NSID_Emu - SID Player for Spectrum

[Pegaz]

It works best on UnrealSpeccy emulator with SID on xxCF port, but I wanted to test with other emus and versions as well.
For example, the TS version works with Spectaculator and some other emulators, but only on the Scorpion model, which means that 1024 Kb is not necessary as limit.
I also noticed that the older TS version v0274 gives better sound quality than this latest v0416, which is very strange.

[NEO SPECTRUMAN]

because NEO SPECTRUMAN was banhammered from zx.pk.ru
the new release will be here

NSID_Emu_TS r0625
https://www.mediafire.com/file/yclhww9a ... 25.7z/file

the new version uses ZX0 v1.2 packer by Einar Saukas
a various bug fixes, optimisations
added reflesh button in file menu and catalog backup
(now catalog doesn't load every time (which are relevant for real floppy drives (which went extinct : ) )
mus player now integrated
fixed ATM1 memory overwrite

after major internal changes +3 "FAST" version no longer available (+3 "slow" still working)
maybe in the future it will be fixed...

as always profi interface mb02 and mb03+ versions haven't been tested ^_^

[Pegaz]

Today, I tried the MB03+ version for the first time, on the lnxSpectrum emulator and got interesting results.
I tested r0274, r0416 and latest r0625 version and I can say that each newer version sounds worse, than previous ones.
The r0274 sounds glorious in TS mode, the r0416 also sounds clean and good but much quieter, while the new r0625 has a playback issues, due to occasional crackling and skipping.
I don't know what is the cause of this, but in general, my experience is that older versions give a cleaner and nicer sound...

[NEO SPECTRUMAN]

hmm it's a bit strange
can you make a small disk image 32...64MB with different versions of player?
and sound recordings of "occasional cracklings"?

also check pentagon version on unreal for comparsion

configurated unreal
https://www.mediafire.com/file/r87pn340 ... .0.7z/file

it should sound the same
if there are no bugs about which I don't know

[Pegaz]

Well, you can try it yourself, I used a 15Gb hdf image already prepared for MB03+ and just added NSID trd images with hdfmonkey.
The emulator and instructions on how to do it are here:
viewtopic.php?p=56843#p56843

I also tried it on your unrealspeccy, the latest r0625 sounds just as good as r0416 (no crackling), but r0274 still sounds noticeably cleaner and louder here.
Then I tried r0274 on unreal with SAA support and got almost the same sound quality as MB03+ version on lnxSpectrum emulator, which sounds more powerful than any others, simply rocks!
Maybe that's the answer, because MB03+ also supports SAA sound...

[NEO SPECTRUMAN]

Then I tried r0274 on unreal with SAA support and got almost the same sound quality as MB03+ version on lnxSpectrum emulator,

i tryed latest unreals by deathsoft and by ts-labs with saa1099 on
but no crackling at all
also i tryed old unreal 0.37.3m with saa1099
everything sounds as it should be

well
let's assume that is a conflict between saa1099 and ts
i will check lnx emulator later
...

but much quieter

that's how it should be
but "much" it's just К = 0,90
because the resonance of the filter can increase the volume
and this was ignored in the r0274 version

sid master volume (d3...d0 $18 reg) added since r0309
which additionaly reduced the volume in some .sids

[NEO SPECTRUMAN]

Well

try this version
http://www.mediafire.com/file/p59f3km9o ... ff.7z/file

[Pegaz]

Thanks, this version works ok, the crackling and skipping is gone.
Still, I have to say that the MB03+ r0274 version still sounds best and noticeably louder or simply more pleasant to listen to.
A good example is the Supremacy tune, where the part between about 1:05 and 1:20 (just before the crescendo), sounds strangely quiet, like it's missing something.
In the r0274 version this is not the case, it also has a noticeably pronounced echo at the very beginning of the tune, just like in the C64 original.
All these are my impressions as a user, I am not an SID expert and I believe that the new versions are more internally compatible, but this MB03+ version just seems superior, although I don't know why.
It should be noted, that I am testing the MB03+ version with the only emulator that supports this interface - lnxSpectrum, but very good one.
We may have a more complete impression if some of the mb03+ owners, tests program on the real hardware.

[NEO SPECTRUMAN]

Thanks, this version works ok, the crackling and skipping is gone.

Presumptive diagnosis
incorrect\wrong AY counters emulation in lnx emulator (undocumented AY part)

[NEO SPECTRUMAN]

i'm using "portamento protection"

because registers are written separately
there is some problem when some dividers writing
$100 -> $0FF
$0FF -> $100

fail №1
$1 00 - 427,2460938 Hz
$0 00 - 109375 Hz click + phase loss (write H)
$0 FF - 428,9215686 Hz (write L)

fail №2
$0 FF - 428,9215686 Hz
$0 00 - 109375 Hz click + phase loss (write L)
$1 00 - 427,2460938 Hz (write H)

i'm using this trick
$0 FF - 428,9215686 Hz
$0 FF - 428,9215686 Hz (write FF in L)
$1 FF - 214,0410959 Hz (write H)
$1 00 - 427,2460938 Hz (write L)

It should work but I'm not 100% sure, what exactly is going on real AY

n the r0274 version

I also broke the "triagle waveform" a little during the calibration process
now it sounds quieter than necessary
and I can't find time to re-calibrate it (it's kinda long to do)

[Pegaz]

Thanks, this version works ok, the crackling and skipping is gone.

