Name: XMPlay Version: 1.6 Exe-Date: 1999-12-11 Zip Size: 127 kB Supported File Formats: MP3, XM, IT, MOD, S3M, MTM, WAV Support for Compressed Files: MO3: build-in ZIP, RAR, ARJ, LHA: plug-in (http://www.un4seen.com/music) =============================Original=Readme============================ XMPlay 1.6 - Copyright (c) 1998-99 Ian Luck. All rights reserved. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Files that you should have found in the XMPlay "package" ======================================================== XMPLAY.EXE The executable XMPLAY.TXT This file FILE_ID.DIZ BBS description file What's the point? ================= XMPlay is an XM/IT/MOD/S3M/MTM player for Windows 9x/NT. It's got the best (most accurate to FT2) XM reproduction to be heard from any player. All features/effects (including several FT2 quirks) are 100% supported. The IT reproduction is also practically balls-on, with full support for all effects/NNA/DCA/filters etc... MIDI out is also supported for XMs. XMPlay also supports the MO3 format (MODs with MP3 compressed samples) that was introduced in BASS 0.7. If you wish to create MO3s, then you should download BASS from the XMPlay homepage (URL below). As well as all these "module" formats, XMPlay also plays MP3s... you lucky bastards! Main Features ============= * Balls-on Accurate - plays the way nature intended. * Sample Interpolation - linear/spline interpolated sample mixing. * Volume/Pan Ramping - for output that's smoother than a baby's arse. * 5 Band Equalizer - adjustable gain at five frequency bands. * Spectrum Analyzer - something to look at while the music plays. * Reverb & Surround Sound - for a richer, fuller flavour. * WAV writer "device" (with CODEC support) - use XMPlay's output to write your own (non-commercial) CD/MP3s. * Track list saving/loading - with "relative paths/drive" and "keep output" options. * Archive file plugins - play files from within archives (ZIP/RAR/ARJ/LHA/etc...) * Dragon droppings supported :) - including support for dragging whole directory trees. * Help "bubbles" - right click on any control for a helpful little bubble. * Nice GUI! :) - normal/double size, rollovers, customizeable colour scheme. The SETUP Window ================ Device Options -------------- You can change which device (if you have multiple devices) to use, and what frequency/resolution/channels/buffer to use with the device. You may also choose the "XMPlay WAV Writer" device, to write the output to WAV files rather than a soundcard. Select "XMPlay WAV Writer (codec)" to write compessed WAVs. If the CODEC does not support the chosen format, XMPlay will switch to the plain WAV writer. The WAVs are saved with the original filename, but with ".WAV" replacing the original extension. Use the amplification slider to control the volume of the WAV. Be careful not to use a too high amplification level as this may result in samples being clipped. You can avoid amplification problems by using the normalized 32-bit option. The other obvious benefit of 32-bit WAVs is the increased quality/resolution, which is also good if you wish to do post-production. 32-bit WAVs are twice the size of 16-bit WAVs, but they can be converted to 16-bit in a sample editor. NOTE: The 32-bit option is only applicable to the "XMPlay WAV Writer", for any other device (including the CODEC writer) the output resolution will drop down to 16-bit. After you've made changes to the device settings, close the SETUP window to apply the changes. If the device does not support the settings you chose, XMPlay will use the closest settings that the device does support. If you re-open the SETUP window, you will see which settings are actually being used. NOTE: MP3 files are always played at their correct sample rate. They are also always played in 16-bit, except when writing 32-bit WAVs. GUI Colour Scheme ----------------- You can change the colour scheme of the GUI. Use the scroller on the right to select the element you wish to change the colour of, and then use the three colour (red/green/blue) bars. These are the 9 elements that you can change the colour of: Text (includes the button text/symbols) Selected text (includes the button text/symbols) Inactive window frame and caption Activated window frame and caption Button frame Selected button frame Title text Level (low) Level (high) Reset Track List ---------------- These options decide whether the TRACK LIST should be cleared when adding new tracks in the various ways. LIST = Clear the track list when loading a track list (*.XMP file). DROP = Clear the track list when drag'n'dropping. C.LINE = Clear the track list when loading from the command-line. This includes loading tracks from Windows Explorer. NOTE: When drag'n'dropping (or loading from the command-line) track list files (*.XMP), the DROP (or C.LINE) setting takes precedence over