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1994-06-01
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┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
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│ ███ ██ ██ ██▀▀██ ██▀▀██ ███ ██ ██ ▄▄▄▄██ ███▄▄▄ ███▀▀ ██▄▄██ ███ ▀▀ │
│ ███ ██ ██ ██▄▄██ ██▄▄██ ███ ██ ██ ██▄▄██ ▄▄▄▄██ ███▄▄ ██▄▄▄▄ ███ │
│ │
│ - VERSION 2.0 - │
│ │
│ (c) 1994 Freddy VETELE & Fabrice COUTEAU │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
As his name shows it, Mod Master allows to play the Amiga MOD music files,
but it also accepts the NST, WOW, STM and Fast Tracker 6 & 8 voices files.
If you want to use Mod Master without waiting for more, just run the program
MODM and set the type of sound output that you like. However, if you have
a Sound Blaster or Sound Blaster Pro card, it will automatically be detected
and set.
When you quit Mod Master, your personal configuration is saved in the
MODM.CFG file.
Minimal configuration: A PC/XT compatible 8 MHz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 512 Ko RAM
A color CGA screen.
For this type of configuration, it is not possible to play 6 or 8-voice
modules and the sound quality is more than poor (unless you have a
sound card).
Recommanded configuration: An AT 386 16 MHz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1 Mo RAM
A compatible Sound Blaster sound card
A color VGA screen.
I. Description of the program
═════════════════════════════
Mod Master v2.0 is made of three parts:
1) The interface for the settings and choosing the modules.
2) The text-mode screen while playing.
3) The graphic-mode screen (VGA) while playing.
1) Settings and choosing the modules
────────────────────────────────────
This interface is very easy to use:
- on the left, the lift permits to choose one module (with the Return key
or the left button of the mouse) or to select a list of modules to make
a program (Space key or right button of the mouse).
- on the right, some buttons which effects are:
Settings: displays a window inside which you can choose:
-----------
a) The sound output in the following list:
Internal speaker (ouch!)
Digital-analog converter on port LPT1 or LPT2
Sound Blaster 2.0
Sound Blaster Pro (Mono or Stereo)
Sound Master (compatible Adlib card)
Disney Sound Source (on port LPT1 or LPT2)
b) The output frequency: from 5000 Hz to 44100 Hz, depending on
the sound output selected, the power of your PC and the
number of voices in the module (from 4 to 8).
c) The general volume: from 1 to 100%, it should be increased in
order to hear correctly some low-volume modules.
Since each sample is digitalized on 8 bits (values from 0 to
255), the technique used to return simultaneously 4 samples
consists in dividing the amplitude of each instrument by 4
(with 4 voices, you obtain values from 0 to 1023, therefore
coded on 10 bits).
In fact, the general volume is the coefficient put on each
sample, then you can adjust at best the amplitude of each
instrument to keep the maximum of precision in the calculations.
This coefficient is above 1/4th, because it is unusual to find
modules that have a volume close to the maximum allowed on
8 bits.
Note: for the stereo, the general volume is automatically
multiplied by 2, so that the sound quality is higher
(the calculations are at least on 9 bits).
Warning! If the general volume is too high, you will hear some
~~~~~~~~ very unpleasant cracks in the sound, due to capacity
overflows.
The default general volume (about 40%) is foreseen to avoid
any crack with most of the modules.
d) The IntroScan length: from 2 to 30 seconds.
If you have a compatible Sound Blaster or SB Pro card, you can
accede to the following settings with the Options button:
- Sound output by the DMA or by Timer-interrupt:
The output by the DMA (default) is recommanded to obtain
a better sound quality with a higher frequency than the
output by Timer-interrupt.
- Interruption number (if DMA): 2, 5 or 7.
- Mono or Stereo (for the Sound Blaster Pro only!)
- Stereo with mixing:
Without mixing, the voices of a 4-voice module (for
example) are divided as follow:
2 voices through the left channel and 2 voices through
the right channel, with the same coefficient assigned for
each channel.
With mixing, the 2 voices that are sent through the left
channel are also sent through the right channel, but with
a lower coefficient. The same for the right channel.
This option is useful if you listen to the music with head-
phones or on a Hi-Fi system (better sharing).
- High frequencies filter (for the Sound Blaster Pro only!)
- Separate left/right channels volumes (SB Pro).
IntroScan:
------------
Well known to the audiophiles, this function allows to hear the
first seconds of several modules.
If there is no program, all of the modules are selected, otherwise
the function works on the program only.
While playing a module, you can disable this function by hitting
'I', so you will hear the whole module.
Shuffle:
----------
This is also a classic function found on most of the CD-players:
it allows to play a program or the whole of the modules in a
random order.
If there is no program, all of the modules are selected, otherwise
the function works on the program only.
Actions on the programs: Play, All, Clear, Load, Save.
