News:  February 28 - March 5, 2000

Sunday, March 05, 2000

Optical Digital i/o 2 now available in US and Canada - Mikael @ 06:14 EST

The new Optical Digital i/o card that has been available for a few months in Europe is now available in US and Canada. You can buy it for $59 directly from Creative Labs.

Saturday, March 04, 2000

ADA885 review - Mikael @ 19:36 EST

No full review of this THX certified Dolby Digital 4.1 (phantom center) system but a post in our forum snipped out Gamespot's impression of the ADA885 system from their review of the Dell XPS 800B. I'm too lazy to find the review at Gamespot so just check out the bit in the forum.

JHexen review - Mikael @ 19:31 EST

Not a full review but if you wonder if it's worth the download you can check out a post in our forum by Juanlo where he tell you about his first impressions of the Graphics and sound (the A3D 3.0 part). I have not tried it yet but you download it from the official JHexen site

Half-Life: Opposing Force Demo - Mark @ 12:04 EST

Half-Life: Opposing Force is the official game expansion for the A3D 2.0 with wavetracing and DS3D with EAX supporting Half-Life. In Opposing Force, players return to the Black Mesa Research Facility to experience an entirely new episode of single-player action. In addition, Opposing Force contains a massive collection of new multiplayer content. Available as a stand alone demo and a smaller demo if you already have Half-Life! Grab either the 31.1 OR 72.9 MB demo from 3Dfiles. You can also buy the expansion pack online from Gamestop for only $29.95! If you don't already have Half-Life than you can grab the Half-Life Adrenaline Pack for only $59.95. This is the definitive collection of Half-Life universe games. Half-Life: Adrenaline Pack contains Half-Life Game of the Year Edition, the award winning game that has been named "Game of the Year" by over 45 publications, Half-Life: Opposing Force, the critically acclaimed mission pack for Half-Life and Team Fortress Classic, the number one online multiplayer game. Half-Life: Adrenaline is a must have for anyone who hasn't experienced what is arguably the best game ever.

(Another) MidiLand S4-7100 Review - Mark @ 11:54 EST

Gamer's Depot is the latest site to post a review of MidiLand's S4-7100 5.1 system. As I have pointed out before, and will continue to point out to avoid confusion, unlike most 5.1 systems on the market the S4-7100 is not a Dolby Digital system but is instead Dolby Digital or DTS ready. While Gamer's Depot does realize that there is no Dolby Digital decoder in the system they are incorrect on just where that decoding capability can come from. Your options will be an unamplified external decoder (such as one that MidiLand will offer) or a sound card with 6 analog outputs and either software Dolby Digital decoding (e.g. Best Data Theatrix, Skywell Magic Sound Live) or hardware Dolby Digital Decoding (e.g. upcoming Turtle Beach Santa Cruz). Standard quad output soundcards without an external decoder will give you 4 speaker downmixing with a supported software DVD player like PowerDVD 2.55 but you won't take advantage of the center channel which defeats the purpose of buying a 5.1 system in my view.

Dolbyr Digital, DTSr, and DVD: A History - Mark @ 11:39 EST

Thanks goes out to Fred Mah for the pointer to an article over at the Movie Sound Page called Dolbyr Digital, DTSr, And DVD: A History. While I have just started reading this extensive article, what I have read is very interesting. Scanning down I see they also dive right into the Dolby Digital vs DTS debate...

Version 0.99.1 JHexen Released with A3D 3.0 and EAX 2.0 - Mark @ 11:26 EST

Here is a bit on the sound taken right from the official JHexen site where you can also grab the patch and learn more about the other features like D3D and OpenGL support in this Windows port of Raven's classic game.

Version 0.99.1. See the version history for the changes. Remember to also download a3d30dll.zip if you want to use A3D. The reverb effects are now most of the time pretty much credible, but it may seem that in large rooms the effect is somewhat exaggerated. Also, A3D and EAX reverbs sound slightly different. You might want to consider setting the reverb volume a bit lower if you're using A3D.