Presumptive diagnosis
incorrect\wrong AY counters emulation in lnx emulator (undocumented AY part)

Yes, you are right, this is definitely an emulator issue.
I just tested this latest Pentagon version with UnrealSpeccy and that silent part in Supremacy sounds perfect.

[NEO SPECTRUMAN]

just build last Hard SID versions

NSID_Player_Pro r0626 (HardSID on xxCF)
http://www.mediafire.com/file/m584w68s9 ... 29.7z/file

NSID_Player_Pro r0626 (HardSID on AY Ports)
http://www.mediafire.com/file/o4inmu1f6 ... 29.7z/file

also last +3 versions as always have some not critical bugs

[NEO SPECTRUMAN]

crappy single AY version

NSID_Emu r0626
http://www.mediafire.com/file/qf7ntt1an ... 26.7z/file

[Szk]

Hi [mention]NEO SPECTRUMAN[/mention] I've recently heard about your programs NSID and S98 players for the TSFM and would like to try them, but looks like all previous download links you provided here and on ZX-PK.ru are removed? Is there a place where we can get your latest versions? Thank you!

[NEO SPECTRUMAN]

a place where we can get your latest versions?

latest for turbo sound
NSID_Emu_TS r0632 (unstable)
https://anonfiles.com/N0fap540u0/NSID_E ... nstable_7z
https://dropmefiles.com/iNP0L

[NEO SPECTRUMAN]

NSID_Player_Pro r0633 for HardSID on xxCF port (unstable)
https://anonfiles.com/B481sc45uc/NSID_P ... on_xxCF_7z
https://dropmefiles.com/lFnRM

Unreal with 6581 SID on xxCF port
https://anonfiles.com/P693s849uf/us0373_mod_sid_2_rar
https://dropmefiles.com/xEFUG

[NEO SPECTRUMAN]

NSID_Player_Pro r0633 for HardSID on AY Ports (unstable)
https://anonfiles.com/X5Zcsc45u4/NSID_P ... Y_Ports_7z
https://dropmefiles.com/nOkBw

[SamC]

NSID_Player_Pro r0633 for HardSID on AY Ports (unstable)

Many thanks for new versions!
Please, could you explain differences between versions "TS" and "HardSID for AY"
(at least a link to some russian webpage, because speccy HardSID is hard to find, it is currently a very generic word on internet...)

We may have a more complete impression if some of the mb03+ owners, tests program on the real hardware.

Here is a video of some previous version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpB4_7zEfxU
Recorded from the eLeMeNt ZX, which has exactly the same TSFM core as implemented in the MB03+.

[NEO SPECTRUMAN]

"HardSID for AY"

"hardsid on ay ports" is for old discontinued zx spectrum next connection standard for "real" sid
https://www.zxuno.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... 8&start=10
it's not for ©HardSID®™

in russian "hard" is hear like real\hardware - not emulation

[NEO SPECTRUMAN]

from web archive

https://www.specnext.com/turbo-sound-next/
https://web.archive.org/web/20170806085 ... ound-next/

The selection of the current sound IC is done by writing a value in the I/O port 0xFFFD, as below:

Bit 7 = “1”
Bit 6 = Left audio (“1” enabled, “0” disabled)
Bit 5 = Right audio (“1” enabled, “0” disabled)
Bit 4 = “1”
Bit 3 = “1”
Bit 2 = “1”
Bits 1 and 0 as

“’11”: Selects the first PSG (default);
“10”: Selects the second PSG;
“01”: Selects the third PSG.
“00”: Selects the SID.

when I started writing nsid i didn't know that they already removed SID from next...

[NEO SPECTRUMAN]

...and simple versions of the player

for single Ay (with old engine from r02xx)
https://anonfiles.com/n5vbnf58ud/NSID_Emu_r0641_7z
https://dropmefiles.com/aJe2W

for SID on xxCF port (simple version (bit faster than PROgressive version))
https://anonfiles.com/zcv5na5cu7/NSID_P ... on_xxCF_7z
https://dropmefiles.com/0SG96

for SID on AY ports (simple version)
https://anonfiles.com/zewan15cu2/NSID_P ... Y_Ports_7z
https://dropmefiles.com/lfKni

[SamC]

Does anyone have the latest version, please?
Downloads are not available....

Many thanks!

[Pegaz]

Does anyone have the latest version, please?
Downloads are not available....

Many thanks!

Sure, hope this helps:
https://easyupload.io/kkccci

[SamC]

Dear NEO SPECTRUMAN,

big thanks for all effort you have done.
Your player for the HW-SID in the eLeMeNt ZX
has been presented right now at Bytefest .

Also many thanks for the patience and support.
I know it is at least the third SID standard for the Speccy,
next the Unreal emulator and the ZX-TSid,
but I am convinced this ZXi ports version implemented in FPGA
will be very close to the real hardware, cheap and accessible to more people.

More details and videos later...

[denjhang]

Links are dead, I'm late. Can someone provide the latest version of NSID_emu and NSID_Player? And how to replace the sid file in trd, I need help.