--------------------------------------------------------
It's up to you to find out the rule of these buttons!
Help: Displays a short summary of the functions in the interface.
-------
Quit: To use the less often, this button quits Mod Master!
-------
2) The text-mode screen while playing
─────────────────────────────────────
- At the top, first line:
The name of the module (possibly its order in a program), its total
(and exact!) length and the playing-time (chronometer or count-down).
- At the top, in the middle:
The title of the module, its number of instruments and voices, the
current position and the number of positions, the number of the note
in the pattern and the volume.
- At the top, on the left:
The pitch-bars for each voice (4 voices simultaneously).
- At the top, on the right:
The period-bars (or note-bars) for each voice (4 voices simultaneously).
- At the bottom:
You have the choice between displaying the instruments list or
the partition (4 voices simultaneously).
The partition displays for each voice:
- the number of the instrument,
- the note (English, French or Amiga period),
- the effect and its parameter.
The effects implemented by Mod Master v2.0 are:
0: Arpeggio
1: Portamento Up
2: Portamento Down
3: Tone Portamento
4: Vibrato
5: Tone Portamento + Volume Slide
6: Vibrato + Volume Slide
A: Volume Slide
B: Jump Pattern
C: Set Volume
D: Pattern Break (works only if the looping(*) is enabled)
F: Set Tempo
- While playing, you can display a help-screen by hitting F1, and swap the
text and graphic screens by hitting F6.
3) The graphic-mode screen while playing
────────────────────────────────────────
If you are the happy owner of a color VGA card, you will be able to enjoy
this new feature that we let you discover!
(*) looping: While playing a module, you can enable/disable this option
by hitting 'R' ('Repeat' is displayed in text mode and a
symbol is lit in graphic mode).
If the looping is set, the module loops on itself when ending
(the music resumes either at the beginning or at another
position, depending on the module), and forward and backward
jumps ('PosJmp' in the partition) are allowed.
II. Running the program with a command line
═══════════════════════════════════════════
The different syntaxes are:
MODM module_name[.MOD] Plays the specified MOD module (default)
MODM module_name.ext Plays the specified NST, WOW or STM module
MODM program_name[.PRG] Plays the specified program
If you have any doubt, hit MODM ?
III. Compatibility and performances
═══════════════════════════════════
Mod Master v2.0 has been tested on the following machines:
- Amstrad PC 1512 (5400 Hz on Sound Blaster, by interruption and 4 voices)
- AT 286: Bull Micral 45 (17000 Hz for 4 voices, 10000 Hz for 8 voices)
- AT 386DX/40 (44100 Hz on Sound Blaster Pro, by the DMA and 8 voices)
- AT 486SX/25 (idem)
- AT 486DX/33 and 40 (idem)
- AT 486DX2/66 (idem)
Sound outputs tested:
- Internal speaker (not too long...)
- D/A converter on parallel port (the one shown at the end of this file)
- Sound Blaster 2.0
- Sound Blaster Pro 2.0
- Sound Galaxy NX
- Sound Galaxy NX Pro
- Sound Master Boomer
- Sound Master
- Audio Sound 16
- Melody PC
IV. Improvements since the version 1.0
══════════════════════════════════════
- text-mode interface with lift, windows, buttons...
- mouse support (2 buttons),
- improvement of the screen while playing (text and graphic),
- possibility to play programs,
- recognizes the WOW, STM and 8 voice-MOD formats,
- more sound outputs (Sound Blaster Pro included),
- uses the DMA in Mono or Stereo up to 44kHz,
- auto-detection of the Sound Blaster port (220h, 230h, ...),
- correction of the effects Arpeggio and Tone Portamento + Volume Slide,
- displays the partition with choice of the type of note,
- calculates the exact length of the module.
V. Problems, causes and solutions
═════════════════════════════════
Problem: I run the playing of a module and my PC slows down or freezes.
────────
Causes & solutions:
───────────────────
1) The output frequency is too high for your PC.
-> Decrease the frequency of a few kHz.
2) You are trying to run Mod Master under Windows.
-> It is not recommanded to run Mod Master under Windows, because
the memory or DMA conflicts entail some slowing-downs or
weird behaviors. Go back to DOS!
3) Your PC is relatively slow, and you are using the EMS.
-> On a quite slow PC (386 SX), working with the EMS memory highly
slows down the running of the foreground program.
Remove the EMM386 (or equivalent) manager in your CONFIG.SYS file,
then reboot your system.
4) The interrupt number is wrong (with the DMA only).
-> Check up if the interrupt number (IRQ) shown in the
Settings/Options window corresponds with the one used by your
sound card.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Problem: I hear some cracks while playing a module.
────────
Cause & solution:
─────────────────
The general volume is too high.
-> Reduce the general volume (about 40% is a mean value).
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Problem: There are some parasites in the graphic screen ('snow').
