Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!watdragon!lotus!cjhoward
From: cjhoward@lotus.waterloo.edu (Caleb J. Howard)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: mindlight 7
Keywords: review
Message-ID: <10393@watdragon.waterloo.edu>
Date: 12 Dec 88 20:44:37 GMT
Sender: daemon@watdragon.waterloo.edu
Lines: 65

Well, I've had a fairly large number of people ask me
about the Mindlight 7 animation light show thingy, so
I guess that it's about time for me to write a review
of the critter.  Here goes:

About a year ago, I read an article in one of my various
computer magazines (p68 Amazing Computing Vol 3 #2)
that described a device called the "Mindlight 7" which 
picked up ambient sound, or took stereo input directly
and analyzed it in real time, passing the description
of the sound to the amiga.  The accompanying software
then produced a dazzling visual display to the beat of
the music reminiscent of the light organs of the seventies.
I was intrigued, and endeavoured to find one in the stores.
Well, the bugger was hard to find, and so eventually I
mail ordered one from the company, Visual Aurals.
After a suprisingly short wait, the thing showed up in
the mail.  I dashed home and hooked it up, following
the excellent instructions in the 122 page manual.
After only about five minutes, I was seeing things that
I just could not believe.  The only thing that I can use 
to compare it to is a laser light show.  In one of its
simpler modes, I had it drawing Spiro-graph patterns to
the beat of Pink Floyd in cycling colours.  The colours
cycled in alternating directions with each peak in the
sound.  The pallette that was being used was itself being
modified according to some variation in the music.  I was
tickled, to say the least.  Since then, I have become more
adept with the thing, to the point where a friend of mine
offered me quite a reasonable sum for a videotape I made
with the thing of The Dark Side of the Moon.
I am a student (starving, yes), and I have absolutely no
regrets whatsoever about spending the money on it.  The
hardware alone is quite a powerful sound analysis peripheral.
My only problem with the device is the fact that about four
times out of five when I start up the software it asks me
to turn up the gain controls.  The requestor dosen't go
away ever, and eventually the software times out and exits.
This is irritating, but I would put up with much, much more
for the oppertunity to use this wonderful device and, more
especially the accompanying software.  I want each and every
one of you to rush out to your amiga dealer and demand to
know why this, the greatest of peripherals, is not being
stocked, and to demand that it be on the shelves within
the week.  In the meantime, send a certified cheque or money-
order for $179.00 US to

Visual Aural Animations
P.O. Box 4898
Arcata, CA 95521

And see the real reason you love computers.

Believe it or not, I have absolutely nothing to do with the company.
I don't know anybody who is connected in any way with the company.
I just bought their product, and am very, very happy with it.

By the way, I don't KNOW that the people at Visual Aurals play
with mind scarring toxins, but I have my suspicions.

Caleb J. Howard
--
Caleb J. Howard         | "I may be going to hell in a bucket,
University of Waterloo  |  but at least I'm enjoying the ride."