[comp.sys.amiga] 16-bit audio???

jk87377@korppi.tut.fi (Kouhia Juhana Krister) (07/26/90)

In article <711@tuura.UUCP> mattij@tuura.UUCP (Matti Joutkoski) writes:
>I heard almost one year ago, that Commodore will do 16-bit audio-
>chipset to the Amiga.
>
>But but? Is in Amiga 3000 still old 8-bit output?

I hope they make both AD and DA converters.
There is no reason to make only 16 bit DA;
where people gets 16 bit samples?

And one important thing is to make really good filters to it.
Before AD converter and after DA converter.
Stereo is enough, no reason to make four DA's - Amiga is not a synth.

One big mistage is that Amiga 500/2000 haven't AD converters.
It's quite easy make 8 bit AD converter, but has somebody done AD
chip, which works like Paula; i.e. read samples to memory
automatically?


Juhana Kouhia
jk87377@tut.fi

es1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Ethan Solomita) (07/26/90)

In article <711@tuura.UUCP> mattij@tuura.UUCP (Matti Joutkoski) writes:
>I heard almost one year ago, that Commodore will do 16-bit audio-
>chipset to the Amiga.
>
>But but? Is in Amiga 3000 still old 8-bit output?

	I guess it's time to put on some fire-retardant clothing.
I think it is ridiculous that people look on Commodore with scorn
because they haven't released a 16 bit version of the paula. Here
is why:
	First, have you ever listened to the 27K, 8 bit sound
produced with a good digitizer such as FutureSound? I realize
that FS in not being made anymore (company vanished) but the
sound I get at that rate is all but indestinguishable from a CD.
The quality is extremely good and most people don't need anything
better.
	For those people who are professionals: there is a reason
that there is a MIDI standard! Most of your sound is produced
through external instruments. If you are a professional and using
the Amiga to produce music rather than MIDI instruments you
aren't doing things very well. Perhaps the Amiga makes a nice
supplement to MIDI, but you must realize that the amount of
people who really need, or even really want, true 16bit audio are
nowhere near large enough to warrant Commodore move their
emphasis from all sorts of other things.
	I'd much rather see Commodore improve the graphics modes
and make the custom chips run at 25MHz.
	-- Ethan

Ethan Solomita: es1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu

"If Commodore had to market sushi they'd call it `raw cold fish'"
		-- The Bandito, inevitably stolen from someone else

ranma@noc.arc.nasa.gov (Robert Gutierrez) (07/26/90)

es1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Ethan Solomita) writes:
|> mattij@tuura.UUCP (Matti Joutkoski) writes:
|> >I heard almost one year ago, that Commodore will do 16-bit audio-
|> >chipset to the Amiga.

|> 	I guess it's time to put on some fire-retardant clothing.
|> I think it is ridiculous that people look on Commodore with scorn
|> because they haven't released a 16 bit version of the paula....

|> ...... Perhaps the Amiga makes a nice
|> supplement to MIDI, but you must realize that the amount of
|> people who really need, or even really want, true 16bit audio are
|> nowhere near large enough to warrant Commodore move their
|> emphasis from all sorts of other things.

So, where does that leave me, a person who wants to do some music editing?!?

Well, that leaves me with either an Ampex reel-to-reel tape deck (complete
with a Schick razor blade and Scotch (R) Brand tape), or (god forbid I
say that name...!) A Macintoy...(err)...Macintrash...(uhhh)...Macintosh.

Do the letters "S.O.L." mean anything to anybody here...?


   Robert Gutierrez
   Office of Space Science and Applications,
   NASA Science Internet - Network Operations Center.
   Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California.

"If cartoons were meant for adults, they'd be shown on prime time."
					(The Simpsons [4/29/90])

es1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Ethan Solomita) (07/26/90)

In article <54772@ames.arc.nasa.gov> ranma@noc.arc.nasa.gov (Robert Gutierrez) writes:
>es1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Ethan Solomita) writes:
>|> ...... Perhaps the Amiga makes a nice
>|> supplement to MIDI, but you must realize that the amount of
>|> people who really need, or even really want, true 16bit audio are
>|> nowhere near large enough to warrant Commodore move their
>|> emphasis from all sorts of other things.
>
>So, where does that leave me, a person who wants to do some music editing?!?
>
>Well, that leaves me with either an Ampex reel-to-reel tape deck (complete
>with a Schick razor blade and Scotch (R) Brand tape), or (god forbid I
>say that name...!) A Macintoy...(err)...Macintrash...(uhhh)...Macintosh.
>
>Do the letters "S.O.L." mean anything to anybody here...?

	This leaves you in the position of having to buy a 16 bit
sound board from a third party. There are at least two companies
advertising them currently. There is Active Circuits and Beta
Unlimited. Although an improved Paula is a nice goal, there are
many other things IMHO Commodore needs to give far higher
priority to.

>   Robert Gutierrez
>   Office of Space Science and Applications,
>   NASA Science Internet - Network Operations Center.
>   Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California.
>
>"If cartoons were meant for adults, they'd be shown on prime time."
>					(The Simpsons [4/29/90])


	-- Ethan

Ethan Solomita: es1@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu

"If Commodore had to market sushi they'd call it `raw cold fish'"
		-- The Bandito, inevitably stolen from someone else