@database Sid4Amiga.guide @Master Sid4Amiga.guide @Author Paul Heams. @Index Index @Remark: $VER: S4A.guide 1.04 (13.7.97) @Node Main "SID4AMIGA - Table of contents" @Next Introduction @{b}@{u}SID4Amiga - V0.70a@{ub}@{uu} By Paul Heams Based upon @{"SIDPLAY" link OtherSID} and @{"SID2WAV" link OtherSID} I take no responsibility if this program should cause loss of data, hair or computer equipment!! Use this at your own risk. 1.1 @{" Introduction.... " link Introduction} 1.2 @{" What You Need... " link WUN} 2.1 @{" Make Sure....... " link MS} 2.2 @{" Amiga Functions. " link AS} 2.3 @{" Usage........... " link USAGE} 3.1 @{" History......... " link HISTORY} 3.2 @{" Future.......... " link FUTURE} 3.3 @{" Bugs............ " link BUG} 4.1 @{" Only Me......... " link OM} 4.2 @{" Thanks To....... " link EVERY} Contact : sid4amiga@twentyfour.demon.co.uk - Specific for this product : paul@twentyfour.demon.co.uk - General @Endnode @Node Introduction "Introduction" @{b}@{u}Introduction@{ub}@{uu} Well it appears that many of you Amigians out there have been crying out for a @{u}fully functional@{uu} Commodore 64 Sid Player for ages now - Myself being one as well. The MAC has one, the PC has one and so do most UNIX machines! ..but what about the poor old Amiga? Well I guess we have @{"PLAYSID" link OtherSID} but that hasn't been updated for years and although extremely excellent misses some important functions. Wouldn't it be good if we could have a sid player that: @{b} ** * Plays all types of SID files! * Supports C64 Filters/Ring mod and Sync modes! * Supports AHI! * Could produce WAV files with fade outs and ins! * Has Stereo / Mono support! @{ub} ** It's quite a list but this program just about does it! As a development version (alpha) this program is very slow, possibly buggy and does not work correctly in places. It is a port from the linuex @{"SID2WAV" link OtherSID} and @{"SIDPLAY" link OtherSID} source with some modifications and additions... ...Which means the start of an Amiga specific version (see @{"FUTURE" link FUTURE})! Please note this is the last Pre-1.0 version so there may be some delay before the next version is available. @Endnode @Node WUN "What You Need" @{b}@{u}WHAT YOU NEED@{ub}@{uu} AHI - Version 4 with the AUDIO Device mounted IXEMUL Library(ies) - Version 46 (Down load Sid4Amiga_Sup.lha from the Aminet). ASyncio Library - Version 39+ A hot cup of tea - Version - Any variety! All available from the Aminet (except for the obvious!) @Endnode @Node MS "Make Sure" @{b}@{u}MAKE SURE@{ub}@{uu} You have set up AHI with the audio device mounted and set up your specific sound system. @{b}You should set 2 channels in stereo++ mode for unit 0 of the AHI system.@{ub} This will be changing over to the AHI music channel in the @{"FUTURE" link FUTURE}. You have installed V46 of the IXEMUL library.. ..and V39 (9) of the ASYNCIO library. You have typed : "Stack 12000" into the CLI shell before launching SID4AMIGA just to be sure! You are sipping the tea! @Endnode @Node AS "Amiga Functions / Specifics" @{b}@{u}Whats in it for the Amiga?@{ub}@{uu} As well as the standard WAV output there is the option of translating the data further and sending it to the AUDIO device featured in AHI version 4. This option is specified by selecting the '-am' option (short for AmigaMode). In this mode the output is limited(??) to 16 Bits only. @{b} The program is SLOOOOW, especially when emulating the filters. Amiga Play Mode may result with breaks in the sound unless your machine is faster than light! @{ub} This will be the LAST version whereby output to the AHI Dos Device will be updated. Version 1.0+ will support output to the AHI music channel! :) However, this soon to be old method will still remain within the Sid4Amiga package for the time being. (On my 68030 - 50mhz I can manage to play songs at about 9-12khz 16bit mono or 8.0kz 16bit mono with extensive filters!) There are 2 versions available : * 68020 - Base Amigas (??) upwards * 68030fpu - Believe