Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!watdragon!lotus!cjhoward
From: cjhoward@lotus.waterloo.edu (Caleb J. Howard)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: MindLight 7
Keywords: Questions Answered
Message-ID: <10526@watdragon.waterloo.edu>
Date: 20 Dec 88 07:45:13 GMT
Sender: daemon@watdragon.waterloo.edu
Distribution: comp
Lines: 72


I have received many replies to my review of the Mindlight 7
from Visual Aurals.  Some questions asked here are answered.

>Does the software it comes with support using it as a sampler?
>Does it go on the parallel port, have a dedicated card, or what?
>Do they include complete info for writing your own code to use it?
>(Or better yet give source code!)

The software included with the mindlight 7 from Visual Aurals does 
not support using it as a sampler.  It plugs into the second joystick
port directly, or using a cord provided.
They do not give full (or indeed any) documentation on programming,
but on the regestration card was a box to check for technical info.
I'll review said info when I get it.

>This sounds like a lot of fun, particularly if it can do everything
>that Perfect Sound can do, and is only @ $100 more.  (On second thought,
>what can this thing do that Perfect Sound couldn't do with the right
>graphic software?

The Mindlight 7 is a device that analyzes the sound coming in independantly
of the software.  It is very fast, and the software dosen't do the
sound dissection, and can therefore dedicate itself to blowing minds.
I don't know what the perfect sound can do, but unless I miss my guess,
the software does a lot of the sound analysis.

>How well does it multitask?  (Ie, do you think I could run Dr. T's
>and then run my music right through it at the same time)?

I am told in the following that the software is 100% multitasking.

>You both forgot to mention you can load in a picture, display that on
>for or background in different pieces, colors, sound sync., cycling,
>or switch between different pictures in memory and mix it with one of the
>to much to choose from standard objects in the program or with your custom
>brushes or sprites you just loaded.

This creature does billions (literally) of nifty things.  I couldn't begin
to hint at the variety of graphic displays available. 

>The most important thing, you didn't get any sleep for a week, did you ?
>( I didn't ! )

I got little sleep for about a month after getting this intense little
mind buggering creature.
 
>For Europeans on the net, there's a distributor for Europe now:
 
>Allicht av-pr
>Zwanenburgwal 146
>1011JH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
>Phone: +31 (0)20-228653
 
>BTW: Software is 100% MULTITASKING !

Another interesting point.  One of the responses I got to my review
told me that the president of Visual Aurals is none other than the
venerable Dr. Timothy Leary.  After seeing the software, I suspect
his chemical past influenced its creation.

Again, you all owe it to yourselves to at least see this critter
before you die.  It is truly magnificent

Caleb J. Howard
(Absolutely no ties to Visual Aurals, or anything else in California
for that matter.)

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