Mobile 1 Rally Championship (2000) In Stores - Mark @ 11:17 EST

Electronic Arts has announced that the A3D 2.0 and DS3D with EAX supporting Mobil 1 Rally Championship (also know as Rally Championship 2000), a game that simulates the rally racing championship of Europe, is starting to reach stores throughout North America. The game features a ride through the British countryside on 400-plus miles of thoroughfare composed of both on and off road segments. Featured are more than 20 licensed cars, detailed weather effects, and realistic car damage that affects performance. You can check out a review of the game over at Daily Radar, grab a demo of the game from 3Dfiles or buy the game online from Gamestop for only $24.99!
News Source: Aureal A3D Central

Cirrus Logic and InterTrust Launch Secure Internet Distribution Solution - Mark @ 10:41 EST

Cirrus Logic and InterTrust Technologies Corporation, the MetaTrust Utility(TM), yesterday announced the first general-purpose, content-secure system-on-chips (SOCs) for Internet audio players that support MP3 and Windows Media Audio. Through a unique combination of Cirrus Logic's patent-pending chip technology and InterTrust's Rights/PD digital rights management (DRM) software, the new Maverick chip solutions exceed all current Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI) specifications. Addressing industry concerns to protect audio copyrights while harnessing the power of the Internet, the new chips could play a key role in enabling the billion dollar global music market to securely distribute its products via the World Wide Web. The existing ``Maverick'' EP7209 SOC, currently shipping in second generation Internet audio devices, is the first chip to broadly support InterTrust Rights/PD(TM) software to manage and protect digital content. Expressly optimized for portable devices (PD), the Rights/PD software permits portable digital audio players to fully satisfy and exceed the SDMI requirements. For lots more details on the new chips and the software you can check out the full announcement.

MidiLand S4-7100 Review - Mark @ 00:22 EST

Hardware Central has posted a review of the MidiLand S4-7100 5.1 system system. Unlike most 5.1 systems on the market the S4-7100 is not a Dolby Digital system but is instead Dolby Digital or DTS ready. The review could be a little clearer on this point IMO as they call the system "fully AC-3 and Dolby Digital compliant". When it comes to gaming they note that sound quality isn't of top importance and while I would agree its not at the top, its still important as sound effects and sound tracks get better and better. Overall its a very detailed review although I find it a little confusing in places where at least to my eyes they seem to contradict themselves. In the end, the conclusion that the S4-7100 is a very capable system is one shared by the other S4-7100 reviews we have seen to date and if you have a sound card with 6 analog outputs and either software Dolby Digital decoding (e.g. Best Data Theatrix, Skywell Magic Sound Live) or hardware Dolby Digital Decoding (e.g. upcoming Turtle Beach Santa Cruz) then the S4-7100 appears to be an excellent match. Alternatively, MidiLand will be offering their own external decoder for the system. We are expecting our review unit from MidiLand any time now so look for lots more from us on this and other new systems.
News Source: Aureal A3D Central

Friday, March 03, 2000

Even More on JHexen Sound - Mark @ 23:21 EST

Who would have thought than an unreleased patch for an old game would get so much coverage (3rd post) in one week?! The developers of some new games should take a page out of Jakko's (the author of JHexen) book when it comes to paying attention to sound. Here's why:

I just finished writing support for DirectSound3D and EAX2.0. This is because I noticed that A3D actually was quite slow with my SB Live! when lots of sounds were being played. I also ended up revising most of the Hexen higher level sound playing code, but now I have to hunt down a couple of bugs caused by that. All of this also means I had no time to work on refining the reverberation calculations yet.

Napster Review and Interview - Mark @ 23:12 EST

Fragpipe has posted a review of the highly controversial Napster MP3 sharing software and are quite impressed with its reliability and ease of use. In addtion, ZDNet Music has posted an interview with Napster creator Shawn Fanning. Here's a taste:

At a time when the MP3 industry is under fire from multiple directions, the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) has filed a lawsuit against the small start-up company out of San Mateo, California, known as Napster. Napster is software that lets users to create a virtual network in which they can see other users' MP3s and decide if they would like to download them or not. The Napster software also gives you the ability to chat with other users and create a set of preferences based on the users' own musical tastes. So why is the RIAA going after Napster? While some of the files being traded through Napster are legal, the majority of the files are not. Users of Napster are able to trade music that has not been authorized by record labels or individual artists, thereby violating copyright law.

