Sound Fx

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ Sound Fx / Sound Fx.iso / Software / UNZIPED / SILIC357 / SILICIUM.DOC < prev next >

Wrap

Text File | 1997-05-04 | 93KB | 1,807 lines

▐████ ▐▌ ▐█ ▐▌ ▐████ ▐▌ ▐█ █▌ ▐██▌ ▐██▌ ██ ██ ██ ██ ██ ██ ██ ██ ██ ▐▌ ▐▌ ██ █████ ██ ██ ██ ██ ██ ██ ██ ██ ▐█▌ ██ ██ ██ ██ ██ ██ ██ ██ ██ ██ ██ ████▌ ▐▌ ▐████ ▐▌ ▐████ ▐▌ ▐████▌ ▐█ █▌ ·P·L·A·Y·E·R· 97 April (3.57) Sound Design Systems (Sentinel / SSD) ┌───────────────────────────────────┐ ┌─┘ 1997 Pre-Summer Edition └─┐ │ i) New style of curve modes │ │ ii) Plus effect at scope mode │ │ iii) Updated distrosite list │ │ iiii) Homepage! New! │ │ iiiii) Bugfixes and more! │ └────────────────────s─e─n─t─i─n─e─l────│ Silicium ∙ Pii ∙ Silizium ∙ Kisel ∙ Szilícium ∙ Krzem Silicium Player '97 1................................Introduction 1.1............................Disclaimer 1.2............................The Player 1.2.1........................The Code 1.2.2........................The Graphics 1.2.3........................The Design 1.2.3.1....................The Fileselector 1.2.3.2....................Pattern Tracking Mode 1.2.3.3....................Notes Mode 1.2.3.4....................Piano Mode 1.2.3.5....................Scope Mode 1.2.3.6....................Deck Mode 1.2.3.7....................Disappearing Lines Mode 1.2.3.8....................Graphic Bars Mode 1.2.3.9....................3D Bars Mode 1.2.3.10...................Frequency Curve Mode 1.2.3.11...................Volume Curve Mode 1.2.3.12...................Highline Mode 1.2.4........................The Documentation 1.2.5........................Requirements 1.2.5.1....................Running Under Windows 95 1.3............................The Author 1.4............................Revisions 1.5............................The Future 2................................Using Silicium Player 2.1............................Supported Formats 2.2............................General Keys 2.2.1........................Generally Usable Keys 2.2.2........................Module Specific Keys 2.2.3........................Mode Selection Keys 2.2.4........................Mode Specific Keys 2.2.5........................Fileselector Keys 2.2.6........................Database Keys 2.3............................Special Modes 2.3.1........................Pattern Tracking Mode 2.3.2........................Notes Mode 2.3.2.1....................The Score 2.3.2.2....................Score Modes 2.3.2.3....................Madness Level 2.3.3........................Piano Mode 2.3.4........................Scope Mode 2.3.5........................Deck Mode 2.3.5........................Disappearing Lines Mode 2.3.6........................Graphic Bars Mode 2.3.7........................3D Bars Mode 2.3.8........................Frequency Curve Mode 2.3.9........................Volume Curve Mode 2.3.10.......................Highline Mode 2.4............................Screenshot 2.5............................Tricks And Tips 2.5.1........................Directory For Each Author? 2.5.2........................Search For Multichannel Modules? 2.5.3........................Flipping Stereo 2.5.4........................Creating Mechanical Music 2.5.5........................Using Headphones 2.5.6........................Playing AMF-s 2.5.7........................Playing Audio CD's 2.5.8........................Speeding Module Data Loading Up 2.6............................Troubleshooting 2.6.1........................Lockup While Loading 2.6.2........................IRQ and DMA Conflicts 2.6.3........................XMS Errors 2.6.4........................Runtime Errors 2.6.5........................Lockup At The Integrity Check Screen 2.6.6........................Video Problems 2.6.7........................Silicium Player does not start under Windows 95 2.6.8........................Incorrect Playing Under Windows 95 2.6.9........................Switching To Another Task Pauses Playing 2.6.10.......................The Playing Stops In A Module 2.6.11.......................Weird Errors 2.7............................The Initialization File 2.7.1........................Items In The Config File 2.7.2........................Using The INI 2.8............................Getting Information 2.8.1........................Program Information 2.8.2........................The About 2.8.3........................Autodetection 2.9............................Setting Panning And Volume 2.9.1........................Setting By Keyboard 2.9.2........................Saving/Loading 2.9.3........................Setting The Default 2.10...........................Quitting The Player 3................................The Database 3.1............................Adding Modules To Database 3.2............................Displaying The Database 4................................The Modules 4.1............................Module Formats 4.2............................Module Commands 4.3............................Some Expressions 4.3.1........................BPM (beats per minute) 4.3.2........................Patterns And Orders 4.3.3........................Panning 4.3.4........................Chiptunes 4.3.5........................DMA 5................................The Gravis UltraSound 5.1............................General Specification 5.2............................Testing The Memory 6................................Greetings And Messages 6.1............................Thanks 6.2............................Messages 6.3............................Greetings 6.4............................Distribution 6.5............................Addresses 6.6............................Parties 6.7............................Favorite Pages 6.8............................The Silicium 6.9............................Dedication 7................................Closing Words 1. Introduction --------------- 1.1 Disclaimer -------------- This software is not freeware. This is SHAREWARE, which means that you are allowed to copy and distribute it, and to use it for 30 days. If you pass the 30 day limit, you have to register to continue using. You can distribute it but NO money can be charged for it, and you must NOT modify the files in the package, or add or delete any files from it! Commercial use without written permission of the author is STRICTLY PROHIBITED! In no event shall the creators be liable for any damages whatsoever (including data loss and damages) arising out of the use of or inability to use the software. No part of this document may be reproduced, transmitted, altered or stored in a retrieval system in whole or in part, in any form without prior written consent of Sound Design Systems. Silicium Player is a copyright of Sound Design Systems. Silicium Player and Sound Design Systems are trademarks of Sound Design Systems, All Rights Reserved. All products and names in this document and the software are copyrights/trademarks of their respective owners. I encourage you to distribute the shareware version of SSD products, upload them to FTP sites, distribute via WWW pages, and put them on CD-ROM's. ATTENTION! If you encounter bugs in Silicium Player that are not documented or cannot be solved by the methods written in the documentation, please contact the author (see addresses below)! It would be a great help for me if you informed me about any errors noticed by you! Thank you. 1.2 The Player -------------- Silicium Player is a music player, which gives you many options and extended features to make listening to music more fun, such as musical score or oscilloscope. Do you know that there are over 10,000 music files created with the PC around the world which have never been played to public? 99.9% of them have never been released on cassette and CD! Gigabytes of music can be downloaded from the BBS-es around the world - or from any CD-ROM music collections. Why you need Silicium Player: this player gives you all you need - things that you never will be able to do with simple decks and CD players. When I started the creation of this program, I wanted to create something new, with never-before-seen effects and display modes, but with every "old" function - in the hope of all who likes "standard" playing, and who wants something new would find his/her favorite modes. Purple Wire Editions: the essence of these editions is the many contained bugfixes. Of course, they contain improvements, too, but the number or importance of the bugfixes is so huge that they deserve the distinguishing sign 'Purple Wire'. 