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README.TXT
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1993-12-03
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17KB
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406 lines
*************************
* MOD4WIN Version 1.02 *
*************************
_______________________________________________________________________________
Installation Instructions:
--------------------------
- start Windows (version 3.1 is required)
- insert disk in drive A or B
- in the Program Manager go to File | Run...
- on the Command Line type <drive>:install.exe, e.g. "A:install.exe"
- follow the instructions of the installation program
_______________________________________________________________________________
Revision History:
-----------------
Version 1.00:
- September 1993
- first fully functional model of Mod4Win
Version 1.01
- October 1993
- The version 1.01 was necessary because of some bugs in the play routine,
with file handling of more than 900 files at a time, the installation
program, and the speed when running on slow machines.
* playroutine: problems with loading and the end marking of files
that jump around between patterns
* file handling: was completely revised
* installation had two problems: the check for free space on destination
drive looked at the wrong drive and the given path name was not
accepted, even if entered correctly
* full keyboard support (TAB/SHIFT-TAB)
* information dialog was debugged
Version 1.02
- November 1993
- first release for the U.S. shareware market
- several bug fixes
* wave driver is displayed and saved nicely
* bpm speed is interpreted correctly
* invalid MOD-formats are recognized now
* updates the display correctly
* playtime is properly reset
_______________________________________________________________________________
**************************************************************************
* The following chapters are all included in the Mod4Win Help file and *
* really look much better there. Of course, if you absolutely love text *
* files, you can study it here. *
**************************************************************************
_______________________________________________________________________________
Features
--------
Mod4Win is a player for Commodore AMIGA SoundTracker and NoiseTracker Files
on IBM-PC compatible machines under Microsoft Windows
- It supports:
* sample rates between 11 and 48 kHz
* 8 and 16 bit sample depth
* Mono and Stereo
- Jukebox function for up to 999 MOD-Files in one session!
* generates playlists (with files from up to 100 directories!)
- Drag & Drop feature of one or more files and of playlists.
- Launching of a file or playlist from a command line parameter.
- The program remembers several settings, for instance
* window positions
* actual and last play directory
* hardware settings
- Hotkeys for all player functions
_______________________________________________________________________________
System requirements
-------------------
- A sound card with at least one DAC, that can process 11 kHz-Sampling and
an appropriate asynchronous wave driver (speaker.drv won't run).
- AT 286 with 4 MB RAM minimum.
- AT 386/33 for playing with the highest sample rate.
- AT 486/33 with 8 MB RAM to use Mod4Win as a background jukebox with 44 kHz
and 16 bit stereo sampling.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Authors
-------
Mod4Win was written and designed by Kay Bruns and Uwe ZΣnker. The English
version of Mod4Win and the Help file was translated and adopted by
Jens Puchert.
This program was thoroughly ▀-tested. However, if you discover any
malfunctions or bugs (you never know), feel free to write your comments to:
JSInc.
Jens Puchert
1037 Madison St
Syracuse, NY 13210-2015
You can also reach me by phone or FAX on (315) 423-4775
or through e-mail to jpuchert@rodan.syr.edu.
PS: Please, constructive contributions only. All others are to be marked as
junk mail, or even better, save yourself the trouble and send it to NIL
(or for C-freaks to NULL).
_______________________________________________________________________________
Known problems
--------------
1. Problems with sound cards:
Several sound cards claim to support multiple sample rates, but then don't
play at these rates but at any others they like, that means the play rate
seems to be too fast or too slow. For instance the Soundblaster 16 ASP
reports, being able to play at 48 kHz, then however starts to howl terribly,
since it is only capable of playing at 44 kHz. The same thing happens if you
switch from mono to stereo with the Pro Audio Spectrum. These errors are
caused by neither Mod4Win nor the wave driver, but simply by the sound card
hardware.
Solution: Buy a different sound card, bear the sound, or adjust to a sample
rate that can really be played.
2. Problems with (BUGs in) sound drivers:
General solution for these problems:
Because we didn't have one bug free wave driver during the test phase of
the program, we can only give the following advise:
Ask the manufacturer of your sound card for an updated wave driver!
The drivers of the Soundblaster and Audioblaster don't automatically adjust
their filter frequency to the sample frequency. That results in the fact
that the MOD-Files sound dull.
Solution: Use your mixer utility to turn the filter off!
The wave driver of the Sound-/Audioblaster Pro 2.5/3/4 reports being able to
sample more than 22 kHz 8 bit stereo, however when it comes to do that it
starts to resist.
Solution: Switch to mono at sample rates higher than 22 kHz.
Windows only supports the following sample rates: 11, 22, and 44 kHz.
Therefore it may happen that you see an error message like "Application
violated system integrity" or "General protection fault" or something similar.
The reason for that is not Mod4Win (because that asks the driver whether it
can play the selected sample rate or not), but the clever programming of the
wave driver.
Solution: Select only the sample frequencies 11, 22, or 44 kHz.
If you have only one wave driver installed, then it is possible that another
application tries to access it while Mod4Win plays. This could happen for
instance if an application wants to generate a system sound. Then some wave
drivers will switch the actual sound output (that's the one from Mod4Win)
from stereo to mono or modify the sample rate, without notifying Mod4Win.
As a result you will hear a much too fast sampled output, or even extreme
distortions.
Solution: Install a second wave driver that the other application can
utilize while Mod4Win plays. If you don't have a second sound card or a
second driver for your card, you can use speaker.drv as a last resort.
3. Problems with video drivers:
With some video drivers you might notice that while Mod4Win (or any other
sample output producing program) plays, that the wave output is rhythmically
interrupted. This sounds like bubbling or scratching. This can be most
easily resolved by choosing a different video mode or color resolution. You
can also try to switch from stereo to mono.
4. Problems that look like BUGS (but are not):
Windows or Mod4Win reports 'No memory available!' although you have
plenty of it. The reason for that is that Mod4Win makes sure there is at
least 500 KB left for other applications. If that's not the case, you'll
see the error message. The same thing happens if Windows fragments the
memory too much, that means the memory is divided into many little segments,
and therefore not enough continuous memory available for other applications.
Solution:
* In the first case (less than 500 KB free): close applications,
increase swap file size, or buy more memory.
* In the second case (memory fragmented): stop Mod4Win (not pause!),
start application, restart Mod4Win.
Fast forward and rewind takes longer at the end of the song than at the
beginning. The reason for that is that it is impossible to rewind a MOD-File
error fre