Yamaha introduces the first DTS-Extended Surround Receiver - Mikael @ 03:43 EST

Yamaha Electronics introduced the RX-V1 yesterday in Los Angeles with an exclusive audio and video demonstration at Ken Crane's Home Entertainment Center. The RX-V1 is an 8-channel receiver which maintains Yamaha's flagship tradition of adding two front-effects speakers to the conventional surround array. The new receiver delivers 110 watts to the six full-range channels required by the latest DTS and Dolby surround formats, and 35 watts each to the two front effects channels. Total power for the 8-channel amplifier is more than 700 watts RMS. The unique feature of the RX-V1 is that it's the the first to offer Dolby Digital DTS Surround 6.1 Matrix and DTS-ES. The RX-V1 is available for a suggested retail price of $3,199. You can check out the press release for all the details.

Sony Adds Skip-Prevention Technology to Portable CD Players - Mikael @ 03:43 EST

Joggers and other active people can now take their favorite CDs on their workout and enjoy skip-free music with Sony's new line of CD Walkmanr portable CD players with skip-free G-Protection(TM) technology that reduces or eliminates skipping during many active uses. Sony will now also change the name of their Portable CD Line up to CD WalkMan instead of the previous name Discman. The new CD Walkman series will include 11 modlels ranging in price from $80 to $200, The 11 models includes three car kit models, two Sports models and several with remote controls.

In addition to allowing skip free playback the new G-Protection mechanism is 60 percent smaller than conventional mechanisms, allowing for a new super-slim design, with one CD Walkman player -- the D-EJ915 -- measuring just over 1/2-inch thick. The new CD Walkman models also consumes less power allowing the new high-end D-EJ815 CD Walkman model to have a battery life of up to 76 hours, while the entry-level D-EJ611 CD Walkman model has a battery life of up to 32 hours (twice as long as predecessor models).

You can find additional details about this technology and the price and availibility of each model in the press release . If they work out as well as Sony claims one of the major benefits of portable MP3 player is gone. Would be nice if Sony made a portable CD-player using this skip free technology that could play MP3 files.

Sony Showcases New Line of DVD Systems - Mikael @ 03:43 EST

Sony Electronics yesterday introduced eight new DVD-Video systems. All the new systems feature single- or multi-disc Sony DVD players, Dolby Digital(TM) 5.1 channel surround sound processing, pre-programmed A/V remotes, and six-piece speaker packages. For the details about these new systems that will be introduced late spring to early fall check out the press release.

Diamond Rio 500 review - Mikael @ 03:04 EST

Speedy3D has posted a review of Diamond's latest Portable MP3 Player, the Rio 500. Features of this player includes USB port, 64 MB memory and Firmware upgradeable. They found the Rio 500 to be a great choice with the USB port being their favorite feature while they complained about the included headphones.

Might and Magic VIII is now available - Mikael @ 01:58 EST

Avault reports that the A3D 1.X and DS3D with EAX supporting Might and Magic VIII: For Blood and Honor has reached retail outlets throughout North America. You can pick up your copy at Gamestop whre you can also find some info about the game.

WinAmp 2.61 released - Mikael @ 01:47 EST

A new version of Winamp, ver 2.61, is now available. You can grab it from 3dfiles.

Star Trek: Klingon Academy Demo - Mikael @ 00:59 EST

A demo for the upcoming Star Trek: Klingon Academy was released a couple days ago. The full game is slated to support A3D 1.X but not sure about the demo. You can grab the demo from 3dfiles.

Thursday, March 02, 2000

New Version of HMDPRX - Mark @ 20:05 EST

HMDRPX is a patch to give 3D audio via A3D in Quake 2 and is an alternative to the IAS patch from Extreme Audio Reality. Here is a bit from the author:

I've posted new version of HMDPRX at my site. Now it can read from .pak files, caches them in, so windows is no longer eats our memory like crazy, and also, it just simply kicks ass, now it's almost complete sound engine replacement (Just some tweaks needed with entity.sound). And it's even easier to start up (it comes with doc that contains step-by-step tutorial).

Also I need some testing people.

