SQ Decoder as VST (PC)

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Aristotel

New member
Joined
Feb 3, 2005
Messages
7
Location
Karlsruhe, Germany
Greetings,

I wrote an SQ decoder as a PC VST. No GUI, just a slider which enables ('on' at one end and 'off' at the other end) a "modified" decoding. While I have Quadraphonic material, I have it only as already 4 decoded signals, not 2 (where could I download some?). Therefore I have not actually tested the plug-in! If you are interested in giving it a try, go for it and of course...feedback would be helpful.

http://www.digenis.co.uk/4Dec.zip

Ciao,

Aristotel :cool:
 
Aristotel said:
Greetings,

I wrote an SQ decoder as a PC VST. No GUI, just a slider which enables ('on' at one end and 'off' at the other end) a "modified" decoding. While I have Quadraphonic material, I have it only as already 4 decoded signals, not 2 (where could I download some?). Therefore I have not actually tested the plug-in! If you are interested in giving it a try, go for it and of course...feedback would be helpful.

http://www.digenis.co.uk/4Dec.zip

Ciao,

Aristotel :cool:

Ok, I think you need to include some more files and installation instructions. I put the file you offered for download into the vst folder, and cubase gave me an error message when it started up that it needs msvcrtd.dll. I found that file, and now when I try to open your plugin, I get an error message that says it "can't install it".
 
Hello...Hmmm...that's strange :eek: ..the error I mean. Not sure why it would need that .ddl as I made the plug-ins off a Steinberg template and that are no fancy features etc...

Installation instructions are like you said, unzip the file, place the 4Dec.dll in your VST folder and load your VST host. I have tested it with plogue bidule (www.plogue.com) and it loads just fine. Don't have access to Cubase..at least not that the moment. Does anybody else have this problem as well? Not a good start e? OK..i will try and think of what may be causing it..in particular the need for that extra .dll.

Does anybody know where I might be able to download a SQ (2 channel/undecoded) sample file?
 
The .dll it asked for was it msvcrd.dll or msvcrt.dll? I think you meant the second one(msvcrt.dll).

Apparently if you are using a 'late' windows 95 OS then that .dll is already on your system , and you did find it on yours...so hmm...odd.... obvious question perhaps...but other VST plugins on your system (with more than 2 channels output perhaps) work just fine?
 
Aristotel said:
The .dll it asked for was it msvcrd.dll or msvcrt.dll? I think you meant the second one(msvcrt.dll).

Apparently if you are using a 'late' windows 95 OS then that .dll is already on your system , and you did find it on yours...so hmm...odd.... obvious question perhaps...but other VST plugins on your system (with more than 2 channels output perhaps) work just fine?

The file name it asked for is msvcrtd.dll, and I didn't have it, I had to download it. That got rid of one error message, but the thing still doesn't work. I have no problems using other VST plug ins. Perhaps Cubase doesn't support it, I don't really know if cubase does surround sound, so I don't know how it would output quadraphonic once it decodes it

Ok, I downloaded the demo of that program, and loaded up an mp3 I had laying around the harddrive. I don't have the quad output of my soundcard hooked up, so I soloed the rears to hear how it's decoding. I realize an mp3 isn't exactly the best test, even if it is 320kbps, but it's what I have for now, and it doesn't do that well yet, but it is a good start, and I encourage you to keep going. It is defenitely decoding rear channel information to the rears, but there is a problem with the sound quality, there's some kind of weird phasing sound on it. You have a great start here, I thank you for your time and effort, and I look forward to seeing how this project evolves as you work at it.
 
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It has both logic and non logic mode. There is a single slider parameter in the plug-in, at the left half of the range it sets to decode standard SQ, and the right half of the sliders range enables logic decoding.

I have those other plug-ins that you mention...however they don't seem to work for me. I open Bidule, it finds them, I drag them into the project...then if i try to open them so i can get the GUI or parameters...it causes Bidule to crash and quit.
 
