Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!uokmax!d.cs.okstate.edu!ong
From: ong@d.cs.okstate.edu (ONG ENG TENG)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: Sound cards
Message-ID: <1990Dec31.083012.9314@d.cs.okstate.edu>
Date: 31 Dec 90 08:30:12 GMT
References: <1990Dec31.231057.20001@en.ecn.purdue.edu>
Organization: Oklahoma State University
Lines: 48

From article <1990Dec31.231057.20001@en.ecn.purdue.edu>, by bob@en.ecn.purdue.edu (Robert A Rusbasan):
> In article <1990Dec28.165028.20181@d.cs.okstate.edu> ong@d.cs.okstate.edu (ONG ENG TENG) writes:
>>Adlib supports 11-voice mono FM music (only?), while SoundBlaster supports
>>the same 11-voice FM music, plus 12-voice stereo CMS music, digitized sound
>                                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>                                    This now costs extra.

                                     ^^^ $20 extra.  Can you plug the
CMS chips in any other card and get 12-voice stereo???

>>sampling (4kHz to 23kHz?), digitized voice output, MIDI (optional box 
>                                                     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>                                                     The "MIDI" is not
> true MIDI and is not compatible with Roland or anything that would
> make it useful.

Would you like to define a "true" MIDI?  According to the liturature, SB
MIDI is done to spec that of the international MIDI association, whereas
Roland's has additional (their own spec) intellegince built-in.  Or if you
are saying that because Roland has some users out there already, which makes
them the "standard".  Can you give any reliable number that there are
more than 100,000 Roland's out there?  If the number of SB users has not 
overtake the number of Roland users, I bet it would
have by this Christmas.  MIDI software makers, like any business 
enterprise, will change their minds real fast about what is "standard" when
they see 200,000 SB users by the end of '91 (i.e. 200,000 potential sales).
Voyetra, the software maker of SB MIDI, is currently laughing their way to
the bank while the other MIDI software makers are having second thoughts.

As for the user, with the
optional $100 MIDI setup which includes the MIDI and the MIDI software
(directly from Creative Labs), the whole setup totaled only $250, compared
to Roland's $400 (more?).  Plus you get Adlib sound, digitized voice output and
sampling, and more.  I have came across a few SB MIDI users and have yet to
hear any "compatibility" complaint.  Instead, what they said was that they 
wouldn't going to paid $400 just for MIDI alone.

>>required), joystick port, includes a voice synthesizer, and some
>>user-play-around softwares.  More important to microchannel computer
>>users, the micro-channel SoundBlaster is coming out in about 2 months...
> 
> If you don't have a mint, the SB is the way to go though...just for
> the digital sound that it adds to the AdLib compatibility.

Total agreement here.  More of the new games are using the digital sound 
output.  Hhmmm... maybe they will start using the digital sampling (input).
Will pay a lot more to input some game commands thru headset microphone instead
of keyboard.