Specifications

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File names are represented in simple DOS 8.3 format – in other words, an eight
character name, a period, and then a three character extension. The name is made up
of eight characters specifying the type (SND for sound file, PLY for Play List, CMD
for command), and the number of the file (5 digits from 00000 to 00511). The three
character extension is used to tell the Digital Audio Machine the data format of the
file.
The Digital Audio Machine AM-3 supports WAV files which contain 16-bit
mono or stereo linear PCM data sampled at 44.1 KHz. This format is not
compatible with the MPEG Layer-2 Audio format of the Model AM-2. A
shareware utility, CoolEdit (available on our website), may be used to convert
between the two formats. The 16-bit linear PCM format provides higher quality audio
playback than the MPEG format, but consumes about ten times as much storage
space per minute. With the falling price of Flash Memory, the incentive for MPEG
audio compression has disappeared, and the Digital Audio Machine has been re-cast
as a high-performance audio source with the introduction of the AM-3.
Any type of file may be
stored in the Digital
Audio Machine, but
only those listed in the
table may be played.
Although any file name may be copied to the Digital Audio Machine’s media,
only .WAV file formats may be played back. This allows archiving of ANY
information on the drive: CAD drawings, spreadsheets, documentation, etc. Some
example file names:
File Name Description
SND00020.WAV Track number 20 Audio file
PLY00002.LST Play List Number 2
To avoid confusion,
don’t duplicate file
numbers.
File numbers are used to identify which file is to be played in response to Select File
serial commands or rear panel file selection parallel inputs. File numbers contained
on a drive should be unique, regardless of the file type. In other words, you
shouldn’t have PLY00002.LST and SND00002.WAV on the same drive. The two
files should have different numbers. If more than one file has the same number, the
first file found in the directory will be used.
Autoexec files are
invaluable in stand-
alone applications.
File 00000 is an autoexec file. A file numbered 00000 is automatically executed on
power up. For example, Play List PLY00000.LST will start as soon as the Digital
Audio Machine is turned on. If the loop input is strapped on, or if the Play List is
designed to repeat, playback will continue indefinitely.