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Regenerate.
author | Matti Hamalainen <ccr@tnsp.org> |
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date | Sat, 02 Nov 2013 00:11:46 +0200 |
parents | 55e992b016a1 |
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XMMS-SID - Frequently Asked (and other) Questions ================================================= --- Q: How do I change the sub-tune? A: Starting from XMMS-SID 0.8.0, there are several methods for changing the subtune. The default is a pop-up selector which can be summoned by clicking XMMS's song-position slider while a SID-tune is playing. Other methods are available, including support for the XMMS patch used by old versions of XMMS-SID (0.7.x and earlier), refer to XMMS-SID configuration for more information: -> Press <ctrl+p> -> Select "Audio I/O Plugins"-tab -> Choose "XMMS-SID x.y.z [libxmmssid.so]" from the list -> Click "Configure" -> Select "Misc"-tab, Sub-song control There is also a selector in song-information window of XMMS (Press <ctrl+3>) --- Q: So what IS the "SID"? A: "SID" is abbreviation for the sound chip that was used in many of the old 8-bit home computers manufactured by Commodore Business Machines Inc. in 1980's. Best known of those was the Commodore 64 home computer (aka C64 or CBM64, also known as VIC-64 in some countries). The Sound Interface Device (SID) was designed by Bob Yannes and is considered one of the most advanced sound chips of the time. Its capabilities surpassed all of the other chips on the 8-bit home computer market and even most of the ones used in arcade game systems. Thousands of games were produced for C=64 in 1980's and beginning of 1990's, many of them having excellent musical score. Best of those tunes are still regarded as legendary - such as songs by Martin Galway (for games Arkanoid, Green Beret, Yie Ar Kung Fu 1 and 2, Parallax), Rob Hubbard (Commando, Auf Wiedersehen Monty, Monty on the Run, Warhawk, Sanxion, Delta), Ben Daglish (Jack the Nipper 1&2, Way of the Tiger, Cobra, Avenger) and numerous other famous composers. Some of them quit their composing quickly after the 8-bit period, but some are still working in the computer music business. (Including Maniacs of Noise, Chris Huelsbeck; and Charles Deenen who worked with PC RPG game Fallout 1 & 2's musical score.) Today, years after the decline of 8-bit computers, many composers mainly from C64 demoscene continue to compose tunes for SID and get most amazing things out of it -- things that the designers of the SID didn't even imagine to be possible. The SID-chip is based on waveform modulation and synthesis and has only three separate sound channels, but there are tunes that use special techniques to "multiplex" them to sound like four or even six channels. Even with limited number of channels and barely four different basic waveforms (saw, triangle, pulse and noise), SID is able to create most wonderful sounds. Modulation of channels via another, special analog filter (low-, high- and band-pass) add to the capabilities of SID. What is even more amazing, using a certain 'bug' in SID chip's volume control, composers were able to push the limits farther ... Martin Galway's very famous piece on Arkanoid game was one of the first to feature digitized samples of real instruments. Later on speech and more advanced sampling techniques were developed. --- Q: What are "SID-tunes"? A: The "SID-tunes" are files that contain C64 machine code and data that plays the music. These files usually have names ending in .sid, .psid, .dat or .inf. SID-tune players are programs that emulate the SID's capabilities and other parts of C64 hardware to produce almost authentic re- creation of the original music. SID-tune files can be created by ripping the music routines and data from a program (game/demo) or just composing the music with some editor. XMMS-SID is interface and piece of "software glue", that knits together several emulator libraries and XMMS, allowing it to play SID-tunes. --- Q: Where to get SID-tunes? A: There are many collections of SID-tunes on the Internet, but probably the best and best known one is the High Voltage SID Collection aka HVSC. It is available at: http://www.hvsc.c64.org/ HVSC contains the tunes ripped from all legendary C64 games, loaders, etc. And more. There are over 20,000 tunes in the HVSC version 5.3 and more are coming. HVSC also contains the STIL database (SID Tune Information List) that contains lots of information about many of the tunes included in HVSC. XMMS-SID supports the STIL database and info about the selected tune can be viewed with the "XMMS fileinfo" window (CTRL+3). STIL information can contain comments from composers, notice if the tune is a cover and historically interesting facts about games, etc... --- Q: Why the SID-tunes just loop on forever and XMMS does not advance in playlist?! Q: Why there is no length shown for SID-tunes? Q: Why are all tunes same length? A: Above problems come from the fact that SID-tunes are not really files containing music comparable to MP3/Ogg/MOD/etc. A SID-file/tune is actually a piece of program and data, which are executed in emulated system to produce sound. These programs (often called "drivers" or "players") come in various shapes and forms, there are usually not many common factors. While not delving deeply into technology of Commodore 64 computer and it's brethen, there are various ways how such "driver"/"player" can work. The only access points are provided by some extra information in SID-tune file's header, including information how to execute the player inside the emulator, etc. This lengthy explanation is required to understand that there is simply no _direct_ way to know the duration of any SID-tune! There are, however, few _indirect_ ways: - HVSC Song Length Database (SLDB): There exists a database of song-lengths for High Voltage SID Collection. XMMS-SID supports this database, please refer to README for more information. - Maximum and Minimum playtime: These help, when SLDB does not provide a duration for given song. Maximum playtime should be self-explanatory. Minimum playtime may be preferred if the tune's length is very short and there are subtunes. Refer to XMMS-SID's configuration and README for more information. --- Q: Why isn't the sub-song control window skinned? A: Because the XMMS's code for skins is not exported to plugins. And besides, you would need new reworked skin(s) anyway, piecing a skin together from existing components would probably be impossible in most cases. --- Q: When using XMMS-SID with the OpenGL Spectrum Analyzer, the sound becomes distorted! A: This is a known problem and occurs usually with NVidia cards and drivers. It is not directly related to XMMS-SID. With certain combinations of hardware, this problem presents itself with all input-plugins (mp3, mod, ogg..) of XMMS. Workaround: Upgrade or downgrade your NVidia drivers. Try lowering your systemload. Close some unnecessary CPU-consuming applications. Buy faster hardware. --- Q: Can I make my own SID-tunes? How? A: Yes you can. You need a real C64 or emulator like VICE and a composing program. There are many available, I know only few of them: - JCH's editor (search with google) - Cybertracker (http://noname.c64.org/) - GoatTracker (http://covertbitops.c64.org/) Some of the mentioned tools can be found from Lemon's collection which is an excellent place to look for info on games and other Commodore-related software. The URL is: http://www.lemon64.com/ You should also check http://www.c64.com/ Besides the above, you'll need some skill in using the programs and hardware, understanding of music in some level and good ideas for tunes. :) Rest of that is out of the scope of this document, please don't ask me about this. --- Q: XMMS-SID plays some tunes too fast / there are severe playback bugs! A0: Upgrade to later version of GCC, like GCC 4.6 or 5.7 A1: If you are using libSIDPlay2 emulator engine, some SID-tunes in old format (PSIDv1) are not compatible with it anymore and may play too fast or with some other audible glitches. Get new rips of those tunes in PSIDv2NG or RSID format, for example from recent version of HVSC. A2: Generally speaking this might be a bug in emulation-library or some other component. Or it might be in XMMS-SID. Report and I'll see what can be done. --- Q: Some tunes are so short that I don't have time to change sub-tune before XMMS moves on to next song in playlist! A: Enable "Minimum playtime" option in XMMS-SID configuration (Songlength -tab in configuration dialog), which adds silence to end of short tunes and you have more time to change the sub-tune. ---