From: Mat Holton <mathew.holton_at_surface-inspection.com>
Date: Tue, 08 Jun 2004 09:18:31 +0100

'snot fair. I want my Rockbox back...
-----Original Message-----From: BlueChip <cs_bluechip_at_webtribe.net>To: rockbox development <rockbox_at_cool.haxx.se>Sent: 08/06/2004 08:56Subject: "-._.-" Audio_3587 - Public Release "-._.-" cc: "rockbox development" <rockbox_at_cool.haxx.se>

cc: A copy of this email has been posted on the Cyborg Systems web site.

     at http://homepage.ntlworld.com/cyborgsystems


Hey everybody,


Me here, BlueChip ...And today it is also my great honour and pleasure to

bring to you news of "Audio_3587"


Today sees the launch of the first public beta <fireworks & fanfare music>


What is a "public beta"? In this case it means, it works, it is stable,

it has been tested by an elite few AND it is still open for you to have

some input before the the feature-set and interface is finalised.


Before I go any further I would like to thank all those who have helped

make this dream become a reality: All those who "voted" in my volume

quiz ...you DID make a significant difference. To Kaboofa, midk, goyschak

and Scott666 for their help with early beta testing. And to the various

developers who have helped me past some coding issues, I think LinusN

deserves the most credit there :)


Audio_3587 is a FULL interface to the Micronas MAS 3587 system registers.


Actually, that's a slight lie, I have discovered a set of registers that

will allow us to use the Jukebox as a full Karaoke Mixer WHILE stripping

the voices from most mp3's - but due to plugin restictions (lack of RAM)

this will be presented as a seperate plugin at a future date.


When you start using Audio_3587, you will have the chance to get a sound

quality from your Jukebox Recorder that was previously impossible.

The interface is attractive in design, icon or text driven; and Full Speech

has been maintained throughout, in continued support of our ever growing

number of blind community members.


The FULL documentation is not yet finished, but there has been quite some

demand on me to get this released. Be assured comprehensive documentation

is on it's way.


You can download everything you need from:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/cyborgsystems

Full installation instruction for the beta release are at the end of this

email.



   === AUDIO 3587 === AUDIO 3587 === AUDIO 3587 === AUDIO 3587 ===


The following is a comprehensive (I think) list of NEW features that

are now available for users of Audio_3587. *NO* features were removed in

the making of this plugin.


GENERAL

# All options (excluding Geek-mode Advanced Register Configuration)

   are available on a single screen. No, "in&out" menu driven system.

# Each value (Volume, Balance, etc) is displayed on a single

   line. These lines may be moved to any order desired in realtime and

   are stored for future use.

# Online help is availble with ON+F1

   **This has been limited due to memory restrictions :(

# You may save your current settings at any time with ON+F2

# The backlight may be switched on/off with ON+F3.

   Like the Cyborg Systems games ...The backlight will return to

   normal (timer) mode when you exit Audio_3587.

# A file with the new .vol file extension may be played to quickly

   change between settings. By example: Walkman, In-Car, Classical,

   Pop, Spoken Word, etc. ...It is planned that this will expand in

   to a per-directory/playlist/genre/file volume control if the demand

   exists.

# Rockbox causes a loud POP/BANG from the amplifier/headphones, this can be

   quite harmaful to delicate equipment.

   This is fixed when you start using Audio_3587


VOLUME

# Volume in User Mode displays as a %, but uses a non-linear

   scaling algorithm to allow fine adjustments in the listening range;

   based on a [the recent] survey of Rockbox users.

# Volume in Geek Mode displays in dB and is accurate to 1dB at

   ALL ranges.

# Volume bar indicates when LINE-OUT is available fmr the headphone

   socket.

# Volume icon will flash if there is a risk of digital clipping which

   can be resolved by lowering the volume.


AUTO-VOLUME-CONTROL/DECAY TIME

# Auto-Volume-Control now allows for a 20mS option - works well

   on spoken word.


BALANCE

# Balance in User Mode displays as %, but uses a non-linear scale

   to allow fine adjustments in the listening range.

