The '2 Way Euroconnector Expansion Card' are available now, priced at £24.50.

The feature program on this issue of Soundbyte is a demo of a modified version of Quazar Video 2. This new version, dubbed 'Quazar Video 2+' allows movies to be made using monochrome MODE 2 graphics, instead of the usual full colour MODE 4. This allows larger images at reduced colours to be held in the same amount of memory, still complete with full sampled soundtrack.

Also on this issue is another game zone for playing with 'Super Byke Championship'.

Soundbyte is released monthly, costing £2 per issue, or £5 for 3 issues and £18 for 12 issues (for either subscriptions or back issues.)

Yesterday I received back the new PCB's for the 256K Memory Expansions, to save making them using stripboard which took quite a while!
I've now added the 256K Memory Expansions as a regular item to the hardware page, priced at £17.00

I will also now be getting custom PCB's made for the Disk Drive Systems, again to make them far neater and quicker to build up when required.

If you have a very (very!) early Sam Coupe with either a version 1 or 2 ROM then it's really, really advisable to upgrade to ROM3 to ensure no problems with any Sam software. To test which version you is fitted in your Sam type: PRINT (PEEK 15) / 10

The feature program on this issue of Soundbyte is 'Psychedelia' - the first sound to light program which uses the Sampler Module for the Quazar Surround soundcard. It generates patterns who's colours and tempo is generated by some simple analysis of the sound input. Quite Impressive!

Also on this issue is another video made using Quazar Video Construction Kit.

On this issue of Soundbyte is a full episode from the TV series ‘The Trap Door’. It features full colour digitized pictures and a staggering 4 minute 30 second soundtrack! There’s over 5 megabytes worth of data compressed onto one disk using double screen compression and for the audio 16 bit samples are compressed using my 8 to 1 ADPCM sample compression system.

Already getting some feedback about this issue of Soundbyte, this is what Gavin Smith who runs the Sam Community magazine has to say about it:

"One of the coolest Soundbyte so far. Okay, you're not going to watch it over and over again but that isn't the point - the point for me is that Colin has achieved it and done it very well - the screens look great, and all that sound coming from the soundcard is very impressive. This is something you should see."

The Disk Drive System consists of a disk drive mechanism connected to an interface board with the control circuitry and the disk controller chip. (The actual disk drive is a Panasonic PC disk drive which I have found to be very reliable and I have had no problems with them whatsoever.)

The whole unit fits inside the Sam just like the original drives, and is easily fitted in five minutes or so. The disk drive system is fully compatible with all Sam disk format's and DOS's, it's based around the same disk drive controller etc...

As usual, if you have any questions about this or anything else I produce - then feel free to ask!

The Disk Drive Systems are available now, for £48.00

This issue of Soundbyte features a whole game - Money Bags 1 1/2 - which fits nicely in the middle of the story line of Money Bags (on issue 15 of Soundbyte) and Money Bags 2 (a huge whopper of a platform game from Quazar - £9.99 - by the way full details of all my software will be on this website SOON - including pages dedicated to all three Money Bags Games).

Anyway, back to this issue of Soundbyte - In Money Bags 1 1/2 your rocket has been sabotaged and you crash on an asteroid. The mission is to retrieve all your money and valuables, explore, and finally blast off again. Featuring a great intro animation sequence and an excellent soundtrack for the Quazar Surround. Feedback in already shows its one of the best issues of Soundbyte!

The Mixer Lead is available now, priced £4.99

This issue see's a music demo comprising the menu music from issues 17 to 40 of Soundbyte all rolled together into one big music demo! To cram all the music into the memory, my 8 to 1 ADPCM sample compression has been used.

Also on this issue there is a piece of music created with Quazar Sequencer Pro.

This issue comprises of 3 game zones for use with my game 'Super Byke Championship'. (Super Byke Championship is a Sam game I released qutie a few years ago now, it is of course still available for £7.99... Info is in my information pack of course !)

This issue features 'Trance Experience' as the feature program. This a music demo using realtime sample decompression, using 16 bit samples compressed 8 to 1.

Also on this issue is 'SOS' which is another music track for use with the game 'Disco Madness' from issue 53 of Soundbyte

This issue features 'Illusion of Dance' as the feature program. This is a 4 channel, surround sound music demo.

Also on this issue is 'Full Drum Kit' which expands on the drum kit from the last issue - now with every key on the Sam being allocated a drum / percussion sample, with up to 4 different sounds being played at a time in full surround.

This issue features '4 Channel Drum Kit' as the feature program. This drum kit allows you to play up to 4 different drum samples at a time, in full surround.

Also on this issue is another part of a music video - using the Quazar Video 2 encoding system.

This issue features 'Mouse Hunt 2', a game using my new Total Immersion Sound Worlds routines. In the game, you have to move around and catch a mouse that is running around. You hear the mouse running all around you in full surround sound. There's also a cat on the prowl, that will scare off the mouse if it gets too close. As you progress, the mouse will get faster and more sneaky to make it harder!