3DHardware's CeBIT 2000 Report: New Card from Creative, S4-8400, etc. - Mark @ 19:34 EST

Thanks to Josh Maizel of The Tech Report for pointing us to a 3DHardware's CeBIT 2000 Report. The report covers quite a bit beyond sound but its the sound bit that got Josh's and our attention. First up, and no great surprise as everyone alway has something new in the works, is Creative mentioned that they have a new board in the works, based on a new chip that will decode AC-3 sound streams. According to the report, this board is to be expected to appear this fall and will include a LiveDrive. The second piece of note is from MidiLand who mention yet another new system! This time its the S4-8400. Here's a snip:

his setup looks like no other computer speaker I've seen before, made out of a very solid looking and feeling plastic. The setup comes with five of these speakers, four of them a cube about 4.5" on the side, with 4" full range cones, and the center channel speaker being slightly wider. The subwoofer actually wasn't finished yet, but we saw the specs and a photo of it, which said 12" @ 200W. The 5 satellites share another 200W of amp power, amounting the system power to 400W RMS.

Song-swap software hits sour note with music industry - Mark @ 19:19 EST

Napster, a song-swapping software that has spread like wildfire among young computer users, has both college administrators and the record industry up in arms. The software is so easy and popular that college students have been clogging up campus computer networks, prompting more than 60 universities to ban Napster. For the full Reuters story head over to Yahoo Finance.

Toshiba's Innovative Combination CD-RW/DVD-ROM Drive Now Available - Mark @ 19:11 EST

Toshiba on Wednesday announced the availability of its combination CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive via distribution as well as the Toshiba Web site. The SD-R1002 provides the low-cost rewritability of a CD-RW drive with the multimedia capabilities of DVD. The drive offers ``three-in-one'' functionality with CD-R/CD-RW, DVD and CD-ROM compatibility and is available in a complete kit with a suggested list price of $349. The kit includes Adaptecr Easy CD Creator(TM) software and DirectCD(TM) for Windows(TM), making recording CDs user-friendly for all skill levels. Toshiba includes CyberLink's PoweDVD software decoder (not sure what version). Also in the kit is one piece each CD-R and CD-RW media, IDE and audio cables, and a Bonus Game Sampler featuring samples of today's hottest games. More more details including drive specification you can check out the full announcement.

Plantronics PC Headset Completes MS's New SideWinder Game Voice Offering - Mark @ 19:04 EST

Plantronics, Inc. has announced that Microsoft will bundle a Plantronics lightweight stereo PC headset with its new interactive gaming package, Microsoft SideWinderr Game Voice. The complete package enables gamers to talk with each other through Internet or LAN connections while allowing voice control of game commands. The SideWinder Game Voice offers gamers a new level of accuracy and realism, enabling them to talk to each other as well as guide the game. For more details on the PC headset and some quotes you can check out the full announcement. Microsoft's SideWinder Game Voice is expected to ship in October 2000 (nothing like early announcements!) with an anticipated retail price of $74.95. Thanks to James from CNewz for pointing out that Microsoft also issued their own release covering the SideWinder Game Voice along with two other new additions to the SideWinder line.

Working the Grammy Angle - Mark @ 07:46 EST

Thats the title of a excellent article over at Gamasutra. Here's the intro:

As the curtain rose on the 42nd Annual Grammy Award ceremony, the legitimacy and expectations of game music rose with it. The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) Board of Trustees, last year, approved opening 3 categories to include music written for the continuously evolving digital arena that is video games, and although no game music was nominated this year, the ball is rolling, and Aaron Marks calls upon you to keep it rolling.

MP3 Sends Music Industry Back to School - Mark @ 07:44 EST

The Standard has posted an article on a conference hosted by the Harvard Law School to divine the future of the budding downloadable-music industry. Here's a taste:

Last year, "MP3" replaced the word "sex" as the No. 1 searched-for string on the Internet. This was no small feat. Indeed, such surprising supersedure gives an inkling as to why so many music-industry executives, drones, worker bees and billion-dollar babies are now so worked up about the Internet revolution coming to town. In Harvard Law School's Ames Courtroom on Feb. 25, a day-long gathering of industry-folk from across the spectrum - representing both the analysts and the analyzed, the observers and the observed - considered the whats, hows and whys of the coming sea-change.

Wednesday, March 01, 2000

MP3 Player Goes Retro - Mark @ 23:18 EST

Wired has an article on an interesting new portable MP3 player with a twist. Here is the intro:

Most everyone's first experience with portable music came with a Walkman and a cassette tape. A Korean manufacturer wants to take you back to those quaint days with its newest creation -- the Rome MP3 player.

Smaller and lighter than any MP3 player we've reviewed, the Rome has the look and shape of a cassette tape, or 2.5 x 4 inches. And with good reason. The Rome MP3, which has 32MB of flash memory, can be inserted into most types of cassette tape decks and operated with the existing buttons...

