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The Week in
Review: May 20-26, 2002
Last week's features at
3DsoundSurge
Last week's sound news
Drivers and bugs
- Philips Beta 187 WDM Drivers Posted
We have just uploaded new (v187) WDM beta drivers for Philips Thunderbird Avenger (PSC703,
PCS705 and PSC706) series of sound cards. For details and download links check
out this page and for feedback check
out this thread in our forum.
- Dell Dimension 4300 and 8100s BIOS patches
Dell has now released new BIOS patches for its Dimension 4300 and 8100s that fix the
Audigy squeal of death issue. As previously mentioned they also offer one for the 8200
Dimension model. An update for the Dimension 4400 is also expected soon. Head over to Dell support site to
grab the update.
- New Santa Cruz Beta WDM Drivers for Win98SE
Turtle Beach has posted new (v4164) beta Windows 98SE drivers for their Santa Cruz sound
card. You can grab
them from their FTP site.
New games, demos, patches and bugs
- Realms of Torment will feature 3D sound
IGNPC has posted
an interview with Limitless Horizons about their upcoming online RPG Realms of Torment.
When it comes to audio the 5 page long interview reveals the following:
Jonric: How much emphasis are you putting on the areas of sound
and music? What sound format are you using, and will you support 3D sound? How much music
and voice acting will there be, and will you be using professional voice actors?
Dave Jasinski: We will be using Direct Sound 8.1 (from Direct X),
which offers 3D sound positioning and all sorts of sound effects. This will give users a
pretty good quality surround sound on their systems. We have not decided yet if the game
will have its own music. There may be music played in towns and such by NPCs. No, we will
not be using professional voice actors
- Turok: Evolution Focus on Sound
Acclaim Entertainment is launches Turok: Evolution across all next-generation systems on
"Turok Bloody Sunday - 9-01-02." A couple interesting bits on audio are that
more than 3,000 sound effects were recorded throughout the world for use in the game and
that the list Dolby Digital and Dolby Surround Sound in the features. It's not clear if
there will be pre-rendered Dolby Digital tracks (e.g. music, cut scenes) or if the
reference is to the standard interactive Dolby Digital support via the X-box. For more on
the game you can check
out the full press release.
- Soldier of Fortune II Single-Player Demo
Activision/Raven has released the single player demo for the EAX Advanced HD supporting
Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix. You can grab the 137MB demo from 3D Gamers or FilePlanet
- Master of Doom: Carmack Speaks on Audio
Gamers.com has posted an interview
with John Carmack where they ask him questions about how the next Doom will look and
play. Here's a bit on audio:
SD: Another reason the Doom series was so fun to play was
because of the atmospherics of the games-creature sound effects and level design that
suggested there may or may not be a monster around the next corner, etc. With the growing
number of surround-sound audio systems out there, how will the Doom III engine take
advantage of these better sound systems to scare players silly in ways as good or better
than before?
JC: We offer full dynamic 5.1 channel sound mixing, and multichannel
playback of studio sounds. It isn't clear that the market is really there for it yet, but
Doom should be a poster child for surround-sound gaming. We have a nice sound system set
up for our demonstration, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if quite a few people go buy
one based on the experience.
Clearly the sale of 3D sound cards and multichannel speakers says
the market has been there for some time. What's still not clear is just what form ID's 3D
audio engine will take. That is we are not sure if it will be via DS3D, direct channel
support or some other method (such as software based Dolby Digital or Pro Logic II
encoding).
- New Diesel Power SDK, MSS Plugin and Diesel
Studio Available
AM:3D has released a new Diesel Power SDK version (1.2.4). A new beta-version of the
Diesel Power Miles Sound System plugin v.1.2.6 is also available. In addition, a new
Diesel Studio version (v.1.2) incorporating the new Diesel Power engine and completely new
samples is also available for download. The new version is a revision of what was shown at
Game Developers Conference 2002. Visit www.am3d.com
for downloads and information.
Reviews of soundcards, speakers, headphones and MP3
players.
- Hercules Gamesurround Fortissimo 2
OCPrices has posted a positive review of the Hercules
Gamesurround Fortissimo 2. One thing worth noting is that the Audigy series of card
does have a multiband parametric equalizer, but it's not the simplest thing to access.
Other sound news
- DMX 6fire LT - TerraTec's sound for DVD, games
and music
People interested in TerraTec's SoundSystem DMX 6fire 24/96 but looking for something less
costly will be interested to learn that its "little brother" in the mid-range
market segment is now shipping. The DMX 6fire LT offers excellent 4G sound based on the
successful EWX®/EWS88® technology: 24-bit/96 kHz converters for all inputs and outputs
guarantee an absolutely flat frequency response and according to TerraTec, a
signal-to-noise ratio better than -104 dB/A! The MXR module that fits into a slot next to
the card offers additional connection options. Besides the stereo inputs and outputs for
digital devices (optical), the MXR module also features a connection for a microphone. The
DMX 6Fire LT use Sensaura's engine for DS, DS3D and EAX (1 and 2) support along with A3D1.
For a full list of features you can check out the press release.