1.2.1 The Code -------------- SP uses the player routines of flap / Capacala written in Assembly. The environment has totally been written in Pascal (except for some small 32-bit routines 8-). The Pascal source code is longer than 30000 lines (400K), it takes 4.6(!) seconds to compile (with a C compiler this would be more minutes :-). I tried to optimize the program for speed instead of size (this is why it's big). Virus Checking: I always scan SSD releases for viruses with the latest virus checkers. It is guaranteed that these versions are virus-free. If you find an infected version, please report it to SSD (please send the name of the bbs/ftp/www page where you got the infected files). There is a built-in virus checking in SSD products (32-bit CRC checking), so you will get a warning message if the program file is modified. If this occurs, please check your hard disk with a virus scanner to be convinced whether it is a virus infection or only a damage. 1.2.2 The Graphics ------------------ The graphics has been drawn/scanned+mixed by me, and the Kyrie score on the logo is by Lukacs Szende. I used two textures of PhotoFinish for the backgrounds, and I rendered the about box with Persistence Of Vision. 1.2.3 The Design ---------------- This player has entirely been designed by me, with some smaller exceptions - and there are many totally new design elements/ideas which I have not seen in any previous players (this player was released first time in August 1996). There surely will be some people who will take some ideas from my player... Okay, admit it, I have stolen some ideas from other players, too (but not too much :-) 1.2.3.1 The Fileselector ------------------------ First, I had wanted a fileselector with many colors, but then I thought the shades of a color would look better. 1.2.3.2 Pattern Tracking Mode ----------------------------- Oops, this mode turned out to be very CapaMod like. The effect coloring looks like as in Cubic... Sorry, but this screen did not bring anything new. And sorry to flap & pascal... But I think most people will not use this screen, but one of the graphic ones :-) 1.2.3.3 Notes Mode ------------------ Totally new design (at least for those who have never seen a score...) 1.2.3.4 Piano Mode ------------------ Well, the gradient filling of the piano keys is unusual, but it looks good. 1.2.3.5 Scope Mode ------------------ The background is filled with a texture. 1.2.3.6 Deck Mode ----------------- The control buttons have been designed by me. 1.2.3.7 Disappearing Lines Mode ------------------------------- Totally new design, too. 1.2.3.8 Graphic Bars Mode ------------------------- It has a quite simple design, but I have never seen this effect in any players. 1.2.3.9 3D Bars Mode -------------------- Its design is a bit more complex, it is very spectacular, and I have not seen this effect before, too. 1.2.3.10 Frequency Curve Mode ----------------------------- Nothing special design, a bit changed in version 3.3.7, and anche questo effect has not been seen by me, damn this sentence. 1.2.3.11 Volume Curve Mode -------------------------- The same as at the previous. 1.2.3.12 Highline Mode --------------------- Some kind of disco effect that looks good on big screens in a dark room... It is a simple mathematical algorithm, the idea of using it in a module player is by my father. 1.2.4 The Documentation ----------------------- This document has entirely been written by me - if there are (and it is sure there are) any mistakes, then sorry. It's bite'hard ta vritten in englash by an foragn peopl. If you find any errors in it (including grammatical ones), please drop a letter: sentine@hotmail.com. THX! 1.2.5 Requirements ------------------ A Gravis UltraSound or compatible soundcard. A 80386 or higher processor (I recommend a 486 or a Pentium :-) A numeric co-processor (it is built in the 486's and Pentiums, and there are emulations for 386's). 600K free conventional memory (runs with less, buy may lock up sometimes - I recommend EMM386 for loading other programs into the EMS). A VESA compatible video card with 512K VRAM (1M recommended). A little free XMS (the amount of XMS used depends on the number of files in the directory). DOS, Windows 95 or OS/2. I think most computer owners have these, the only critical part is the GUS. If you do not have one, please try SP on one of your friends' computer, who has a GUS! 1.2.5.1 Running Under Windows 95 -------------------------------- The player has to be configured to non-DMA load mode (set the [Load] item in the config file to NonDMA or Auto (this is the default)) to play modules under Windows 95, and there cannot be any other wave/midi/other players in the background run by Windows 95. YOU HAVE TO RUN ULTRINIT/IWINIT BEFORE STARTING SILICIUM PLAYER IN THE DOS PROMPT! I RECOMMEND STARTING THE PLAYER BY STARTING SIL97.BAT! If Silicium Player does not start under Windows 95, please see the documentation's troubleshooting section. Note that the NonDMA load mode slows down the loading very much, so I recommend that you use the Auto mode, which automatically selects DMA mode under DOS and Non-DMA mode under Windows 95. If you encounter DMA problems, please set this to NonDMA. Recommended settings for the DOS Shell under Windows 95: Memory: Set all values to auto (you may set conventional memory to 600k to avert lockups, but it is not sure that Windows can allocate enough memory for it). Misc: - Disable allow suspend (if you enable it, Silicium Player will stop the music if you switch to another application). - Set idle sensitivity to the lowest to give SP the most CPU resources. - Set termination to warn if still active (if you do not set this, and accidentally quit the DOS Shell by clicking on the x icon in the upper right corner, SP will not be able to shut the playing down and this may cause errors). IMPORTANT! When switching to another task, please set the view mode to one of the text modes (see troubleshooting for details). 1.3 The Author -------------- I am a programmer and designer who likes music, graphics and programming - what is the mixture of these? A company that is specialized on sound related software. If you like my module player, take a look at my CD player, which gives you totally new functions - it almost contains all functions that a CD player could know (it also displays the song lyrics!). And all of this with a beautiful desktop (not the standard hey-this-player- looks-like-my-hifi) and easy handling (SSD FastCD). Download it from the SAC now! 1.4 Revisions ------------- [2.7.0b] Playing under Windows 95 added. Windows 95 cache detection added. File not found bug at information on files in other directory than the current fixed. About box added. Directory sort bug when no files found fixed. Bug when no files found and the '..' directory selected fixed. Key list bug fixed. Gravis memory test bug fixed. Gravis UltraSound Max detection added. Position in fileselector is now increased when starting a new module either by pressing Ctrl+Enter or by reaching the end of the previous. If the looping is switched off, the playing stops after the last module automatically. Oscilloscope speeded up. Centering bug fixed. Documentation totally updated. VESA pixel drawing/reading speeded up. [2.8.0b/2.9.0 FINAL] (In the original 2.9.0 release the e-mail addresses were wrong. I released a new version a bit later, with the correct address, but with the same 2.9.0 version number) NEW! DECK MODE! EASY, FAST AND COMFORTABLE! FILE SEARCHING IN DATABASE SPEEDED UP WITH 90%! Textmode string displaying speeded up. Recursive sorting procedure optimized (85% less memory allocation). New download information screen added to program information. Search indicator in textmode added. Long Windows 95 directory names displaying added. Hex row counter at pattern tracking mode for patterns over 99 rows. 386 required message on a 386 CPU bug fixed. Pattern tracking mode bug at modules over 16 channels fixed. Piano mode bug at patterns more than 64 rows fixed. Lockup bug at piano mode when module is paused fixed. Panning and volume configuration saving/loading added. Automatic DMA selection added (depending on the operating system). Score display bug fixed (wrong notes). Score madness level added. 3D bars mode memory allocation bug fixed. Fileselector bug after displaying a file's info fixed. Fileselector bug after playing a module fixed. Font initialization bug fixed. Font displaying speeded up. Pressing Ctrl+Enter at the last module bug fixed (no error message). Previous module playing added (Alt+Enter). Background displaying at Highline mode speeded up. Windows 95 window header is now changed to Silicium Player, and during the playing and file searching the current module's title is displayed in the header. 