SonicPlayer - A new VGM player

bakery2k · Post by **bakery2k** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 4:54 am

I've written a VGM player which includes support for the YM2612 and PSG, so will play most of the tracks available on Project2612:

SonicPlayer is a standalone VGM player for Windows.

SonicPlayer features a highly accurate, custom implementation of the SN76489 PSG. Also suported are the YM2413, YM2612 and YM2151 FM chips, using the implementations from the MAME project. SonicPlayer thus supports the playback of music written for many systems, including the Sega Genesis (Mega Drive), Master System and Game Gear, the BBC Micro and some arcade games.

http://paulsprojects.net/sonicplayer/sonicplayer.html

SmartOne · Post by **SmartOne** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 4:15 pm

Cool! Thanks for your work!

I've listened for a little bit and I have to say this player is second best. Game Music Emu is the best VGM engine, and the only way I've been able to use it in Windows is with Fox Audio Player.

Still, this is nothing to sneeze at. It's always cool to here Genesis music with slight variations in balance. It's really easy to hear each distinct part. The real hardware doesn't sound like this, but it's cool nonetheless!

neologix · Post by **neologix** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 5:03 pm

i have a few questions. why use a custom sn76489 for sonicplayer when maxim's is already the most accurate available (BTW, maxim's sn76489 is also the one in GameMusicEmu)? from which version of mame did you get the code for the fm chips? i ask cuz certain earlier versions have been known to use incomplete or not-as-accurate chips as certain later versions.

bakery2k · Post by **bakery2k** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:39 pm

SmartOne wrote:Cool! Thanks for your work!

Thanks! I'm glad you liked it.

why use a custom sn76489 for sonicplayer when maxim's is already the most accurate available

Maxim has done a great job of documenting his findings about the PSG and I was careful to follow his specifications. So, SonicPlayer's SN76489 implementation should be comparable to Maxim's in accuracy.
Also, I wanted the challenge of writing some of the actual playback code myself, especially having spent time emulating the PSG in the past.

from which version of mame did you get the code for the fm chips?

The FM chip code comes from the most recent version of MAME.

Mindcooler · Post by **Mindcooler** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 6:32 pm

Real smooth sounding. How about a wav output option?

brother-ernest · Post by **brother-ernest** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 7:43 pm

Nice work
although id say the DAC channel is a little too loud. sounds really clear though
tried shinobi 3 and the drums are crisp!
not faithful to the hardware (lowpassed) but cool like others have said.
*wish i had those skills*