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1992-02-29
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┌────────┐ ┌────────┐ ┌──┐ ┌──┐
│ ┌─────┘ │ ┌─────┘ │ └┐ ┌┘ │
│ │ │ └─────┐ │ └─┘ │
│ │ REATIVE └─────┐ │ OUND │ ┌─┐ ┌─┐ │ ONTHLY
│ └─────┐ ┌─────┘ │ │ │ └─┘ │ │
└────────┘ └────────┘ └─┘ └─┘
CREATIVE SOUND MONTHLY
A Monthly Magazine For Sound Blaster and
Sound Blaster Pro Enthusiasts.
Edition 1
March 1992
Edited and Published By: Allan Dib
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Table Of Contents:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Article Name: Page:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~
From The Editors Desk.............................. 1
All About The Sound Blaster Connection............. 2
How To Contact Me.................................. 4
Included Files..................................... 4
Readers Questions and Comments..................... 5
Have You Written A New Product ?................... 5
Music and Sound File Extensions.................... 6
Commercial Review- Tetra Compositor................ 13
Shareware/Public Domain Review- ProMod............. 14
Advertisements..................................... 15
What's Wrong With My Sound Blaster Pro ?........... 17
Sound Blaster Version 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and Pro........ 18
That's All Folks................................... 19
Credits............................................ 20
Rating and Comments Form........................... 21
You may freely distribute/copy this and all the included files, to whomever
you wish, as long as you don't profit from it, and that all files that have
been included are distributed. You may not in anyway modify this text file
or any accompanied files/programs. You may not in part or whole re-publish
or include any part of this text file into your own work without permission
of the editor (Allan Dib).
Page 1
From The Editors Desk Written By: Allan Dib
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hello and welcome to the very first edition of Creative Sound Monthly. To
bring you this issue many, many hours of hard work and research have been
done. Your probably thinking; Why is this guy putting out a Sound Blaster
magazine when there are already a few good ones going round ? Well It's
because of many reasons but the main ones being that I want to help people
with problems and I want to share my knowledge of the Sound Blaster and
Sound Blaster Pro with other people.
Other reasons are because, other magazines (I will not any mention
names) do not write much if any about the Sound Blaster Pro. Some of them
(not all) were written in a very unprofessional format and the
writer/editor/publisher didn't give his real name, address or phone number,
therefore readers could not contact him. Another thing I didn't like about
other magazines is that they didn't tell you very detailed information
about what they were talking about, they just touched onto the surface
making it obvious that they hadn't bothered to research the facts about the
topic.
One other very successful Sound Blaster magazine is doing a very good
job indeed, but if you want to send mail to the editor or ask a question it
would take a very long time to get a reply because he lives in Canada, this
makes it hard for all of you Australian users. Don't get me wrong I'm not
in any way implying that you shouldn't read other Sound Blaster and Sound
Blaster Pro related information in fact I encourage you to, because that
way you will have a broad range of opinions and facts. In short I'm just
saying that in this magazine you will find a lot of valuable information
and facts that you won't find anywhere else.
This magazine is in no way all written by myself, in fact to keep this
magazine going YOU the user should contribute articles and information you
think others should know about, without your input this magazine is going
to be nothing. Most of the articles (not all) in this first issue are
written by me to get the ball rolling but hopefully in the future your
articles and information will be the main feature of this magazine.
I the editor of this magazine do not in any way expect you to subscribe
or register this product. Although I'm doing this totally voluntarily a
money, hardware or software (NOT pirated software of course) donation to
encourage me will not be turned down, however if you decide not to donate
you will not be in any way dis-advantaged, e.g. one Sound Blaster magazine
available gives extra shareware products and sound files only if you
subscribe, this is NOT the case with Creative Sound Monthly. With every
issue of Creative Sound Monthly you will receive a few extra files, these
may be sound files, a very good new shareware or public domain sound
program or any other file I think should be included.
Thank You,
Allan Dib (Editor).
Page 2
All About The Sound Blaster Connection Written By: Craig Hart
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, hello and welcome to the first of what may well turn out to be many,
many articles in this new electronic magazine. The subject of this
article is to introduce you all to the Sound Blaster connection; hence
referred to as the SBC.
The SBC consists of a group of Bulletin Boards world-wide that communicate
regularly on sound and Sound Blaster related topics. The SBC was originally
created by the members of "UltraForce Software Development" (A programming
group based in the Netherlands). The original idea of the SBC was to
provide a forum of message areas for the sharing of new ideas, technical
help, programming information, software releases and the like on their own
local BBS systems.
Soon the SBC was becoming well known and international links were soon
set-up. Today the SBC stretches as far as England, Switzerland, Spain,
Finland, Russia, Estonia, Andalucia, Italy, Australia, Scandinavia and the
USA.
