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Conference napalm::commusic_v1

Title:* * Computer Music, MIDI, and Related Topics * *
Notice:Conference has been write-locked. Use new version.
Moderator:DYPSS1::SCHAFER
Created:Thu Feb 20 1986
Last Modified:Mon Aug 29 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2852
Total number of notes:33157

519.0. "Apple IIGS Computer" by TRUCK::PRG_GRP () Thu Sep 25 1986 14:49

    I was flipping around the channels on Cable last night, and came
    across a program called Computer Show or Computer News or something
    like that.  They were talking about the Apple ][GS - Graphics and
    Sound.  I've heard various rumors about this new Apple thing ...
    that it's like a three-times-faster ][e, that it has phenomenal
    sound, that it uses a propriety (Mirage?) sound chip?
    
    Anyway, the show demoed the thing briefly - what sound I could hear
    sounded great (given that it was over my TV's speaker, that is.)
     There was talk of 15 simultaneous voices, 32 oscillators, sampling,
    etc.\
    
    I'm sure a separate NOTES file will develop for the ][GS, but thought
    this might be a good place to discuss the musician's views of the
    ][GS.  Anyone heard one yet???
    
                           -Jim
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
519.1It's all true...SSDEVO::MCCOLLUMThu Sep 25 1986 16:1616
    A recent (latest?) issue of Electrical Engineering Times has a front
    page article about the IIGS. Yes, it seems to include an Ensoniq
    custom VLSI sound chip. I think it said that there is 64K of memory
    dedicated to it, and there will be some kind of sampling capability.
    The IIGS uses a 65Cxxx processor (which is a 6502 superset) that
    runs at 2.7 MHz. It makes extensive use of custom VLSI to support
    sound, graphics, I/O, etc, so that the processor can concentrate
    on the real thinking. It comes standard with 256K of memory, and
    sells for $999 (cheap!).
    In the near future, apple will be offering an upgrade deal where
    you trade you Apple II motherboard for a GS board.
    BTW, the IIGS is supposed to be TOTALLY upward-compatible with
    the older models.
    
    Peter
519.2SSDEVO::MCCOLLUMThu Sep 25 1986 16:193
    Whoops, I forgot to say that the II/IIGS upgrade costs $500 PLUS
    your Apple II motherboard.
519.3that's not a computer, THAT's a computer!ECAD::SHERMANThu Sep 25 1986 16:4327
I saw the Computer News show with the IIGS.  There was some quirky stuff about
it.  They did a music demo with some drum sounds, a bass and something that
was supposed to be a sax (har, har, har... the sax sounded like my C64 SID
chip).  It was pretty good, but disappointing if that was as much orchestra
as they could get.  They had a music program that entered notational stuff
via a piano-like keyboard on the screen.  The piano DID sound like a piano,
but it was monophonic.  Considering we're talking additive synthesis, it 
SHOULD be possible to get a piano sound with 32 oscillators.  Of course, the 
piano probably degrades fast when you start talking about chords.  The voice 
synthesis was the best I've heard.  It was female and was actually SULTRY.  It 
looked like a neat machine with better graphics, sound and price than a Mac.  
(I noticed that they cut off just when the Apple rep was about to talk about 
whether the IIGS would kill Mac sales..."course not, they're completely 
different markets"?...right...)  At $1800 that's a lot of jingle for 90% 
software compatibility (can you believe it ... ecch!) and none available until 
maybe January.  (Remind you of any other biggies, like the Osborne screwup and 
Coleco's Adam fiasco?)  If you want GOOD music, why not just buy a C64 system 
($600), MIDI stuff ($200), a TR-505 ($300), a CZ-101 ($200), and an FB-01 
($350)?  You'd get a LOT better sound, a not-bad system, and you can have 
it all before April or whenever the IIGS REALLY hits the market.  Besides,
who really needs a word processor that can highlight in a multitude of colors?
Ooooh, like I'm really going to be impressed at my next professional conference
when somebody projects his reports on the big screen with color graphs inserted!
For a lot less, I can get an Atari ST with a 68000 instead of a piddly 65816.

Yeah, I know, flames will come.  But, I think it would be prudent to avoid the
Apple wagon right now.
519.4Could it be...?JAWS::COTEThe shine of your japan...Thu Sep 25 1986 17:335
    Hey, can this sultry female chip *sing*?
    
    Is the MIDI-wife here?
    
    Edd
519.5watch out for worms in the AppleSSDEVO::MCCOLLUMFri Sep 26 1986 13:169
    re: .3
    I don't want to give anybody the impression that I'm endorsing the
    new apple -- I'm not even considering a new computer. If I spend
    any real money on another computer, it will be nothing less than
    a MicroVAX I. For music purposes, my C64 is all I need. For non-music
    purposes, I wouldn't be happy with anything less than VMS.
    
    Peter