'Loading, please wait...' text is now displayed when loading a file. Portable Hard Disk detection added. [2.9.7] This version does not contain many new functions except for an updated contacting and downloading information and upd docs. Log file creation added. Title and author recognition advanced. Mouse handling bug fixed. [3.1.7] Some smaller bugfixes, docs fix and the like. [3.3.7] New style of curve modes (background fill and new colors). Plasma effect added to Scope mode. New distrosite list. Default playing mode setting now works in the ini. 1.5 The Future -------------- Functions coming in the future: - Oscilloscope for EACH channel and frequency analysis. - Sorting in fileselector and database by file date and extension. - Searching in fileselector and database by content of the instrument names/song message. - Reading modules from archives (ZIP, ARJ, RAR, PAK, LHA, etc.) - More supported formats and soundcards. - Compare the modules in a directory and filter the duplicates. - Selectable playlist. - More configuration options. - Many-many bugfixes and new functions I do not know currently :-) New versions come out every month! Download the newest now! 2. Using Silicium Player ------------------------ You can start SP without any parameters, if you choose this, SP will display the fileselector menu. If you give a module name as parameter, it will automatically start that module. There are many other parameters, which have startup-configuration and troubleshooting roles. 2.1 Supported Formats --------------------- Supported formats: 1) MOD (the old Amiga module format that has started the history of module music :-) - 4 to 32 channels. - Many commands. - 31 8bit, max 64K instruments with fix sampling frequency. 2) S3M (the format of ScreamTracker 3, written by Psi / FC) - 4 to 32 channels. - New commands. - 99 8bit, max 64K instruments with changeable sampling frequency. 3) XM (Extended Module, the format of Triton's FastTracker 2) - 4 to 32 channels. - New commands. - 128 16bit, unlimited size (max 4G :-) instruments with changeable sampling frequency. More sounds can be stored for one instrument (one for each octave). Supported Soundcards: Gravis UltraSound: GUS, GUS ACE, GUS Max, GUS PnP, GUS PnP Pro and all compatible soundcards (GUS and GUS Max with GF1 and PnP and PnP Pro with InterWave digital chip). (Sorry, but currently only GUS is supported, others may come soon ;-( Hey, this is the first player in the world that supports the GRAVIS ULTRASOUND PLUG&PLAY! (THE INTERWAVE CHIP) Since SP does not use DOS4GW or other protected-mode extenders, it DOES work with ALL Port, IRQ and DMA settings (it works with IRQ15, too!) Note that Silicium Player autodetects the soundcard's type (GUS, GUS Max, GUS PnP) and displays it on the startup screen at the program information (see under topic Getting Information). 2.2 General Keys ---------------- 2.2.1 Generally Usable Keys --------------------------- F1 Online help D DOS-Shell Ctrl+F1 Screenshot Escape twice Quit player 2.2.2 Module Specific Keys -------------------------- Page Up Previous pattern Page Down Next pattern Ctrl+Enter Next module Alt+Enter Previous module Ctrl+Home Restart song Up/Down Goto previous/next channel 1...0 Toggle channel (1-10) * NOT WORKING Alt+1...0 Solo channel (1-10) Alt+S Solo channel Alt+P Pause/Restart module Alt+M Mono/Stereo play [ ] Set panning ( ) Set volume Ctrl+F Flip Stereo Ctrl+R Turn on all channels Ctrl+A Save volume and panning options Ctrl+L Load volume and panning options Ctrl+D Set default volume and panning options 2.2.3 Mode Selection Keys ------------------------- N Pattern tracking mode (normal) S Notes mode P Piano mode E Scope mode D Deck mode L Disappearing lines mode B Graphic bars G 3D bars C Frequency curve mode V Volume curve mode H Highline mode 2.2.4 Mode Specific Keys ------------------------ M Set madness level in score mode O Display all instruments in one score, or draw each in a separate T Switch zero-bar displaying at 3D Bars mode (try it and you will see :-) F Select fade mode at Highline mode (slow or fast) Y Switch plasma effect displaying at scope mode. 2.2.5 Fileselector Keys ----------------------- Enter Load module Alt+I Display information on module Alt+G Display information on the current directory Alt+P Display program information Alt+O Display authors Alt+E Test Gravis UltraSound memory Alt+D Show database Alt+S Add all unknown modules to database Alt+N Sort by filename Alt+T Sort by title Alt+A Sort by author's name Alt+C Sort by number of channels Alt+Z Sort by size Alt+M Sort by time 2.2.6 Database Keys ------------------- Enter Display information on module Alt+D Display information on database Alt+NTACZM The sorting keys as in the fileselector 2.3 Special Modes ----------------- Silicium player has many display modes, which you can use during the playing, from standard pattern-tracking through volume bars to the musical score. 2.3.1 Pattern Tracking Mode --------------------------- Desc: This is the simplest way of "watching" the playing. The screen contains three parts: 1) General module information (note that Silicium Player shows this at some other modes, too): Title Title of the song. Author Author of the song (if it is in the module). Time Length of the module and the time passed. Pattern The pattern being played. Order The order being played. Row The row of the current order being played. Speed Timer ticks/second. Tempo Timer ticks/row. File Size Size of the module. Conv Used Conventional memory used for loading the module. GUS Used Gravis UltraSound memory used for loading the mod. 2) Channel Desc: the current instrument of the channel, the parameters (volume, panning, effect) and a volume bar. 3) Pattern tracking window: here you can see the pattern "going upside" with the standard module notation (C-3, B-6, etc.) Usage: This mode is good for all modules, but first for multichannel modules and which use many instruments. 2.3.2 Notes Mode ---------------- Desc: This mode displays the musical score of the module. Because a score requires much space on the screen, SP uses 1024x768 mode where available. On video cards with 512K RAM, it uses 800x600 mode. 2.3.2.1 The Score ----------------- The score is written in bass clef, though maybe you'll need to transpose the channels up or down if you want to play the track on a piano or synthesizer, due to the instruments' default frequency can vary (not as MIDI instruments' fixed default frequency). Semitones: Due to there is little space on the screen (too few pixels, in high-resolution modes, too), semitones are framed with a thin line (the rectangle substitutes the #, so you have to add a semitone to the note). 2.3.2.2 Score Modes ------------------- There are two score modes: 1) Display five staves for each instrument. Important: this shows scores for instruments, NOT for channels. So if an instrument is active on two or more channels, they will be shown in one score. 2) Display all instruments in one score. This is very spectacular, but you cannot distinguish the instruments. 2.3.2.3 Madness Level --------------------- There is an ability in Silicium Player to set the score's "madness" level. Level 1: Normal score, straight lines. Level 2: Score drawn with level two looks like a score that is written during a performance at 10-20 notes/sec (no straight lines). This is also called the "hurry" mode. Level 3: Yeah! The scoring of a mad or drunk person! You'll like it! (Preferable to use with modules with many instruments/channels/notes!) Usage: This mode is best for modules where one or two instruments give the tune (such as acoustic guitar or piano), which have a very complex score, and classical pieces. Unfortunately (though from one side this is a very good thing) many modules use MORE samples as one instrument: for example, in Boesendorfer PSS, there are 9 piano samples, which are all in different frequency, so the first sample played on C-4 has not the same frequency as the second sample played on C-4, too. This causes that not all notes sound the same way, but makes score writing almost impossible - because SP cannot measure the samples' own frequency (though it is simple to do this with a piano sample, but try it with a drum sequence :-) If you see that the notes of an instrument are shown in more scores, that means that more samples are used for playing that instrument. If you press now O, SP will show them in one score, but if you play them on a piano/synthesizer, it will be wrong because of the samples' different frequencies. Examples: Mike Genato Unplugged (guitar, piano), Satellite One (complex - press O :-), Rama Gardens (complex), Classic (synth), Skaven Symphony (classic), Relevant (synth), etc. 2.3.3 Piano Mode ---------------- Desc: This mode displays piano keyboards on the screen and shows the "keypresses" for each instrument (there are seven keyboards on the screen, so the maximum of instruments to be shown is seven). Note that the