PYC121@URIACC.URI.EDU (Andy Kress) (01/15/91)
The other day I was in a local computer store and they had an Amiga 3000.
Well the guy using it double clicked on a file and about 5 minutes of
a digitized orcastra piece came from the speakers. We looked at the file
and it was over 2 megs long. Anyway, it accomplished this by reading from
the drive (harddrive) while playing the sound at the same time. What I
want to know is if this is possible on the GS? Say I load up the DOC and
play the 64k, can the next 64k be loaded in in time to play continuously?
Im not a programer so this is all hope and speculation. Any comments or
ideas?
Andy Kress
PYC121 at URIACC
Apple II: The power to take over the world!6600prao@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (Parik Rao) (01/15/91)
Yes, its very easy to play loooooong samples on the Apple IIgs, and do it "on the fly from a disk" if the drive used is fast enough (ie, a ramfast card would really help). You can even do it off a 3.5" floppy drive using compression. That is a interesting idea for someone to pursue - write a digitizer that will write to a drive as its going. That way you can digitize *LARGE* samples. Right now samplings are done into RAM, so you haveta digitize 4 megs, pause your CD player, save to disk, digitizer another 4, pause, digitize, etc. Its not too hard to put them together however.
ifar355@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (David H. Huang) (01/16/91)
In article <9101150209.AA29749@apple.com> PYC121@URIACC.URI.EDU (Andy Kress) writes: > > The other day I was in a local computer store and they had an Amiga 3000. > Well the guy using it double clicked on a file and about 5 minutes of > a digitized orcastra piece came from the speakers. We looked at the file > and it was over 2 megs long. Anyway, it accomplished this by reading from > the drive (harddrive) while playing the sound at the same time. What I > want to know is if this is possible on the GS? Say I load up the DOC and > play the 64k, can the next 64k be loaded in in time to play continuously? > Im not a programer so this is all hope and speculation. Any comments or > ideas? > > Andy Kress > PYC121 at URIACC > > Apple II: The power to take over the world! Now this is an idea that I've been thinking of a long time! However, I never got around to actually doing anything, especially since I don't have a hard drive yet. Something like this would be useful to those people with limited memory (load that k00l 2 Meg soundfile on your 256K machine :-) I think it could be done, since I know that disk operations don't interfere with the sound being played (at least not noticably) if you set the buffer size to be something large (I think 16K or more will do it). The only problem that I can think of is whether a 3.5" disk will be fast enough to load the sound in time, or will a hard drive be necessary. I'll write a little program to test this out sometime soon... -- David Huang | Internet: ifar355@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu | "My ganglion is stuck in UUCP: ...!ut-emx!ccwf.cc.utexas.edu!ifar355 | a piece of chewing gum!" America Online: DrWho29 |
AABENSON@MTUS5.BITNET (01/16/91)
Unknown: The DOC will only play a continuous waveform of up to 32k in length. When it finishes, you can have it just quit, start over, or start playing another waveform. I think if you were to make a "circular-queue" as you called it, you would be writing to one half of that 64k while it's playing the other half. You'll know when it's done with it's half, because you can either ask it, or have it tell you (i.e., either poll it or have it generate an interrupt). And yes, it steps through the data at different rates depending on the frequency selected, and also the resolution. By changing the resolution, you can have it use every byte, every other byte, etc.. I'm sure somebody else can explain this much better than I can. I never was very good at explaining these sorts of things? - Andrew. Internet: aabenson@balance.cs.mtu.edu or aabenson@mtu.edu
mkheintz@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Michael Heintz) (01/16/91)
In article <42564@ut-emx.uucp> ifar355@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (David H. Huang) writes: >> ... it accomplished this by reading from >> the drive (harddrive) while playing the sound at the same time. What I >> want to know is if this is possible on the GS? Say I load up the DOC and >> play the 64k, can the next 64k be loaded in in time to play continuously? >> Im not a programer so this is all hope and speculation. Any comments or >> ideas? (I accidentally erased the follow up letter on this response) Continuous sound should not use the DOC RAM as stated before, you can not switch back and forth fast enough to do such a thing. Roger Wagner has developed an Xcmd which works with HyperStudio and allows you to make a button play a long sound directly from the disk. They said now you can incorporate sounds that can take up all available space on your disk or hard drive! (although, I don't know how to record a sound longer than your actual computer memory can hold). I am not sure whether I would need such a feature for HyperStudio, it sounds a bit ridiculous (what would you need that for?) but, it has to be possible. What I am suggesting is: if anyone is interested they should contact Roger Wagner directly and try to find out how they can do it! If it can be incorporated into HyperStudio, then it should definitely be able to exist as a stand alone program! Good Luck Michael Heintz mkheintz@vela.acs.oakland.edu
jh4o+@andrew.cmu.edu (Jeffrey T. Hutzelman) (01/17/91)
There is indeed a special 64K area of memory devoted to the DOC that
is otherwise inaccessible. The ToolBox (sound toolset, I believe)
provides a routine that lets you read and/or write DOC RAM.
