Jan,
re sound standards...
how powerful is the term: Soundblaster compatible?
does it carry the same cache as Direct 3D compatible?
or A3D?
or AC3?
or Dolby 3D?
I am unclear on this matter. It really depends much on how well Microsoft transitions consumers away from CREAF tech, and onto more sophisticated sounds.
My problem with sophisticated sonic solutions is...how many people still play musical instruments in their 30's? It similar to the problem that graphics software programs have. Its really neat when someone else is creating the art, but when WE do it, the creativity bug just doesn't seem to be active.
The technical aspects of the Sonic Vibe chip looks good. but there is no way i will buy a synthesizer. Or midi machine. So i am dependent upon how sophisticated my favorite game creators can make the sound. Or whether the DVD movie i will never watch on my computer screen will sound...
So...when will John Williams score a computer game?
I think we are at a juncture where software programmers have yet to use the technical capabilities that hard ware is providing.
So, i don't think it is surprising that PCI audio sales have sucked.
The driving force behind PCI audio will be the discontinuation of the ISA bus by Intel (AND the discontinuation of the damn IRQs, the source of so many system halts).
So by year end, hopefully, we will have a 100mhz bus, 450mhz Pentium 2 with 80mbs ultra wide scsci with a 14gig hard drive and 256mb of SDRAM, with a Voodoo 2 AGP graphics card, a 17" LCD monitor, and the PCI audio card, and B&W speakers with DVD Ram drive, zip drive, and ASDL / ethernet board.
All for <$1,000??? ok maybe not until yr 2000
isn't it great that it might actually be possible (except for LCD monitor) to price that package under $1k in 2 years?
Well, this is a long way to say that PCI audio will start eating large chunks out of ISA audio this year.
I however, will spend as little as possible on my next PCI audio card, because i don't need to play my CD's on my computer, or have my floor shake with a subwoofer while I play Quake.
But then, I don't play many games on my computer...so I believe I am in the minority for game players.
I think the best possibility for sonic devices is to use them as dictation/speech machines, and for audio control of the computer/ written programs.
I wouldn't mind trying to learn a foreign language with a sophisticated sonic card able to distinguish or identify accents.
Sonic Vibes I think has a good potential future. Revenues, however will still be dominated by Creative Technology...
At least until Microsoft starts controlling the standard...
BL |
