> A tracker with 2 channels? Ha-ha

Do you know that channels may be software, not hardware?
Is software mixer known for you? All PC trackers have ONLY software channels and mono/stereo hardware output. It's good way for Sprinter.

Alexander Shabarshin (shaos@mail.ru)
NedoPC Project

Deviants used software mixer in the demo of "Thunder". They tested three and two channels with animated graphics. The test with two channels had the best result for game speed. But it is too poor sound for good game, certainly.
So, we should create hardware mixer in PLD in future.

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PETERS PLUS LTD

>Is software mixer known for you?

hardware mixing is always better than software. Is it known for you?

> hardware mixing is always better than software. Is it known for you?

Do you mean analog or digital hardware mixing?
Hi-End analog devices are better, but for thousands bucks cost...


Alexander Shabarshin (shaos@mail.ru)
NedoPC Project

By the way, how many channels you can achieve with software mixing? How many channels you can multiply from two?

> By the way, how many channels you can achieve with software mixing?

4,6,8,16...
we have stereo output, so "logic" channels will add to "physical" channels

> How many channels you can multiply from two?
Do you mean Dolby Surround ???


Alexander Shabarshin (shaos@mail.ru)
NedoPC Project

I mean which number of chnls is ok for still good quality of sound and ok for cpu. (not to overload it)

> I mean which number of chnls is ok for still good quality of sound

depend of another tasks that cpu must do
in Thunder game with excellent graphics only 2 channels used (see above)
but it dosn't mean that channels can't be more for less quality graphics

Alexander Shabarshin (shaos@mail.ru)
NedoPC Project

Well, are there any 8bit ISA sound cards still available outside museums? i.e. is it still worth the effort? And BTW is there a list of 8bit ISA interface cards that come to question for use with the Sprinter?

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by Dementhor on 2002/12/25 18:58.</EM></FONT></P>

The range of "sb-16 compatible" cards all support 8 bit operation in order to facilitate compatibility with older 8 bit soundblaster software. A crummy old vibra16 should be fairly easy to find. I've begun to doubt that there is any advantage to be had, though. The built-in sprinter 16 bit stereo sound is probably better.

Of course, you could get an advantage using an external sound card if irq and dma were available on the sprinter isa port. I don't know if they are, but i've gotten the impression that only the i/o ports on the cards can be utilized.