Ofir Gal and DEREK JOHNSON round up more Atari software and hardware news, and discover a new on‑line Atari magazine.
New from Digital Media (0171 607 2727) is the UK version of Sound Studio for the Falcon, which has already featured in this column. Sound Studio, which is available in four 'flavours', allows the editing of digital audio, and features DSP effects including real‑time crossfading, reverb, delay, EQ, and compression. The 'light' version, which retails at £149, supports 2‑track recording and playback. The next version up, Sound Studio 2+, can play up to eight tracks simultaneously, but you can only work with two at a time. This version, priced at £449, also includes all the DSP effects found on the more expensive versions. Sound Studio 4.0 (£599) adds the ability to work on four tracks simultaneously, plus Akai DR4 management, while the top‑of‑the‑range 8.0 version (£799) supports eight tracks and provides for control of the Akai DR8. Both the 4.0 and 8.0 versions allow you to edit waveforms directly on the Akai recorders; they also include basic mixing facilities. More powerful mixing options are expected to appear in a later upgrade.
Also new from Digital Media is a new M‑JPEG card that allows you to record video direct to disk at 384 x 288 resolution and 25 frames per second, in full 24‑bit colour. The accompanying software allows you to edit the video and record it back to a VHS video recorder. Compatible with Sound Studio, the hardware offers some integration between video and audio — unfortunately, though, full details were not available at the time of writing. The package retails at £699.
CD Solutions
System Solutions (0181 693 3355) have a few new CD‑ROMs available, including the Ultimate Cubase CD‑ROM, priced at £69.95. They also stock a Falcon‑dedicated title, Bird of Prey, which is a collection of shareware utilities and applications, and is designed to complement other Falcon CDs. It retails at £24.95. Aimed at designers and DTP enthusiasts, the Art Nouveau CD‑ROM (priced at £39.95) contains over 400 graphic files, in several formats. FInally, the Xware DTP Graphics disk set, which costs £79.95, is a collection of three CDs, containing hundreds of high quality clip‑art files covering a wide variety of subjects. If you want to burn your own CDs at 4x speed, System Solutions also offer a package which includes the drive and required software for £1126.
Atari On‑Line
Since there are now no Atari magazines available at your local newsagent, it's been left to enterprising individuals to fill the gap. It was mentioned in last month's Atari Notes that a new, subscription‑only magazine — Atari Computing — has just been launched, and now there's an on‑line Atari magazine too.
AtariPhile (walusoft.co/fff), currently at issue three, is run by the people behind the Falcon FacTT File, a Falcon/TT users group, although the magazine covers all aspects of the Atari platform, so it's worth a look whether you're an ST, TT or Falcon user. Music coverage is slim at present, but there are plans, from issue four, to maintain regular music coverage. The magazine is also available from /www.soundonsound.com/Clare%D5s%2... and on 42 BBS (01256 895106). Non‑modem owners will be relieved to know that they aren't being left out of the fun, since AtariPhile is also available on floppy disk. Try Goodman's PD library (01782 335650), Floppyshop PD library (01224 312756) or the FaST Club (0115 945 5250). Alternatively, send a formatted double‑density floppy disk, two first‑class stamps, and a self‑addressed envelope (for each issue) to Colin Fisher‑McAlum, 11 Pound Meadow, Whitchurch, Hants RG28 7LG, and you'll get a copy by return. Make sure you put enough stamps on the package to cover delivery, since underpaid packages will be refused. Non‑UK residents should send International Reply Coupons (IRCs).
Contents for issue 3 of AtariPhile include reviews of the Afterburner 040 accelerator for Falcon and NVDI 4.0, features on alternative file selectors and 'point of view' raytracing, plus an introduction to Atari Computing.
If buying software on‑line is attractive to you, check out www.worldgate.com/ compdirect/products/, where Computer Direct ("Canada's Atari specialists") have assembled a large collection of software of all types for the ST and Falcon, including an extensive music and audio section. Secure credit card transactions aren't available yet, but if you email them your requirements, they'll hold your order until you fax or mail your credit card details.
Sunrise Audio News
Sunrise Audio Systems — formerly known as Sunrise Electronics — are shortly to release some new Falcon‑based products. The SA600 Falcon audio interface offers eight analogue outputs, while the SA800 is an 8‑in/8‑out interface, which is now fully tested with Steinberg's Cubase Audio v2.06 for Falcon, and allows simultaneous 8‑track recording. The Sunrise Audio Workstation is a 2U rackmounting Falcon‑based package containing the CPU, SA800, four extra MIDI ports, Cubase Audio v2.06, S/PDIF interface, 16Mb of RAM, monitor, keyboard and mouse. The basic model (retailing for just over £2900 including VAT) includes a 1.2Gb AV hard drive, while a version equipped with a CD writer and software offers a 2Gb drive, and retails for just under £4000, including VAT. Sunrise Audio Systems can be reached at The Cottage, Brook Lane, Rixton, Warrington, Cheshire WA3 6DT. Tel/Fax: 01925 815828.