video mode selection is the same as in Notes Mode. Score: Read the Score section of the description of Notes mode to get more to know about the musical score used and the transposing. Modes: You can select the "instrument separation" or mixing the same way (with O) as in the Notes mode. Usage: The selfsame as in Notes mode. Examples: Mike Genato Unplugged, Classic, Skaven Symphony, etc. 2.3.4 Scope Mode ---------------- Desc: This mode displays an oscilloscope for the left and the right channels. It further displays two amplitude analyses, which look like frequency analyses, but they analyze the amplitude of the waves instead of the frequency. At the bottom of the screen you can see a plasma effect, which has nothing to do with real plasmas, but it looks like them - cool! Usage: Modules with few (4, 6, 8) channels (the scope of the mixture of more channels usually does not look as good as the few channels' mix). Note: You can switch the plasma effect on and off by pressing the Y key, or by setting the 'Plasma' line of the ini to 'Off'. Examples: Arno 2, Build, Desert Building, etc. 2.3.5 Deck Mode --------------- Desc: This mode "simulates" a deck, with the original control buttons: previous/next track, rewind/fast forward, play, stop and pause. You can control the buttons with mouse. Easy, fast and comfortable! Usage: Good for all modules. The best if you want to run over quickly on your modules, especially if you got new ones and would like to have a quick overview of them because of its comfortable winding and module selecting capabilities. 2.3.5 Disappearing Lines Mode ----------------------------- Desc: This mode displays 32 columns representing the 32 channels. When a note is turned on, it draws a light horizontal line in the channel's column. It calculates the line's y coordinate from the frequency of the note. If a note is turned on again on that channel, the player draws the previous line with a darker color, and a new at the current frequency with the lightest color. If a note is turned on again, it darkens the previous lines, draws a new one and so forth. Usage: This mode is best for multichannel modules (over 10 channels). Examples: Mike Genato tracks, Satellite One, Rama Gardens, Asylum Of The Mind, Chariots Of Fire, AND Song, Relevant, etc. 2.3.6 Graphic Bars Mode ----------------------- Desc: This mode shows the instrument names (or the song message, if instrument names are not written into the module file), and vertical volume bars for each channel. Usage: This mode is excellent for multichannel modules (over 10 channels), but it is good for four-channels, too. Examples: Mike Genato tracks, Naked Carrion 2, Rama Gardens, Night Of The Cats, Relevant, Respirator, etc. 2.3.7 3D Bars Mode ------------------ Desc: This mode displays graphic 3D volume bars for each channel. Usage: The same as at Disappearing Lines Mode. Examples: The same as at Disappearing Lines Mode. 2.3.8 Frequency Curve Mode -------------------------- Desc: This mode displays curves for each channel whose forms depend on the frequency of the notes that turns on on a channel. Usage: The same as at Notes mode. Examples: The same as at Notes mode. 2.3.9 Volume Curve Mode -------------------------- Desc: This mode displays curves for each channel whose forms depend on the volume graph of the channels. Usage: This mode is best for multichannel modules (over 8 channels) and modules with many beats. Examples: Mike Genato tracks, Satellite One, Rama Gardens, Pawn, Unreal 2 / PM, Respirator, Quality, Xallem Puru, etc. 2.3.10 Highline Mode ------------------- Desc: Some kind of disco effect. A circle is drawn, its outline is divided into 16 pieces, and every curve's end is connected with the other curves' ends. When a note is turned on, SP draws the lines starting from the point belonging to that channel and then fades it slowly. Desc: Some kind of disco effect. It draws a circle, divides its outline to 16 pieces, and connects every curve's end with the other curves' ends. When a note is turned on, SP draws the lines starting from the point belonging to that channel and then fades it slowly. Fade Modes: 1) Slow fade: this displays the shades of white. Fairly good for slow tracks. 2) Fast fade: this displays the shades of dark blue at fading. It has a very important eye-training function, and it gives opticians more work. Coool in big dark rooms with 17 or 21 inch monitors. Usage: Good for slow (for example piano) tracks, for multichannel techno/rave/acid, etc. modules, and some others. Examples: Mind Of A Raver, Asylum Of The Mind, etc. 2.4 Screenshot -------------- You can rip the graphics of the program with the Screenshot key (Ctrl+F1). The output filename depends on the current mode (NORM???.RIP, SCORE???.BMP, PIANO???.BMP, SCOPE???.BMP, DECK???.BMP, BARS???.BMP, GBARS???.BMP, LINES???.BMP, FREQC???.BMP, VOLC???.BMP, HLINE???.BMP) These are standard 256 color bitmaps whose resolution depends on the resolution of the display mode 8-b. The NORM???.RIP is a 80x50 textmode screen rip (one byte character, one byte color). 2.5 Tricks And Tips ------------------- You can read some tricks and tips of using Silicium Player here. 2.5.1 Directory For Each Author? -------------------------------- Since SP displays the author of the modules, you do not have to store the modules of each author in separate directories, just press Alt+A at the fileselector and SP will sort the files by author (or set the [Sort] item in the config file to author) - and you can easily play the tracks of a musician. 2.5.2 Search For Multichannel Modules? -------------------------------------- If you want to know which modules of your collection use the most channels, just press Alt+C at the fileselector - SP will sort the files by the number of channels. This is good if you are searching for a "real" orchestral piece (modules with more channels usually sound better than modules with fewer :-), or just want to use one of the special modes that are best for multichannel modules. 2.5.3 Flipping Stereo --------------------- If your speakers are connected to the amplifier/soundcard inversely, just press Ctrl+F at any of the playing screens and SP will swap the two sides. This is as well as good if you want to change the panning of the channels "just for fun." 2.5.4 Creating Mechanical Music ------------------------------- There is a very simple way of creating mechanical music of some modules: Flip stereo continuously (hold Ctrl+F down). This will give some modules a special sounding, what is like mechanical music. 2.5.5 Using Headphones ---------------------- If you are listening to modules with headphones, it is recommended that you set the playing to mono. This is because the channels are (usually) positioned on the left, or the right side, but not in the middle or between middle and left or middle and right. This sounds great with loudspeakers, where the soundwaves of the left speaker go to your right ear, too (and vice versa), but not with headphones. Listening to modules with headphones will cause your left ear will hear ONLY the left channel and the right ONLY the right - which is not very good. But if you simply press Alt+M in SP, it will set the playing to mono. Note: if you press it again, it will turn playing back to stereo. 2.5.6 Playing AMF-s ------------------- The AMF format is currently not supported by SP, so if you want to listen to them, you have to convert them to a more popular format. Maybe I will write a converter for many formats, but until then you may use amf2s3m by JΘNas, which is a cool AMF to S3M converter (although there are some bugs in the conversion of some modules :-) Problems encountered at: Mike Genato Unplugged (in the guitar play), Terminal Velocity (synth voices bad), but these are mostly minor problems. And the final modules usually sound better than the original AMF-s played with DMP! (and some amf2s3m converted modules sound better with SP than with CP!) 2.5.7 Playing Audio CD's ------------------------ Silicium Player had been capable of playing Audio CD's until the 2.9.0 version, but then I thought it was much easier to use my CD player FastCD for playing CD's. It contains all functions that you need while listening to Compact Discs. Please get the newest version of it and use it if you would like to listen to CD's - and use many more functions than an ordinary home-CD player or either any other players in the world know. Download it now from the SAC! (See BBS/FTP/HTTP addresses at distribution!) 2.5.8 Speeding Module Data Loading Up ------------------------------------- You can speed the loading of the modules' information dramatically. See under topic database. 