PCEngineFans.com - The PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16 Community Forum
Tech and Homebrew => Turbo/PCE Game/Tool Development => Topic started by: roflmao on March 08, 2012, 02:14:54 AM
-
Is there a utility to rip chiptunes from tg16/pce roms and convert them to mp3s? Maybe there's an emulator that does this? I've heard of TurboRip, but from what I gather that only works with CD based games. I was playing some Dragon Spirit this morning and was really hoping to listen to the game music while I work. There are a ton of other games I'd like to listen to as well. I tried searching the forums, as I'm sure this has been discussed in the past, but didn't come up with much.
-
http://www.zophar.net/music/hes.html
-
http://www.zophar.net/music/hes.html
Sweet. Can you recommend a player that can convert the tracks to mp3 or burn them to an audio CD? I see they recommend a player, but the developer's website isn't loading up for me. Ideally, I'd just be able to add these tracks to the rest of my music library so I don't have to open up a separate player just for these tracks. :)
-
I always used a winamp .HES plugin and the disk writer. I haven't done it for years though, since I stopped using winamp, so I dunno how well that idea works anymore.
-
Ah, groovy. Yeah, I haven't used winamp in ages. I'll try to dig into it later this afternoon/evening and report back with my findings. Thanks!
-
It still works. It is what I use. There's a NEZplug variant out there that appears to be pretty accurate with HES files. There are a couple different releases with different levels of accuracy, but there's one that's actually pretty close, and a bit better than the rest. Can't remember the version number.
-
Well I've done a bit of tinkering this evening and I've come up with a method to convert HES to MP3 (and WAV in the process), but it's not a very efficient process so I'm going to continue to tinker... In case I don't update this for awhile, here's what I'm doing in case anyone else wants to do this themselves.
I installed the Lite version of Winamp (currently 5.6): http://www.winamp.com/media-player/en
Then installed the latest version of NEZplug (0.9.4.8, which hasn't been updated since 2002 so I'm guessing it isn't going to see any newer releases): http://nezplug.sourceforge.net/
This configuration allows me to play the HES files The Old Rover linked to here: http://www.zophar.net/music/hes.html
In Winamp, I went to Options > Preferences > Output and set it to save the tracks in the playlist as WAV files.
I already had Exact Audio Copy installed, but you can get it here: http://www.exactaudiocopy.de/
Note: You'll also have to download and install a LAME dll for it to convert wav files to mp3 (link is on the EAC site).
Once the files were converted, I used MP3TAG to tag each of the tracks. http://www.mp3tag.de/en/download.html
So as you can see, the process leaves something to be desired, but it works. I'm going to see if I can come up with a plugin for Winamp that will allow me to export the HES files directly as mp3s with the metadata intact so I don't have to add it manually.
I now have the Dragon Spirit soundtrack as mp3s. If anyone would like them, shoot me a pm and I'll send it your way.
-
Here is a link to a newer modification of NEZPLUG that sounds better with HES files.
http://offgao.no-ip.org/program/nezplug++.html
Well, it's not the DL link, but the DL page. It's Japanese, but you can figure it out. The latest update was December, so it's continuing to get refinement. I'd like to know how folks think it holds up to Mednafen.
-
There used to be a thread here years ago that had a ton of Turbo chiptune soundtracks already in MP3 format. I think ParanoiaDragon was maintaining it, although I could be wrong.
EDIT: Yeah, here it is. (http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=2440.0) Still stickied right at the top of the Chit-Chat area. Looks like you've already found it, though.
-
Here is a link to a newer modification of NEZPLUG that sounds better with HES files.
http://offgao.no-ip.org/program/nezplug++.html
Well, it's not the DL link, but the DL page. It's Japanese, but you can figure it out. The latest update was December, so it's continuing to get refinement. I'd like to know how folks think it holds up to Mednafen.
Cool, I'll check that out.
There used to be a thread here years ago that had a ton of Turbo chiptune soundtracks already in MP3 format. I think ParanoiaDragon was maintaining it, although I could be wrong.
