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PlaySID.doc
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1991-12-07
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209 lines
PLAYSID V2.0ß (C)1990,91,92 Håkan Sundell & Ron Birk
Releasedate: 7th December 1991
Note: This is SHAREWARE, not Public Domain. That means that
if you like this program and want further updates, you can
be a registrated owner if you send us a registration fee of
~$15. It also means that you can spread this program only if
all files (including this) are included, and nothing is changed.
You are not allowed to replicate any portion of the program, both
code or data. Note also that we take no responsibilities for
the use of this program considering any damage to or failure of
your hardware, software etc.
ABOUT:
This is version 2.0 BETA. That mean that we haven't tested the
program on all kind of configurations and setups. If you come
over some problems or have any suggestions you will reach us
at the address further down.
PRODUCT INFO:
This is a utility which emulates the SID and 6510 chip. The
SID chip is the component in the C64 computer that handles sound.
The 6510 chip is the CPU of the C64, that means the component
that actually executes all programs. Because the Amiga does
not have these chips and others, you can't run C64 programs
directly on Amiga.
Now this utility lets you play all those C64 programs that
produce sound. As you probably know, the C64 has three sound
channels (the amiga has four). But this utility also allows
use of the fourth channel. This channel is the product of
some special programming on the C64, it isn't really a channel.
The purpose of this product is to make the best conversion
of C64 sound on Amiga ever possible. If you think some sound
isn't correctly converted please let us know.
This utility is designed to work with true multitasking, under
any System version and any Amiga model. It can be run from both
Workbench and CLI/Shell. It should work with any other
program that don't use sound or timing. If this isn't the fact
please let us know.
Some time ago we released a similar product called "The 100 most
remembered C64 game-tunes". This product is the version 2.0ß
of that program. The tunes on that demonstration disk are now
also available to this version. And up to date there are more
than 300 tunes available as PD. We and others are also working
with more.
PROGRAM USAGE:
To use this utility from Workbench you should assign SID: to a
directory containing PlaySID. Then all you have to do is double-
click on the icon of the tune you want to play. Otherwise
you could just select the icon of the tune, then press the shift
key and hold it down while doubleclicking on the PlaySID icon.
If you want to run this utility from CLI/Shell, just put the
directory containing PlaySID in your path (e.g. c: ) and then
write: PlaySID [<tune directory>/]<tune name>
The "Setup" icon will copy the main program to RAM: and assign
it to SID:. After selecting this icon you only have to double-
click on the icon of the tune you want to play.
This version require one argument. If not the program will tell
you so and exit. It works almost like an ordinary cassette
recorder, with the symbols for play, forward, stop and the
'-' symbol for filter. To quit press the stop symbol.
TECHNICAL INFO:
Up to date PlaySID features:
* Full emulation of valid 6502 instructions.
* Full envelope emulation (even better than SID).
* Full waveform emulation (uses highest quality ever possible).
* Full ringmodulation/synchronize emulation (even both!).
* Emulation of the fourth channel, including Martin Galway NOISE
and all kind of SAMPLES.
* Sounding like C64 PAL even on Amiga NTSC (the right sound).
* Handle 50Hz, 60Hz and variable speed timing.
* Fast Forward
* Timer
* Amiga 4 kHz Filter ON/OFF (Should be off!).
* Full TRUE Multitasking (Opens, Closes and Checks everything).
* Real envelope display for all channels.
PlaySID is written in C and Assembler. It uses about 50kB of
chip memory and 160kB of other memory. If playing samples, more
chip memory will be used. Also add the length of the tune to
the amount of other memory.
TOOL TYPE INFO:
Syntax of the Tool-Types of <tune>.info:
ADDRESS = <loadaddress>,<initadress>,<playadress> ;in hex
loadadress should be the C64 adress where the file should
be loaded.
initaddress should point to a subroutine which initializes the
songnr in accumulator (starting with $00).
playaddress should point to a subroutine which plays a note of
the song. This will be called as often as described in speed.
SONGS = <nr of songs>,[<start song nr>] ;in dec
SPEED = <speeddata> ;in hex
speeddata contains info about playspeed. For each song a bit
is reserved, bit 0 for song nr 1 and so on. A 0 bit means 50 Hz
and a 1 bit means 60 Hz or the time set in $DC04/05.
NAME = <name of tune> ;in ascii
AUTHOR = <name of author> ;in ascii
COPYRIGHT = <name of copyright owner> ;in ascii
FUTURE FEATURES:
In the next upgraded version these features will probably be
added:
* Emulation of Filter.
* Faster emulation of 6502.
* Faster emulation of waveforms.
* Faster emulation of ringmodulation/synchronize.
* Emulation of nondefined 6502 instructions.
* Added selector of tunes (so you wont have to leave PlaySID
while selecting an other tune).
* Jukebox selector (so you can play several tunes after each
other).
* Option to Sound like C64 NTSC for American users who like NTSC.
* Option to load and show KOALA pictures.
* Option to load SID songs.
* The features YOU would like to be added (PLEASE WRITE AND TELL US).
* AND of course, MORE tunes
If you convert by yourselve, PLEASE send them to us, using e-mail
or regular mail, so we can release complete packages. Then the
user will not get several packages with same or bad tunes.
REGISTRATION:
If you want to be a registered owner of this utility and
recieve further upgrades, then send ~$15 US (or equal amount in
DM, £ or SKR) with your name, address to either:
Per Håkan Sundell
Luktärtsgatan 1 B
S-431 32 Mölndal
Sweden
or
Ron Birk
Krögarvägen 11
S-145 52 Norsborg
Sweden
If you want to phone us about complains or suggestions about
upgrades you can call:
+ 46 31 769424 (Håkan) about 6502 and SID emulation
+ 46 753 88626 (Ron) about User interface
If you have access to Internet you will reach us at the following
e-mail address:
d89-rbi@nada.kth.se
NOTE TO OTHER DEVELOPERS:
To Questronix (The makers of The A64 Package):
We are still offering you our SID emulation to your
C64 Emulator (We have listened to your noise emulation).
And if that is interresting, we could help with the Cassette
interface too! (That will be connected as a diskdrive)
LAST WORDS:
We hope that you will find this program useful and that
it will bring back the old C64 athmosphere to you too...