--------------------
Jeffrey Hutzelman America Online: JeffreyH11
Internet: jh4o+@andrew.cmu.edu BITNET: JHUTZ@DRYCAS
>> Apple // Forever!!! <<ccrovac@yogi (Paul Hirose) (01/21/91)
I recently came across several sound files that are for the Macintosh. I don't know what program plays these on teh Mac, and I don't know what format they're in. So...questions are: 1] How can I find out what format they're int? 2] Once I find out what format they are in...how can I play them on my GS? 3] Is there a place (ftp) that I can pull utilities that convert from Mac (or anything else for that matter) sound files to GS sound files? 4] What program do I need on the GS side? I have SoundSmith v0.95 right now. I'm thinking of getting either Music Studio or Music Construction Set (I think those were the two) 5] I'm planning on getting a Sonic Blaster...will that make a difference as to software that I'll need? Thanks a lot... Paul Hirose ccrovac@yogi.ucdavis.edu |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Internet pthirose@ucdavis.edu : USnail Mail : "Violence is the | | BITNET pthirose@ucdavis : Paul Hirose : last refuge of | | UUCP ucdavis!pthirose : 230 A St, #18 : the incompetent" | | ucdavis!deneb!ez001793 : Davis, CA 95616: --ISAAC ASIMOV | | Alternate ccrovac@deneb.ucdavis.edu:--------------------------------------| | GENIE P.HIROSE1 : Disclaimer: I speak my own thoughts | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (The Unknown User) (01/21/91)
In article <10313@aggie.ucdavis.edu> pthirose@ucdavis.edu (Paul Hirose) writes: [He got "Mac" sounds] >1] How can I find out what format they're int? I don't really know the specifics of this, honestly... If you actually got them off of a Mac disk, you could go look at the "filetype" information on the Mac.. I think one of the fields often says what program made it. I'm probably wrong though! However, MOST "Mac" sound files are in a standard raw data format... That is, they can be played on the Mac, GS, and Amiga very very easily (although to make the most use out of them on Amigas you have to add or subtract 128 from each value.. minor point though)... There are also players for the IBM, and probably every other computer under the sun. Not that you care about other computers, it's just nice to know that these work on so many computers. >2] Once I find out what format they are in...how can I play them on my > GS? You'll have to get a program that can play them. I will elaborate on this in a minute... >3] Is there a place (ftp) that I can pull utilities that convert from > Mac (or anything else for that matter) sound files to GS sound files? Nope, no conversion is necessary, as the vast majority of sounds are in the raw data format... Even if you find some that aren't, you can probably find the same sound somewhere else that -IS- in raw data format. I have a list of FTP sites for sounds, so anyone that wants it, mail me.. (I also have a list of GIF ftp sites) >4] What program do I need on the GS side? I have SoundSmith v0.95 > right now. I'm thinking of getting either Music Studio or > Music Construction Set (I think those were the two) Nope, none of those.... none are needed I mean.. I severely doubt either of the latters read digitized sounds since they're MUSIC programs. The ones I can think of are the following: SoundStudio -- Probably the oldest decent sound player. Kinda slow and I never got it to be able to play HUGE files. LongPlay This was just put on comp.binaries.apple2.. I haven't checked it out yet. FTA's sound player FTA made a neat, quick player that was (is) ProDOS 8 and from what I remember, it's a lot like SoundStudio. Wings Hell, even Wings, the GREAT GS program-launcher/file-utilities/editor/ everything-but-the-kitchen-sink program plays sounds. there are probably a few others. >5] I'm planning on getting a Sonic Blaster...will that make a difference > as to software that I'll need? None that I know of.. Since digitized files play directly through the Ensoniq (Am I right the rest of you??), they will definitely play through external speakers... (As opposed to some old non GS programs that don't play through external speakers hooked to a stereo card) >Thanks a lot... You're welcome... I've saved the bad news for last... I bet a lot of people are going to either e-mail me or post and deny this, but sounds have never sounded as good to me on the GS as they do on the Mac. I don't know the reasoning for this, but it's true. Digitized sounds just sound better on the Mac for some dumb reason. (To the rest of you: I'm virtually certain I've done the 0->1 trick at least a few times over the years and it never made a difference) -- /Apple II(GS) Forever! unknown@ucscb.ucsc.edu MAIL ME FOR INFO ABOUT CHEAP CDs\ \WRITE TO ORIGIN ABOUT ULTIMA VI //e and IIGS! Mail me for addresses, & info. /
ifar355@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (David H. Huang) (01/22/91)
In article <1991Jan21.120933.16544@nntp-server.caltech.edu> toddpw@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Todd P. Whitesel) writes: >>LongPlay -- This was just put on comp.binaries.apple2.. >>I haven't checked it out yet. > >If this was written correctly (I haven't checked yet) then it'll sound cleaner >than you're used to. Why would LongPlay sound any better than SoundStudio? I'm using the same old FFStartSound. >blows away anything the Mac can produce. The problem with generic sound playing >on the GS is that the toolbox facilities (can you say FFStartSound?) SUCK BIG >VANILLA. FFStartSound uses a totally lame generation method that is light on >DOC resources but sounds like shit. I agree with that. If you listen to the FTA demos through good speakers (or through the headphone jack if you don't have a stereo card), the sound is very good. >Todd Whitesel >toddpw @ tybalt.caltech.edu -- David Huang | Internet: ifar355@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu | "My ganglion is stuck in UUCP: ...!ut-emx!ccwf.cc.utexas.edu!ifar355 | a piece of chewing gum!" America Online: DrWho29 |
taob@pnet91.cts.com (Brian Tao) (01/23/91)
> That is a interesting idea for someone to pursue - > write a digitizer that will write to a drive as its > going. That way you can digitize *LARGE* samples. It appears that the RAMFast card generates periodic interrupts using the RAMFast software driver under GS/OS. Would this not introduce blank spots and other nasty glitches into your sound sample? Otherwise, my hard drive is definitely fast enough to keep up with even the highest sampling rate. Virtual digitizing... could apply equally well to hand scanners as well. Brian T. Tao {taob@pnet91.cts.com} || Computer guru? Someone who got University of Metro Toronto || their computer a couple of weeks Scarberia, ON, MIC 3A8 *B-) || before you did. (Alvin Toffler)
taob@pnet91.cts.com (Brian Tao) (01/23/91)
From ifar355@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (David H. Huang): > The only problem that I can think of is whether a 3.5" disk will > be fast enough to load the sound in time, or will a hard drive > be necessary. I think the maximum read using GS/OS block calls is around 32K/second which is enough to play back the 22.1-kHz samples. However, the drive generates interrupts as it works, so your sound will become all chopped up. Ever try playing back a SoundSmith song with BGSound while the floppy drive is running? Brian T. Tao {taob@pnet91.cts.com} || Computer guru? Someone who got University of Metro Toronto || their computer a couple of weeks Scarberia, ON, MIC 3A8 *B-) || before you did. (Alvin Toffler)
