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=-=-=-=-                                    Retroamp                                     -=-=-=-=
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=-=-=-=-                           http://tibone.no-ip.com/retroamp                      -=-=-=-=
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=-=-=-=-                                  Read-me File                                   -=-=-=-=
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----> Welcome to Retroamp's Read Me. This file should have all information needed for the use
      of Retroamp.

----> Retroamp Coded by Ti-B0ne.



=-=-=-=- Index 

1. Information About Retroamp
1.1 Introduction
1.2 General Information
1.3 History and What's new in this version

2. What you need
2.1 System Requirements
2.2 Software Requirements

3. Features
3.1 What's Emulated
3.2 What's NOT Emulated
3.3 Other neat features
3.4 Skin format

4. How to 
4.1 How to install
4.2 How to use it
4.3 How to uninstall
4.4 How to know it
4.5 How to configure it

5. What to expect
5.1 From the actual version
5.2 From the next version(s)

6. Bugs
6.1 Known Bugs
6.2 Unknown bugs

7. Contact me
7.1 Ways to Contact me
7.2 Retroamp on the web.

8. Disclaimer
8.1 Thanks to...
8.2 Copyright Disclaimer


=-=-=-=- 1. Information about Retroamp

1.1 Introduction

    Retroamp is a SPC Player/Emulator for Windows. SPC is the sound chip found on the Super Nintendo System, thus it lets you     plays the music of Super Nintendo games on your PC. For more information on how to create spc files, please read     Zsnes/Snes9x Documentation.
  

1.2 General Information

    Retroamp has already several options and a pretty good sound engine, but it is still in beta
    stages, but it was fully tested on my machine, and it works right, but it wasn't extensively
    tested, so, it may not work on your machine. Please e-mail me if you're having any problems.

1.3 History

    I started coding Retroamp about October 2000, but i haven't put many hours of work on it, and
    i was never glad about it, i have re-written it about 3 times, and many features have come and 
    gone.


    What's New : 
       
       -- Retroamp 1.6 --               

    * Added Sound Osciloscope to the Main Window. (On Windows Sound Control, recording device must be set to StereoMix or WaveMixer, or the equivalent to your sound card, otherwise, it won't work.)
    * Added Osciloscope Options to the Menus and Preferences.
    * Added Option to automatically skip to Next Song in X Minutes in the Engine Screen
    * Added Link to RetroAmp's Homepage on the About.
    * Added New Cursor (X Cursor - Based on Linux and Mac Schemes).
    * Added Shortcut keys : Ctrl+P (Preferences)
                            Alt+S  (Skins)
                            Ctrl+A (Always on top)
    * Added "Always on Top" option.
    * Redefined all vis windows.
    * Removed borders from MainScreen.
    * Changed Playlist Colors and Skins.
    * Changed MainWindow Default Skin.
    * Changed Titlebars (Now More Skin Friendly).
    * Changed some buttons (Not Skinnable).
    * Changed skins format (read retroamp.txt or program help).
    * Changed old default to a regular skin (Old.Default).
    * Now default skins schemes also change playlist skins.
    * Now clicking on the menu brings Retroamp to front.
    * Fixed "next-button, same song" bug.
    * Fixed "not-getting-right-tag" bug.
    * Fixed "path not found" bug when closing it.
    * Fixed "cancel load set button" bug.
    * Fixed "SetFocus" Bug.
    * Fixed "Not Enabling Start/Stop Plugin Button" bug.      
    * Fixed Several Small Bugs.
       
       -- Retroamp 1.5 --
  
    * Added a new playlist button.
    * Added a new button "start/stop" visualization.
    * Now the icon always sits on systray.
    * Fixed playlist minimizing.
    * Playlist window now magnectic dockable into mainwindow.
    * Added loadset button on playlist window.
    * Added support for .RAR files.
    * Added support for .rsn files.
    * Fixed "select plugin while another is open" bug
    * Fixed "not auto-selection other skin" bug
    * Added "open set..." menu
    * Changed 2 tray icons.
    * Integrated playlist controls and main window controls.
    * Added previous and next buttons.
    * Added support for all media types on eject button.
    * Now packing with upx, for smaller file size.