it or not a version for 68030 FPU machines! I've had a lot of requests for an 040 version. Don't worry it's comming in version 1.0! Thanks to @{"everyone" link EVERY} who supplied comments, thanks and suggestions. Keep them rolling in as this product depends on you! @Endnode @Node USAGE "Usage" @{b}@{u}USAGE@{ub}@{uu} For the moment the program can only be executed from a CLI/SHELL window. Type: Sid4Amiga ? or Sid4Amiga -h for a list of options. commands: ? or -h Display this help -o Set the Song Number (default: preset) -a Improve PlaySID compatibility (not recommended) -n Enable NTSC-clock speed for VBI tunes (not recommended) -f Set Frequency in Hz (default: 22050) -16 16-bit (default: 8-bit) -s Stereo (default: mono) -m Mute Voices out of 1,2,3,4 (default: none) -t Set seconds to play ................ (N/A in AmigaMode) -fin Fade-in-time in seconds (default: 0) (N/A in AmigaMode) -fout Fade-out-time in seconds (default: 2) (N/A in AmigaMode) -am Amiga AHI Play Mode Examples: To convert twelve seconds of Stereo 16 bit WAV data at a frequency of 16000 hz: Sid4Amiga -t12 -s -f16000 To play in Amiga AHI mode (not finished yet but try anyway..): Sid4Amiga -am @Endnode @Node History "History" @{b}@{u}HISTORY@{ub}@{uu} In latest version order..> @{b}V0.70@{ub} - @{u}First public test version@{uu} Cleaner, smaller and slightly faster code! Audio device given back upon exiting. Better handling of the AHI dos device. V0.63 - @{u}First public test version@{uu} ASyncio Library included for streaming to AHI device Compiled for 030+fpu and 020 (Other versions coming!) v0.6 - @{u}Never Released@{uu} Basic Bug fixes v0.5 - @{u}Never Released@{uu} AHI audio device - basic support added. V0.4 - @{u}Never Released@{uu} Initial version - converted from @{"SID2WAV" link OtherSID} V0-3 - @{u}Never Released@{uu} Conversion of the @{"SIDPLAY" link OtherSID} libraries for Amiga Machines @Endnode @Node FUTURE "Future" @{b}@{u}FUTURE@{ub}@{uu} Loads to do, including: @{b} * Proper AHI support (Music Output). * Speed up the code. * PPC-Amiga version / (680x0 versions?? - Please write). * GUI * Fix @{"BUGS" link BUG}! @{ub} But only if... You send me an e-mail or postcard: SID4AMIGA@twentyfour.demon.co.uk Paul Heams, 24 Cavendish Road, Barnet, Herts, EN5 4DZ. England. @Endnode @Node BUG "BUGS :(" @{b}@{u}BUGS@{ub}@{uu} Probably loads, but here's a list of what I know so far.... * Has crashed once, possibly due to the audio device. @Endnode @Node OM "Only Me" @{b}@{u}ONLY ME@{ub}@{uu} Paul Heams - 22 years old Just finished his degree and miserable at the prospect of working :) Previous releases : The Bean Themes Space Man Dance CD_Stop sid4amiga@twentyfour.demon.co.uk I'm not asking for money (freeware rules), just cards, bug reports, linking assembly to c++ code examples, ideas, suggestions.... whatever! @Endnode @Node OtherSID "SIDPLAY / SID2WAV / PLAYSID" @{b}@{u}SIDPLAY, SID2WAV and PLAYSID@{ub}@{uu} ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sid4Amiga uses the SIDPLAY C++ routines..: The original Sid Engine was written by Michael Schwendt. Copyright (c) 1994-1997 Michael Schwendt. All rights reserved. InterNet email: 3schwend@informatik.uni-hamburg.de Below is the original disclaimer : THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- It also incorporates the skeleton of SID2WAV and its command template : Sid2Wav was written by Michael Schwendt and Adam Lorentzon. Copyright (c) 1994-97 Michael Schwendt and Adam Lorentzon. All rights reserved. InterNet email: Michael Schwendt <3schwend@informatik.uni-hamburg.de> Adam Lorentzon ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This program is totally free of charge and cannot be charged for! @Endnode @Node EVERY "Thanks :)" @{b}@{u}Thanks go to:@{ub}@{uu} Elmar Plischke - G++/Assembler examples! Thomas Wenzal - Play16 and comments :) And to all who has mailed me including: Manfred Linzner, Mikael Grahn, Thomas Lorenz, Mika Yrjl, Stefan Myrnes and Mike! Thanks for the support! @Endnode