# HG changeset patch # User Matti Hamalainen # Date 1092842585 0 # Node ID 6117c326cc3e323e8d8351ed8fc1ea7519d4462e # Parent c7b5120c53c849c07f581238bb10b3dd572c3b79 Updated documentation diff -r c7b5120c53c8 -r 6117c326cc3e FAQ --- a/FAQ Wed Aug 18 09:01:05 2004 +0000 +++ b/FAQ Wed Aug 18 15:23:05 2004 +0000 @@ -14,9 +14,10 @@ for more information: -> Press - -> Audio I/O Plugins -tab - -> Select XMMS-SID, press "Configure" - -> Misc -tab, Sub-song control + -> 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 ) @@ -65,21 +66,25 @@ 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 like real instruments and speech. + 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 like real instruments and + speech. --- Q: What are "SID-tunes"? A: The "SID-tunes" are files that contain C64 machine code and data - that plays the music. SID-tune players are programs that emulate - the SID chip capabilities and other parts of C64 hardware to - produce almost authentic re-creation of the original music. - SID-tunes can be created by ripping the music routines and data - from some game or just composing the music with some editor. + 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, a piece of "software glue", that pieces together several emulator libraries and XMMS, allowing it to @@ -90,13 +95,13 @@ Q: Where to get SID-tunes? A: There are many collections of SID-tunes on the Internet, but - probably the best one and best known one is the High Voltage + probably the best and best known one is the High Voltage SID Collection aka HVSC. It is available at: http://hvsc.c64.org/ HVSC contains the tunes ripped from all legendary C64 games, - loaders, etc. And more. There are over 20,660 tunes in the + 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. @@ -109,6 +114,46 @@ --- +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 simulated + audio. + + 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 PSID-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 diff -r c7b5120c53c8 -r 6117c326cc3e INSTALL --- a/INSTALL Wed Aug 18 09:01:05 2004 +0000 +++ b/INSTALL Wed Aug 18 15:23:05 2004 +0000 @@ -114,5 +114,21 @@ $ make install-user -If everything went as supposed, try restarting XMMS and go play -with your shiny new XMMS-SID-plugin! :-) +Assuming all went correctly, XMMS-SID should now be installed. +You should now start or re-start XMMS and configure XMMS-SID's +various options. + + +Post-installation configuration +=============================== +To gain full advantages of using XMMS-SID, you need to configure it. +XMMS-SID can be configured just like any other XMMS plugin, in XMMS +do as follows: + + -> Press + -> Select "Audio I/O Plugins"-tab + -> Choose "XMMS-SID x.y.z [libxmmssid.so]" from the list + -> Click "Configure" + +Please refer to README for more information about configuration. + diff -r c7b5120c53c8 -r 6117c326cc3e README --- a/README Wed Aug 18 09:01:05 2004 +0000 +++ b/README Wed Aug 18 15:23:05 2004 +0000 @@ -12,10 +12,8 @@ ================== XMMS-SID is a plugin for XMMS (X MultiMedia System) which provides support for playing Commodore 64 "SID tunes", which are music -from old Commodore computer programs like games, demos, etc. +from old Commodore computer software including games, demos, etc. -For the actual playing, XMMS-SID supports numerous emulator -engines, including the excellent libSIDPlay v1 and v2. Installation requirements and recommendations @@ -23,8 +21,8 @@ Refer to file "INSTALL" for information about what XMMS-SID requires, where to get those required packages and how to install. -Some words on which emulation library you should select - it depends -somewhat on your system and personal preferences. +Some words on which emulation library you should choose to install +and use - it depends somewhat on your system and personal preferences. - libSIDPlay v1: This is the old SIDPlay v1 emulation library. Its