Meanwhile, back here in Australia where I'm based, one very polite and
wealthy<?> gentleman by the name of matthew Taylor having just secured the
Australian host-ship set about sending every sound bulletin board he'd ever
heard of (and plenty he hadn't) the application kit.. Soon connections
flourished (well, plenty of haddles but I won't mention them) and today we
can span the globe and talk directly to the members of Ultraforce, other
people interested in SB material, SB programmers etc etc etc. In Australia
the SBC has become recognized as THE network for Sound Material, and it is
a credit to matthew that he has held things together through thick and thin
to bring all of us what we have today.
Soon the growth of the SBC had far outsized even the most optimistic
amongst our group, with many regular users from all over the world
contributing to the messages as a whole. Soon more message areas were added
as the SBC absorbed a couple of small networks, and things like the SB PRO
ambled onto the scene. Today there are some 11 public message areas
covering the following topics:
CD ROM and Multimedia
Games
MIDI and MIDI related music
Programming
Sound Blaster PRO
SB Software
Included in this list are three MultiNet message areas including the well
known "sierra" area, taken for those game addicts to get help with their
favourite Sierra adventure (And also to lighten the load on other game
areas!).
Perhaps most importantly (well, to download addicts anyhow), the SBC now
incorporates the FidoNet standard programs TICK and HATCH in a file network
that again spans the globe, and ensures that the latest files that have
just been released new to the world are distributed world wide and arrive
at your local end promptly and with minimum cost to all. There are
currently 4 file areas available, these being distribution areas for new
Demo's, Programming files, Textual/informative files and of course the
traditional Utilities area :-) The SBC file echo's make sure that you are
Page 3
always up to date.
Getting onto the SBC.
So, I hear you all scream, how do I find this SBC? Very simple! All good
Sound Blaster BBS's will most likely already be SBC Members. If they're not
then you should get them to join! I'm sure a message or two on your
favourite local BBS will turn up a place or two within your local call
range....
For those poor unfortunate loner boards out there, there is hope however!
Joining the SBC is as simple as file requesting the "sbckit" from your
local host BBS (Australia : Lake Macquarie, 15:4000/0, 3:622/497,
+61-049-75-4120) and filling in the application form therein. After that,
determine your closest host from the enclosed nodelist, make contact with
same and send him your application. If he's a nice person he will onfoward
it and in a short space of time you will be connected. From there organize
as per usual polling times etc.
The only hard rules of the SBC are that you use your real name when writing
messages (both for courtesy, and for international clarity) and that
discussions of pirating or other such illegal activity be not conducted.
There are no complex rules and regulations, cryptic warnings about
"annoying behaviour" when all you're trying to do is work out Imail, cold
shoulder tactics by hosts who have long lost interest or other ridged
specifications to follow. The aim is to enjoy oneself, and to mutually
benefit by "putting our heads together" so to speak.
The SBC Costs nothing to join (other than your telephone call to pick up
and send the messages and files) and any sysop or who can successfully
operate a fidonet compatible (read Frontdoor or d'bridge or similar) front
end mailer / BBS software package is welcome.
This very magazine was originated by the input of several persons chatting
together on the SBC about how nice it would be to have an Australian
produced SB related newsletter... from concept to implementation to
release, the SBC was fundamental in tying all the authors, all the
programmers and most importantly all the distribution together. This file
has probably reached you as a direct result of the work of the SBC!
What can SBC do for me?
The SBC has become THE place for serious SB users to meet and discuss their
collective problems, share their thoughts and ideas, and of course any SBC
supportive BBS has all the great files from not just your local area, but
a World Wide catchnet!
If you are looking for technical help, programming information, latest
release news or just a decent MOD file or demo, then the SBC has all this
and more to offer. We have the backup of the experts at Ultraforce, the
combined power of thousands of users on many BBS's in 11 countries world
wide, and last of all, you can get hold of any of the authors of any
articles you may see in this magazine from time to time, ask them
questions, just have chat on the subject. You can ask advice or whatever
else and know that there are others out there who can help.
In the future, authors of this magazine will be using the SBC to
communicate together and submit articles; so if you think you have
something worth telling others, then please set your fingers typing and
Page 4
submit something to us!! Contact Allan or Myself in the SBC for a prompt
reply.
Well, that's about it for the SBC... To summarize: If you're into sound,
then the SBC is THE place to be!
How To Contact Me Written By: Allan Dib
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please feel free (even encouraged) to write me mail about queries or
problems you have regarding your Sound Blaster or Sound Blaster Pro. The
mail that I think should be published, will be in the following issue of
Creative Sound Monthly under the "Readers Questions and Comments" section.