daveh@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (David H. Huang) (01/25/91)
In article <393@generic.UUCP> taob@pnet91.cts.com (Brian Tao) writes: >From ifar355@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (David H. Huang): > >> The only problem that I can think of is whether a 3.5" disk will >> be fast enough to load the sound in time, or will a hard drive >> be necessary. > > I think the maximum read using GS/OS block calls is around 32K/second >which is enough to play back the 22.1-kHz samples. However, the drive >generates interrupts as it works, so your sound will become all chopped up. >Ever try playing back a SoundSmith song with BGSound while the floppy drive is >running? Yeah, I've successfully played 22KHz samples, but that's about the upper limit. The sound doesn't get chopped up though, if you set the DOC buffer size to 16 or 32K. >Brian T. Tao {taob@pnet91.cts.com} || Computer guru? Someone who got >University of Metro Toronto || their computer a couple of weeks >Scarberia, ON, MIC 3A8 *B-) || before you did. (Alvin Toffler) BTW, my email address has changed. It's now daveh@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu -- David Huang | Internet: ifar355@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu | "My ganglion is stuck in UUCP: ...!ut-emx!ccwf.cc.utexas.edu!ifar355 | a piece of chewing gum!" America Online: DrWho29 |
llee@gnh-starport.cts.com (Larry Lee) (01/26/91)
They DO sound better on the Mac. They sound, ah, fuller. EVEN on a dinky Mac PLUS!! YES! A PLUS! That's probably because apple is jealous of the Ensoniq. You know, insert cheap speaker, awesome sound chip... <shrug> | ProLine.: llee@gnh-starport | | | UUCP....: crash!gnh-starport!llee | Yo Vanilla kick it one time, | | InterNet: llee@gnh-starport.cts.com | boooooyyyyyyyyy.... | | AO .....: Please hold... | |
taob@pnet91.cts.com (Brian Tao) (01/26/91)
From daveh@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (David H. Huang): > Yeah, I've successfully played 22KHz samples, but that's about the > upper limit. The sound doesn't get chopped up though, if you set > the DOC buffer size to 16 or 32K. I thought the DOC is permanently set to 64K of sound RAM? I have a 68-second sound sample which I played through BGSound. At the same time, I was starting up Platinum.Paint. You could clearly hear the sound playing erratically during disk access. Today I downloaded LongPlay.bsq from tybalt.caltech.edu (FTA access, finally!!!). I guess I'll give that a try. > BTW, my email address has changed. > It's now daveh@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu Yup, got it down. Thanks. Brian T. Tao {taob@pnet91.cts.com} || Computer guru? Someone who got University of Metro Toronto || their computer a couple of weeks Scarberia, ON, MIC 3A8 *B-) || before you did. (Alvin Toffler)
taob@pnet91.cts.com (Brian Tao) (01/29/91)
> They DO sound better on the Mac. They sound, ah, fuller. EVEN on a > dinky Mac PLUS!! YES! A PLUS! > > That's probably because apple is jealous of the Ensoniq. > > You know, insert cheap speaker, awesome sound chip... <shrug> As I told Unknown, all your problems will be solved if you just connect a ghetto blaster (or any external speakers) to the GS. Even if you don't have a stereo card, output from the built-in mono jack sounds 10 (no, a HUNDRED) times better than the dinky speaker in the GS. Brian T. Tao {taob@pnet91.cts.com} || Computer guru? Someone who got University of Metro Toronto || their computer a couple of weeks Scarberia, ON, MIC 3A8 *B-) || before you did. (Alvin Toffler)