# Balance in Geek Mode displays in dB and is accurate to 1dB at

   ALL ranges


STEREO SEPERATION/CHANNEL CONFIGURATION

# New Stereo Seperation modes: 3-Speaker-Mono; Mono-Loud; Custom

   In addition to the old: Mono; Mono-Left; Mono-Right; Stereo;

   Stereo-Narrow; Stereo-Wide

# Custom Stereo Seperation (CSS) mode allows you to specify any one

   of the other 2^80(ish) Stereo Seperation modes available, and save

   any that you like as your own custom setting.

# CSS mode will let you listen to your changes in realtime.

# The CSS interface is a full "GUI" (icons'n'stuff)

# The CSS screen will work in either DECimal or HEX mode. HEX mode

   allows the greatest degree of accurracy; while DECimal mode is

   probably easier to read for the most part.

# CSS mode allows full waveform inversion for all channels.


BASS & TERBLE

# Bass & Treble now offer values accurate to 1/8th (.125) dB

# Bass & Treble icons will flash if there is a risk of digital clipping

   which can be resolved by lowering the Bass or Treble.


LOUDNESS

# Loudness now offers values accurate to 1/4 (.25) dB

# Loudness can be configured with a centre frequency of either 1KHz

   or 2KHz to suit the response curve of your amplifier, headphones or

   ears.

# Loudness icon will flash if there is a risk of digital clipping which

   can be resolved by lowering the loudness.


BASS BOOST

# Bass Boost allows settings to an accuracy of 5% in User Mode

# Bass Boost allows you to sepcify the cutoff frequency for your

   headphones/speakers for a cleaner bass response.

# Bass Boost has a full Custom Mode. Like the Custom Stereo

   Seperation screen, this also has a full GUI interface.

# Custom Bass Boost mode shows a approximation of the response graph

   _and_ allows you to preview the results of your changes in real time.


I must say that the Micronas Dynamic Bass Booster is by far the most

impressive feature of this new interface, second place is awarded to

moving the loudness centre frequency - My personal listening pleasure

has more than doubled since I configured the chip to output the something

that my headphones (and my ears) like.


==========================================================================

==========================================================================


How to start using Audio_3587 today.


Please remember this is a PUBLIC BETA ...this is NOT at official release yet.

Once the release is made official, the installation procedure will become

far simpler. My long term aim is that it will only require the

Audio_3587.rock file, but that requires certain core code changes.

..watch this space :)


INSTALLATION

""""""""""""


Because of it's nature Audio_3587 requires both new firmware AND a plugin.


Go to the Cyborg Systems Rockbox Page:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/cyborgsystems/CS_Main/RockBox/RockBox.htm

where you will need to download THREE files


file 1. The Plugin ...choose ICON or TEXT

         (I personally think the icon one is MUCH sexier)

file 2. Updated firmware ...choose JBR-V1, JBR-v2, JBR-FM

file 3. The documentation


** Read on AFTER you have got the files,

** the instructions will make more sense


file 1

------

If you chose the TEXT plugin you MUST rename it to "Audio_3587.rock"

If you chose the ICON plugin, the filename is already correct.


Place the plugin ("Audio_3587.rock") on your jukebox in the directory

/.rockbox/rocks/


file 2

------

If you are unsure which Jukebox Recorder you own, scroll down the web page a

bit where you will find an identity chart.


Rename your chosen firmware to "ajbrec.ajz" and place it in the root (main)

directory of your juebox.


file 3

------

The interface is very comprehensive, you would be at a great advantage to

get the best sound from your Jukebox if you give the documentation a quick

look.

* It is currently incomplete, it will NOT stay that way!


These are some of the most important keys:

F3 - Current value to default

F2 - Reset Audio_3587 (will ask yes/no)

ON+F1 - Help

ON+F2 - Save Settings

PLAY - Generally toggles Geek Mode on/off

ON+LEFT/RIGHT - Advanced adjustments

ON+UP/DOWN - Reorganise main screen layout


==========================================================================

==========================================================================


I am ALWAYS interested in feedback, your comments will all be given serious

consideration.


If you like what you see, post something nice about me and I am sure that

you will enthuse me to get my other projects running faster.


Current ideas are:

   Realtime Pseudo-Stereo Mixing.

   Maze Game (mostly written, but at the moment it is JUST "solve the maze"

:( )

   New Graphics Lib release.

   Card Game Engine release (needs some tidying before I will release it.)

   Finish the Klondike End-Game graphics with the new bc_gfx library.

   "Karaoke Machine" mode, including cdg support.


BlueChip

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Received on 2004-06-08