ALL mail that is sent to me will be answered, but only the mail I think
should be published, will be. You may send me mail, leave me a message at
any of the Bulletin Boards listed in the text file NODELIST.TXT or ring me
by voice.
Mailing Address:
CREATIVE SOUND MONTHLY
c/o Allan Dib
19 Ondine Drive, Mulgrave
Melbourne Vic 3170
Australia.
Telephone:
(61-3) 560-3963 - Outside Australia
(03) 560-3963 - Within Australia
Ask for Allan Dib.
NOTE: See the text file NODELIST.TXT for a full list if all the Bulletin
boards in SBC net. Leave me a message at ANY one of those Bulletin boards
of those Bulletin boards for a prompt answer (usually between 1-5 days).
Included Files
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have included the following files inside the archived file that this
magazine came in.
NOTE: You may not distribute this magazine if all accompanied files aren't
distributed with it, it must also be in it's original archive which is,
CSM-001.???
Where ??? is ZIP, ARJ, PAK, ZOO, or ARC
CSM.001 - This magazines main text file (Your reading it !!!!).
VIEW.EXE - Views text files.
Page 5
CSM-001.EXE - Views CSM.001 with VIEW.EXE.
NODELIST.TXT - This is a full list of all the Bulletin boards in SBC net.
You may leave me mail at anyone of them for a reply taking 1-5 days.
PROMOD.ZIP - Contains: PROMOD.EXE and PROMOD.DOC
PROMOD.EXE - A .MOD file player for Sound Blaster Pro, to play
ordinary .MOD files in full stereo.
PROMOD.DOC - Documentation for PROMOD.EXE.
DIB-MIX.ZIP - Contains: STMOD.EXE, DIB-MIX.STM and DIB-MIX.EXE
STMOD.EXE - Plays Scream Tracker modules (.STM) from the DOS prompt on
a Sound Blaster, PC Speaker, or Covox.
DIB-MIX.STM - A very creative Scream Tracker module written by Wild
Thing from The WAVE.
DIB-MIX.EXE - Will play DIB-MIX.STM using STMOD.EXE.
Readers Questions and Comments Written By: You !!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This article is dedicated to all people having some kind of trouble with
their Sound Blaster/Sound Blaster Pro. All questions/comments sent to me
will be answered but only ones I think should be published will be.
Published answers will be put under this section (unless I decide to write
a whole article on the topic), in the next possible issue of Creative Sound
Monthly.
Obviously there is going to be nothing in this column this month
because it is only the first issue of Creative Sound Monthly. Hopefully
this will change in future issues.
Thank You,
Allan Dib (Editor).
Have You Written A New Product ? Written By: Allan Dib
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you have written a new shareware or public domain Sound Blaster or
Sound Blaster Pro related program and would like it reviewed and/or
included with the next issue of Creative Sound Monthly (assuming it's not
too big), please write to me or leave me a message at any of the many
Bulletin boards In SBC Net. See the section "How To Contact Me".
Page 6
Music and Sound File Extensions Written By: Allan Dib
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following is a list of almost every available sound file extension
available, also supplied is the details about it players and supported
hardware.
.MOD -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
Originally from the Amiga converted to IBM format. This file format
has only 4 channels, these 4 channels can contain speech, instruments
and/or live sounds that have been recorded. This file is a module meaning
that all the needed instrument files are inside the .MOD file. Instrument
files inside the module can easily be extracted. This file format can
either have 15 or 31 instruments.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
ModPlay, ModEd, BPT (B's Pro Tracker), Wow, ProMod, Trak Blaster,
Scream Tracker, and Tetra Compositor.
Supported Hardware:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
PC Speaker, Covox (or D/A converter), Disney Sound Source, Sound Blaster
and Sound Blaster Pro.
.STM -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
Very very similar to the .MOD format, this file format also only
has 4 channels and can easily be converted from the .MOD format. This is
also a module with easily extractable instruments in it. This file format
is either converted from a .MOD file or composed with Scream Tracker. This
file format can have 15 or 31 instruments.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Scream Tracker, BPT.
Supported Hardware:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
PC Speaker, Covox (or D/A converter) and Sound Blaster.
.STS -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
4 Channel music file, this can easily be converted from a .STM file, this
unlike the .STM and .MOD format is not a module and does not contain the
instruments inside it, it only contains the song information therefore it
is considerably smaller (but you still have to have the instrument files).
This file format can either have 15 or 31 instruments.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Scream Tracker.
Page 7
Supported Hardware:
-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
PC Speaker, Covox (or D/A converter) and Sound Blaster.
