Full Source code now available at http://www.dnull.com/zebraresearch ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SPLAYIT v1.00 02-24-92 ------------- S P L A Y I T ------------------------------------- version 1.00 Digital Sound Point and Shoot Player ------------------------------------ for the Public Domain by Zebra Research Code by John L. Sokol ****************************************************************************** * * * More sound files are availible * * * * on Turbo Sys BBS (415)365-7491 2400 N/8/1 * * * ****************************************************************************** A Little History... ------------------- June 8, 1991 Zebra Research becomes a real company by offering it's first product "Audio Byte", a digital sound playback dongle for the IBM PC Parallel Port. The release was warmly welcomed by local buyers interested in digital sound on the PC. The package included "SPLAY", playback software and more than 2 megs of sound. Our Promise to you.... --------------- Zebra Research promises to keep version of "SPLAYIT" in the PUBLIC DOMAIN with every commercial release it produces. The idea is to make available to those that wish to explore digital audio, an interactive tool, which might not normally be available. Who can use this Software.. --------------------------- This Software is available for use to any person or organization without restrictions, so long as it is not disassembled, reversed engineered or otherwise tampered with. Restrictions... --------------- This software may not be sold by any person or organization, except as a copying fee provided to companies whose primary business is copying of PUBLIC DOMAIN SOFWARE or SHAREWARE. You must supply this and any other documents included, to any one requesting a copy. You can not include this software with any computer hardware, except this the prior written permission of ZEBRA RESEARCH. User Support... --------------- User Support is limited to questions via electronic mail and direct calls to Zebra Research. Call us to get your digital sound questions answered. ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; SPLAYIT v1.00 02-24-92 by ZERBRA RESEARCH Code by John L. Sokol Documentation by Jesse Monroy Jr. How to it works? ---------------- SPLAYIT is is a point and shoot front end for our SPLAY and SPLAYER. It is a full screen utility with mouse and keyboard support. It is designed so that individual sound clips can be played back with minimal effort. Each sound file's playback (sampled) rate can be determined either by a filename extension convention or by a table of the stored playback (sample) rates ((more below)). This program was written as an example on how to use our product AUDIO BYTE and SPLAY. Far below I will discuss the procedure on how to program using AUDIO BYTE and SPLAY. This program is written entirely in Borland's Turbo Pascal and is both powerful and compact. The features include: .Wide range of playback and sample rates 5-44 kHz. .Supports all IBM PC types (8086,80x86). .Supports all standard IBM PC monitors. .Supports both mouse and keyboard commands. .Accepts most all PCM(1) sound formats (Sound Blaster-VOC,Macintosh,Amiga,SGI,etc.). .Uses the PC's own internal speaker(2). (1) PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) is a very common method for storing analog signals (like sound) to digital format. (2) Some Laptops use Piezo buzzered, they don't work like a speaker, so they sound scratchy (actually, horibble). What you'll NEED ---------------- You will need an IBM PC computer (or compatible) with an internal speaker. We recommend at least an AT-PC (286) machine with a clock speed of about 10MHz or better. You may also want one of our AUDIO BYTES to playback sound thru the printer port(LPT1). A monitor of some sort, MDA, CGA, EGA, or VGA, would be nice. We also recommend a Hard Disk and, of course, the more memory the better. SPLAY does a superior job of playing back sound on the old (4MHz) IBM PCs than SPLAYER can. I strongly recommend an Audio Byte over the internal speaker. NOTE: SPLAY and SPLAYER do work on the old (4MHz) IBM PCs, but on the higher sample rates it may not sound correct. What you should know... ----------------------- You should know how to use the arrow keys and a mouse. If you are not familar with using the arrow keys or a mouse I can not really help you, that would take much more time and space than is available. Doing Something with SPLAYIT ---------------------------- Just below is a view of the optimum usage for SPLAYIT. Explaining the usage of it can be more lengthy than would really be helpful, my best suggestion is to play (no pun intended) with SPLAYIT and then you will best be familiar with it. You may use SPLAYIT with or without a mouse. For the purpose of this discussion the screen is broken into left and right half. I will also summarize the keyboard buttons at the end for clarity. 