#Sound 'n Vision
7 messages in this thread
It sounds like Babbage had multimedia needs similar to my own. <g>
I would like to play an AniPro flic and a sound blaster file at the same
time, AND also be able to adjust the speed of the flic to, say, exactly 25
or 12.5 frames per second. My flics have a low enough delta to handle
these speeds. The speed must be exact so I can check the sync with sound
before recording to tape.
Anyone got any ideas?
MB
Hi Michelle,
I tackled this problem in Multimedia Creations. Basically what I did was
use a TSR that acted like time code on tape. I built a kind of virtual tape
machine in code that can be paused, rewound, fast forwarded and placed into
play…The MIDI song accompanying the show rewinds, fast forwards and plays
in synch with this clock, and the visuals tag along as well. At the time I
had a problem playing MIDI and digitized sound simultaneously…but the
MIDI programmer and GRASP's programmer got together and solved that. The
nice thing about the TSR is that it runs independently…the processor
speed, hard drive speed, video speed etc… are not a factor. GRASP can
play back animations one frame at a time…meaning you can synch a sound
effect or music sting precisely to a frame in the animation. It's tricky
but worth the effort.
Philip
Where/how can this TSR be had? How compatible might it be with various
sound cards? Requires GRASP?
David {bloodhound on scent…snorf!} Taffet
Hi David,
GRASP has built in support for digitized sound…although in its present
incarnation it can only play animation and digitized sound at the same time
for short periods. That will change soon. GRASP's player does digitized
sound. I use MIDI for music. The MIDI TSR is a MIDI song player that is
loaded before GRASP. The MIDI programmer wrote the GRASP code that
communicates with the player…so you can control the player from within
the program…stopping, starting, pausing, skipping forward, skipping back.
You can basically play unlimited lengths of music along with the animation,
fading it up and down at appropriate moments etc.
The TSR is part of Kevin Weiner's Miditools package…you can get a version
with the book, or order the complete kit (that includes several other
programs) from Kevin. I'll forward this message to him. He can jump in and
fill in the details. The TSR can be incorporated in a variety of
programming languages…
Philip
{Screaming} AAAAHHHH!!! Sounds **very** hip! Let me ask you for your
_unbiased_ opinion of whether it makes more sense to purchase the book or
to buy both pieces of software outright. Would I get cheaper upgrade paths
to full versions by buying the book, or should I just go for broke (no
colloquialism, here)?
Tahnks for passing my note to Kevin.
DT
Hi David,
Hmm. Unbiased. I'll try. Opinion. Gladly give it to you. If you have no
programming experience, definitely buy the book. The book teaches you
elementary programming. If you already know how to program and all you want
to do is include MIDI playback along with your FLIs and FLCs, then buy
Kevin's Miditools package. It shows you how to interface your C, Basic or
Pascal program to his MIDI player.
As for digitized sound playback (VOCs and WAVs), the MIDI TSR
does not support that. If you are looking for a total solution (MIDI,
digitized, FLI and FLC playback, interactive control through programming
logic), then buy the book. It allows you to buy the new version of GRASP
Multimedia at half price ($249), that includes color support up to 16 bits
(32,000+ colors) and extended memory support. The book also includes over 3
megs of code that you can cut and paste into your program: a software
magazine example, music video example, kiosk example, demo example etc. etc.
It allows you to buy MIDITools for $30 less. And it is full of advice
(opinions?) about integrating multimedia elements (image processing, MIDI
recording, sound recording etc. etc.). GRASP itself does not ship with
MIDITools, so MIDI playback is NOT included with the commercial release of GRASP.
Does that help?
Philip
Yassah, Mistah Shaddock, suh. (Sorry, a book I just finished is leaking
thru my psyche) It does help. I'll buy yer book. Appreciate the fak-chual
analysis.
DT