.NST -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
Originally from Amiga's noise tracker, it is in every way that I've seen
exactly the same as the .MOD file format, simply rename the extension from
.NST to .MOD and play it with a .MOD player, this file format can either
have 15 or 31 instruments.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
ModPlay, ModEd, BPT (B's Pro Tracker), Wow, ProMod, Trak Blaster,
Scream Tracker, Tetra Compositor and JM Player.
Supported Hardware:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
PC Speaker, Covox (or D/A converter), Disney Sound Source, Sound Blaster
and Sound Blaster Pro.
.JMS -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
Again a 4 channel module, this format is native to the JM Player, and as
far as I have seen, it can not be played with anything else. This file
format can have 15 or 31 instruments.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
JM Player.
Supported Hardware:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Sound Blaster.
.SD2 -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
This is another 4 channel file format, it is also a module and is from
Noise Tracker, this format can only contain 15 instruments.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
JM Player.
Supported Hardware:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Sound Blaster.
Page 8
.SD4 -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
A 4 channel module which is from Noise Tracker, this format can contain
only 31 instruments.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
JM Player.
Supported Hardware:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Sound Blaster.
.BPM -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
This, again is a 4 channel module, this is B's Pro Tracker's native format
and is very similar to the .STM and .MOD format.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
BPT (B's Pro Tracker)
Supported Hardware:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
PC Speaker, Covox (or D/A converter), and Sound Blaster.
.NOT -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
Very little is known about this format because it is so rare I have never
seen one of these files or a player for it, but I'll keep searching. Anyone
with any info about it please let me know.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Unknown.
Supported Hardware:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Unknown.
.ROL -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
This is a ROLand file and has 11 FM voices it requires you to have a
separate instrument bank (.BNK).
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Sputrol, FM Sound for Windows 3.0, Much Music.
Supported Hardware:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Adlib, Sound Blaster.
Page 9
.CMF -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
CMF (Creative Music File) is nearly the same as the .ROL apart from the
fact that it has all it's instruments inside which makes it slightly
bigger. There is no problem in converting from a .ROL to a CMF. This can
play 11 simultaneous FM voices. This format does not support the Adlib card
as it is creative labs own format.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
PlayCMF, SputCMF, and CMF Shell.
Supported Hardware:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Sound Blaster and Sound Blaster Pro.
.CMS -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
These are true stereo Sound Blaster music files and will only work on Sound
blasters equipped with C/MS chips. This format has 12 stereo AM voices.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
CMS Play
Supported Hardware:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Sound Blaster (Only ones with the C/MS chips).
.VOC -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
This format is one of the most popular formats for the Sound Blaster
because it is so easy to edit and create. Although one major drawback of
this format is it's size. .VOC files can either be 2 bit, 2.5 bit, 4 bit or
8 bit, the default is 8 bit.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Vplay, Vrec, Vedit, Vedit2, Blaster Master, Vox, Voc 386, See Vox, Vplus,
Remac, Digiplay, Hifi, Srec, Play BWC, Sayint, CoPlay, Bytewise.
Supported Hardware:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
PC Speaker, Covox (or D/A converter), Sound Blaster, Sound Blaster Pro.
.ST -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
This is just a .VOC file with it's header stripped. This format is used in
Scream Tracker as the instrument files that go in modules. It's an 8 bit
file.
Page 10
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Scream Tracker.
Supported Hardware:
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
PC Speaker, Covox (or D/A converter), Sound Blaster.
.IFF -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
These are Amiga sound samples, and are not to be confused with the Amiga
.IFF graphics format. This format is similar to the .VOC format with the
exception that they have no header.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Vox, IFF2VOC.
Supported Hardware:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
PC Speaker, Covox (or D/A converter), Sound Blaster.
.SOU -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
Very, very similar to a .VOC file except has no header. This is an 8 bit
sound file a is imported from the MAC.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Remac, Digiplay, Hifi, Srec, Play BWC, Sayint, CoPlay, Bytewise.
Supported Hardware:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
PC Speaker, Covox (or D/A converter), Sound Blaster.
.SND -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
This is also an 8 bit sound file from the MAC and from what I've seen it is
exactly the same as the .SOU format. Simply rename the .SOU file to produce
an .SND file.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Remac, Digiplay, Hifi, Srec, Play BWC, Sayint, CoPlay, Bytewise.
Supported Hardware:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
PC Speaker, Covox (or D/A converter), Sound Blaster.
Page 11
.SUN -
Description:
-=-=-==-=-=-
This is a fairly old and pretty rare format, not much apart from that is
known about it.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Sound Tool for Windows 3.0.
Supported Hardware:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
PC Speaker.
.WAV -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
Very new format. Very little known about apart from the fact that it is
very similar to the .VOC file and that it is easily converted to a from the
.VOC file.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Unknown.
Supported Hardware:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Sound Blaster Pro (I'm not sure if the ordinary Sound Blaster supports this
format as it is very new and is for multimedia purposes).