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� 1st � ZEBRA RESEARCH LOGO � 2nd � Filename | speed | Size � 3rd � .. Directory Speed database found � 4th � COX Directory � 5th � JOHN Directory Output to use � 6th � SPLAYER Directory Autodetect � 7th � DARTH .M11 11000 Hz 214 K � 8th � RAIDERS .M11 11000 Hz 61 K � 9th � ----------------------------- Click here to end � � ----------------------------- � � ----------------------------- � � � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� The LEFT HALF ------------- The second line from the top is just a label. The third line with the two dots is an active object, just click on it twice with your mouse pointer and you will change to that directory. The fourth through sixth line are directory up in the directory tree and can be accessed also by clicking on them twice also with the mouse pointer. The Seventh and Eight line are sound files and are a bit more complex in nature, so I will skip them for just a second. The Ninth line is a seires of dashes and is there just to take up space. They do nothing. The SEVENTH and EIGHT lines again... ------------------------------------ is what you want to know about, so lets take it slow and use just the seventh line for an example. The first part of the line, the filename, is active and clicking on it twice with the mouse pointer will activate either SPLAY or SPLAYER to play that sound file at the speed indicated to the left of the filename. The second part of the line, the playback speed, is active also but acts differently depending on which key you press. Press the left mouse button and the playback speed will increase thru all the possible combinations available to SPLAY and SPLAYER. Press the right mouse button and the playback speed decrease. 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� 1st � ZEBRA RESEARCH LOGO � 1st 2nd � Filename | speed | Size � 2nd 3rd � .. Directory Speed database found � 3rd 4th � COX Directory � 4th 5th � JOHN Directory Output to use � 5th 6th � SPLAYER Directory Autodetect � 6th 7th � DARTH .M11 11000 Hz 214 K � 7th 8th � RAIDERS .M11 11000 Hz 61 K � 8th 9th � ----------------------------- Click here to end � 9th � ----------------------------- � � ----------------------------- � � � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� The RIGHT HALF -------------- The Third line from the top is a message to you from the program saying that it found the Speed datatbase for the sound files in that directory (more about the database later). The Fifth line is a label for the sixth line. The Sixth line is the type of device specified for playback. Your choice are limited by the sound playback program you have. If you only have SPLAYER then only the internal speaker will be used. If you have SPLAY then SPLAYIT will use the printer ports for sound output also. The Auto-port-detect is an exclusive feature of AUDIO BYTE and SPLAY. To use it just plug it in to your printer port and ......SPLAYIT. AUTODETECT is the default port when you have SPLAY. Line nine is one of the exit button when you have a mouse, if you don't have a mouse use the key. 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� � ZEBRA RESEARCH LOGO � 1st � Filename | speed | Size � 2nd � .. Directory Speed database found � 3rd � COX Directory � 4th � JOHN Directory Output to use � 5th � SPLAYER Directory Autodetect � 6th � DARTH .M11 11000 Hz 214 K � 7th � RAIDERS .M11 11000 Hz 61 K � 8th � ----------------------------- Click here to end � 9th � ----------------------------- � � ----------------------------- � � � 읕컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Using the keyboard with SPLAYIT ------------------------------- If you have a numeric keypad on your keyboard and SPLAY you should be able to do everthing available to SPLAYIT. Pressing the UP-ARROW will move the selection bar to the next directory. Pressing the DOWN-ARROW will move the selection bar to the selection just below the current one. or Hit the RETURN (or ENTER) key while an item is selected will play the sound file. Use the LEFT-ARROW key on the numeric keypad to increase the playback speed on a selected file. Use the RIGHT-ARROW key on the numeric keypad to decrease the speed. PAGE-UP is useful when there is more than one page of sound file to play. PAGE-DOWN will move the selection bar down to the bottom of the page or to the last filename on the page which ever is closest. or END or ESCape will exit the program.