────────
Cause & solution:
─────────────────
You are listening to a module by Timer interrupt.
-> When the sound output is not done by the DMA, displaying in the
graphic mode is slower than in the text mode, because of the
loops done periodically to avoid the 'snow' effect when changing
the colors. Go back in the text mode!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Problem: Your drive containing the modules is not recognized.
────────
Cause & solution:
─────────────────
-> Logical units may be: a partly compressed hard disk (Stacker,
Double Space, ...), a RAM disk or a CD-ROM drive.
Run Mod Master from these drives.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
VI. Information and miscellaneous
═════════════════════════════════
1) Who are we?
──────────────
- Freddy Vételé: I am 20 years old, I am a student in a
public school (electronics and computer) in Angers.
My first computing experience was on a prehistorical
machine: the TI 99 (Texas Instruments), then I have
bought a PC 1512 (Amstrad), with that I have programmed
the first version of Mod Master. Now, I spend the most
of my freetime on a 486DX/33, that allowed me to realize
this new version.
I have set up the sound calculations routines, the
sound output routines, in fact, all that concerns music!
- Fabrice Couteau: I am 21 years old and a student in the same
school as Freddy (!). I have discovered computers in
1987 with a PC 1512 (again!), then I preferred a
486DX/40 a few months ago.
Freddy asked me to improve the interface of Mod Master
(indeed, the one of Mod Master 1.0 was quite poor!),
so I have done it in adding mouse support, using of
windows, buttons, lifts... in the menu. I have also
rearranged the two screens (text and graphic) displayed
while listening to a module.
2) Mod Master in numbers
────────────────────────
- more than a year of programming (with pauses!)
- 7200 lines of Assembly source (compiled with TASM 3.2)
- 2800 lines of Turbo-Pascal source (compiled with TP 7.0)
3) Greetings
────────────
We would like to thank all of those who have helped us, by their
support informations or critics, to end this project:
Richard Perdriau, Vincent Grenier, Vincent Piocel,
Denis Panaget, Nicolas Rocher, Romaric Maillard.
4) Shareware
────────────
Mod Master v2.0 is distributed as shareware, so you have to
register if you keep it and use it often. To register, print the
MODM_ENG.FRM form (or send a letter) with your payment of 50 FRF
or $10 to:
Freddy Vételé
La Pohuère
49530 Bouzillé
FRANCE
When you register, you get a 3½" or 5"¼ diskette with the latest
version of Mod Master (with some new features and modules) and
you will not have to register it.
If you have remarks about Mod Master (if you find bugs, for
example!), or if you have useful informations for us to know
(modules formats -compressed or not-, programming new sound cards
-Sound Blaster 16 ASP, Gravis Ultra Sound-, ...), just send me
a letter to the address above!
5) Files supplied with Mod Master
─────────────────────────────────
- MODM_ENG.DOC ········ this file!
- MODM_ENG.EXE ········ Mod Master v2.0 in English
- MODM_ENG.FRM ········ the registration form in English
- MODM.DOC ············ the documentation in French
- MODM.EXE ············ Mod Master v2.0 in French
- MODM.FRM ············ the registration form in French
- ATOMIC2.MOD ········· an 8-voice module
- ROTATE.STM ·········· a module in STM format
- FILE_ID.DIZ ········· a short description of the program
6) Lisense and warranty
───────────────────────
You can copy and distribute Mod Master freely, provided that
you do not modify anything in the files supplied (DOC, EXE, FRM).
We would not be responsible for possible damage caused by this
kind of modifications...
7) Digital-analog converter
───────────────────────────
We give you the circuit of a very simple and cheap D/A converter
that plugs into the parallel port, and that you will have to link
to an amplifier input.
You need 18 resistors (tolerance: 1% preferably, 5% maximum),
2 capacitors, a male D-25 connector and a female jack (or two CINCH
or RCA, if your amplifier has two separate inputs).
Parallel port
signal pin
20kΩ 20kΩ
D0 2 >───████─┬─████── 0 Volt (GND, pin 20)
20kΩ █ 10kΩ
D1 3 >───████─┤
20kΩ █ 10kΩ
D2 4 >───████─┤
20kΩ █ 10kΩ
D3 5 >───████─┤
20kΩ █ 10kΩ
D4 6 >───████─┤
20kΩ █ 10kΩ
D5 7 >───████─┤
20kΩ █ 10kΩ
D6 8 >───████─┤
20kΩ █ 10kΩ
D7 9 >───████─┤
20kΩ █ 10kΩ 100nF
├────────┤├──┬───────> To amplifier
│ │
█ 10kΩ ─┴─ 10nF
│ ─┬─
GND 20 >────────┼────────────┴───────> Ground
0 Volt
This circuit has been borrowed in the DOC file of Visual Player 2.0 (an
excellent software, moreover!), so we thank his creator: Luis Ubeda.