.NXT -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
Very little is known about this one as I have never come across an .NXT
file. This is a 16 bit sound file.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Sound Tool for Windows 3.0.
Supported Hardware:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
PC Speaker
.POL -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
This format is so rare and so pathetic I didn't know if it was worth
mentioning, but I did just for the record. It is a single voice PC Speaker
music file which is made up of a series beeps and sound really, really
terrible.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
WinPlay for Windows.
Page 12
Supported Hardware:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
PC Speaker.
.ORG -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
This format is for the program, FM Organ/Pro Organ that comes with your
Sound Blaster/Sound Blaster Pro. The file size is pretty small and it
sounds pretty good.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
FM Organ, Pro Organ.
Supported Hardware:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Sound Blaster, Sound Blaster Pro.
.MUS -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
I know absolutely nothing about this format and have never seen a .MUS
music file or player for it. Anyone with any info about it please let me
contact me.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Unknown.
Supported Hardware:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Unknown.
.MID -
Description:
-=-=-=-=-=-=
This format is like a module, it has .SND instrument files in it. It is
created using a MIDI interface and sounds pretty good.
Players/Editors:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Juke Box for Windows 3.0
Supported Hardware:
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Sound Blaster, Sound Blaster Pro.
Well that's about every single Sound/Music file I've ever seen or heard of
if there are any that I have missed please let me know so I can include
them in the next issue of CSM. Also if Possible send as much information
about the format as possible.
Page 13
Commercial Review- Tetra Compositor Written By: Allan Dib
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well after a lot of fuss and talk about Tetra Compositor I finally decided
to get it. Unfortunately I was very, very disappointed. From my point of
view it has very good potential but as far as I'm concerned it is no where
near finished. I liked the idea of .MOD compatibility (Which didn't work
properly). I had problems with this program from start to finish. To start
it off, the installation program crashed, I tried everything from
disabling all memory resident drivers to rebooting with other DOS versions.
Finally I decided it was useless and simply copied to the harddisk. NOT a
good start at all. O.K. I finally had it going so I went to the online help
which also failed, it kept saying TETRA.HLP not found when it was in the
current directory, so I started modifying my path statement in my
AUTOEXEC.BAT and put a path going to every directory of tetra. Still NO
luck. By now I'm getting very aggro and was almost convinced that this
program is absolutely useless. Tetra Compositor claims to be able to load
and play .MOD files, sure it did a few .MOD files but about 9/10 didn't
sound the way they were meant to. Another thing I was outraged about was
that you either have to record your own samples or BUY them from Creative
Technology. This get's very expensive for PC Speaker users or people unable
to record samples on their Sound Blaster. The file formats it supports are
.MOD .NST and .SD4. The ONLY things I liked about it is the EGA graphics
and the Sampler. Although the sampler also had heaps of bugs it had many
options that I haven't seen in other sound samplers (Including a nice EGA
graphics interface). To summarize it, Tetra is really pathetic and I'd be
ashamed to release it as a Public Domain or Shareware product. It crashed
so many times that it's not even worth the bother. Why Creative Technology
licensed something like this in the first place is beyond me. Tetra
Compositor is a perfect example of how NOT to release a product.
Retail Price:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
$150 (Australian)
Sound Capabilities:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
PC Speaker, Sound Blaster, Sound Blaster Pro (NOTE: for Sound Blaster Pro
support you need a totally separate executable file).
Graphics Capabilities:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
CGA, EGA.
R A T I N G S:
==============
Sound Blaster Sound:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Obviously this depends on the sound file being played.
Graphics:
-=-=-=-=-
N/A
Gameplay:
-=-=-=-=-
N/A
Page 14
Value Out Of Ten:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
************
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Creativity:
-=-=-=-=-=-
N/A
Originality Out Of Ten:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
***************************
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
There aren't too many composing programs around and the ones that there are
usually don't have a built in sampler.
Shareware/Public Domain Review- ProMod Written By: Allan Dib
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ProMod would easily have to be one of the best and most useful Public
Domain products I have ever seen. It is exactly the type of thing I was
looking for when I was scrolling through a few bbs's in SBC net. I think
ProMod is brilliant and with me it has a perfect record. It has NEVER
ever crashed with any one of my .MOD files, even when I had the beta
version. The other day I played 20 meg worth of .MOD files and not a
single one crashed !!! Like it says in the documentation it sounds great
with headphones and even with speakers the effect is brilliant. I'm really
looking forward to the next version as it will have:
- AdLib Gold support (if a donator gives a pair)
- Integrated samples manager.