More on Upcoming JHexen A3D 3.0 Support - Mark @ 19:04 EST

Some excellent news on JHexen, the Windows port of Hexen, from Jaakko Ker,nen (author of JHexen) which we have thanks to Juan Lorenzo Atienzar Godoy:

About 3D Sound. I now have a version of JHexen that uses the A3D 3.0 sound engine to play 3D sounds with doppler and reverb effects. My code calculates individual reverb settings for each sector of a map based on its size and the types of surfaces present (metal, stone, etc.). I will not yet release it, though, because the calculations sometimes go slightly wrong (for example, there is a surprising amount of reverb in map 18, which is full of wooden crates).

But most importantly, you don't need a soundcard that natively supports A3D (see the Aureal website for more information). I have an SB Live! myself and all the reverb effects and 3D sounds work perfectly (DirectSound3D is used in the background). But if you're worried that using A3D will cause slowdowns or just won't work, the old sound code that uses DirectSound is still there, and can be enabled with a simple command line option.

Ricoh vs Yamaha CD Burner Comparison - Mark @ 13:09 EST

Ok so the article at Deeztech is actually Ricoh vs Yamaha CD Burner Comparo but I challenge you to find the word Comparo in an English language dictionary ;). The article takes a head-to-head look at two SCSI CD burners, the Ricoh 7060S SCSI-2 6x/4x/24X model and the Yamaha 6416SZ 6x/4x/16x model and includes some benchmarks but intentionally omits any mention or look at bundled software.
News Source: Anandtech

Contests and Competitions - Mark @ 12:54 EST

If you live in the Middle East you may be interested to read more about a gaming competition that T-Break will be hosting along with Creative Labs in the United Arab Emirates on the 8th, 9th and 10th of March. The event will be called Fusion 2000 and will feature games like Quake III, Unreal Tournament and Half-Life. There will be some good prizes for winners including GeForce PRO cards, Nomad MP3 Players, DTT2500 Speaker Systems and more. For more information and for advanced registration is you can head over to the Fusion 2000 page. If thats not for you and want to win a copy of Quake III: Arena then Northshire Gamers is giving away a free copy of the game. Details on how to enter are on their contest page.

Revenant International Patches - Mark @ 12:44 EST

Cinematix has released more international editions of the Revenant version 1.2e patch, now offering German, French and Italian downloads of the patch, which was released in US and Korean editions last week. You can find all versions from their downloads page.
News Source: Blue's News

NXT Revolution: UK Audio Firm Eyes US Market - Mark @ 09:55 EST

There is an interesting article over at Worldlyinvestor.com that takes a look at the British Company NXT. The focus is of course on the investment potential of NXT but there are lots of interesting bits on their technology. You would know the name NXT from several flat panel speakers on the multimedia market, most notably from Labtec and Benwin. One thing worth noting here is NXT is not the only company doing flat panel technology design with Sonigistix (found in the Monsoon line) being one competitor of note. The article opens by noting that NXT, which is also developing cutting-edge voice-recognition technology, hasn't gone unnoticed by UK investors with shares soaring 320% over the last year! US investors should get a better view of the company shortly as Nasdaq appears to be NXT's next stop. For lots more detail you can check out the full article.

Microsoft Introduces DirectX for Windows CE - Mark @ 09:52 EST

Yesterday at the Embedded Systems Conference (ESC) Spring 2000, Microsoft introduced its new DirectXr Platform Adaptation Kit (DXPAK) for the Windowsr CE operating system. This new DXPAK enables OEMs to create Windows CE-based devices that take advantage of the latest multimedia capabilities, including accelerated graphics, and streaming audio and video with full playback capabilities, delivered via the Web to applications ranging from game consoles and set-top terminals to factory-floor HMI devices. The DXPAK will give developers access to DirectX technologies designed for Windows CE-based devices such as the MSN(TM) Web Companion Internet access device, Motorola Inc.'s DCT-5000+ advanced interactive digital set-top terminals and the Sega Dreamcast game console. In other devices where graphics performance is paramount, DirectX enables developers to get the maximum performance out of graphics chipsets. In Internet access devices, DirectX technologies will allow users to listen to audio in the MP3 or Windows Media(TM) Audio format, as well as view ASF/ASX-formatted videos. Support also includes DirectSoundr, WaveOut, Audio Mixer APIs and MIDI support using WMA Compressed GM set. I am not sure if DirectSound as used here includes DirectSound 3D. For more details including other areas of support you can check out the full announcement.