"P" toggle the playback port to use (includes the printer port used with AUDIO BYTE, not include in PD release) SPLAY vs SPLAYER ---------------- The best way to see differences side by side. SPLAY SPLAYER ------------ ------------ user interface exactly the same for both ease of use exactly the same for both program size about the same for both sound format can play exactly the same for both sound resolution(1) 8-bits 6-bits theoretical Db(2) 48 Db 36 Db sound quality SUPERIOR OK playback equipment AUDIO BYTE PC internal speaker minimum PC setup(3) 4Mhz IBM PC 6MHz IBM AT (type) equipment OK(4) ALL IBM PCs MOST ALL PCs fast machine OK(5) SURE MOST ALL intended use Commercial Package Public Domain cost $39.95 FREE-PD junk mail?(6) NEVER IMPOSSIBLE (1) SPLAYER uses 6-bits to determine it's algorigthm, but the actual number bits use on ANY internal speaker playback program is TWO. (This is a bit technical.) (2) ANY internal speaker program has a theoretical SIGNAL-to-NOISE ratio of 36DB, at it's very best. (3) The comparison was done using an 11Khz sample sound file. SPLAY will run on an old (4MHz) PC, but we reccommend a higher perfoming machine. (4) SPLAYER does not run well on PC-JRs, 4MHz PCs, and LAPTOPs with piezo speakers. (5) Even Sound Blaster Pro has problems with fast 386's and 486's, AUDIO BYTE and SPLAY don't have any problems at all with fast machines. (6) Some companyes will sell your name to junk mailers to make some extra cash, unless you want junk mail WE PROMISE NEVER TO SELL YOUR NAME. PROGRAMING for SPLAY -------------------- SPLAY and SPLAYER work exactly the same, so will refer to both by the name of SPLAY in this discussion. There are two basic ways to use SPLAY. One, is to use it in a batch file, this is the easiest. The second way to program SPLAY is to call as an external program from another program. Batch programing ---------------- Here is a quick and dirty example: @echo off ; turn off the screen prompt CLS ; Clear the screen type welcome.ans ; display a color screen SPLAY welcome.m22 ; play a cheerful tune echo hit a key ; prompt the user for a key stroke pause ; wait for the keyboard :END ; label to mark the end of the batch This example was a bit short, but I think clear. SPLAY does its work quietly, so it will not mess up any messages that you have displayed previously. IT has auto-port-detect so you won't ever have to guess which port you plugged you AUDIO BYTE into. SPLAY is very small (about 3K) so memory should never be a problem. Child process (or EXEC) ----------------------- This a short discussion for normal sound program algorithms. For more information see the SPLAYIT source code. 1) - check for presences of external retrictors (DeskView, GeoWorks, or MS-Windows) These types of applications have a tendency to steal time from sound program... so they may not even work with them reliably 2) - resize memory Use DOS call int 21h function 4ah to reduce you memory overhead, so you can load a big a sound file as possible. 3) - close any unwanted files Open files rob memory space, close them as soon as possible. 4) - set up pointers to enviroment tables (call path directly if no table) Check your Programers' Reference for DOS int 21h Function 4Bh or for and EXEC process or a Child Proces. 5) - set up inheritance flags Most of upper level languages (like C or PASCAL) have a limiter flags to setup, so you can limit any excess information you may not want to pass to an external program. 6) - know the parameters your are using If you need to change the default parameters to SPLAY (like the speed) have a table or array ready so you can insert the parameter in your calling string. 7) - check for network presence when calling (or use compatiblity mode) Most people will never have to worry about this point but, if you plan to use SPLAY at work (let's say) not check for file lock may bomb your program. 8) - play your sound sample At this point most anything would need to have done is done, so, just play the sound sample back. 9) - ALL DONE When SPLAY is done the program should continune on the following line, just as if you called a subroutine. LAST, but not Least... ---------------------- SPLAYIT, in order to facilitate it's use may keep a speed database associate with each directoty that it uses files from. To determine the playback speed for a sound file SPLAYIT will look at the file's extension name. Upon exiting the program (or changing directories) SPLAYIT will update the database from any changes you may have made. The name of the database is SPEEDS.TXT (more about it later). Here is how the database associates: M44 will default to a speed of 44,000 Hz M22 .......................... 22,000 Hz M16 16,000 Hz M11 -------------------------- 11,000 Hz M8 8,000 Hz M7 .......................... 7,000 Hz M55 5,500 Hz SND will default to unknown VOC will default to unknown An example would be DARTH.M11 this sound sample would default to a playback speed of 11KHz, unless you change it, in which case it would save your new playback speed when you exited SPLAYIT. SPEEDS.TXT ---------- Quickly, here is the database format. It simply a text file with the filename on one line, follow on the next line by the "S" (speed) parameter needed to play it back at the speed requested. Here is an example. DARTH .M11 4 MUSHROOM.M11 3 The commandline verions for each file would look like this. C> SPLAY -s4 DARTH.M11 SPLAY will playback the sound file DARTH.M11 at 11KHz. C> SPLAY -s3 MUSHROOM.M11 SPLAY will playback the sound file MUSHROOM.M11 at 13.5KHz. THAT'S IT --------- Don't be afraid to call or write if I have made any misspellings or errrors while documenting SPLAYIT. ALSO, if anything is unclear, do call, after all this is our business. A N D T H A N K S A N D P L E A S E T R Y O U R A U D I O B Y T E ****************************************************************************** * * * More sound files are availible * * * * on Turbo Sys BBS (415)365-7491 2400 N/8/1 * * * ****************************************************************************** For MORE HELP, upgrades, registration, or additional sound files. Contact : Zebra Research modem (415)365-7491 --- Turbo Sys BBS 2400bps 8/N/1 { NEW, also check out the public domain software that run with } { our sound adapter, MODPLAY and PLAY (sound editor). } US mail: Zebra Research P.O. BOX 5716 Redwood City, Ca. 94063