- Convert Scream Tracker modules (.STM)
- Two Sound Blaster PRO support to listen to 2 channels
in each one of them (if it works)
Now if you think that's good you ain't heard nothing until you play your
favourite .MOD in full stereo using a ProMod.
Retail Price:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
$0 (Australian) This is a Public Domain Product.
Sound Capabilities:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Sound Blaster Pro
Graphics Capabilities:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
VGA only.
Page 15
R A T I N G S:
==============
Sound Blaster Sound:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Obviously this depends on the .MOD file being played.
Graphics:
-=-=-=-=-
*********************************
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Although this is a sound file player it has a very
nice VGA graphics interface.
Gameplay:
-=-=-=-=-
N/A
Value Out Of Ten:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
*****************************************
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
It's Free !!!!!!
Creativity:
-=-=-=-=-=-
N/A
Originality Out Of Ten:
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
**************************************
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
I've only seen one other thing that plays .MOD's in full stereo on the
Sound Blaster Pro.
Advertisements Written By: Anyone who wants to advertise
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This section is provided for anyone wanting to advertise a bulletin board
or hardware they want to sell (NOTE: all hardware for sale must be sound
related, e.g. Sound Blaster Pro or Adlib card). Advertising doesn't cost
anything, all you have to do is send me on disk or via modem your ad in
ASCII (text) format. If your advertising a bulletin board, mention what you
specialize in, phone number, maximum baud rate etc.
Page 16
Welcome to .\\usic .\\an's
─────────────┌──────┐──┌──────┐──┌─┐──┌─┐──┌─┐──┌─┐──┌─────┐───────────────
─────────────│ ┌────┘──│ ┌──┐ │──│ │──│ │──│ └┐─│ │──│ ┌─┐ └┐──────────────
─────────────│ └────┐──│ │──│ │──│ │──│ │──│ └─┘ │──│ │─└┐ │──────────────
─────────────└────┐ │──│ │──│ │──│ │──│ │──│ ┌┐ │──│ │──│ │──────────────
─────────────┌──┐─│ └┐─│ │──│ └┐─│ │──│ └┐─│ │└┐ └┐─│ │──│ └┐─────────────
─────────────│ └─┘ │─│ └──┘ │─│ └──┘ │─│ │─└┐ │─│ └──┘ │─────────────
─────────────└───────┘─└───────┘─└───────┘─└─┘──└──┘─└───────┘─────────────
─────────────────█───────┌─────────┐──┌──┐────┌──┐──────────█──────────────
──────█──────────█───────│ ┌──────┘──└┐ └┐──┌┘ ┌┘──────────█──────────────
──────█───────▄█▄█───────│ └───┐──────└┐ └──┘ ┌┘────────▄█▄█──────────────
───▄█▄█───────▀██▀───────│ ┌───┘──────┌┘ ┌┐ └┐────────▀██▀──────────█───
───▀██▀──────────────────│ └┐────────┌┘ ┌┘└┐ └─┐────────────────────█───
─────────────────────────│ │────────│ ┌┘──└┐ │─────────────────▄█▄█───
─────────────────────────└───┘────────└──┘────└───┘─────────────────▀██▀───
Music Support BBS Hoppers Crossing, Victoria
61-3-749-5556 (24 Hours)
SBC 15:4100/204.0
AMF 21:300/10.0
This new BBS has been introduced to support the music programmers, those of
you who actually produce MOD, ROL and MIDI music files (or would like to be
able to!).
There are also files areas for Radio Amateur Operators and Basic
programmers.
Sound FX system hardware: 286-16
70Mb HDD (another one due soon!!)
DOS 5.0
Monochrome Monitor
Maestro XR Modem (300-1200-2400)
Sound FX system software: RemoteAccess
IMail
FrontDoor
The system is used solely for the BBS and is not used for any purpose other
than that stated above.
-=<*>=-
I hope to develop the `How to do it' MOD, ROL and MIDI message areas with
some assistance from experienced users and offer the inexperienced SB or
MIDI users some help in their quest to make music.
If you are into MOD's, there are a few Music Man productions available
from some of the Melbourne boards and more on the way too!!
If you are into music, give us call and see what we have to offer!! You
may even have something to offer us.
.\\usic .\\an
Page 17
What's Wrong With My Sound Blaster Pro ? Written By: Allan Dib
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This section is for all the people having technical difficulties with their
Sound Blaster Pro. The following is a list of common problems/questions and
answers to them. In some, even most cases there is more than one answer.
Problem:
Many of the new sierra games (e.g. LSL 5 and PQ 3), are having trouble
detecting the Sound Blaster card, I have the correct line;
SET BLASTER=A2?0 I? D?
in my AUTOEXEC.BAT file and many programs work fine with it but when I run
the installation program of a new Sierra game it gives me the following
error message -
Sound Blaster Board Failed initialisation.
