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                The Compute's Gazette SID Collection (CGSC)
                     -> Frequently Asked Questions <-
                        Last Updated: March,  2024
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Very Common Questions

 [1] What is the Compute's Gazette SID Collection (CGSC)?
 [2] How many files does the CGSC contain?
 [3] What software do I need to play the tunes in CGSC?
 [4] Why should I get CGSC when I already have the HVSC?

Specific Questions

 [5] Why do a few tunes in the collection not play properly on my favourite
     player?

Updates

 [6] When will the next update be released?

General Questions

 [7] How can I tell what version of CGSC I have?
 [8] Why do some tunes sound different compared to how I remember them on
     the C64?
 [9] When will CGSC be completed?
[10] How do I play stereo music in the VICE emulator?

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[1] What is the Compute's Gazette SID Collection (CGSC)?
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CGSC is the ultimate Compute's SIDplayer tune collection encompassing
MUS, STR and WDS files.


[2] How many files does the CGSC contain?
-----------------------------------------

16441 MUS
 4357 STR
 5556 WDS


[3] What software do I need to play the tunes in CGSC?
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Go to https://hvsc.de/players for a list of sidplayers. However, some
of the players on that page only work with .sid files and not .mus files so
you'll have to download them and see for yourself.

You can also listen to the music in CGSC on a real C64 with any of the
players included in the \00_COMMODORE64\ directory.


[4] Why should I get CGSC when I already have the HVSC?
-------------------------------------------------------

The HVSC (High Voltage Sid Collection) covers a totally different area
of C64 music than the CGSC. HVSC does not contain any Compute SIDPlayer
music (OK, alright, it has about 7).

It is recommended that you obtain a copy of both CGSC and HVSC.


[5] Why do a few tunes in the collection not play properly on my favourite
    player?
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Some tunes in the collection are marked with (BAD), (SHORT), or (NON) in
their filenames to indicate they do not play properly.

The reference player used to decide whether the music plays correctly
is SIDPLAY/W which uses the "Compute's Sidplayer Basic Player" by Craig
Chamberlain.
If you are using SIDPLAY/W version (30 Oct 1998) or earlier then you
should upgrade to the newest version.

Some other Commodore 64 players such as SidPic and Stereo Sidplayer have
the same problem.

If you use Compute's Basic Sidplayer or Compute's Enhanced Sidplayer then
you will be OK.

To be fair, this problem only affects about 50 out of over 13500 music files
in CGSC!


[6] When will the next update be released?
------------------------------------------

There is no fixed time schedule as to when each update is released.  Each
update is dependent on two factors: available time and available SIDs.


[7] How can I tell what version of CGSC I have?
-----------------------------------------------

Look at /00_DOCUMENTS/cg_sids.txt.  The first few lines will tell you what
version you have.


[8] Why do some tunes sound different compared to how I remember them on
    the C64?
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SID emulators are very good, but not perfect.  Although SID emulation is
not perfect, the music file may be corrupt.  If you believe you
have found a corrupt tune, it would be best if you load up the old tune on
a C64/128 and compare it to the CGSC version.  If you then notice a problem
with the CGSC version, by all means, let us know.  Another thing worth checking
is whether your emulator is set to NTSC or PAL and switch it to the other
setting and listen to it again.


[9] When will CGSC be completed?
--------------------------------

In all likelihood, never.  Far too many tunes were made on the C64 to
reasonably expect that every MUS will be collected.


[10] How do I play stereo music in the VICE emulator?
-----------------------------------------------------
Use the following settings to make Mark Dickenson's Stereo Player work
in stereo mode (both the .MUS and .STR files playing simultaneously
with the graphics in sync)

Run VICE to get the Commodore 64 blue screen.

Under Settings Menu: Sound settings, DirectX driver, Sample Frequency
44100 Hz, Sound Buffer Size 100msec (350msec out of sync), Oversampling
Factor 2x, Synchronization Method Exact

Under Settings Menu: SID Settings: SID Model 8580 (new), Stereo SID at $DE00

Under Settings Menu: Drive Settings 1581 (or 1541)

Under Options Menu: Video Standard, NTSC-M

Under Options Menu: Virtual Device traps checked. (Leave True Drive Emulation
unchecked as VICE is way too slow when checked.)

Under File Menu: Attach Disk Image, Drive 8, type .d81 (or .d64) virtual disk
file (with Stereo Player Ver. 10.3 and .MUS and .STR files on it). Attach it.

Under File Menu: Attach Disk Image, Drive 9, type .d81 (or .d64) virtual disk
file (with more .MUS and .STR files on it). Attach it.

Load and run the Stereoplayer Boot Program and press "N" and away you go.
(Have to do a run, enter after it loads, as the comma 8 comma 1 doesn't make
the automatic run work and the JiffyDOS British Pound symbol and command
aren't emulated.)

Thanks to John Kaputa for supplying the above information.