Derek Johnson keeps the Atari flag flying with tidings of some hardware add‑ons for both Falcon and ST, plus a neat freeware package that turns your Atari into a guitar tuner...
This month I'm kicking off with news of some new Falcon‑ and Atari‑compatible hardware. Chris Krowchuk of Computer Direct (the Canadian Atari mail‑order specialists) got in touch recently to let us know that their web site's URL, which we published a few months ago, has changed (to www.compdirect.com), but Chris also informed us of a couple of new Falcon products from Line Audio Designs, who are producing a range of audio add‑ons for the Atari and C‑Lab Falcons, all of which are compatible with various audio recording software, such as Steinberg's Cubase Audio and Emagic's Logic Audio.
First up is the Jam In 8, which lets your Falcon record eight individual analogue sources direct to disk simultaneously, while the Jam Out 8 provides eight low‑noise, low‑distortion audio outs, using 18‑bit convertors. Jam Out 8 also features a 'pass thru' DSP plug for expandable daisy‑chaining of additional Falcon DSP peripherals. Next, there's the Jam 8 Pro, a 19‑inch rack version of the Jam Out 8, designed for professional studio installations; an optional Jam In 8 card will allow for eight ins and eight outs in one convenient package. Lastly, Line Audio Designs' Jam Sample Clocks, used with the Falcon's DSP port, clocks the Falcon to standard sample frequencies; it works with programs that use external clock (44.1kHz or 48kHz versions are available), such as Cubase Audio. Info is available on the Computer Direct web site, where Line Audio Design have their own page (www.compdirect.com/line_audio/), although System Solutions are now distributing these expanders in the UK. System Solutions' mail order location is Windsor Business Centre, Vansittart Road, Windsor, Berks SL4 1SE. Telephone 01753 832212, fax 01753 830344 (or visit their web site. at www.ssolutions.com/).
System Solutions is also the place to go for a nifty dongle expander. This was never a particularly common piece of hardware, even in the ST's heyday, but it's a useful tool if you're irritated by having to change dongles when moving between software. The Cartmaster, priced at £99, accommodates up four dongles, and comes with configuration software.
Titan Throws Weight Behind Falcon
To return to the Falcon family for a moment, Titan Designs are specialising in supporting the platform. While their endeavours appear to favour the graphics capabilities of this machine, with hardware and manipulation software galore, I'm sure many of the hardware and software options they can supply would be of interest to any Falcon user. For example, BSS' Debug, "the only true Falcon debugger" has now been upgraded for full compatibility with the MagiC operating system and the Afterburner040 accelerator. Titan also stock a range of SCSI hard drives and CD‑ROM drives, plus monitors and CD‑ROM discs. You can visit their website (100345.2350@compuserve.com.
More Strings To Your Atari
Guitar‑playing Atari owners aren't exactly drowning in software, so The Guitar Reference, by one Alan Richardson, should be welcome. This is a highly useful and well‑programmed piece of software that provides both scale and tuning references, with the tuning reference section actually able to give an audio output via the Atari's soundchip or over MIDI — basically giving you an on‑screen guitar tuner. The software has a database of 46 alternative tunings, and you can also devise (and save to disk) your own.
The Guitar Reference also features a database of 57 scale types, with options for the user to customise and save their own. Scales are displayed on screen, with a variety of zoom levels, and you can choose whether diamonds, circles or note names are used to indicate note positions on the on‑screen fretboard. It's a doddle to edit or create new scales, and they can just as easily be transposed into different keys, with root notes clearly indicated. There is no audio playback in the scale window, but the idea is that you play the scale on your guitar, so this isn't a problem.
The most amazing thing is that although The Guitar Reference started life as shareware, it's now freeware. This is a shame, because it would be nice to know that the author was getting some kind of financial payback for his work. But I'm all too aware that most users are not well known for honouring their shareware commitments. Incidentally, the software has been tested on an STFM, an STE and a Falcon. It's possible to locate The Guitar Reference on a number of ftp sites; you can find a full description at www.wmin.ac.uk/~richara/guitaref..., which provides a link to Hensa. But be warned, as usual, that since this is an educational site it's closed to non‑academic visitors between 8am and 8pm UK time.
Going Dutch
If you've ever felt the urge to play someone's MIDI gear long‑distance, a simple piece of Dutch shareware software will do the trick: ChatMIDI lets you send MIDI data over a phone, using a modem. A two‑way split screen also allows the connected Atari owners to type messages to each other. The software works better the faster your modem is, and the simpler your MIDI stream is (real‑time messages are filtered completely). I found ChatMIDI at the mighty Shareware Music Machine (www.hitsquad.com/smm/midi/100001...), but it can be located at a variety of other sites.
Showtime
We mentioned them last month, but don't forget the three Atari shows during April and May: Saturday 26th April at the Compton Suite in Birmingham's Motor Cycle Museum; Sunday April 27th at the Kew, Syon and Hampton Suites of London's Osterley Hotel; and Sunday 11th May at the Kintyre Suite of the Quality Central Hotel in Glasgow. All shows run from 10am to 5pm, and tickets are £5 for adults before 2pm, £3 after 2pm, and £1 for under 16s, all day. Special family deals are also available. Goodman International are running the shows (telephone 01782 335650, fax 01782 316132).