Solution:
Download the replacement Sierra Sound Blaster Drivers from any good
bulletin board in SBC net or contact me and I'd be only too happy to send
them to you.
Problem:
Just after I record a sample or move the mouse in Vedit 2, it freezes up
and I have to reboot my system, also many games do the same and this was
not happening before I got my Sound Blaster Pro.
Solution 1:
Disable all memory resident drivers/utilities (e.g. HIMEM.SYS, MOUSE.COM,
DOSKEY.COM etc.). Try the programs again with the drivers disabled. This
should work (if it doesn't then refer to solution 2), if it does work
enable each memory resident driver/utility one by one until you find out
which one is conflicting with the Sound Blaster Pro card. When you find the
culprit either disable it or find a similar (but compatible) substitute.
NOTE: 90 % of the time the problem will be in your mouse driver. I've
experimented a bit and found that Microsoft Mouse Driver Version 7.04 does
not conflict with the Sound Blaster Pro.
Solution 2:
If the above solution didn't work and programs are still
freezing/hanging/crashing the you'll have to open your computer remove all
non essential cards (e.g. scanner cards, copy cards etc.), leaving only
Disk/Fixed Disk controller cards and video board in the system, and
obviously the Sound Blaster Pro card. Run the program that keeps on
freezing up, this has to work unless the problem is in your machine or the
actual program. One by one put back the cards to find the conflicting card
when you find it you'll have to adjust it or remove it from the computer so
as it doesn't conflict with the Sound Blaster Pro card.
NOTE: Most of the time the conflicting card will be a scanner card,
unfortunately they are very incompatible with the Sound Blaster card and
will have to be removed from the system (and put back in when they need to
be used).
Problem:
I've connected my PC Speaker to the Sound Blaster Pro card but still no
sound comes out.
Solution 1:
You have connected it the wrong way, try reversing the polarity and trying
again.
Page 18
Solution 2:
If the above solution didn't work then make sure that the wires going to
the Sound Blaster Pro card are actually from the mother board and not from
the PC Speaker (a very silly but easy mistake to make).
Recommendation:
If you use a lot of software/games that use PC Speaker sound don't
connect it to the Sound Blaster Pro as it sounds terrible (especially if
you have an amplifier connected to it).
Problem:
Many Sound Blaster shareware programs and demos come up with the following
message and exit to DOS when executed -
Sound Blaster Board Failed initialisation.
Solution 1:
You don't have a the following string in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file -
SET BLASTER=A2?0 I? D?
This can either be created manually or done with the SB ENV program that
comes with the Sound Blaster Pro.
Solution 2:
You need CT-VOICE.DRV in the same directory that you have your program/demo
in.
Solution 3:
If you have CT-VOICE.DRV in the same directory as your program/demo and it
still isn't working then you are probably not using your own copy of
CT-VOICE.DRV. It is important that you use your own copy of the CT-VOICE
driver and not just any one, because when you configure your Sound Blaster
all the configuration is written into the file CT-VOICE.DRV, so replace the
existing copy of the CT-VOICE driver file with one that you have configured
(and hopefully worked).
Sound Blaster Version 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and Pro Written By: Allan Dib
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sound Blaster Version 1.0
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Not very much is known about this as I have not yet talked to a person who
owns one. If anyone out there has one please contact me so I can publish
information about it in the next issue of CSM.
Sound Blaster Version 1.5 (Older version)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
This version of the Sound Blaster came with CMS chips already installed
which has true stereo, 12 voice AM output (Game Blaster Compatible). It
also has mono 12 voice FM output. The Sound Blaster is Adlib compatible,
has digitized voice input/output, MIDI interface (via optional MIDI
connector box), joy-stick port, and amplifier with volume control. Maximum
sampling rate is 13 Khz. It only has one mono input (usually for a
microphone), and one stereo output (stereo as in two speakers, not true
stereo).
Page 19
Sound Blaster Version 1.5 (Newer version)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
With this version of the Sound Blaster the CMS chips were taken out which
left only the mono 12 voice FM output. This version is not compatible with
the Game Blaster card (unless you had CMS chips put into the 2 empty
sockets, costing about $50). The Sound Blaster is Adlib compatible, has
digitized voice input/output, MIDI interface (via optional MIDI
connector box), joy-stick port, and amplifier with volume control. Maximum
sampling rate is 13 Khz. It only has one mono input (usually for a
microphone), and one stereo output (stereo as in two speakers, not true
stereo).
