Index of /knowledgemedia/TRACKERS/MSDOS/TBLAST20
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DEMO.BAT 11-Jun-2003 14:42 1k
LIESMICH 11-Jun-2003 14:42 14k
NEUERUNG.TXT 11-Jun-2003 14:42 6k
TRAK.DAT 11-Jun-2003 14:42 249k
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TRAKINST.EXE 11-Jun-2003 14:42 11k
UNVEILED.MOD 11-Jun-2003 14:42 113k
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TRAKBLASTER 2.0 : Volker Zinke 2:245/33.5 3/91 : 2.0 TRAKBLASTER
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Volker Zinke
Weuenstr. 36
4300 Essen 1
West Germany
Trakblaster 2.0
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general
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Trakblaster is a program which plays
Amiga-Soundtraker/Noisetraker files on IBM computers with a
Soundblaster-card installed. Sound/Noise-trakerfiles store music
with digitized instruments. So it is possible to make music with
interest effects, e.g. speech, singing and so on. Since not the
whole song is digitized the files are relativ small. But this
has a few disadvantages. Since every instrument is digitized
only once but you want to play different notes, the computer has
to calculate the data for every note during the output of the
music. But that's not all. The Soundtraker has up to four
channels which must be calculated independently. Besides that
the computer needs time to calculate one channel for the
Soundblaster from four channels of the soundtraker without a
great loss of quality. There are special effects such as
sliding, independent volume control for all channels and
instruments, loop-function for instruments, changing in speed
during output, jumping around the patterns and so on. All this
must be calculated by the computer. Last but not least there
must be a perfect timing to avoid distortion in music output.
The "Paula"-Chip in the Amiga do many of the work described
above. Since on IBM PCs there doesn't exist such a chip all the
work has to be done by the CPU. The Soundblaster card only
manage the moving of the calculated data from memory to the
card. So it is clear that this problem can only be solved in
pure assembler. The development of this program takes many weeks
with testing, comparing and experimenting. Many days are lost
with optimizing the program and speed it up to manage the needed
timing. The result of many crashes, whole nights programmed
through and hours of telefoning through the land is trakblaster.
A program which can play soundtraker-files directly from the
Amiga without the need to convert it. All functions of the
Soundtraker are implemented.
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hardware requirements
-----------------------
Unfortunately I couldn't prevent the use of some special
commands which some CPUs can't handle. So the program does not
run on 8086/88 CPUs. With V20/V30 or 80186/286 and higher CPUs
there should be no problems. But I think that XTs with 8086/88
CPUs are to slow to run the program anyway. Also the program
requires between 50 and 110k Ram by itself and about 100-400k
Ram for the Soundtraker-Modules dependend on their length.
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comments
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Lest the program does not mould on my computer, I decide to
give it as public domain to the rest of the world. So there is
no need to register it. Nevertheless I'll be happy about any
appreciation. Everyone who like the program and want to reward
the work and time to develop it can do this by sending a little
fee. Those of you sending 20,- DM (about 15$) cash or as a check
and give his mail- address together with his type of disk and
current version in use, I'll be sending the newest Version
together with about 15 other Soundtraker-Musikfiles. Those of
you sending 60,- DM (about 45$), I'll be sending my great
music-file-collection of over 10 MByte data and over 150 songs.
Of course, there are no limits of appreciation :-) But I'll
be happy also about any smaller appreciation and I think that
this could spur on the development of this software (such as
playing in the background, use it in own programms or just a
composer to make songs by own).
The program is public domain and you can copy it to your
friends as long as the whole package is in his original form
and the program leaves unchanged. Also the program does not be
used for commercial use without my permission.
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installation
--------------
To intall Trakblast all Files must be in one direcotry. Now
start TRAKINST and answer the few questions. Now TRAKINST will
make a file called TRAK.EXE in the current directory. This is
the only program you need from now on and which plays the
Sountrackerfiles.
Here are some hints on answering the questions:
If you own a 6 Mhz 286, you answer all questions about graphics
with "no" and choose the normal samplingrate. If you own a 486
or a faster system answer all questions with "yes" and choose
high samplingrate. If the speed of your system lies between the
above systems, read the following hints:
You have the possibility of choosing different graphic-parts.
This is only possible if you own a VGA-card. If not, answer all
questions about graphics with "no". On the other hand every
graphic-part needs calculationtime of the CPU. Another point is
the samplingrate. If you choose the high samplingrate output can
be much better but you need very much time to calculate the
outputdata. Here are some hints on answering the questions
depending on the system you have:
6 Mhz 286 : all graphics off and normal samplingrate
10 Mhz 286 : all graphics off and high samplingrate
12 Mhz 286 : realtime oscilloscope normal samplingrate
20 Mhz 286 Neat : 2 graphicoptions and normal samplingrate
25 Mhz 386 : all graphics on and normal samplingrate or
2 graphicoptions and high samplingrate
25 Mhz 486 cache: all graphics on and high samplingrate
These are only suggestions. Just experiment on your own since it
depends on the speed off your graphic-card. Just listen to a few
songs. If it plays not right your computer is not fast enough to
run the choosen configuration.
-----------------
using trakblast
-----------------
The use of Trakblast ist very simple. Just run TRAK.EXE together
with the name of the file you want to play.
TRAK SONG1.MOD or
TRAK F:\SONGS\SONG2.MOD
It is important to type the complete name of the music-file
including the extension. Only if the extension is ".MOD" you
don't need to type it.
During the output of the music you can break it with the ESC- or
ENTER-Key. Whith the gray '+' and '-' key you can listen fast
forwared or backward through the song. Errors in the
graphic-output in this case is normal.
Problems can occur on 386 with programs running in the protected
mode just as many extended/expanded memory manager do. The
output is not clean and constant. This is 'cause the DMA-output
is not very constant in this mode.
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projects
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First of all thanks to all people supporting trakblast. Due to
this fact trakblast 2.0 exist. The comming project is a composer
enabling you to create and compose your own songs in
trakblast-quality. It is comming in the middle of the year.
If there are any problems or questions you can write it to me
using Fido/Opus Netmail to 2:245/33.5 Volker Zinke.
I hope you enjoy the program and the whole work and time to
develop it was not for nothing :-)
Volker Zinke