       -- Retroamp 1.4 --

    * Fixed "not stop when playing bug".
    * Fixed icon1 of systray.
    * Fixed "other skin unloading" bug.
    * Expanded transparency option to the playlist window.
    * Now remembers last transparency setting.
    * Added id666 tag editor. (Double Click on a ID666 tag setting).
    * Fixed "removing files from playlist" bug.
    * Fixed small bug while saving a playlist.
    * Fixed other small bugs.
         


       -- Retroamp 1.3 --     
    * Added a new tabbed options screen, mirc options integrated. 
    * Added main form transparency option (only works in Windows 2000 and XP).
    * Minimizes to systray.
    * Added 10 icons to systray icon option. 
    * Rightfulyl checks options in option screen.
    * Added Skinbrowser.
    * Finally Fixed Id666 Tag. (Hopefully)
    * Added menus in systray and normal modes.
    * All new playlist, fully rewritten, featuring :
       * Add, Del, Save, Load options.
       * Remember last played files.
       * Load playlist on the right position.
       * Playlist Window uses the same cursor as main window.
       * Minimizes playlist to tray.
       * Internal changes to the .rpl loading.
    * Removed the old playlist editor (not necessary anymore.)
    * Several Cosmetic changes (title bar, buttons, menus, etc.)
    * Added playlist.dat and OCX's and Dlls to the package.


       -- Retroamp 1.2 --
    * Added a new visualization mode (Mario Dancer v.1.0)
    * Re-Written mIRCİ support. 
    * Fixed "no selected options" bug     
    * Fixed playback of 0.30 SPC's 
    * Re-Written the entire configuration engine.
    * Fixed minimizing while playing crash.
    * Fixed close while playing crash.
    * Fixed the bug that hold down the sound driver.
    * Fixed all information saving (thanks to the new config. engine)
    * Included 4 new skins on the package.
    * Included sample.rpl playist file on the package.


      -- Retroamp 1.1 --
    * Added a better playlist editor (no cosmetic changes, just code)
    * Fixed support to custom skins.. (should load any image size correctly now.)
    * Fixed ID666 v.030 tags (hopefully)
    * Re-Written the loading routines again..
    * Several minor tweaks here and there..
    * Some other stuff i dont remember (write logs is important sometimes)
  

     -- Retroamp 1.0 --
    * Added support to custom skins..
    * Added support to ID666 Tags
    * Added support to send current song to mIRCİ
    * Added minimize button
    * Added 3D Tunnel Visualization Mode
    * Fixed Options Screen
    * Fixed About Box
    * Fixed Tool Tips on main screen
    * Added *Preliminary* playlist support!
      Load, Plays, Built-In Editor

     -- Retroamp 0.9 --
    * First Public Release.


   
=-=-=-=- 2. What you need

2.1 System Requirements.

    Retroamp should be running on any Windows 9x machine, to get a good speed it must be at least
    one of those configurations : 

----> Minimum System :       
      - Pentium 233 mhz MMX
      - 16MB of RAM
      - Sound Blaster Compatible Sound Card
      - 1MB Video

----> Recommended System : 
      - Pentium II 300 mhz
      - 32MB of RAM
      - Sound Blaster Sound Card
      - 2MB Video Card

    As you can see, i don't think Retroamp is much of a system requirer. 

    

2.2 Software Requirements

    In order to Run Retroamp, you should have the following software installed : 

----> Visual Basic 6.0 Run-Time Libraries : 
      You can get this from http://www.microsoft.com or by installing Visual Basic 6.0
      OCX's and DLLs required provided in the package.

----> SPC Software : 
      The music files ripped off the SNES Roms. See ZSNES (www.zsnes.com) or Snes9x (www.snes9x.com) documentation to       learn more about SPC Ripping. You can download some already ripped SPC files from here : www.snesmusic.org


=-=-=-=- 3. Features

3.1 What's Emulated : 

---->SPC700 Chip
---->SB Wave Out (Not Yet Enabled).


3.2 What's Not Emulated : 

---->Nothing Important.

3.3 Other neat features :

---->Friendly with Windows 2000.
---->Friendly with Windows XP.
---->Easy-to-use Interface
---->Fully Configurable through GUI.
---->10 Skins to choose from, plus the hability to load external skins.
---->5 Different Cursors to choose from.
---->4 Built-In Visualization Plugins.
---->Skinnable. 
---->Playlist.
---->Transparency friendly in Windows 2000 and Windows XP.
---->Sits in the systray.
---->10 different systray icons to choose from.
---->And many other things.