the LIST setting. In other words, if DROP (or C.LINE) is off then the track list will not be cleared even if LIST is on. Miscellaneous ------------- AAR/-R/F = Auto amplification reduction switch If enabled, the amp level will automatically be reduced whenever clipping occurs. You may then have to raise the amp level again when you play a new track, unless you select the AAR-R or AAR-F options. The AAR-R option will automatically reset the amp level to the centre before playing a new track. AAR-F will fade-in the new track until it clips, then it'll behave the same as AAR. HI-LIT = Rollover controls switch Rollovers make the controls (buttons/sliders/etc...) light up as the mouse moves over them. BIG = Big GUI (double size) switch For those who use hi-res, where the normal GUI size is too tiny. Close the SETUP window to apply the change. TIME/-R = Time display switch Displays the position in time, rather than patterns & rows. The TIME-R option displays the time remaining. A-/LOOP = Looping switch If enabled, the tracks are played over and over until you choose to move on to the next track. If there is only one track in the TRACK LIST, then it is always looped. You can choose the A-LOOP option, to let XMPlay decide if each track is meant to be looped. TRIM = Trim empty space from the end (no effect on MP3s) If there is any silent space at the end of a track, it will not be played. Instead XMPlay will jump to the next track, assuming there is more than one track in the list, and LOOPing is not on. FADE = Old track fadeout Fades out the old track before loading a new one. NORM/FT2/PT1 MOD = Decides how MOD files should be played: FT2 MOD = FT2 plays MODs slightly differently from the convention, infact most trackers play MODs differently from eachother! Anyway, if you want to hear MOD files as FT2 plays them, then select this. PT1 MOD = This plays MODs as the original ProTracker did, so now you can relive those early Amiga days! :) AUTOPLAY = Auto play switch Automatically jumps to new tracks, either clicked in the file selector, drag'n'dropped, or loaded from Windows Explorer. TOP-C/S = "Mini on top" mode switch Switches between the playback controls (TOP-C) and the spectrum analyser (TOP-S) being displayed in "Mini on top" mode. Double click the title (or press "M") to toggle "Mini on top" mode. File Verification ----------------- FILE SEL = If enabled, the FILE SELECTOR will scan all files, and display only the valid ones. Otherwise, files with an XM/MOD/S3M/IT/MTM extension (or any archive extension) will be displayed, whether they are valid or not. Disabling this obviously increases the speed of FILE SELECTOR updates when changing directories. LIST = If enabled, all files in track lists (XMP files) will be checked before being added to the TRACK LIST. If you have very large track lists stored on slow devices (eg. CD-ROM) or inside archives, you may want to disable this option to speed up loading track lists. When this option is disabled, it also means that the track titles will not be scanned leaving the filenames displayed in the TRACK LIST window (rather than the track titles). ARCHIVE = If enabled, all files in archives are scanned for a valid format. Obviously, this can take a while if there are many files to scan in an archive. When disabled, only files with an XM/MOD/S3M/IT/MTM extension are considered for processing. The OUTPUT OPTIONS Window ========================= LI/SI = Linear/Spline Interpolation switch - no effect on MP3s R = Ramping switch (off/normal/sensitive) - no effect on MP3s S = Surround Sound switch (off/normal/mode 2) - no effect on MP3s Eq = Equalizer switch Rev = Reverb switch The graphic equalizer sliders range from +10dB (top) to -10dB (bottom). The slider on the top-right is the amplification slider, this is different to the volume slider. The volume slider controls the level of the sound card output, the amplification slider controls the level of the actual mixing output. The higher the amplification, the greater the resolution of the mixing output, but if it's too high clipping may occur resulting in distortion of the sound. Just below the amplification slider, is the pan seperation slider. This obviously can only affect things when playing in stereo. It also has no effect on MP3s. TIP: To centre any of the sliders (EQ/reverb/amplification/pan seperation), hold either of the SHIFT keys while clicking on the slider. NOTE: The response speed to these options is dependant on the buffer size, the delay will be the length of the buffer chosen in the SETUP. The TRACK LIST Window ===================== CLEAR = Clear all tracks from list SAVE = Save the current track list This will bring up the SAVE TRACK LIST window, in which you can enter a filename for the track list. If no extension is supplied, ".XMP" will be used. You can also use the following