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The Secret of Monkey Island Shows Evolution of PC Audio
Normally I don't have much interest in stuff like this, but this history of PC audio is dripping with nostalgia. From the bleeps and bloops of the PC Jr to the Gravis Ultrasound I lusted after while stuck with an Adlib ... it warms the cockles of my old-man heart. Not sure that Monkey Island was the right demo choice, but hey.
I had one of those... shelled out quite a few bucks for it too. Any Sierra game sounded absolutely amazing in it, particularly Leisure Suit Larry. Anyone else remember the elevator music? "... da dum da da dum dum dum dum, wah wah wah wah wah..."
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I LOVED by GameBlaster. Such a major upgrade from the PC speaker. My (rich) friend got the Roland and I was jealous.
Then years later I upgraded to the AudioBlaster and loved it. My (rich) friend got the newer Roland and I was jealous.
Owning a computer is like owning a boat. You're always jealous of the guy in the next slip who has one just a little bit better.
Developers: We can use your help.
Really step back and read your own post, if you sounded like you do now 15 years ago anyone would have identified you as an elderly curmudgeon.
That's because Creative is the Bose of the computer world. The bulk of the "premium" cost of creative products goes into advertising and packaging (and frivilous litigation! anybody remember Aureal?) trying to convince you that they're the best, and that's why you're paying that premium.
After I learned this the hard way (ouch wallet), I did purchase a few $15 OEM SBlive cards at computer shows over the years, but never any of their premium packaged BS.
The sad thing is, the EMU10K chip CAN be awesome when surrounded by quality components instead of hype. I still use my E-MU 1212m card as the DAC for both of my computers.
At the time you needed to spend $50,000 to record a decent sounding professional album in a studio. Nowadays you can make a recording on par with the hits of the 90s (at least) on a $100 desktop with a $200 soundcard. And major record labels wonder why we're not convinced that the major pop acts are worth the money.
Either this is one hell of a subtle troll, or you're smoking something crazy if you think a professional recording studio can be replaced with a few hundred bucks in computer equipment. Though I suppose you could use the computer as a microphone stand or a chair, and the packing material as budget sound baffling. And maybe you could find an audio engineer to work for free and bring along all his/her equipment and cabling. That aside, you're on crack.
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Star Control 2 was amazing - it could to speech & digitized music on the PC speaker without soundcards! For those who haven't played it, it's been open-sourced and you can download it here complete with new remixed soundtracks.
http://www.object404.com
I also remember the PCjr's audio as being impressive compared with the standard PCs of the day. I'm glad to see somebody else has the same memory as I do. :)
It's pretty simple, it was mostly two thing:
Microsoft/Lotus/IBM: "you'll never be fired for buying IBM, and those kiddie Amigas and ST's can't run Wordperfect, Microsoft Word, Lotus 1/2/3, or dBase. You want to be able to bring work home from the office even if you don't work in an office don't you?"
Consumers: "ZOMG we have to have an IBM compatible at home..just in case we ever need to bring work home from the office that we don't work in, or be able to afford to pay hundreds of bucks for Lotus or Word."
It was essentially the early version of Microsoft Office lock-in. And to this day, the "home computer market" suffers for it. Well, to be honest, there is no "home computer market" anymore.
I bought my wife a GBA for the first birthday we spent together.
I bought her a DS for an engagement present (yes, I got her a ring first of course). She bought me a PSP.
SHE is the one who told ME that we should go shopping for more RAM and new video cards a few months back.
you guys married the wrong women.
Anyone who gets pissed when receiving presents is someone seriously spoiled and best avoided.