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Updated and improved documentation
author Matti Hamalainen <ccr@tnsp.org>
date Fri, 03 Oct 2003 03:14:00 +0000
parents 66f8d711cb95
children c8f97c889f55
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79:b3e17bb32b21 80:7047a6390b08
1 XMMS-SID - Frequently Asked (and other) Questions 1 XMMS-SID - Frequently Asked (and other) Questions
2 ================================================= 2 =================================================
3 3
4 - So what IS the SID and/or what are SID-tunes? 4 - So what IS the "SID"?
5 - Where to get SID tunes? 5 - What are "SID-tunes"?
6 - Where to get SID-tunes?
6 - Why isn't the sub-song control window skinnable? 7 - Why isn't the sub-song control window skinnable?
7 - When using XMMS-SID with the OpenGL Spectrum Analyzer, 8 - When using XMMS-SID with the OpenGL Spectrum Analyzer,
8 - Can I make my own SIDs??? How?? 9 the sound becomes distorted!
10 - Can I make my own SID-tunes??? How??
9 - XMMS-SID plays some tune badly! 11 - XMMS-SID plays some tune badly!
10 - What about SIDPlay 1 & 2 support?
11 12
12 >--- 13 >---
13 14
14 Q: So what IS the SID and/or what are SID-tunes? 15 Q: So what IS the "SID"?
15 16
16 A: SID is abbreviation for the sound chip that was used in many 17 A: "SID" is abbreviation for the sound chip that was used in many
17 of the old 8-bit home computers manufactured by Commodore Inc. 18 of the old 8-bit home computers manufactured by Commodore Business
18 in 1980's. Best known of those was the Commodore 64 home computer 19 Machines Inc. in 1980's. Best known of those was the Commodore
19 (aka C64 or CBM64, also known as VIC-64 in some countries). 20 64 home computer (aka C64 or CBM64, also known as VIC-64 in
21 some countries).
20 22
21 The Sound Interface Device (SID), based on waveform modulation 23 The Sound Interface Device (SID) was designed by Bob Yannes and
22 and synthesis, was designed by Bob Yannes and is considered 24 is considered one of the most advanced sound chips at the time.
23 one of the most advanced sound chips at the time.
24
25 It's capabilities surpassed all of the other chips on the 8-bit 25 It's capabilities surpassed all of the other chips on the 8-bit
26 home computer market and even most of the ones used in arcade 26 home computer market and even most of the ones used in arcade
27 game systems. Thousands of games were produced for C=64 in 27 game systems. Thousands of games were produced for C=64 in
28 1980's and beginning of 1990's, many of them having excellent 28 1980's and beginning of 1990's, many of them having excellent
29 musical score. 29 musical score.
37 after the 8-bit period, but some are still working in the computer 37 after the 8-bit period, but some are still working in the computer
38 music business. (Including Maniacs of Noise, Chris Huelsbeck, 38 music business. (Including Maniacs of Noise, Chris Huelsbeck,
39 Richard Joseph and Charles Deenen who worked with Fallout 1 & 2's 39 Richard Joseph and Charles Deenen who worked with Fallout 1 & 2's
40 musical score) 40 musical score)
41 41
42 Today, years after the 'decline' of 8-bit computers, many composers 42 Today, years after the decline of 8-bit computers, many composers
43 (mainly from C64 demoscene) continue to compose tunes for SID and 43 mainly from C64 demoscene, continue to compose tunes for SID and
44 get most amazing things out of it -- things that the designers of 44 get most amazing things out of it -- things that the designers of
45 the SID didn't even imagine. 45 the SID didn't even imagine.
46 46
47 For example: SID has only three sound channels, but there are tunes
48 that use special techniques to "multiplex" them to sound like four
49 or even six channels. Also these three channels are "limited" to
50 synthesized sounds, kind like the FM sounds produced by old Sound
51 Blaster cards on PC. But again, using a certain 'bug' in SID chip,
52 composers were able to push the limits farther ... Martin Galway's
53 very famous piece on Arkanoid game was the "first" (later it has
54 been proven that Chris Huelsbeck's Bad Cat was the first but was
55 released later) to feature DIGITIZED SAMPLES like speech, etc.
56 47
57 ... 48 The SID-chip is based on waveform modulation and synthesis and has
49 only three separate sound channels, but there are tunes that use
50 special techniques to "multiplex" them to sound like four or even
51 six channels. Even with limited number of channels and barely four
52 different basic waveforms (saw, triangle, pulse and noise), SID is
53 able to create most wonderful sounds. Modulation of channels via
54 another, special analog filter (low-, high- and band-pass) add
55 to the capabilities of SID.
58 56
59 The "SID tunes" are usually understood to be the files that contain 57 What is even more amazing, using a certain 'bug' in SID chip's volume
60 the C64 machine code and data that plays the music. SID players (or 58 control, composers were able to push the limits farther ...
61 emulators) are programs that emulate the SID chip capabilities and 59 Martin Galway's very famous piece on Arkanoid game was one of the
62 other parts of C64 hardware to produce almost authentic re-creation 60 first to feature DIGITIZED SAMPLES like real instruments and speech.