2.6 Troubleshooting ------------------- If you encounter problems while using SP, read this section of the document and you will probably find the solution here. If you cannot solve the problem using the documentation, please contact me! 2.6.1 Lockup While Loading -------------------------- If the program locks up while loading a file, free up a little memory. This player goes fine with 600K of RAM, but since it does not check the free RAM (for the cases in which you play ONLY small modules), it will start with 400K too (and lock up if a big module is started). Note that the "big module" expression is not correct, since big module files can be big for two reasons: many and/or big instruments or many patterns. Since the instruments are stored in the Gravis's memory, they do not require conventional RAM, so conventional memory is only required for loading the patterns. If a module contains many patterns and there is not enough memory, the program will display an error message (if there is very little memory free, it may lock up). I recommend using a memory manager (although SP does not require it), with which you can upload other programs into the EMS. If there is much memory free, the lockup may be due to a DMA conflict. See below. 2.6.2 IRQ and DMA Conflicts --------------------------- On some soundcards you may encounter IRQ and DMA problems. An IRQ problem may cause your soundcard not to output sound or play samples wrongly. A DMA problem may cause Silicium Player not to be able to upload samples into the Gravis's RAM. To avoid the IRQ problem, use the /SYSIRQ parameter (this will cause SP to use a system IRQ instead of GUS's), and to avoid the DMA problem, use the /NODMA parameter (SP will not use DMA for loading - this slows down the loading) - or see the config file description to acquire information on setting these values in the ini. 2.6.3 XMS Errors ---------------- There are several types of XMS errors, from which most will NEVER occur (hopefully :-), they come up only if the code is buggy, or there are some very incompatible programs in the memory, but some are due to there is not enough memory. Since this document is mostly based on SP's functions :-) I do not write all possible errors of the XMS, only the most significant ones: All extended memory is allocated: This means there is not enough free XMS. If there are some XMS-using TSR's (such as harddisk caches), try to remove them (or if it is a cache, try to run it with less memory allocation). All extended memory handles are in use: XMS can be accessed in blocks (each has a "handle" that is the index number of the block). SP uses 16k blocks for storing the files' names and data in the fileselector and the database. SP stores approximately 200 items in each block. In default, HIMEM.SYS creates 32 handles - with which 6316 files can be displayed in the fileselector (if there is 490K of free XMS). If this is not enough (uh, over 6000 modules in one directory? I hope you are just joking!), write /NUMHANDLES=128 after HIMEM.SYS in your CONFIG.SYS. This will solve all problems. At least until you procure over 25000 modules :-) 2.6.4 Runtime Errors -------------------- RTE 202: Stack overflow. This may occur during sorting if there are too many files in a directory (the sorting algorithm is recursive :-) If this occurs, please set the [Sort] item in the config file to none, or, which is better, move your modules into separate directories, where the sorting will not cause a stack overflow, and the loading of the modules at the beginning will be faster. RTE 203: Heap overflow. This may NOT occur (I put error checking routines to the code), but who knows... This means not enough memory, of course. Sorry for these, lack of time, etc, etc. Fixed soon. 2.6.5 Lockup At The Integrity Check Screen ------------------------------------------ Sometimes SP may lock up at the Integrity Check screen when it tries to determine the harddisks' type. If you encounter this problem, set the [HDDCheck] value in the config file to Off (that is the default). 2.6.6 Video Problems -------------------- Since SP works with all VESA compatible video cards, you will not encounter video problems on most cards, but some older models do not contain VESA support. If SP displays a message that your video card does not support VESA, you may use a VESA driver. You may use either the manufacturer's VESA driver (which is usually on the disk came with the card), and a universal VESA driver, for example UniVBE. UniVBE accelerates most VESA using programs, so if the graphic display of the program is slow, you may try UniVBE, it probably will help. If you get a message containing that your card does not support mode xxx that means your VESA support built into your card does not support a VESA video mode required for Silicium Player. Silicium Player works with 1.0 and higher VESA versions, but it is possible that older cards do not support some of the modes. It uses 640x480, 800x600 and 1024x768 modes (it uses 1024x768 only on video cards with 1024k or more VRAM) in 256 colors (101, 103, 105). If this occurs, please install a VESA driver with a higher version than your video BIOS (for example UniVBE). 2.6.7 Silicium Player does not start under Windows 95 ----------------------------------------------------- Under Windows 95 DOS Shell you may not always be able to start Silicium Player, it may display an error message that it cannot find the UltraSound card. If this occurs, that means Windows 95 is using the soundcard. In this case please quit every sound player (wave/midi/cd) and soundcard-using program that is running under Windows 95, and try to start Silicium Player again. If this does not help, you shall do the followings: enter a wave player under Windows 95 (e.g. Media Player), start a sound file, stop it (the length of the playing does not matter), then quit the player, and then start the DOS Shell and Silicium Player. (You have to start the DOS Shell now!) With this you reinitialized your soundcard, so DOS programs are able to play music again. 2.6.8 Incorrect Playing Under Windows 95 ---------------------------------------- You have to set the [Load] item in the config file to NonDMA or Auto to play modules under Windows 95 (else you will hear only scratching noises). For more information refer to the help section Playing Under Windows 95. If the playing is almost correct, but some instruments are missing or played incorrectly, run ULTRINIT/IWINIT. When you use the Gravis UltraSound under Windows 95 (by any players), it may change its settings, which may cause Silicium Player not to be able to load all instruments correctly. For this reason you will need to start ULTRINIT/IWINIT under the DOS prompt to reinitialize the card. 2.6.9 Switching To Another Task Pauses Playing ---------------------------------------------- If you switch to another program under Windows 95 while running Silicium Player, please set the display mode to any of the text modes in the player (pattern tracking or fileselector), otherwise the music may pause (you may try it by switching while a graphic mode is on, and if the music pauses, change to a text mode). 2.6.10 The Playing Stops In A Module ------------------------------------ In default, the looping is switched off. There are some modules that use special jump commands that the player interpretes as restartings - so if the looping is set to off, and it jumps back a pattern, the program may skip to the next module. To correct this problem, please set the looping to off. 2.6.11 Weird Errors ------------------ Every program may lock up mysteriously sometimes on some configurations, which the programmers have not foreseen. If Silicium Player locks up and you do not know why it was, the following entries may give help. 1) The program's EXE file has been modified. All SSD products have a self-checking system, so if they are modified, they display a warning message and halt - EXCEPT if the self-checking system is damaged: in this case, the computer tries to run the damaged code (which in most cases cannot be run) and crashes. 2) There is a system component in the computer (e.g. a special printer) which causes the program to crash. This happens very rarely - so if you do not have problems with other programs, that means that this is not a hardware problem. 3) You have installed a program (e.g. a special memory manager or soundcard driver), which causes the program to crash. Though SSD products are compatible with most programs (because they do not contain special, software-specific code). Try to boot clean, and if the problem ends, put REM-s at the beginning of the lines in AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS (which contain program startings) one by one (and boot after each) - and after which the program is working, that caused the problem. Note that sometimes not that program caused the problem, but one that starts only if this is active. For example: if MSCDEX causes a program to lock up, you may get the program working after putting REM before the CD drive's driver (which is before the starting of MSCDEX), after what MSCDEX will not start (since it starts only if a CD driver is installed), but this does not mean that the driver causes the error. If it does not end after booting clean, it is not a software incompatibility. 