EDIT: Yeah, here it is. (http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=2440.0) Still stickied right at the top of the Chit-Chat area.
Yeah, I saw that and posted a request about a month ago and since there wasn't any response I figured I'd try to do it myself. :P
I've updated my process slightly - I figured out how to export directly to mp3 from Winamp, so I don't have to convert WAV to MP3 (it was just a checkbox in Winamp's Options > Preferences > Output > Disk Writer settings), but I still need to go in and add the tag info. I'll still look for a better way to do this.
Is there a way to create my own HES files using an emulator? There are some games that I didn't see on zophar.net that I'd like to have the music for.
Also, I now have Aero Blasters converted, which I'd be happy to share. :D
-
Update: More will be on the way, but these are the ones I've converted tonight to MP3:
Dragon Spirit
Aero Blasters
Alien Crush
Batman
Cyber Core
I'm happy to share the love, so if anyone's interested, please let me know.
-
Is there a way to create my own HES files using an emulator?
You need a debugger and assembly experience to rip them into HES format. Because the format is basically a hacked up rom (it runs the cpu code and music engine of the original game - with some modification).
There's the VGM format that's now spec'd for PCE, but I don't know of any emulator that supports it (outputs to it). If it did, you rip game music yourself with ASM and such knowledge.
-
This subject came up in the MagicEngine forums not too long ago. The only idea I thought of was the use of the YAME emulator (http://www.ysutopia.net/software/yame038e.rar) (as soon as you start this up, goto Settings -> Language and select English) - it has the ability to record whatever music is playing during your gameplay in either RAW or WAVE format. Selecting RAW while the PSG music that you want is playing will dump the PSG bytes to whatever file name you entered. The unknown question is, given the byte stream of audio data that is now in that file, will these HES or whatever Winamp plugins play it ?? I guess based on what Bonknuts is saying, probably not... but there ya go, it's an option to explore.
Of course, if you have only a few games in mind, are willing to take the time, and want the audio in MP3 anyway, then just play the game while recording what you want in WAVE format and convert to MP3! To start recording, select 'File' -> 'Record Sound' -> 'WAV Format', enter file name... Then to stop recording, repeat (go back to the same menu) and select the last 'Stop' menu item, etc. Case closed! If the ROM doesn't load, try all versions. E.g. "Blazing Lazers (U).pce" doesn't load, but "Blazing Lazers (U) [h1].pce" DOES! If no version of the ROM loads, well, you're out of luck; YAME's compatibility is not that of say MagicEngine and I don't think it's ever been updated beyond the version I just linked for you.
EDIT: Oh, you mentioned my TurboRip utility. No, that is for ripping CD-Rom games into ISO/WAV/CUE image file sets (you'd only get redbook audio tracks out with that). That can't help you here.
EDITx2: I searched for the Ootake PCE emulator's website (it was an emulator David Shadoff told me about ages ago I recall) and I found it! Version 2.65 was released not more than a couple of weeks ago and it's Windows7 tested! Anyway, it too has sound recording features, far more advanced but because it's a Japanese emulator, there's a little language barrier, but the Menu bar is in English at least... Links:
http://www.ouma.jp/ootake/
http://www.ouma.jp/cgi-bin/downOotake/downsue.cgi?Ootake265.exe
-
I found the spec sheet for the VGM format which details HuC6280 support, but haven't been able to find any tracks in that format. Do you guys happen to know where I could get a sample? I'd like to take a look at the file.
-
This subject came up in the MagicEngine forums not too long ago. The only idea I thought of was the use of the YAME emulator (http://rigg.servegame.com/software/yame038e.rar) (as soon as you start this up, goto Settings -> Language and select English) - it has the ability to record whatever music is playing during your gameplay in either RAW or WAVE format. Selecting RAW while the PSG music that you want is playing will dump the PSG bytes to whatever file name you entered. The unknown question is, given the byte stream of audio data that is now in that file, will these HES or whatever Winamp plugins play it ?? I guess based on what Bonknuts is saying, probably not... but there ya go, it's an option to explore. Of course, if you have only a few games in mind, are willing to take the time, and want the audio in MP3 anyway, then just play the game while recording what you want in WAVE format (you just close the emulator to stop recording or go back to the same selection in the File menu and it'll now say stop instead of start, etc.) and convert to MP3! Case closed.