options: KEEP OUTPUT = If enabled, the current OUTPUT OPTIONS settings are stored with the track list, to be used as defaults whenever the track list is loaded. REL. PATHS = If enabled, the track filenames are stored relative to the path of the track list file. When disabled, the full paths are stored. If REL. DRIVE is selected then the full paths are stored, except the drive is omitted if it's the same drive as the track list is being saved to. The Equalizer ============= If you don't have your sound card output going through an equalizer (or a hi-fi with one) then you can use this option to provide one. The equalizer's five centre frequencies are 70hz, 350hz, 1000hz, 3500hz and 10000hz. By using the equalizer you can emphasise or weaken these frequencies. For example, you can boost the bass by using a positive gain at the low frequencies, or you can boost the treble by using a positive gain at the high frequencies. The gains are meusured in dB. The Keyboard Shortcuts ====================== P (or Pause) = Pause/Play Home = Restart left cursor = Rewind right cursor = Forward Page Up = Previous track Page Down = Next track (numpad) -,+ = Adjust volume (numpad) /,* = Adjust amplification Delete,End = Adjust pan seperation I = Interpolation switch R = Ramping switch S = Surround sound switch Q = Equalizer switch V = Reverb switch 1..5 = Slide up the EQ sliders (+shift = slide down) 6..7 = Slide up the reverb sliders (+shift = slide down) T = Time display switch shift+F9 = Display message in INFO 'N' STUFF window (IT/MTM/MP3 only) M = Toggle "Mini on top" mode Archive plugins =============== The archive plugins are available at the XMPlay homepage. To activate a plugin, simply put it in the same directory as XMPLAY.EXE is in. Latest Version ============== The latest version of XMPlay can always be found at the XMPlay homepage: http://www.un4seen.com/music/ Copyright, Disclaimer, and all that other jazz ============================================== This program is free for non-commercial use, so if anyone tries to charge you for it kick 'em where it hurts. This software is provided as-is. The author makes absolutely no warranties on it. You use it at your own risk. The author shall not be held responsible for any damage that may result from its use, including, but not limited to, burning your toast while being too engrossed in the XMPlay "experience". All trademarks and other registered names contained in the XMPlay "package" are the property of their respective owners. History ======= These are the major (and not so major) changes at each version stage. There are also many bug fixes made along the way too! 1.6 - 11/12/99 -------------- * MP3 playback (MPEG1/2 layer 3 files) * MO3 playback (MP3 compressed MODs) * TRIM option 1.5 - 10/8/99 ------------- * MIDI out (XM only) * Reverb * Normalized 32-bit floating-point WAV writer * IT "carry" envelope support * AAR-F option - auto amp reduction with fade-in * EQ/reverb slider keyboard shortcuts * Adjustable level colours * FADEOUT option * Spectrum "Mini on top" mode option * Slider positions (and "mini on top" switches) display * TIME-R option - display time remaining * SAMPLE LIST (INFO 'N' STUFF window) 1.4 - 9/1/99 ------------ * MTM playback * System file selector option * REL. DRIVE option when saving track lists * AAR (auto amp reduction) options * Archive file plugins * PT1 MOD option - plays the "original" ProTracker MODs * Audio CODEC support - writes compressed WAVs * FILE VERIFICATION options * Directory drag'n'dropping * A-LOOP (auto loop detection) option 1.3 - 26/10/98 -------------- * IT playback - all FX/NNA/DCA/filters etc... * "Mini on top" mode - double-click the caption to toggle * New amplification slider - larger range * Pan seperation slider * Help "bubbles" * MMX accelerated mixing * INFO 'N' STUFF window replaces INSTRUMENT LIST window 1.2 - 27/9/98 ------------- * S3M playback * Play position slider * Surround mode 2 - ignores pan pos, useful for mono MODs * WAV writer "device" * AUTOPLAY/ROLLOVERS/TIME/FT2 MOD options * Amplification slider * Optimized equalizer * Track list saving/loading * RESET TRACK LIST options * Variable sized INSTRUMENT LIST/TRACK LIST/FILE SELECTOR windows 1.1 - 2/8/98 ------------ * SETUP options window * Optimized surround sound * Heavily optimized spline interpolation * BIG GUI option 1.0 - 15/7/98 ------------- First Release The "thank you" section ======================= BIG thanks go to Isao Kasai, Mike Toomim, Maz, Yello '73, Neurotix, Progg, Manwe, Frater Sinister, Kaparo, and especially It-Alien, who between them have helped find a shitload of bugs for fixing. Also thanks to all who have sent good suggestions and bug reports. Bug reports, Suggestions, Comments etc... ========================================= If you have any of the aforementioned you can email: xmplay@un4seen.com