

GUS Programmer's Digest     Sun, 21 Nov 93  4:47         Volume 6: Issue  12  

Today's Topics:
                      GP15-PAS problem.. solved!
                 More about my Pascal GusPlay code...
                               Well...

Standard Info:
	- Meta-info about the GUS can be found at the end of the Digest.
	- Before you ask a question, please READ THE FAQ.

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Date: Sun, 21 Nov 93 0:05:03 GMT
From: "Bjarni R. Einarsson" <bre@os.is>
Subject: GP15-PAS problem.. solved!

Well, dunno if this will make it onto the same digest as my bug report,
(where is my digest, anyway?) but I've figured out what was wrong.  It 
seems clipping is the culprit.. 

My theory:   When my samples finished playing, the GUS kept adding sum X
             to the total volume, and after adding X to the output about 10
times, nothing else mattered, it ALL got clipped.  => no output.

Solution:  Turn the volume down a bit!  :)  

Programming soundcards is fun.. but STRANGE.  I'm used to programming graphix
where your mistakes just trash the screen, they don't grab it and run away..

  ______________________________________________   ___________________
 /                                              \ /                   \
( "Shee, you guys are so unhip its a wonder your O Bjarni R. Einarsson )
(  bums don't fall off!" -- Zaphod Beeblebrox    O  - - bre@os.is - -  )
 \______________________________________________/ \___________________/

------------------------------

Date: Sat, 20 Nov 93 0:40:52 GMT
From: "Bjarni R. Einarsson" <bre@os.is>
Subject: More about my Pascal GusPlay code...

Well, it is gratifying to know there are people listening to me.  I got
plenty of requests for my interface.. and so I'm hoping that somebody
out there will give a little and help me out. 

I've found a bug, you see.. (*evil laugh*) ..I have this rather strange 
problem when I play back modules and sound effects at the same time.

Usually things seem just fine.. but when I send the GUS play instructions, 
for a very short (<1k), low pitched (11Khz) sample, it screws up all output, 
(samples and module) and the best way to fix it seems to be to play some OTHER
sample.  Very strange.  And the funniest thing is, not just any sample will 
fix it.  The module playback doesn't recover by itself, which seems very 
illogical to me.  Not to mention unfriendly.  Could I be getting volume over-
loads?  Too Much Gus?  Wouldn't that get better with time?

Things I *am* doing that should keep this from happening:

 - I have a CLI and a STI in strategic places in my sample playing code.
 - I don't use the same voice to play back sound effects, I rotate the
   "nextvoice" variable each time I play something.
 - I DON'T share voices with the .MOD player, it has its own.

It is a mystery to me, and I'd rather FIX the problem than get it to go
away by fiddling with things I don't understand or have any good reason
to change.  (if it ain't broke..)  Those CLI's and STI's aren't in the 
code I've sent to you eager pascal proggers, but it didn't make any diff
on my computer.

If any of you people that got a copy of my code re-create the bug, it 
would be nice to hear about it.  Also if you manage to FIX it. :-)
Any other bug reports are .. uh.. not welcome, but appreciated.

Happy Gussing!

P.S.  I get this bug when playing a module with lots of bass.. I'll go 
      try changing .MODs and volumes and stuff.. strange is what it is. 
      I'm also still in need of a .MOD composer!  :-)
  ______________________________________________   ___________________
 /                                              \ /                   \
( "Shee, you guys are so unhip its a wonder your O Bjarni R. Einarsson )
(  bums don't fall off!" -- Zaphod Beeblebrox    O  - - bre@os.is - -  )
 \______________________________________________/ \___________________/

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1993 22:28:43 +0800 (PST)
From: Francis Li <fli@nermal.santarosa.edu>
Subject: Well...

I guess all you busy programmers aren't going to answer questions for
beginning GUS programmers in C/C++. Well, if you're programming some new
driver or some big support program go right ahead! 

But if you can spare some source code, or MAYBE some quick FAQ from
GRAVIS, it would do nothing but bring more support for the GUS...

------------------------------

End of GUS Programmer's Digest V6 #12
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