3.4 Skins format :

    All skins must be in the directory /skins/ which resides inside the main RetroAmp directory, and it is composed by 3 files :

---->YOURNAME.skin  : A dummy text file, not mattering the content, used only to determine the skin name and file format.
---->YOURNAME.skin.jpg : The Main window JPG skin. Recommended size is 300x139.
---->YOURNAME.skin.1.jpg : The Playlist window JPG skin. Recommended size is 640x480.

    The YOURNAME part must be the EXACT same on all 3 files. And all files must be in JPEG (.JPG). 


=-=-=-=- 4. How to

4.1 How to install it

    Just unzip all the files in the retroxx.zip (Where xx is the version number. 10 = 1.0)
    to a empty folder *OR* to the folder where yours SPC's are.

4.2 How to use it

    Know how to use Winamp ? Then you should have no problem.

4.3 How to uninstall it

    Just delete all the files that came in the retroxx.zip.

4.4 How to configure it

    Click on the Big Yellow O on the main window.

    Skins : Choose one of the 6 different skins...
            or choose the picture of your choice.. (300x139 size recommended..)

    Visualization : Choose one of the available different built-in visualization plugins.

    Cursors : Choose one of the 5 different cursors.

    Engines : Select how many minute Retroamp will loop the current song before jumping to next. (0 = infinite).

    Mirc Support : Enable/Disable and configure the mirc support

=-=-=-=- 5. What to expect 

5.1 From the actual version

    - 1 Engine.
    - 10 Skins
    - 5 Cursors
    - 3 Visualization Modes
    - Somewhat nice compatibility.
    - Speed.
    - Playlist Support
    - ID666 tag Support
    - Skinnable engine.
    - Autosave playlist.


5.2 From the next version(s)

    - More Engines
    - Better compatibility
    - More Visualizations

=-=-=-=- 6. Bugs

6.1 Known Bugs

     - Doesn't Fade In, and Fade Out the music.
     - Keyboard doesn't control the playlist window.
     - The RAR support, puts all the file inside the .RAR into the playlist, even if they're not .SPC (there's usually one text file inside, and it won't play).
     
     
6.2 Unknown Bugs 

    - If a bug is not listed above, tell to me!


=-=-=-=- 7. Contact Me

7.1 Ways to Contact me : 

    You can contact me at the e-mail address below : 

----> E-Mail - tibone@gmail.com


7.2 Retroamp on the web :


      http://tibone.no-ip.com/retroamp


=-=-=-=- 8. Disclaimer

8.1 Thanks to : 

My grateful thanks to list is : 

    - Akasha      - for being the wonderfull person she is.
    - RabidFrog   - for his hosting and support, and for being a FRIEND.
    - TuitoAtomic - for being a friend and all the chats, help and everything.
    - Aeris       - for being such a good friend. and all callus nights.. :)
    - Nitro       - for ZDPSCDLL.DLL
    - Starfox     - for code help.
    - Zophar      - for GREAT News site, and supporting me. 
    - Porthos     - for something.. i'm sure.. oh yeah.. the rides.. and cevas..
    - {Draco}     - for all the movies, and rides along the city.. 
    - _Oldman_    - for nice conversations, and support with this..
    - Guys at IRC - for the partys.
    - C.A Crew    - for all the jokes and everything..
    - Goatse Guy  - for the gaping anus
    - Antartica   - for producing Polar Export (Cerveja de Qualidade)
    - Coke        - for giving that "extra power" when its 4am and you need to code..

    - Blind Guardian, Stratovarius, KISS, Clarika, NFS Band, DJ Pretzel, Metallica, X-Japan, Luna Sea, Dreams Come True, VGM Rippers and others - for providing soundtrack to my coding sessions. :)

    - Every one else i forgot for doing things i obviously can't remember



8.2 Disclaimer (2)

    I'm NOT affliated to Nintendo, nor incentivate the piracy of their games, i also wanna let
    you know that : Nintendo, it's name and logo are trademarks of Nintendo Corp. And (c) of
    Nintendo Corp.

    You can use and distribute Retroamp, as long you NOT modify it or its original package in ANY ways, and *NEVER* sell it.     Retroamp is a registered trademark of Ti-B0ne.
    Retroamp is Freeware.