Running, the Doom clone for the Falcon, and other titles can now be purchased from Computer Dungeon.
They also maintain a product list of used software titles.

Computer Dungeon, 1440 Spencer Avenue, Berkeley, IL 60163, USA
Tel: +708-547-7085
Fax: +708-547-6550
Email: ComDungeon@aol.com
Web :http://www.mcs.net/~isis/dungeon/dungeon.htm


ACC '98 announced!

First of all thanks to everyone who returned the survey forms in Atari Computing issue 8. The majority of respondents wanted an Autumn show in Birmingham and with that in mind we're delighted to announce the Atari Computing Convention "ACC '98" will take place on Saturday November 14th 1998 at Bingley Hall, Staffordshire Showground, Stafford from 10am to 4pm.

The Showground is easily accessible by car from junctions 13 and 14 on the M6 just north of Birmingham with ample free parking and they'll be a shuttle bus service running from Stafford railway station.
Between now and November we may be able to organise a coach trip to make it easier for Londoners to attend if there's enough interest.
Tickets will cost less than ever before - just œ3 on the door with discount for Atari Computing subscribers with further reductions for children, OAPs, UB40, students and orange card holders.
Here's just some of the attractions we've lined up already:

  • The traditional annual forum where Atarians can get together, discuss the latest developments, put names to faces and enjoy the company of other like-minded computer enthusiasts.
  • Atari Computing
    Our stand will carry all available back issues, Reader Disks and Reader Offers and for the first time ever we will be running demonstrations and advice clinics covering all the major aspects of computing including MIDI/music, DTP/word processing, Comms/Internet access and emulation.
  • Most of the specialist Atari hardware and software dealers who collectively offer all the hardware and software required to ensure the Atari platform remains a viable alternative to mainstream machines have already signed up including:
  • Titan Designs
    Their stand will be primarily demonstrating and selling DA's Layout and Nemesis, along with our other support products such as Videlity, APEX Media and so on. Titan will also be selling the usual range of products; Scanners, Hard drives, SyQuest drives, CD-ROM drives, Falcon 14MB memory upgrades, cables, etc. Larger items, monitors etc, can be ordered on the day for despatch the following week.
  • Abingdon Synthesis Projects
    Will be building CD-ROMs, hard disks and other SCSI devices into standard PC cases and connected to Atari machines.
  • Electronic Cow
    Electronic Cow will be demonstrating all of their audio and MIDI software for the Atari, including new versions of MIDI Arpeggiator, Sound Chip Synth, and Snippit Synth. We'll also be showing (and selling of course) our new programs: EC-909, Scribble Synth, and Squash it! Finally, Electronic Cow will also be offering on-the-spot upgrades for registered users!
  • ImPrint Solutions
    Calamus SL 98 will be up and running on a Hades and under MagiC Mac with 21" monitors. Calamus Digital Publisher for the PC platform will also be demonstrated.
  • InterActive
    For the first time ever InterActive will be accepting registrations "live" at the show.
  • CyberSTrider
    CyberStrider will be accepting registrations at the show - is there an echo in here somewhere?
  • 16/32
  • FaST Club
  • System Solutions
  • Floppyshop

More details and other exhibitors to follow next issue

We're still looking for other exhibitors and we can offer workstation sized stands at special rates to encourage shareware programmers to bring their systems along and demonstrate their wares and meet their users. Please get in touch and we'll be delighted to send you the details.
If you're wondering how can we bring you a bigger and better Atari show than ever before and keep the prices so low the reason is simple.
Atari Computing have decided to work together with Sharwood Promotions who have organised computer shows since 1988. ACC '98 has been combined with their twice-annual general computer and electronics show which means you effectively get two shows for less than the price of one!
We've watched Atarians drift away from recent shows because there's nothing left to do or see after several hours. We feel, after having made the effort to travel to the show, you'll enjoy the extra dimension offered by the other stands.
So in addition to checking out the latest hardware and software releases and spending some time chatting with familiar faces there will still be plenty to see with stands offering general computer hardware, accessories, cables, CDs, books, satellite, telephone, radio and general electronics.
If you have any friends who have moved onto other platforms why not bring them along? We're really looking forward to seeing you at ACC '98 and we'll keep you up to date in forthcoming issues.
For more details contact: Atari Computing, "Rois Bheinn", Overton Crescent, Johnstone, PA5 8JB, SCOTLAND
Email: showinfo@ataricomputing.com
Web:http://www.ataricomputing.com/

Tel: +44 (0)1206 852602
(Leave message on answerphone)


WEB SITE!

http://www.ataricomputing.com/

We've taken the plunge and registered our own easy to remember domain name. The new site mirrors our zetnet pages and offers easy email access to the editorial team:

Email:
editor@ataricomputing.com
admin@ataricomputing.com
advertising@ataricomputing.com
letters@ataricomputing.com
usergroups@ataricomputing.com
web@ataricomputing.com
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