Sound Blaster Version 2.0
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
CMS chips do not come with this version of the Sound Blaster, you have to
buy them separately. NOTE: Version 2.0 of the Sound Blaster has three empty
sockets for CMS chips instead of the ordinary two, meaning that you can't
upgrade directly from a 1.5 with CMS. Why ? Because in order to implement
full duplex MIDI some of the ports that used to be assigned to the CMS
portion of the Sound Blaster were used. So the extra chip on the 2.0 is
there to do some switching. This version of the Sound Blaster also has a
much higher sampling rate 44.1 Khz (The sampling rate of a CD), of course
this is only in mono. Another difference with the 2.0 is that it has two
inputs and one output, it has a jack for the microphone and a line in, the
previous version only had a microphone input. Lastly it is bundled with
much better and improved software.
Sound Blaster Pro
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
At last a true stereo FM Sound Blaster card !! This is card is almost
exactly the same as two Sound Blaster ver 2.0's put together (Only the Pro
does NOT have CMS capabilities). It doesn't even have empty sockets to put
CMS chips in. The Sound Blaster Pro has maximum sampling rate of 44.1 Khz
in mono and 22.05 Khz in stereo. Personally I think it is a brilliant card
and I haven't encountered any compatibility problems yet. It is bundled
with a stereo version of FM Organ, SBFMDRV (Sound Blaster FM Driver), Juke
Box for Windows 3.0 and Vedit (Vedit 2, which supports stereo). A lot of
other software is also supplied but that is in mono. With the Sound Blaster
Pro package you also get a free MIDI kit which you had to buy separately in
previous versions of the Sound Blaster. The Sound Blaster Pro has two input
jacks one and line in. The line in accepts a stereo input and will record
in stereo, the other is a mono input and is usually for a microphone. The
Sound Blaster has a true stereo output ("True Stereo", meaning that
different sounds come out of each speaker/headphone).
That's All Folks Written By: Allan Dib
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well that's it for this issue, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I
did writing it. All I ask in return for my hard work and effort is that
you fill out the rating form and send it to me, this is so that I can know
what you think of this magazine and how I can improve it. Also if you
have some valuable information about the Sound Blaster, please, share it
with the rest of the world by writing to me so I can publish it in the next
Page 20
possible issue of Creative Sound Monthly. Also any requests for articles or
reviews will not be turned down (assuming that I have the program/game you
would like me to review).
Credits
~~~~~~~
Craig Hart (Sysop of The Communications Barrier) - Without this dude you
probably wouldn't be reading this (at least not for quite a while). I
wanted to release the first issue of this magazine in April instead of
March due to not enough support, but this guy encouraged me to release it
earlier, he also volunteered to write an article and distribution of this
magazine was done by Craig. Craig also provided me with the list of all
bulletin boards in SBC net (NODELIST.TXT) and wrote the program to generate
it. Thanx heaps dude !!
Angel Trigo and David Lopez - These are the guys responsible for the
brilliant program, ProMod, which has been included in this months issue of
CSM.
Wild Thing - Wild Thing wishes to remain anonymous and has specifically
asked me not to reveal his real name. Wild Thing contributed a very
creative Scream Tracker module, a nice addition to this first issue of
Creative Sound Monthly :-).
Mah Hithgoda - Mah willingly provided me with very helpful information
regarding the Sound Blaster version 1.5.
Bob Crockford (Sysop of Sound FX BBS) - Bob provided me with information
regarding sound file extensions, he also put an ad into the advertisement
section (some nice ASCII work).
Everyone in SBC net responsible for distribution - I'd like to give a
special thanx to all the people in SBC net who put in many, many thankless
hours to distribute programs and Sound Blaster related things such as this
magazine.
You - And lastly but definitely not least YOU for reading this and giving
it a chance (especially all the people who have taken time out to fill out
the below rating and comments form and sent it to me).
Page 21
Rating and Comments Form
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please take a few minutes to sit down and fill out the following form and
send it to me, this is so I can improve the next issue of CSM for YOU.
This all I ask in return for my hard efforts and hours of research.
------------------------------- Detach Here --------------------------------
What did you especially like about this magazine and would like to see more
of ?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Was there anything do disliked about this magazine and would like to see
stopped ? (please specify)
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Do you feel Creative Sound Monthly could be improved ? If so how ?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
General Comments/Requests -
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Did you find the information in this magazine helpful and/or informative ?
YES NO SOME OF IT MOST OF IT
(Please circle)
Would you like to Creative Monthly keep going ?
YES NO DON'T CARE
(Please circle)
Out of ten you would rate this magazine:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
(Please circle)
------------------------------- Detach Here --------------------------------
After filling this out please send it to:
CREATIVE SOUND MONTHLY
c/o Allan Dib
19 Ondine Drive, Mulgrave
Melbourne Vic 3170
Australia.
Telephone:
(61-3) 560-3963 - Outside Australia
(03) 560-3963 - Within Australia
Ask for Allan Dib.