MS releases Windows Media Player for Palm-Size PC - Mikael @ 07:49 EST

Microsoft yesterday announced that they have released the Microsoftr Windows Media Player for Palm-size PCs.
Some features of the Windows Media Player for Palm-size PCs include:

1. State-of-the-art digital audio support for Windows Media and MP3 audio formats
   
2. The ability to play secure content in the Windows Media format
   
3. Easily customized interface "skins"
   
4. Clear and intuitive playlist management

Tuesday, February 29, 2000

JHexen to Support A3D 3.0? - Mark @ 20:41 EST

Thanks to Juan for pointing us to the official page for JHexen. JHexen is a port of Hexen to Windows. It uses OpenGL and DirectX to "show you what Hexen should've been like". But of course there's more...a post on whats coming for the next version notes that the author will be taking "a look at A3D 3.0 and 3D sounds"!

AOpen AW744 Windows 2000 drivers - Mark @ 20:32 EST

Thanks to Josh from The Tech-Report for pointing out that AOpen has released version 2223 Windows 2000 drivers for their YMF744 based AW744 sound card. You can select from a range of download locations from this link or you can browse AOpen's range of sound cards (two of which are YMF744 based) where you can grab the 2013 based Win9x drivers for the same cards.

X-Tension Rolling Demo - Mark @ 20:19 EST

X-tension is an upcoming new game based on the DS3D supporting, X-Beyond the Frontier (and also to be available as an add on to X-Beyond the Frontier). According to Egosoft, it adds new features to the concept of X-Beyond the Frontier extending it further and giving you more freedom in a more immersive universe. A game to live in. It is still early in the development but you can grab the 20 MB rolling demo from 3Dfiles and get an early peek.

Andrea Electronics Corp. Announces Patent Issued for PC Audio Software - Mark @ 20:12 EST

Andrea Electronics Corporation announced today that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued the Company a patent for Andrea Electronics' AudioCommanderr software, which according to the announcement allows Windowsr-based PC users to achieve a superior audio interface to control PC multimedia microphone and audio applications. In addition, the Company stated that it has been granted a Notice of Allowance of patent claims directed to its interference canceling apparatus and methods involving its EchoStop(TM) technology. EchoStop was developed for use with conferencing systems such as group audio and videoconferencing systems, PC speaker phones, online gaming software, cellular car phone kits and more. This recent patent issue is part of Andrea Electronics' position of 16 U.S. patents which focus on the enhancement of speech for computer-based voice communications. You can find additional detail on AudioCommander and EchoStop in today's announcement. You may also be aware that Andrea Electronics recently announced that Voyetra Turtle Beach, Inc. has agreed to purchase Andrea Electronics' patented Digital Super Directional Array (DSDA(TM)) microphone and digital speech enhancement software technologies to operate with the upcoming Turtle Beach proprietary digital signal processor (DSP) based Santa Cruz sound cards. For more on the Santa Cruz you can check out Turtle Beach's recent announcement.

SSL and Fraunhofer Develop Internet Audio Encoding and Decoding Solution - Mark @ 20:02 EST

SSL, Inc. a leading supplier of system-level intellectual property (IP) to the wireless communications and consumer multimedia markets, today announced that it has forged a partnership with Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS) The agreement enables SSL to license Fraunhofer's MP3 and AAC Decode and Encode technologies for use with its own Oasis silicon IP suite, based on the company's proprietary DSP core technology. SSL can now provide clients with all the technology necessary to enter the Internet Audio space without relying on silicon from third-party vendors. Under terms of the agreement, SSL can sublicense Fraunhofer's technology for use with its DSP cores, a business model that is unique among IP suppliers. Fraunhofer's decoding and encoding software can be integrated with SSL's high-performance, low-power DSP core technology to create a complete system-level IP solution for MP3 and AAC decoding and encoding. End products that will benefit from SSL's solution include mobile phones, personal audio players (MP3), automotive and home entertainment systems and other wireless Internet appliances. For more information on SSL's fully programmable Oasis platform, product roadmaps and some quotes from both companies you can check out the full announcement.

