fasciano@IRO.UMontreal.CA (Massimo Fasciano) (07/20/90)
Hi everyone, I'm planning on buying a SoundBlaster and have a few questions on its capabilities... First of all, does anybody know an approximate price for the card in Canada (in a a store, not mail order)? Is it worth the extra money or should I get the Adlib? What does it do that the Adlib doesn't, and most of all, which additional features are supported in games (how many games?)... Is it 100% Adlib compatible (all the channels)? Also, I've heard that it does A/D and D/A conversion. How good is it? I'm not expecting CD quality of course, but how does it compare to the MAC (8 bit, up to 22KHz sampling) or to some arcade games that use speech and digitized sound? Is it easy to install? I've been told it requires an IRQ line. Which one? I suppose the IRQ number is jumper-selectable. What lines can I use (3,4,5,7). 3,4,7 are already taken up by my serial and parallel ports so I hope it can use 5 (or some other IRQ line i'm not aware of). I've also heard of a game port (option?). I already have a double game port so I don't want to pay for another, and I don't want a conflict between the 2. Can the one on the SB be disabled? Does it come with good software and programming info? Thank you in advance for the help You can E-Mail me at fasciano@iro.umontreal.ca or post on the net if you feel the info can help others... -- Massimo Fasciano (fasciano@iro.umontreal.ca)
popeye@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Karl Richard Buck) (07/20/90)
fasciano@IRO.UMontreal.CA (Massimo Fasciano) writes: >Hi everyone, > I'm planning on buying a SoundBlaster and have a few > questions on its capabilities... >First of all, does anybody know an approximate price for the >card in Canada (in a a store, not mail order)? I'm not sure about canada prices, but U.S. prices run around $200 retail and $40 to $50 cheaper for mail order. >Is it worth the extra money or should I get the Adlib? What >does it do that the Adlib doesn't, and most of all, which >additional features are supported in games (how many games?)... >Is it 100% Adlib compatible (all the channels)? It's worth it if the following criteria are important to you: 1. Speech/Digitized sound channel 2. Inexpensive but proprietary MIDI capability. 3. Ad Lib, Game Blaster, CMS and of course Sound Blaster compatability. (BTW, there are no games that use the full 24 voice Sound Blaster capability (yet) that I know of) 4. The largest software base of all the sound cards for the pc. The Ad Lib is a fine card for playing games with Ad Lib support, but if you want any of the above features, the Sound Blaster could be the answer. >Also, I've heard that it does A/D and D/A conversion. How good >is it? I'm not expecting CD quality of course, but how does >it compare to the MAC (8 bit, up to 22KHz sampling) or to >some arcade games that use speech and digitized sound? I would call the sound quality fair, but then I'm only using a cheap Radio Shack microphone. The sampling is selectable from 5000 to 13000hz. As to how it compares with the MAC, I really do not know. >Is it easy to install? I've been told it requires an IRQ line. >Which one? I suppose the IRQ number is jumper-selectable. What >lines can I use (3,4,5,7). 3,4,7 are already taken up by my serial >and parallel ports so I hope it can use 5 (or some other IRQ line >i'm not aware of). The Sound Blaster Can use IRQ2,3,5,7. >I've also heard of a game port (option?). I already have a double game >port so I don't want to pay for another, and I don't want a conflict >between the 2. Can the one on the SB be disabled? Yes. >Does it come with good software and programming info? There is a short section in the back of the manual that gives some infor- mation for programmers, but is by no means comprehensive. Included with the package is a catalog for ordering tools, music disks etc. -- 731 Moro popeye@matt.ksu.ksu.edu Manhattan, KS 66502 popeye@ksuvm.ksu.edu (913)537-3666 kxb@phobos.cis.ksu.edu
mholtz@sactoh0.UUCP (Mark A. Holtz) (07/21/90)
In article <1990Jul19.191538.10451@IRO.UMontreal.CA>, fasciano@IRO.UMontreal.CA (Massimo Fasciano) writes: > First of all, does anybody know an approximate price for the > card in Canada (in a a store, not mail order)? I paid $199 for it from a consultant friend of mine. While some mail order houses are a couple of bucks cheaper, if I have a problem, it gets solved very easily. > Is it worth the extra money or should I get the Adlib? What > does it do that the Adlib doesn't, and most of all, which > additional features are supported in games (how many games?)... > Is it 100% Adlib compatible (all the channels)? The board is 100% Adlib compatible. However, the only program (so far) that I've tried was Taito's Sky Shark, and that sounded like a casio keyboard. It is also Game Blaster and CMS Sound Board compatible. > Is it easy to install? I've been told it requires an IRQ line. > Which one? I suppose the IRQ number is jumper-selectable. What > lines can I use (3,4,5,7). 