- New Platform for IMGs META multi-threaded DSP
Ensigma Technologies, a division of Imagination Technologies, has announced the
availability of a reference Personal Digital Audio Platform (PDAP) for Imagination
Technologies META multi-threaded DSP core. The Ensigma
Personal Digital Audio Platform provides a complete suite of applications, targeted at the
personal digital audio device market, which have been designed using Ensigma Technologies'
system knowledge to run efficiently on the META architecture. The Personal Digital Audio
Platform is available for license from Ensigma Technologies with the META IP (Intellectual
Property) core from Metagence Technologies. This technology is already being used by a
number of customers for products expected to ship in the second half of 2002. The
applications included in the Personal Digital Audio Platform are MP3 decode, AAC decode,
DAB decode and record, Audio post processing effects and more. For more details check out the full press release
- Altec Lansing Unveils 200-Series PC Speakers and
XA Video Game Speakers
Altec Lansing Technologies has announced the 200-Series, a new line of mid-priced PC
speaker systems. The 200-Series features three speaker systems that run the gamut of PC
audio. Alternatives range from two-channel to six-channel systems, and range in price from
$99.95 (6 channel 251 system) to $29.95 (2 channel 220 System). Altec Lansing's 251 and
221 PC speaker systems are immediately available; the 220 systems will be available June
1, 2002. For lots more detail on the systems you can check out the full press release.
Altec Lansing also announced the debut of the XA Video Game
Speaker line, a line focused on enhancing the sound of the typical TV set used by console
gamers. Altec Lansing also says that the XA line will greatly improve the audio of TV
shows and DVD movies by reproducing frequencies that are often omitted from television
speakers. Just as with the 200 series the new XA line includes three different speaker
systems to meet a range of needs and budgets ranging from $49.95 to $199.95. Lots more
detail on the XA series can be found in a second press release from Altec
Lansing.
- Boston Acoustics Announces Q4 and Fiscal Year
2002 Result
Boston Acoustics, Inc. has announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and the
fiscal year ended March 30, 2002. Net sales for the quarter were $20.1 million compared to
$26.6 million for the same period a year ago, a decrease of $6.5 million or 24%. However,
the Company reported net income for the period of $1.5 million compared to a net loss of
$1.3 million for the corresponding period last year.
Of the $34.5 million sales decrease for fiscal year 2002, almost $31 million was
attributable to the OEM/Multimedia segment of its business. The remainder of the decrease
resulted from a decline in International Core sales. Lots
more detail can be found in the full press release.
- DVD-Audio Music Sampler Featuring Exclusive 5.1
Surround Re-Mixes
Henninger Vision has completed an
exclusive DVD-Audio Sampler Disc for DTS Entertainment. Created to fully demonstrate the
high-resolution sound quality of this new DVD format, this Sampler Disc features
distinctive 5.1 re-mixes of various titles by legendary artists such as Olivia Newton
John, Les Brown and his Band of Renown, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Paul Gilbert, the Gluey
Brothers, David Alan, Toy Matinee, Steve Stevens, and Tchaikovsky. This new DVD-Audio
sampler offers 5.1 music tracks in Advanced Resolution MLP, plus DTS 96 KHz/24-bit tracks
(as well as 2-channel stereo tracks) of these popular artists--- for compatibility with
all DVD-Audio and DVD-Video players. Additional details can be found in the full press release.
- Turtle Beach Introduces 220/240V AudioTron
Expanding its reach in a growing market segment, Turtle Beach has announced a 220/240V
model of its AudioTron digital audio appliance for European sale. Designed to organize and
play up to 30,000 digital audio files stored on the owner's personal computer and play
Internet audio streams through TurtleRadio, the AudioTron transmits and receives data
through an Ethernet 10BaseT or 10/100BaseT network. A recent firmware release has added
Windows Media Format streaming, a more robust Web interface, and a user-configurable front
panel display. The 220/240V model will be available in Scandinavian countries through
Denmark-based distributor HPT. For some
additional details and phone contacts for the distributor you can check out the full press release.
- Latest Dolby Technologies Showcased in Game Audio
at E3
Dolby® technologies are an integral part of demonstrations of this year's hottest, most
highly anticipated video games in the Microsoft, Sega, Nintendo, Criterion, and NovaLogic
booths during this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo. Particularly encouraging is a
statement from Jack Buser, Manager of Game Developer Relations at Dolby Laboratories that
"the video game industry has focused intently this past year on audio".
Demonstrations of Dolby's Pro Logic® II technology can be
found on 11 Kenwood HTB-505 systems provided by Dolby in the Nintendo booth, hooked up to
the Nintendo GameCube® systems running their newest titles. Dolby Pro Logic II produces
five full channels of surround sound through the conventional stereo connectors included
with all game consoles. Dolby recently announced that Pro
Logic II is now available for all Nintendo GameCube developers through the Musyx
development tool, provided by Factor 5. This advancement allows Nintendo game developers
to immerse gamers in near-cinematic sound quality during gameplay. Dolby Pro Logic II will
also be featured on a Kenwood system within the Criterion booth. Criterion announced
recently that its RenderWare® middleware solution will support Dolby Pro Logic II
technologies in the PlayStation2®.
Some additional details can be found in the full press release.
- 'Copy-Proof' CDs Cracked with 99-Cent Marker Pen
A Reuters story on Yahoo reports that technology buffs have cracked music publishing giant
Sony Music's elaborate disc copy-protection technology with a decidedly low-tech method:
scribbling around the rim of a disk with a felt-tip marker! For
all the details check out the article.
For more news from last week check out our news archive.
Upcoming features at 3DsoundSurge
- Reviews that we are currently working on:
Updated Santa Cruz/Sonic Fury and GameTheaterXP reviews
Hercules Fortissimo II
Terratec DMX Xfire 1024
CMedia CM8738 Reference Review
Full Audigy Review
Full Philips MMS305 Review
- There are several other hardware reviews in the pipeline
including, but not limited to the following:
Guillemot Maxi Sound MUSE
Terratec m3po
DigMedia MusicStore
Philips Seismic Edge
Lots of other stuff on the go in including several guides and major site revisions that we
will soon be releasing more details on.
As always if you have any ideas for products we should review or
features we should do, please let us know.
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