4) One or more data files of the program have been modified. SSD products check the most important data files' integrity, but sometimes they cannot recognize the errors (the chance of this is approx. one to a million, but it can happen). If you cannot solve the problem, please send me your configuration with the program's name and version. See my e-mail address below. (If it is possible, please send the program, too) 2.7 The Initialization File --------------------------- SP uses a configuration file for storing its configuration. It does not have a setup program yet, so currently you have to set the configuration manually :-( 2.7.1 Items In The Config File ------------------------------ BarsMode: The style of the Graphics Bars Mode. Modes: Gray (use the shades of gray for display), Pattern (fill background with a pattern and use colors) and Fading (display instrument names with a lightness depending on the volume of that instrument (if that is switched on, else it is black)). Default: The default display mode. Modes: Pattern, Notes, Piano, Scope, Deck, Lines, Bars, 3DBars, FreqCurve, VolCurve, Highline. FSColor: The base color of the fileselector. In default it is cyan, but you can set it to blue, green and pink, or select the random feature, which will randomly select the background color. HDDCheck: HDD type checking. Values: On and Off. See troubleshooting for more details. Header: The color of screen header in default (the line with the copyright message). Values: Light and Red. InstHighlight: The color of highlighted instruments at Graphics Bars Mode (style 1 and 2). Values: Blue, Red and White. IRQ: Playing IRQ mode. Values: GUS (use Gravis IRQ) and System (use system's IRQ). See Troubleshooting for more details. Load: Module loading mode. Values: DMA (use DMA channels), NonDMA (do not use DMA for loading - this mode is required for playing under Windows 95), Auto (this mode automatically selects the DMA mode: DMA under DOS and NonDMA under Windows 95). See Troubleshooting for more details on DMA loadings and Playing Under Windows 95 for details on the playing under Windows 95. Loop: Loop mode. If the loop mode is switched off, SP starts the next module at the end of the current. Values: On and Off. MessageBackground: The background picture of the messages. Values: On and Off. PianoColors: The relative RGB values of the piano display mode to white. Here you can only enter negative numbers. Plasma: Sets the plasma displaying at Scope mode on or off. Sort: You can specify here the default sorting method for the fileselector and the database. Modes: Name, Title, Author, Channels, Size, Time. If SP halts with a Runtime error 202, set this to None. Staff: The score's madness level. See in the description of the Notes mode. Values: Normal (normal score), Hurry (written in a hurry) and Mad (the scoring of a mad person). 2.7.2 Using The INI ------------------- Silicium Player requires ALL items in the config file. If it does not find one of the items, it will not start. Note that you cannot make SP "unstartable" by changing the values, except if you write a wrong value for an item (the valid values are listed above and in the config file). 2.8 Getting Information ----------------------- You can get information about your computer and system configuration in several ways in Silicium Player. 2.8.1 Program Information ------------------------- If you press Alt+P in the fileselector, Silicium Player will display a program information screen with the following information: - Your video card's type. - Size of video memory and VESA version. - Maximal video resolution supported by your card. - CPU type. - Soundcard's type. - Winchester cache. After this screen, it will display a "download information", where you can find the BBS/FTP/WWW/CD addresses/names from where you can download Silicium Player. 2.8.2 The About --------------- If you press Alt+O in the fileselector, the program will display the about box that contains the names of the authors and contributors. I rendered the picture with Persistence Of Vision. 2.8.3 Autodetection ------------------- SP can autodetect various models of various hardware types. Note that when it displays messages (such as error messages), it may write one or more detected hardwares' name into the sentence(s): so these messages are almost always for your configuration, and on an other machine the error messages may vary depending on the hardware components of that machine. This makes the messages unambiguous. Video Card: SP can detect ALL VESA-compliant video cards' name, and there is no need to update the detection procedure for future models (it can be read from the BIOS) Sound Card: Gravis UltraSound, Gravis UltraSound Max, and Gravis UltraSound Plug&Play. CPU: 8086, 8088, V20, V30, 186, 286 (though it will not run on these models :-), 386, 486SX, 486DX, 486DX/2, 486DX/4, Pentium and the speed of them. FPU: 8087, 287, 287XL, 387, 487 and Pentium's Built-In FPU. HDD Cache: Windows 95 Cache, Norton-Cache, SmartDrive, PC-Cache, HyperDisk, SilverCache, CacheClk, QuickCache II, Combi-Disk, WinVFC, SuperPCK/QCache, Compaq SysPro. 2.9 Setting Panning And Volume ------------------------------ 2.9.1 Setting By Keyboard ------------------------- The volume can be set with ( and ), and panning with [ and ] on the keyboard. 2.9.2 Saving/Loading -------------------- You can save volume and panning settings with Ctrl+A and load the saved values with Ctrl+L. Note: after saving the information, it automatically will load the settings on every starting, so you do not have to load them manually, only if you changed the settings and want to revert to the originals. Silicium Player saves the settings in SILICIUM.PAN in the program's directory. 2.9.3 Setting The Default ------------------------- If you want to set the default values, just press Ctrl+D. You may also delete the SILICIUM.PAN file, after which SP will automatically use the defaults. 2.10 Quitting The Player ----------------------- Hey, do you think this seriously? Okay, I will tell you... You can quit SP by pressing ESC twice. The header... er... okay, it turns red. Admit it, the idea was stolen from CP. (but in default it turns to WHITE from RED, and it turns to red only if you change the default header settings in the ini... okay, no text.) 3. The Database --------------- SP has a database that contains almost all information about the modules that can be known about a module. When a new module is started, SP adds its information to the database. First I had wanted to put a default database to the package, but the size of the zip was too big - without it, too - so I decided to leave it out. But you can create a database of your modules quickly. 3.1 Adding Modules To Database ------------------------------ When you start a module that is not in the database, SP automatically adds its information to the database. If you have many modules that are not in the database, start SP and press Alt+S. This will take time (SP has to load ALL modules), but if you are patient, it will add all modules to the database and you will not require to start each module to add its information :-) If you can take your time over it, I recommend deleting the database files (SILICIUM.DAT and SILICIUM.IDX), sort the modules in the directory by name, and then run the database addition. It is worth because when Silicium Player loads the modules' information at the starting, it can load info faster if the files in the directory and in the database are almost in the same order. WARNING! The program may lock up if there is not enough memory to load a file. To avoid locking up at the middle of the module addition, please free up approximately 600k conventional memory. Note: Silicium Player creates a log file during the loading called LOAD.TXT in the program's directory, or if it is read-only, in the temporary (TEMP) directory. When it starts the loading of a file, it writes its name to the file and three dots. If the loading is successful, it appends a 'Done' to the end of the text, but if it locks up, it cannot write there anything (because it is 'dead') - so if the program freezes, just see at which file the problem had been (the last file in the log), and - to solve the problem - remove that file from the directory to another (e.g. a temporary one), or try to free up a little memory. Sorry for this, but if you have more than 600k of free memory, you will not encounter this problem (hopefully). 