EDIT: Oh, you mentioned my TurboRip utility. No, that is for ripping CD-Rom games into ISO/WAV/CUE image file sets (only redbook audio tracks). That can't help you here.
Thanks, this'll help out with the games that I couldn't find .hes files for. I've converted about 30 Turbo/PCE hucards' soundtracks to mp3, but there are still a bunch I couldn't find so this should work well. Thanks!
-
In case anyone missed the thread I started here (http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=11535), I have created a website at http://turbomusic.risemedia.org (http://turbomusic.risemedia.org/) to make available for download the .mp3s of chiptunes I've converted from .hes files. It also hosts CD/SCD soundtracks as well, in .mp3 format. The site is still very much a WIP, but it currently has nearly three dozen soundtracks. tg-16.com is hosting the actual .zip files, so a big thanks goes out to esteban!
A link turbomusic can also be found in my sig. :)
-
Awesome, roflmao.
I was thinking about doing some recordings off of real hardware, just to compare them to what's produced by the PC players. That got me thinking about whether or not the PC Engine series has any variance in sound quality between revisions (such as with the Genesis/Megadrive). I couldn't find any info on this, but has anyone done any testing?
-
Awesome, roflmao.
I was thinking about doing some recordings off of real hardware, just to compare them to what's produced by the PC players. That got me thinking about whether or not the PC Engine series has any variance in sound quality between revisions (such as with the Genesis/Megadrive). I couldn't find any info on this, but has anyone done any testing?
I have a TG-16/CD setup currently sitting next to a PC Engine Duo and I think there's a difference in volume, but I think there's a cap issue. When a CD game uses both chiptunes and redbook audio the game sounds very different between the two systems (due to the different volume levels of the two audio sources), but I think that's cap related as well. As far as the quality if the audio goes, they both sound about the same to me, though I don't have it hooked up to a high end system and don't play it very loud very often.
-
That got me thinking about whether or not the PC Engine series has any variance in sound quality between revisions (such as with the Genesis/Megadrive). I couldn't find any info on this, but has anyone done any testing?
The only thing I recall is this: clicky (http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=10617.msg194163#msg194163).
-
I have a TG-16/CD setup currently sitting next to a PC Engine Duo and I think there's a difference in volume, but I think there's a cap issue. When a CD game uses both chiptunes and redbook audio the game sounds very different between the two systems (due to the different volume levels of the two audio sources), but I think that's cap related as well. As far as the quality if the audio goes, they both sound about the same to me, though I don't have it hooked up to a high end system and don't play it very loud very often.
I guess that sounds about right. I would assume that the HuCard only machines would potentially sound clearer, due to the lack of mixing circuitry that the CD based systems have... I don't really know though. That's an interesting link, Necro. It sounds like what Bonknuts is saying is that the difference in the chip shouldn't cause any actual sound differences outside of that "pop", since no games really utilized that chips extra function(s).
I've decided to pick up an AV booster the next time I go to Akihabara, and test it out with my white PCE and CoreGrafx II (both through the AV booster and AV port). If I can find a cheap CoreGrafx I, i'll have to grab one of those too (to test out that 6280A). I'm going to do some line level recordings so I can look at them on the PC.
-
Awesome, roflmao.
I was thinking about doing some recordings off of real hardware, just to compare them to what's produced by the PC players. That got me thinking about whether or not the PC Engine series has any variance in sound quality between revisions (such as with the Genesis/Megadrive). I couldn't find any info on this, but has anyone done any testing?
The "real" vs. "emulated" comparisons would be great. A long time ago, Kaminari had a short audio clip that showed the differences (it was PSG music from a CD-ROM ARPG/RPG... Kabuki Den?) Now, I know some stuff has improved over the years, but it would be neat to see what the current state of emulation is. I spend a lot of time using a player based on GME, which, I think, does a decent job. That said, I haven't really looked into the subject, nor have I made any thorough comparisons (only quick, superficial ones) of real Duo vs GME.