Sammy Sosa Softball Slam Supports DS3D with EAX - Mark @ 19:52 EST

The 3DO Company today announced that it has begun shipping the PC CD-ROM and PlayStationr game console versions of the Sammy Sosa Softball Slam game to retail outlets throughout North America and online shopping sites. According to the announcement, the first softball-themed title ever to appear on the PC will support DS3D with EAX.

Die Hard Music Details - Mikael @ 03:26 EST

Avault has a short article about the music in the upcoming A3D 2 supporting Die Hard Trilogy 2: Viva Las Vegas.

win2k driver for SoundTrack Digital XG (YMF744) - Mikael @ 02:07 EST

Hoontech has released new Windows 2000 drivers (V2223) for their SoundTrack Digital XG soundcard. It probably works with other cards based on Yamaha's YMF744 chip as well.

Wave Arts' Wave Surround WinAmp Audio DSP Reviewed - Mikael @ 02:05 EST

In a typical Winamp listening environment, stereo MP3 files are played back through two speakers placed on either side of the computer monitor. Because the speakers are so close the virtual soundstage is really limited to the space between the two speakers, which really limits the listeners ability to immerse themselves in the music.

Today we have posted a review of Wave Arts' WaveSurround plugin which is designed to remove the limitation of poor speaker placement by using signal processing technology that gamers will be at least somewhat familiar with to synthesize "virtual" loudspeakers that can be positioned anywhere around the listener. There is also a custom headphone setting that according to Wave Arts will eliminate the sensation that sound is coming from inside the listeners head.

In addition to the virtual speaker positioning the latest version of the plugin also offers a bass boost and several adjustable reverb settings!

For all the details on how well it works you can check out our complete review

Monday, February 28, 2000

CeBIT 2000 Highlights: Part 2 - Mark @ 22:31 EST

Fast Graphics has posted their CeBIT 2000 Highlights: Part 2 where they talk about VideoLogic, Cardexpert, and some MP3 stuff. Nothing new on Videologic (they talk briefly about the new DigiTheatre DTS) but there are a few picture and a bit on new MP3 players that you may be interested to check out.
News Source: AGNHardware

Yamaha YST-MS28 Speaker Review - Mark @ 22:24 EST

TweakTown has done a review of Yamaha's YST-MS28 three-piece speaker system and were quite impressed. The 25 watt RMS system has a combined frequency reponse (according to the specs) of 40 Hz - 20 kHz using a 2" cone in the satellites and a 5" cone in the subwoofer. Just one comment on this fairly short review. I am not sure why the reviewer says they are not good for 3d sound. I guess they might be saying they that its not a 4.1 system but...
News Source: AGNHardware

Altec Lansing ADA885 Available from Gigabuys - Mark @ 12:56 EST

Thanks to Vince for pointing out in our forum that Altec Lansing's ADA885 THX certified, Dolby Digital system is now available from Gigabuys for $246.00. If you have been following this system you will know that when it was first announced it was only available with a full system from Dell. For more details on the system you can check out Gigabuys, this PR from Lusas Films and this 115 kb PDF file. The other speaker system carrying THX Multimedia Speaker certification that's currently on the market is the Klipsch ProMedia v.2-400 which we reviewed last year.

Given that its a slow new day so far, its a good opportunity to explain just what this THX Mulitmedia Speaker certification means. First up, the THX multimedia certification process does not offer any certifation that a system can do AC3 decoding. What that means that if you watch a DVD on a speaker bearing just the THX multimedia certification then you need an AC3 or DTS decoder somewhere else in your system our you only get stereo or stereo x 2 depending on your sound card config.

In the case of the Klipsch ProMedia v.2-400 the speakers "only" have THX multimedia speaker certification where as the ACS ADA885 have THX media speaker plus they have a Dolby Digital (AC3) decoder. It worth noting that not having a physical center channel does not mean a decoder cannot be Dolby Digital certified. With the ADA885, what you get is hardware Dolby Digital 4 speaker downmixing plus a phantom center channel. In our experience hardware 4 speaker downmixing is better than the 4 speaker downming you get from software DVD players (this is based on our previewing the now cancelled XG-Movie 5.1 that did Dolby and DTS certified AC3 and DTS decoding to 4, 4.1 and 5.1 speakers).

The THX multimedia speaker specification covers:

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