                                  - F A Q -

                                             vbAY v2.0 by Random/Concern Chaos
                                                       http://www.chaosite.com
                                                           cha0s@cybermail.net


Q01: What is vbAY?
A  : vbAY is AY-3-8912 sound chip emulator.

Q02: What the hell is AY-3-8912?
A  : AY-3-8912 is the sound chip used in various 8 Bit computers, one of them
   is ZX Spectrum.

Q03: What formats does the vbAY understand?
A  : vbAY will playback the PSG and VTX files. It will also process playlists.
   You can create a playlist by simply creating a text file with extention
   .pl and filling it with filenames of your favourite modules, one per line.

Q04: Where can I get these VTX or PSG files?
A  : You can create your own PSG files by using various emulators (for example
   ZX Stealth), read the manuals for your emulators, you might learn
   something. You will be able to convert these files into VTX (they take up
   less space).
   You can also download VTX files from the internet. Try chaosite, I might
   even create a special section for vbAY with music.

Q05: Why DOS emulator?
A:   Because there're windows emulators. (update: and there's a windows
   version after all)

Q06: When I load some VTX files, after a while they sound wrong.
A:   Internal LH5 decoder has some bugs, place LH5.EXE that comes with this
   distribution into the PATH or the same directory as your copy of vbAY.
   (update: if using the windows version give up on VTX and use AZX instead
   or use the dos version of vbAY, or wait till the author gets the working
   version of LH5 depacker).

Q07: Sound emulation is wrong.
A:   Mail me the bugreport. If you can't explain what's wrong, don't bother.

Q08: vbAY doesn't find my sound card.
A:   Is your sound card Sound Blaster compatible? If so, is your BLASTER
   variable set? (update: or use the windows version)

Q09: Why doesn't vbAY support my Gravis Ultrasound/Adlib/HairDryer/MicroWave?
A:   Because vbAY is DOS emulator, designed for SB compatible cards. Wait for
   Windows version. (update: it's here)

Q09[cont]: But I want to listen to spectrum music, although I don't have a SB
   compatible sound card!
A:   Render the music you want into the WAVE files and listen to them on
   whatever you have. (update: or use the windows version)

Q10: Why doesn't vbAY play my VTX files if I don't have LH5.EXE in the path?
A:   see answer to Q6. I have very hard feelings towards LH5.PAS which was
   placed in the SWAG. not only it's incompatible with it's C original, but
   it fails to work properly if compiled on anything but Turbo Pascal 7 it
   seems.

Q11: When is Windows version coming out?
A:   When it's done. I'm working on it. But don't throw your good old vbAY
   away. the windows version will require a DirectX 7, so you won't be able
   to use it on your 386 with WFW3.1 on it. (update: I lied, windows version
   doesn't need a DX7, but you are better off having a fast computer running
   windows).

Q12: WHERE'S THE DOS VERSION? I DON'T WANT USE THE SATAN'S WINDOWS VERSION!!!
A:   Download a vbAY v1.6 from chaosite and gain a pass into a safe heaven!

Q13: Are you going to release a linux version as well?
A:   I'm working on it. Don't ask when, but I'll see what I can do.

Q14: How come the playback is so slow? Why doesn't vbAY play digital music?
A:   problem of DOS version only. turn the visual mode off or render to the
     wav file.