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Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!psuvax1!psuvm!mmk102
From: MMK102@psuvm.psu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.games.misc,comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: New sound board (Soundblaster/Adlib compatible)
Message-ID: <91037.094240MMK102@psuvm.psu.edu>
Date: 6 Feb 91 14:42:40 GMT
References: <1991Feb3.224127.18285@beach.csulb.edu>
 <1991Feb4.020629.7563@d.cs.okstate.edu> <6082@mahendo.Jpl.Nasa.Gov>
 <12311.27ae7e5c@ecs.umass.edu>
Organization: Penn State University
Lines: 23

Just a note on Disney's Sound Box. This idea hase been around for years
and years. The device is just an 8 bit D/A converter with very little
logic what-so-ever. The program just dumps the DIGITIZED sound to the
printer port and the D/A does the rest. I made one for my computer for
about $13 two years ago. The problem with these type of devices is
the massive amounts of data that must be dumped to the printer port
to get any type of sound (8K / second for ONE voice - or about that).
OK - here is what all this means. 1. The computer does no "musical"
work except dump the data to a printer port. 2. The music/voice/sounds
can be as complex or as simple as Disney wants. 3. The sound will
take up more disk space that Windows 3.0 (for anything real complex)
NOTE - This might not be a factor if a game needs 5 or 6 sounds all
about 0.5 seconds long. 4. There might be copyright problems with
a company called Covox who has been selling this product for years
now.
    All in all, Disney's device will sound as good as a mono SB, if
someone takes the time to program the sounds correctly (8 bit D/A
sounds pretty good). Good luck to Disney.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Kercsmar                        |     GO
MMK102 @ PSUVM (BitNet)                 |       Speed Racer
mmk102 @ psuvm.psu.edu (Internet)       |                  GO!
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