3.2 Displaying The Database --------------------------- The real function of the database is to let you to see the information of several modules that you may not have - easily and quickly. To call the database listing up, press Alt+D in the fileselector. The database listing looks like the fileselector, but if you press Enter, you will get the module information and if you press Alt+D, you will get the database information. A searching function that allows you to search by fields or in the full database text for any strings WILL COME SOON. Note: the sorting modes and quickfind work here, too. 4. The Modules -------------- The modules are musical pieces made with computer. Their most important characteristic is that they have their own instrument set, and they do not use a pre-defined standard instrument set (as in General MIDI). 4.1 Module Formats ------------------ There are many module formats, most of them have been born one way: somebody had created a new tracker, which had had its own format and it spreaded. Here is a list of the most common module formats: - 669: The format of the Composer 669. - AMF: Dual Module Player's own format. Mostly used in games. - CCM: Chronos Conversion Module, used by Chronos Module Converter. - DMF: X-Tracker's format. - DSM: Digital Sound Module. Developed by a group called Psychik Links(?), and used for their productions and some games. - FAR: Farandole Tracker's format. - FC3: Future Composer's format. - FTM: Face The Music format. - MDL: Format of digitracker. - MED: Sorry, but I do not know anything about this format. - MOD: The oldest format, which was created on Amiga. First it had supported only four channels, but later some trackers gave it more channels, up to 32. - MTM: MultiTracker module. - OKT: Oktalyser's own format. - PSM: Protracker Studio module. Mostly used in Epic Megagames' games. - PTM: PolyTracker's format. - ROM: AudioVision's format. - STM: The format of Future Crew's ScreamTracker 2. Not very popular since S3M has come out. - STS: ScreamTracker Song. I do not know the difference between STM and STS so do not ask. - S3M: The format of FC's ScreamTracker 3. It has become a quite popular format, due to its new effects and support of 99 instruments. - ULT: UltraTracker's format. - XM: The best format, with the most capabilities of all, developed by Vogue and Mr. H of Triton. Its editor is FastTracker 2. This was the list of more than 20 module formats. Most of them are playable only with their own tracker. SP uses the three most popular of them: MOD, S3M and XM. MOST of the modules around the world are in one of these three formats. Sorry, if I left something or somebody out from the list :-) It is usually said (and I do say it, too), that modules with more channels sound better than modules with fewer. This is true in most cases (the more channels the more the module sounds like a "real" orchestral piece), but there are some(?) exceptions for example Wild McArthur wich uses four channels and sounds fantastically (although the drum sequence is digitized). Or take a look at Guitar Slinger - it is a cool guitar track (the guitar play sounds very cool) using four channels. And there are many other examples - so do not leave out any modules that contain only four channels! If you want to get some cool modules, just search for keyword "modules" or "sound" on the internet with an ftp searcher, or for a musician's name either on ftp and www. 4.2 Module Commands ------------------- Here is a brief list of the module commands. Appregio, Extra Fine Porta Down, Extra Fine Porta Up, Fine Portamento Down, Fine Portamento Up, Fine Volume Slide Down, Fine Volume Slide Up, Global Volume Slide, Key Off, Multi Retrig Note, Note Cut, Note Delay, Panning Slide, Pattern Break, Pattern Delay, Portamento, Down, Portamento Up, Position Jump, Retrig Note, Sample Offset, Set Envelope Position, Set Finetune, Set Glissando Control, Set Global Volume, Set Loop Begin/Loop, Set Panning, Set Tempo/BPM, Set Tremolo Control, Set Vibrato Control, Set Volume, Tone Portamento, Tone Portamento+Volume Slide, Tremolo, Tremor, Vibrato Vibrato+Volume Slide, Volume Slide. To get information on these commands, read any module tracker's documentation or a module format's description file. (e.g. mod-form.txt, s3mtech.txt, xm.txt etc.) 4.3 Some Expressions -------------------- 4.3.1 BPM (beats per minute) ---------------------------- Originally, this value had shown number of drum beats in a track every minute. This had mostly been used for techno, acid and other electronical music styles, where the drum sequence had almost been the same for the whole track, so if you had picked out a minute from the track and had measured the number of beats, it would had been almost sure that the measured value would have been the BPM for the whole of the track. When modules appeared, this name got a new meaning: it shows the number of timer ticks every second (you have to multiply the BPM value with 0.4). The "speed" value indicates the number of timer ticks per row. So there will be [BPM * 0.4 / Speed] rows per second. Note that BPM is also called tempo. 4.3.2 Patterns And Orders ------------------------- In some players, these expressions are confused or called another names. In Silicium Player, patterns mean the blocks of 64 (this value can vary) lines that can be used more times. Orders contain the list of patterns to be played (order is sometimes called position in other players). 4.3.3 Panning ------------- Panning is the position in space where the voice is. In default, it is set only in horizontal direction. On the Gravis UltraSound, the x dimension is divided to 16 equal pieces (the panning could be set via the hardware). Most modules' channels are set thus: odd channels are on the left and even channels are on the right. Since the panning can be set, there are many modules that use panning effects. If the module does not use panning effects, you can set the panning with the [ and ] keys in SP (you can set the panning to reversed, to mono or to a mid-value specified by you). 4.3.4 Chiptunes --------------- The chiptune expression comes from the Commodore: the modules that use electronically created instruments (chiefly simple two- or four-operator sine-, square and sawtoothwaves) and their sounding is very mechanical are called chiptunes. Many people do not like these, but who has ever had a Commodore usually esteems them (as I do). Here is a list of some great chiptunes: Cybernoid II (yes, the original C-64 music with some improvements!), 64-Mania (3-channel S3M by Edge), Terminal Velocity (lots of channels, cool drums and others by Mike Genato), Getting Inspiration (an S3M by Purple Motion), Vinguttelu by Pave (7-channel). 4.3.5 DMA --------- Direct Memory Access is a mode of accessing the memory: the data does not go through the CPU, so no CPU resources are allocated for it and it takes no time from the CPU - this is almost always used for accessing the soundcards. 5. The Gravis UltraSound ------------------------ 5.1 General Specification ------------------------- What comes is my, is MY opinion about the card, not a paid advertisement, or something else. Gravis UltraSound specification: - 32 digital channels. - 44KHz mixing with up to 14 channels (over 14 channels the frequency decreases). - Samples can be both 16 and 8 bits. - Stereo output with 16 panning steps. - General MIDI compatibility (MIDI in/out port). - 32 MIDI channels. - Samples can be both 16 and 8 bits. - 1024k built-in GM sample ROM. - Up to 8192k expandable RAM. - Stereo output with 16 panning steps. - 44KHz, 16bit, Stereo recording. - Hardware mixing. - Fast: it does NOT take time from the CPU! - Quality: compare its quality with any other cards! You will not believe the quality of GUS after a software mix on any other cards! No noise, no distortion! And all of these are done by the Gravis's digital chips, the GF1 in the GUS and GUS Max and the InterWave in the PnP and PnP Pro. Well, this sounds like an advertisement, but it is TRUE! I had had a ..... software-mixing soundcard before I bought the GUS, and GUS's quality is MUCH better! 