I have heard this as well.
They work just fine in Nuendo 3 though, which is really all that matters to me!
(Selfish but true)

Is your plug based on the Fosgate Tate II decoder?
That is widely praised as being the best there was.....
 
VST is a format for audio software plug-ins. Plug-ins being small "effect" components that can be loaded by audio softwre in order to add new features and functionality (Equalizers, Compressers, etc.). VST is one of the formats of plug-ins. You would need to check wether your audio software supports VST format plug-ins.
 
Looking forward to testing this out come Tuesday.
(New work surfaces going in right now, rewiring everything on Monday)
 
Aristotel said:
OK..another update.... The plug-in "should" now also have QS decoding.

:phones

I tried the SQ decoder in modified (with logic) mode using a CBS SQ Calibration LP. From the channel separation viewed during playback it appears to decode like a decoder without logic. About 3dB of separation front to back, and 12dB left to right. Nowhere near the 30dB+ separation reading I get from the Fosgate 101A.

lmwallnj
 
Aristotel said:
Hello...Hmmm...that's strange :eek: ..the error I mean. Not sure why it would need that .ddl as I made the plug-ins off a Steinberg template and that are no fancy features etc...

Installation instructions are like you said, unzip the file, place the 4Dec.dll in your VST folder and load your VST host. I have tested it with plogue bidule (www.plogue.com) and it loads just fine. Don't have access to Cubase..at least not that the moment. Does anybody else have this problem as well? Not a good start e? OK..i will try and think of what may be causing it..in particular the need for that extra .dll.

Does anybody know where I might be able to download a SQ (2 channel/undecoded) sample file?

I can send you an undecoded 2 channel SQ file if you like.
email me direct on bas(at)mollenkramer.nl
 
Well, I own a 1974 Lp coded in Qs, it's an Ovation recording of sound effects. I tried both 4dec plug-in and QsDecode plug-in with Cubase Sx. The hw I use is a Soundblaster Audigy connected with my good old turntable.
The results were different. 4dec gives a better surround effect, thus I don't notice a great channel separation, QsDecode seems more like put the left and right channels over the 4 speakers.
If you own some Qs stuff you know how it sounds in quad please give me some opinion
Thx.
 
imploder said:
Has somebody the capability to program a VST plugin that does the stuff in realtime??

I second that, a way to do SQ/QS decoding on-the-fly would be fanatastic. I have several classical SQ records but all i can do is partially decode them over Pro-Logic 2 (music mode)
 
mandel said:
I second that, a way to do SQ/QS decoding on-the-fly would be fanatastic. I have several classical SQ records but all i can do is partially decode them over Pro-Logic 2 (music mode)

I can do that on the fly simply with Cubase SX and the 4dec VST plugin.
First of all I set in the device menu my soundcard to play thru Creative ASIO.
Then I go in the Master setup and set to Quadro.
Next I choose the output of the mixing, press F4 and put in BUS 1 L/R front and BUS 2 L/R rear.
After that I start a new project.
Create a new audio track in stereo.
Choose in the windows mixer where to take the input (line in, in my case), go back to cubase and press F5 and choose analog mix only.
Now, press F7 and choose 4dec as plugin.
Set it properly (SQ with or w/o logic, or QS)
Now go to your Track 1 you created before and choose preview (it's an icon near the record icon).
Save the project (for future use) and play your quad records live.
 
On-the-fly without expensive software like Cubase :p

Incidently, I just looked at how Windows Media Player was outputting stereo to 5.1 (by AC3 filter) and it looks to me like its trying to do a QS passive decode.
If I set:
Left In > Left Front
Right In > Right Front
0.707 Left In - 0.707 Right In > Left Surround
0.707 Right In - 0.707 Left In > Right Surround
have I turned it into a passive SQ decoder? listening to a clip from DSOTM from my SQ vinyl copy it sounds like it.

I apologise for my n00b questions, I am picking up a lot of SQ classical records at the moment, and would like some way to decode them.
 
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