Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!microsoft!kentsu
From: kentsu@microsoft.UUCP (Kent SULLIVAN)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.cbm
Subject: Re: Stereo Sid Players
Message-ID: <70444@microsoft.UUCP>
Date: 4 Feb 91 18:55:55 GMT
References: <1991Feb1.215209.12721@news.nd.edu>
Reply-To: kentsu@microsoft.UUCP (Kent SULLIVAN)
Organization: Microsoft Corp., Redmond WA
Lines: 47

In article <1991Feb1.215209.12721@news.nd.edu> treesh@vangogh.helios.nd.edu writes:
>#1 - What does the MODE commaand do?  When in STEREO MODE or NORMAL MODE
>I see no different in preformance at all.  I get ture stereo in either case
>so long as I have my ADDRESS COMMAND set to $DE00.

When playing true six-voice tunes (comprised of both a .MUS and .STR), you can
leave this set to NORMAL.  I believe the STEREO setting has something to do
with faking stereo sound for 3-voice tunes.

>#2 - The little spot on the screen that shows the notes being played on
>each voice only shows notes comming from my left side, when infact what I
>seem to observe with my ear is that voice 1 comes from both left and right
>and voice two is right only, and voice three is left only.  As for voice
>4 5 and 6, I have no idea?!!!

As far as I know, the "voice meter" is accurate.  What it shows is what it is
playing.  Voices 1-3 are the left side and voices 4-6 are the right side (when
you are using a stereo cartridge or similar device).  Without a stereo cart
you will only hear voices 1-3.
 
>#3 - I have one sid file, its called "Welcome2Jungel.mus" that does show up
>an acutaly six voice output.  How can I tell this '6-voice' file from a
>regular 3-voice file??

The *only* way to have a true six-voice song is for there to be both a .MUS
and a .STR with the same base (root) name.  In other words,
  song.mus
  song.str
indicates a true six-voice tune.  Note that a six-voice song isn't necessarily
stereo.  If both sides are playing exactly the same notes, you don't get any
stereo effect.  Within Stereo Player, it will indicate a six-voice song in
several ways: the string "6-voice" (or something similar) will appear on the
main screen, the band will take a rest while the tune is playing, and a "S"
will appear next to the tune name when it is highlighted in the song list.

>#4 - I have other mus files that indicate that they are six voice compositions
>however, they appear to only be a 3-voice in 'cheep stereo'.

Again, if you are missing the ".STR" then you won't have six voice or true
stereo sound, period.  If you do have the ".STR" then you still might not have
true stereo sound (see #3 above).

Kent Sullivan
Microsoft Corporation

The opinions expressed in this article are my own and do not necessarily
reflect those of my employer.