3,4,7 are already taken up by my serial > and parallel ports so I hope it can use 5 (or some other IRQ line > i'm not aware of). You have 4 IRQ lines to choose from. Three of them are IRQ3, IRW5, and IRQ7, but all of them are jumper selectable. Also, there are several different hex addresses for the card. Best to leave it at 220H. > I've also heard of a game port (option?). I already have a double game > port so I don't want to pay for another, and I don't want a conflict > between the 2. Can the one on the SB be disabled? The game port can support two joysticks, and can be easily disabled by removing the jumper without affecting MIDI compatibility. > Does it come with good software and programming info? It comes with a diagnostics utility, a music program, a "talking parrot", and something called "Voxkit", which you can use to record sound with. However, the included software generally disappointed me. I have used the Sound Blaster for about a week now, and am very satified with the operation. For about $70 more, you get a joystick port and more sound board compatibility. That's value. -- "You will not feed the /\ UUCP Bullet Path: flying pests outside!" _/\/\_ ucbvax!ucdavis!csusac! \ \/\/ {ames att}!pacbell! -> sactoh0!mholtz - Who said it, what story? \/ {pyramid sun}!pacbell! /
mlord@bwdls58.bnr.ca (Mark Lord) (07/24/90)
In article <1990Jul19.191538.10451@IRO.UMontreal.CA< fasciano@philemon.UUCP (Massimo Fasciano) writes: < <Hi everyone, < < I'm planning on buying a SoundBlaster and have a few < questions on its capabilities... < < <First of all, does anybody know an approximate price for the <card in Canada (in a a store, not mail order)? Computer Concepts (Nepean, Ont) has it in stock for.. gasp.. $300+ -- ___Mark S. Lord__________________________________________ | ..uunet!bnrgate!bmerh614!mlord | Climb Free Or Die (NH) | | ..uunet!bnrgate!mlord%bmerh614 | Personal views only. | |________________________________|________________________|
u-mwong%peruvian.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Michael Wong) (05/26/91)
I'm interested in getting a Soundblaster card, but I first want to know if it allows you to adjust the volume output. If it does, I'll be planning on some descent speakers for the output; otherwise, I'll have to find some amplified speakers with a volume switch. Also, how does it allow me to wire the speakers? Do I need to get a cable that has on one end RCA jacks and the other end the correct positive and negative wires? I'd appreciate any info on the Soundblaster... -Mike ---------- Michael Wong u-mwong@peruvian.utah.edu University of Utah
6600arac@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (Lone Wolf) (05/26/91)
In article <1991May25.173755.12515@hellgate.utah.edu> u-mwong%peruvian.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Michael Wong) writes: > I'm interested in getting a Soundblaster card, but I first want to >know if it allows you to adjust the volume output. If it does, I'll >be planning on some descent speakers for the output; otherwise, I'll have >to find some amplified speakers with a volume switch. SoundBlaster comes with a 4amp amplifier. On the card is a volume control, so you don't need all that stuff. > Also, how does it allow me to wire the speakers? Do I need to get a >cable that has on one end RCA jacks and the other end the correct positive >and negative wires? I'd appreciate any info on the Soundblaster... The SB card is ready to go. You can just plug it in and go. It comes with a cable to hook it up to your stereo if you want. It's got an RCA jack, a mike jack, an amp, and a joystick port. >-Mike >---------- >Michael Wong >u-mwong@peruvian.utah.edu >University of Utah "I prefer them and us. It gets rid of excess baggage and lets you get right down to cases." Wolf 6600arac@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (Internet) 6600arac@ucsbuxa.bitnet (Bitnet)
nyet@nntp-server.caltech.edu (n liu) (05/26/91)
6600arac@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (Lone Wolf) writes: >In article <1991May25.173755.12515@hellgate.utah.edu> u-mwong%peruvian.utah.edu@cs.utah.edu (Michael Wong) writes: [stuff here] >> Also, how does it allow me to wire the speakers? Do I need to get a >>cable that has on one end RCA jacks and the other end the correct positive >>and negative wires? I'd appreciate any info on the Soundblaster... >The SB card is ready to go. You can just plug it in and go. It comes with >a cable to hook it up to your stereo if you want. It's got an RCA jack, >a mike jack, an amp, and a joystick port. Actually, mayber the answer you were really looking for is: 1/8 inch stereo jack. 4 year olds of all ages with the ability to use a soldering iron could make most speakers connect correctly:) OK, I kinda feel like a butthead asking this, but oh well; Can i just have a tiny little hint on the kind of data i need to send to port 220 to get the damn thing to play 8-bit data stream sound? Also, I little more info on the format of the .voc header? I figured out a tiny bit of it, but not really enough to be useful. And, (and this will be all, i promise:) a taste of the mechanics of sampling with the SB? If you think i'm being cheap by not buying the damn SDK and posting questions that can only be answered by people who've actually shelled out the cash, fine flame away. Nye nyet@cobalt.caltech.edu
bich@hpsciz.sc.hp.com (Bich Tran) (06/07/91)
Hi, Can any SoundBlaster user tell me what the board can do? I am into voice and speech synthesis, and I am wonderring if SB can do that well before buying it. Thank you for your unformation