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From: popeye@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Karl Richard Buck)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: SoundBlaster info needed
Message-ID: <26A6E720.3403@deimos.cis.ksu.edu>
Date: 20 Jul 90 11:12:31 GMT
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fasciano@IRO.UMontreal.CA (Massimo Fasciano) writes:


>Hi everyone,

>  I'm planning on buying a SoundBlaster and have a few
>  questions on its capabilities...


>First of all, does anybody know an approximate price for the
>card in Canada (in a a store, not mail order)?

I'm not sure about canada prices, but U.S. prices run around $200
retail and $40 to $50 cheaper for mail order.

>Is it worth the extra money or should I get the Adlib? What
>does it do that the Adlib doesn't, and most of all, which
>additional features are supported in games (how many games?)...
>Is it 100% Adlib compatible (all the channels)?

It's worth it if the following criteria are important to you:
	1. Speech/Digitized sound channel
	2. Inexpensive but proprietary MIDI capability.
	3. Ad Lib, Game Blaster, CMS and of course Sound Blaster
	   compatability. (BTW, there are no games that use the
	   full 24 voice Sound Blaster capability (yet) that I 
	   know of)
	4. The largest software base of all the sound cards for 
	   the pc.

The Ad Lib is a fine card for playing games with Ad Lib support,
but if you want any of the above features, the Sound Blaster could
be the answer.

>Also, I've heard that it does A/D and D/A conversion. How good
>is it? I'm not expecting CD quality of course, but how does
>it compare to the MAC (8 bit, up to 22KHz sampling) or to
>some arcade games that use speech and digitized sound?

I would call the sound quality fair, but then I'm only using a 
cheap Radio Shack microphone. The sampling is selectable from
5000 to 13000hz. As to how it compares with the MAC, I really do
not know.
 
>Is it easy to install? I've been told it requires an IRQ line.
>Which one? I suppose the IRQ number is jumper-selectable. What
>lines can I use (3,4,5,7). 3,4,7 are already taken up by my serial
>and parallel ports so I hope it can use 5 (or some other IRQ line
>i'm not aware of).

The Sound Blaster Can use IRQ2,3,5,7.

>I've also heard of a game port (option?). I already have a double game
>port so I don't want to pay for another, and I don't want a conflict
>between the 2. Can the one on the SB be disabled?

Yes.

>Does it come with good software and programming info?

There is a short section in the back of the manual that gives some infor-
mation for programmers, but is by no means comprehensive. Included
with the package is a catalog for ordering tools, music disks etc.

--
 731 Moro			popeye@matt.ksu.ksu.edu   
 Manhattan, KS 66502		popeye@ksuvm.ksu.edu
 (913)537-3666			kxb@phobos.cis.ksu.edu