63 of the original music. SID-files (aka SID tunes) can be created by
64 ripping the music routines and data from some game or just composing
65 the music with some editor.
66
67 XMMS-SID is interface for one of those emulators, libSIDPlay by
68 Michael Schwendt.
69
70 61
71 >--- 62 >---
72 63
73 Q: Where to get SID tunes? 64 Q: What are "SID-tunes"?
74 65
75 A: There are many collections of SID tunes on the Internet, but 66 A: The "SID-tunes" are files that contain C64 machine code and data
67 that plays the music. SID-tune players are programs that emulate
68 the SID chip capabilities and other parts of C64 hardware to
69 produce almost authentic re-creation of the original music.
70 SID-tunes can be created by ripping the music routines and data
71 from some game or just composing the music with some editor.
72
73 XMMS-SID is interface, a piece of "software glue", that puts together
74 several emulator libraries and XMMS allowing play of SID-tunes via
75 XMMS's interface.
76
77 >---
78
79 Q: Where to get SID-tunes?
80
81 A: There are many collections of SID-tunes on the Internet, but
76 probably the best one and best known one is the High Voltage 82 probably the best one and best known one is the High Voltage
77 SID Collection aka HVSC. 83 SID Collection aka HVSC.
78 84
79 It is available at: http://hvsc.c64.org/ 85 It is available at: http://hvsc.c64.org/
80 86
81 HVSC contains the tunes ripped from all legendary C64 games, 87 HVSC contains the tunes ripped from all legendary C64 games,
82 loaders, etc. And more. There are over 15,000 tunes in the 88 loaders, etc. And more. There are over 20,660 tunes in the
83 HVSC version 4.0 and more are coming. HVSC also contains the 89 HVSC version 5.3 and more are coming. HVSC also contains the
84 STIL database (SID Tune Information List) that contains lots 90 STIL database (SID Tune Information List) that contains lots
85 of information about many of the tunes included in HVSC. 91 of information about many of the tunes included in HVSC.
86 XMMS-SID supports the STIL database and info about the selected 92 XMMS-SID supports the STIL database and info about the selected
87 tune can be viewed with the "XMMS fileinfo" window (CTRL+3). 93 tune can be viewed with the "XMMS fileinfo" window (CTRL+3).
88 STIL information can contain comments from composers, notice 94 STIL information can contain comments from composers, notice
100 and I'm not interested, at least for now. 106 and I'm not interested, at least for now.
101 107
102 >--- 108 >---
103 109
104 Q: When using XMMS-SID with the OpenGL Spectrum Analyzer, 110 Q: When using XMMS-SID with the OpenGL Spectrum Analyzer,
105 the sound becomes distorted!
106 111
107 A: This is a known problem and occurs usually with NVidia 112 A: This is a known problem and occurs usually with NVidia
108 cards and drivers. It is not directly related to XMMS-SID. 113 cards and drivers. It is not directly related to XMMS-SID.
109 114
110 With certain combinations of hardware, this problem presents 115 With certain combinations of hardware, this problem presents
114 Try lowering your systemload. Close some unnecessary 119 Try lowering your systemload. Close some unnecessary
115 CPU-consuming applications. Buy faster hardware. 120 CPU-consuming applications. Buy faster hardware.
116 121
117 >--- 122 >---
118 123
119 Q: Can I make my own SIDs??? How?? 124 Q: Can I make my own SID-tunes??? How??
120 125
121 A: Yes you can. You need a real C64 or emulator like VICE and 126 A: Yes you can. You need a real C64 or emulator like VICE and
122 a composing program. There are many available, I know only 127 a composing program. There are many available, I know only
123 few of them: 128 few of them:
124 129
147 A: Please read file "README.bugreport". In general this might be a bug 152 A: Please read file "README.bugreport". In general this might be a bug
148 in emulation-library or some other component. Or it might be in 153 in emulation-library or some other component. Or it might be in
149 XMMS-SID. Report and I'll see what can be done. 154 XMMS-SID. Report and I'll see what can be done.
150 155
151 >--- 156 >---
152
153 Q: What about SIDPlay 1 & 2 support? I saw some screenshots from 0.8beta
154 that had selectable support for v1 and v2 in the configuration!
155
156 A: The runtime selection in betas 0-4 was based on patched libsidplay2
157 that changed the namespace to not to clash with libsidplay1. I don't
158 think it is worth of the trouble because a) it would break other apps
159 using libsidplay2 unless the patched version was statically linked to
160 XMMS-SID and b) I would have to manually create the patches for every
161 libsidplay2 update. Too much work, so it's not going to happen.
162
163 Only "feasible" (but also not worth of the trouble) way to achieve
164 runtime-selectable support would be to create a dynamic plugin-
165 architechture into XMMS-SID to on-demand load support for emulation
166 engine(s). I might do this if you are willing to pay 2000 EUR for it :-P
167
168 >---