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Is audio playback on a Classic even possible?

Hello! Yesterday, I got a Macintosh Classic. Without keyboard and mouse through, but it works.

I originally wanted to do what I like to do on many computers, as in: play a song.

I know very well that mp3 is out of the question - I played mp3 320kbps cbr on a Quadra 900 and it had a hard time even moving windows.

Now, I heard that 68k macs can also play AIFF. I thought of using QuickTime, but it requires 68020.

Is there any piece of software to play AIFF files, or maybe a specific, low-end format to which I could convert music, to be able to play it on a Classic?

And how to archive files in a way that they would be seen on the Mac? I send a AIFF file into my MinivMac , using ImportFl, and none of the programs I tried actually were even able to see that the file exists! What do?

 

uniserver

Well-known member
this is a good question.

I am pretty sure you can at-least play MIDI files on the 68000 cpu, its amazing what the amiga does with just a 68000 cpu!

I really do not know off hand, but am curious my self as to what all the audio capabilities are of the 68000 compacts.

i would also like to play some songs :)

 

MinerAl

Well-known member
If it is running a version of System 7 you can make the sound a System 7 Sound file and it'll play just fine. My Mac Plus with 7.0.1 plays the theme from Ms. Pacman upon startup.

"SoundApp" on a QuickTime 3+ capable Mac should be able to make System 7 Sound files for you. I think there is a version of SoundApp (<2.0 I think) that will work on a Plus, and therefore a Classic, to play AIFFs and etc.

 

Blinkenlightz

Well-known member
I remember playing with sound quite a bit - as much as it was possible to do without a mic port - under System 6 on a dual-floppy SE. So yes, the processor and hardware can handle it. I don't remember the limitations as far as sample rate however, and it is strictly mono.

 
If it is running a version of System 7 you can make the sound a System 7 Sound file and it'll play just fine. My Mac Plus with 7.0.1 plays the theme from Ms. Pacman upon startup.
"SoundApp" on a QuickTime 3+ capable Mac should be able to make System 7 Sound files for you. I think there is a version of SoundApp (<2.0 I think) that will work on a Plus, and therefore a Classic, to play AIFFs and etc.
1. I used SoundApp to convert a file on Mini vMac. Aiff, 22050, mono. On a completely separate instalklation of System 7.1 it makes a 'pop' sound and doesn't play.[After conversion]. On vMac of course.

2. I doesn't have a quicktime-capable mac.

3. It apparently converts, but trying to play an aiff results in a system hang up.

 
EDIT: I just realised, that there might be something wrong with Mini vMac itself - i tried to play a module in Sount-Trecker; i clicked play, it made that short sound, and i heard nothing afterwards [ not even system sounds] - and it seemed to play anyway. I'll try on a real hardware next time.

 

Paralel

Well-known member
As far as I'm aware, Mini vMac doesn't really have sound support, if I remember correctly.

 

Dav

Member
You can play AIFF files with a Mac Classic with a very small application (10K !) called "SFplay" ©1991 by Reinder Verlinde.

The user interface is minimalist. Just double-clic on the file to play it (the application doesn't have any "Open..." command).

With ResEdit, change the type of the audio document you want to play to "AIFF" and the creator to "®√PL".

Here is a link to download it : http://bit.ly/17vXpPR

The music is playing in the background, allowing you to work with another application in the same time.

I used this application on a Mac LC with sytem 7.0.1, without QuickTime, so it should work with a Classic.

The files i used to play were 22 or 11 kHz 8 bits mono sound file.

 
You can play AIFF files with a Mac Classic with a very small application (10K !) called "SFplay" ©1991 by Reinder Verlinde.The user interface is minimalist. Just double-clic on the file to play it (the application doesn't have any "Open..." command).

With ResEdit, change the type of the audio document you want to play to "AIFF" and the creator to "®√PL".

Here is a link to download it : http://bit.ly/17vXpPR

The music is playing in the background, allowing you to work with another application in the same time.

I used this application on a Mac LC with sytem 7.0.1, without QuickTime, so it should work with a Classic.

The files i used to play were 22 or 11 kHz 8 bits mono sound file.
LC has 020, Classic has 000.

I'll try it through, thanks! :3

 

MinerAl

Well-known member
Audacity with the ffmpeg libraries installed should be able to do everything you'd want with audio

 

Dav

Member
I created some AIFF files with music extracts at 11 and 22kHz.  ::)

They are playable with the SFPlay application i mentioned before.

The files are < 700K (for the 11kHz) and < 1300K (for the 22kHz), each file has a duration of 59s. Here is the link to download the files (one archive for each sampling) : 

http://bit.ly/1eagrjK

The files were created on a PowerMac 5500 with the audio CD converting feature of SimpleText. It's a less known feature of SimpleText :

- choose "Open..." in the file menu

- select a track from an audio CD 

- click "Options..." to select the extract and the sampling rate

simpletext.jpg.98e9dd3c6c6adb28a8ce223614b5c6d2.jpg


The resulting file is in the AIFF format.

The files play well on a my Classic II (sys. 7.1) but not on my SE (sys. 6.0.7). Perhaps the app needs Sys 7 or sound manager 2.0.

 

uniserver

Well-known member
The files play well on a my Classic II (sys. 7.1) but not on my SE (sys. 6.0.7). Perhaps the app needs Sys 7 or sound manager 2.0.
i think its a hardware issue.

The Classic opens but does not play 6.0.8 - 7.1 - 7.5.3

the classicII opens and plays… even in 6.0.8L

 

uniserver

Well-known member
works with the macintosh portable, 6.0.8 :) plying : Right Said Fred - I'm Too Sexy :)

quick time in lion allows me to convert a mp3 into anything. including aiff.

22khz variants also play on the macintosh portable. Man the portable is a beast.

 
Last edited by a moderator:

John_A

Well-known member
The files play well on a my Classic II (sys. 7.1) but not on my SE (sys. 6.0.7). Perhaps the app needs Sys 7 or sound manager 2.0.
So, what happens when you try to play a file on the SE?

Does it put out any sound at all or just refuse to start?

 

uniserver

Well-known member
trying the se now. i will let you know.

the app opens, it just does not output any sound.

so far the SE and the Classic get no output.

 
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