-
Thanks, this'll help out with the games that I couldn't find .hes files for. I've converted about 30 Turbo/PCE hucards' soundtracks to mp3, but there are still a bunch I couldn't find so this should work well. Thanks!
Hey roflmao, FYI, I got a little bit of bad news... I hope you didn't go too far with using YAME to record PSG tracks... Basically, this fella zeromus was helping me with the SNES/Dolby surround question that arose in another thread and after passing him a WAVE file recording of the Blazing Lazers opening theme that I made with YAME, he quickly realized that it's in mono! You will need to learn how to use Ootake or #Mednafen (assuming there's a good front end) after all, any other emulator that has recording support because YAME, it seems, kills the stereo [effect] and thus records in mono. I dunno why, but that seems to be the case, so you don't wanna build an archive using it.
-
Hey roflmao, FYI, I got a little bit of bad news... I hope you didn't go too far with using YAME to record PSG tracks... Basically, this fella zeromus was helping me with the SNES/Dolby surround question that arose in another thread and after passing him a WAVE file recording of the Blazing Lazers opening theme that I made with YAME, he quickly realized that it's in mono! You will need to learn how to use Ootake or #Mednafen (assuming there's a good front end) after all, any other emulator that has recording support because YAME, it seems, kills the stereo [effect] and thus records in mono. I dunno why, but that seems to be the case, so you don't wanna build an archive using it.
Thanks for the heads up! I haven't gotten around to ripping any tunes via YAME, it's all good. I've got Ootake installed, though I haven't really tinkered with it. I'll see if it or Mednafen can record in stereo, one of these days. :)
-
Thanks, this'll help out with the games that I couldn't find .hes files for. I've converted about 30 Turbo/PCE hucards' soundtracks to mp3, but there are still a bunch I couldn't find so this should work well. Thanks!
Hey roflmao, FYI, I got a little bit of bad news... I hope you didn't go too far with using YAME to record PSG tracks... Basically, this fella zeromus was helping me with the SNES/Dolby surround question that arose in another thread and after passing him a WAVE file recording of the Blazing Lazers opening theme that I made with YAME, he quickly realized that it's in mono! You will need to learn how to use Ootake or #Mednafen (assuming there's a good front end) after all, any other emulator that has recording support because YAME, it seems, kills the stereo [effect] and thus records in mono. I dunno why, but that seems to be the case, so you don't wanna build an archive using it.
I appreciate "retro", but I don't want mono PCE tunes (http://junk.tg-16.com/images/pcgs.html).
-
Just another FYI I thought of that'll be useful for this. Many HuCards have Sound Test modes so you'll wanna know how to access them rather than having to play the game to record the tune that you want. Here's a full list of cheats that BtGarner released many eons ago.
All Cheats: http://www.ysutopia.net/special/nec-cheats.html
Individual: http://www.pcecp.com (http://www.pcecp.com/)
Alternatively, if the game isn't listed in the All Cheats page, check www.pcecp.com (http://www.pcecp.com/) just in case. You'll have to individually look up the game. And finally, if there is no sound test support and you have to play the game, the other trick is to play with the sound channel enable/disable feature of the emulator. For example, by turning off the 6th PSG channel on SSS, that disabled most explosion sound effects when you shoot at enemies and so forth. So, you'll be able to shoot (or whatever) to stay alive long enough while playing whatever game, as the audio recording is occurring; with the right PSG sound channel turned off, those sound effects won't get recorded and you'll get a clean recording of just the background tune/music, etc. You get the idea.
Well, I think that about covers the subject on recording chip tunes without any programming knowledge. I can settle for something less than the "perfect" and complete HES library myself.
-
Thanks! I've been all sorts of busy with work lately, so haven't been able to come up with new soundtracks, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel here in a couple of weeks. Hopefully I'll be digging into this again then.