5.2 Testing The Memory ---------------------- For listening to modules on a GUS, you need RAM installed on your card :-) To ensure that the RAM on your card is working properly, you may check it with Silicium Player's RAM check option. Since the test of 1024k RAM takes only about 15 seconds, it is worth to test it once a week or a month. If Silicium Player displays a message that something is wrong with your RAM, please boot clean (only with the soundcard's drivers, and the settings of the environment variables), then run the test again, and if the problem persists, please check if the RAM is properly plugged into its slot. If it is, it's recommended that you contact the hardware vendor where you have bought the RAM and the card. 6. Greetings And Messages ------------------------- 6.1 Thanks ---------- flap / Capacala for writing such a great player. Kurt Kennett for the Gravis UltraSound SDK. Katalin Szabó for the Internet support, for many audio CD's for FastCD, for her ideas and many song lyrics that have helped me in the development. György Visontay for his ideas and the technical environment. Lukács Szende for the kyrie score used in the logo and many audio CD's for FastCD. Pál Iváncsics, Gergely Bottka and Richárd Gróf for many audio CD's for FastCD. Gergely Kiss for the CoV's. CoV rulez!!! The POV-Ray Team for creating the great Persistence Of Vision Ray-Tracer (povray). László Bata for putting my programs on Chip CD's. Attila Tóth for his ideas and support. Róbert Laszkács for his ideas and support. 6.2 Messages ------------ Skaven: In versions 2.6.0 and 2.7.0 I had put Ice Frontier as a sample song into the package, but later I decided not to put demo songs into it, because the zip's size was too big (to others: Ice Frontier won the Assembly 93 :-). MATÅV: Thank you for changing almost 20,000 people's phone number and then release a phone book with the old numbers! (In the name of all people who have H-1118 ZIP code.) Mike Genato: I really like your "industrial rock" style! Microsoft: All Windows module players are hyper-cool, except for their slowness, low quality and lockups :-) 6.3 Greetings ------------- Absence, Access Denied, Astroidea, Avalanche, Capacala, Capanna, Cascada, Coolteam, Criminal Gang, Cubic Team, Doomsday, Dubius, EMF, Epical, Fairlight, Future Crew, Goto 10, Grif, JAMM, KFMF, Majic 12, Murmidones, Nooon, Orange, Pure, Razor 1911, Renaissance, Sanity, Shock, Soft One, Sonic, The Levisionet Group, Triton, Unicorn, Wild Light, Witan, Xography Everybody at Chip, PC-X, GURU, ABCD, CoV. And others who I have left out. 6.4 Distribution ---------------- This program is shareware. You may copy and distribute it, and use it for 30 days. If the 30 days expire, you have to register to continue using Silicium Player. If you like this player, why don't you register? I have very much work in it and I would be happy if people appreciated my work 8-> If you like this player but do not want to register (for any reasons), please send me a postcard of your hometown (I would like to know how many people use SP)! Thanks! Note: There are NOT any copy-protection, self-deleting or any damage functions. (due to there is no protection which could not be cracked 8-) There is a counter which counts the times you have started SP, but it does NOT check the value, so the starting first time will be the same as the starting ten thousandth time (it will NOT say anything like "hey, why do not you register," or run with fewer functions). (See registering information in ORDER.FRM.) For full list of SSD distribution sites, please read DISTRO.DST. Visit our homepage at: astrobase.bajaobs.hu/~sentinel/ CNET Download.Com: www.download.com, www.shareware.com Simtel.Net: ftp.simtel.net, ftp.cdrom.com, oak.oakland.edu Download the newest version from Astrobase BBS: +36-79324600 (64k) ftp://astrobase.bajaobs.hu/pub/astrobase/ http://astrobase.bajaobs.hu Sysop: Palomar (palomar@astrobase.bajaobs.hu) Slovak Antivirus Center Note: add "/sound" to the directory to access the sound section of the BBS. *** THE PHONE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN CHANGED *** Slovak Antivirus Center +42 7 5438 232 (19.2k, 24h) +42 7 5438 295 (28.8k, 24h) ftp://ftp.elf.stuba.sk (/pub/pc) http://ftp.elf.stuba.sk/packages/pub/pc TEL: +42 7 5438 228 FAX: +42 7 5438 230 Note that SAC contains utilities of many topics (sound, graphics, packing, etc.), not only antivirus stuff (although it has a directory of the newest antivirus related software). SAC is located on the server at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at the Slovak Technical University in Bratislava, Slovakia. SAC is mirrored on: ftp.vse.cz /pub/msdos/SAC/pc ftp-beer.bke.hu /vol1/pub/sac/pc ftp.cs.tu-berlin.de /pub/msdos/mirrors/ftp.elf.stuba.sk/pc ftp.pwr.wroc.pl /pub/pc/sac ftp.nsysu.edu.tw Note: SAC also has a mirror in the USA, unfortunately it was last updated a few months ago. But it is worth to try it, maybe there has been a recent update: http://192.217.228.45/SAC If you would like your BBS to be a distribution site of SSD products, please fill the form in DISTSITE.TXT and send it to me. I will be at Scenest '97 (Spring) and Pie Slice '97 (Fall) demo parties held in Hungary, Budapest. If you want to have some contact, be there! 6.5 Addresses ------------- If you have ideas, questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact me! I WILL answer (maybe a bit late, but I will). Please also contact me if you have found any bugs that I have not documented, or cannot be solved by the documentation's methods! Address: Peter Visontay Torbágy u. 10. III. 10. H-1118 Budapest Phone: (+36) (+1) 2-466-471 (+36) (+1) 2-466-032 E-Mail: sentine@hotmail.com If you have any quiestions about the Slovak Antivirus Center BBS, please contact the sysop: Peter Hubinsky +42 7 791 608 hubak@elf.stuba.sk fido: 2:422/80 6.6 Parties ----------- If you would like to contact me, it is a way to be at Scenest and Pie Slice '97 in Budapest, Hungary. Both are held at the Mechatronikai Szakközépiskola és Gimnázium H-1118 Budapest Rétköz utca 39. (both addresses H-1118 Budapest Csíksomlyó utca 6. are the school's) Scenest is held in April and organized by Astroidea, and Pie Slice is in October and held by some guys who do not belong to any demo groups, but like fun and want to make fun! Compos: PC demo, PC intro, PC 4K, Amiga demo, Amiga intro, C64 demo, Graphics, Ray-trace, 4 channel music, Multichannel music, Beethoven, PC 4K game, Lamer, Wild, Fun, Duke Nukem/Quake and more! Beethoven (Scenest): compose music from the pre-defined instruments (you can listen to them before the compo) within 33 minutes without listening to the music (no speakers :-) Lamer: everything is allowed, the winner is the funniest creation. Wild: demos that cannot be run with standard hardware - bring your computer to play it! Two parties whose organizers aren't led by money - only fun! 6.7 Favorite Pages ------------------- Get the newest utilities from Slovak Antivirus Center: Topics include sound, graphics, antivirus, miscellaneous utilities and more! BBS: +42 7 5438 232 (19.2k, 24h) +42 7 5438 295 (28.8k, 24h) FTP: ftp.elf.stuba.sk (/pub/pc) WWW: http://ftp.elf.stuba.sk/packages/pub/pc Also get cool utilities from the DOWNLOAD.COM: www.download.com Project Gutenberg: Get some great books from this page, such as Alice in Wonderland and A Christmas Carol. WWW: http://jg.cso.uiuc.edu/pg/pg_home.html FTP: ftp://ftp.cnam.fr/pub/Gutenberg/ Edita Gruberova fanpage by Katalin Szabó (WWW). 6.8 The Silicium ---------------- Makes up major portion of clay, granite, feldspar, quartz, and sand. It is used in transistors, integrated circuits, and solar cells. What is this? Silicium, of course (or silicon, if you like that more). Do not ask, why I gave this name. It has just come. Chemical charasteristics: Symbol: Si Atomic Number: 14 Atomic Weight: 28.09 Valency: 4 Relative Density: 2.33 Melting Point: 1410 C Boiling Point: 2355 C The second most abundant element in the Earth's crust. It occurs in combined forms as silicium dioxide, silicate rocks and minerals. Silicium carbide is one of the hardest known substances. It is contained by some very common substances: flint, glass, sand, feldspar, quartz. It is used in transistors, rectifiers, solar cells and alloys. "If silicon had been a gas I should have been a major-general." (Whistler, James Abbott McNeill US painter referring to his failure in a chemistry examination) 6.9 Dedication -------------- I dedicate this program to the deaf, who will never hear any music anymore - in the hope of researchers will find a cure for their illness soon. 7. Closing Words ---------------- I finish this document in the hope of this program will help people who like music, including computer music. And in the hope of more and more people will realize that the music that is played on standard instruments could be played on a computer - and this is not mechanical music. I think this would cause there would be more and more composers - creating quality music on their PC. Which does not mean instruments are dead. But a new instrument is born. Signed, Sentinel / Sound Design Systems