Difference between revisions of "UltraSound"

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{{Infobox Hardware
 
{{Infobox Hardware
| Title    = UltraSound
+
| Title    = UltraSound
| Image    = UltraSound.jpg
+
| Image    = UltraSound.jpg
| Developer = Advanced Gravis Computer Technology, Ltd.
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| Developer = [[Gravis|Advanced Gravis Computer Technology, Ltd.]]
| Released  = 1992-10-??
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| Released  = 1992-10-??
| Type      = Sound Card
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| Type      = Sound Card
| Slot      = ISA
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| Slot      = ISA
| Icon      = UltraSound
+
| Icon      = UltraSound
 +
| Platforms = {{HardwarePlatform|DOS|DOS}} • {{HardwarePlatform|W16|Windows 16}} • {{HardwarePlatform|W32|Windows 32}}
 
}}
 
}}
  
'''''UltraSound''''' is a sound card made by Canadian company Advanced Gravis Computer Technology, Ltd. It was the first widespread PC sound card utilizing wavetable technology.
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'''''UltraSound''''' is a sound card made by Canadian company Advanced Gravis Computer Technology, Ltd. It was the first widespread PC sound card marketed with wavetable technology (while the card used sample based synthesis). This was the first card in the UltraSound series, which consisted of about a dozen models.
 +
 
 +
Contrary to the [[AdLib]], it was used in games shortly after release - [[Star Control 2 (DOS)]], released in November of 1992, probably was the first.
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 +
==Technical details==
 +
 
 +
While the card was marketed having wavetable synthesis, it actually used samples.
 +
 
 +
===GF1===
 +
 
 +
The first cards used the ICS11614 (GF1) chips, which were derived from the Ensoniq OTTO soundchip. Effects like chorus and echo are not supported, use of more than 14 sounds at the same time will result in sample drop (19kHz at the maximum 32 polyphony). The chip doesn't support ADPCM, so the samples have to decompressed prior to moving it into the memory.
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===AMD Interwave===
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The Interwave chip was developed as a response to the [[Sound Blaster AWE 32]] card from creative. It can address a maximum of 16 MB of memory space, cards using this chip could be expanded to 8MB (as many of them had a built-in sound rom). The chip also compatible with the CS4231 codec used for mixing in earlier products, and is designed for the ISA bus with Plug & Play capabilities.
  
 
==Games==
 
==Games==
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==Image Gallery==
 
==Image Gallery==
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
File:UltraSound.jpg|The sound card.
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File:UltraSound.jpg|The first sound card in the series (Ultrasound Classic).
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  

Latest revision as of 10:53, 23 September 2016

UltraSound
UltraSound.jpg
Developer: Advanced Gravis Computer Technology, Ltd.
Released: 1992-10-??
Type: Sound Card
Slot: ISA
Icon:
Icon - UltraSound.png
Platforms: Platform - DOS.pngPlatform - W16.pngPlatform - W32.png

UltraSound is a sound card made by Canadian company Advanced Gravis Computer Technology, Ltd. It was the first widespread PC sound card marketed with wavetable technology (while the card used sample based synthesis). This was the first card in the UltraSound series, which consisted of about a dozen models.

Contrary to the AdLib, it was used in games shortly after release - Star Control 2 (DOS), released in November of 1992, probably was the first.

Technical details

While the card was marketed having wavetable synthesis, it actually used samples.

GF1

The first cards used the ICS11614 (GF1) chips, which were derived from the Ensoniq OTTO soundchip. Effects like chorus and echo are not supported, use of more than 14 sounds at the same time will result in sample drop (19kHz at the maximum 32 polyphony). The chip doesn't support ADPCM, so the samples have to decompressed prior to moving it into the memory.

AMD Interwave

The Interwave chip was developed as a response to the Sound Blaster AWE 32 card from creative. It can address a maximum of 16 MB of memory space, cards using this chip could be expanded to 8MB (as many of them had a built-in sound rom). The chip also compatible with the CS4231 codec used for mixing in earlier products, and is designed for the ISA bus with Plug & Play capabilities.

Games

Image Gallery

Emulation Status

The UltraSound is fully emulated in DOSBox.

Links