| Installation and getting started
D ownload | Feel free to download the new version of crusher-X from www.crusher-x.de, where you will find a .zip file containing all the files you'll need to begin crushing sounds! Check here to see if a newer version is avaiable
Requirements | Based on the DirectX interface, crusher-X comes with a 32-bit real-time DSP engine that runs on Win9x platforms with standard soundcards. For satisfying results you'll need: x Celeron/Pentium 300MHz or higher x 32 MB RAM or higher x 5MB hard disk and additional space for sounds x Win 9x/2000 (NT is not supported because of DirectX problems) x DirectX installed on Win95 (Win98 already has DirectX installed) x 16-bit stereo (duplex) soundcard, which supports DirectX x crusher-X is best viewed on a 800x600 or larger display x Optional joystick to control soundflow. x Optional force feedback device (e.g. joystick). Tested with Logitech Wingman FORCE. x Optional MIDI In- and Output device (like on soundcards) For information about DirectX, please visit: http://microsoft.com/directx/
Installation | Just unpack the .zip file (with pkunzip.exe or another archiving utility such as WinZip) into a destination folder (e.g. C:\Program Files\crusher-x). On Win95/NT systems, make sure that you have DirectX 6.0 or higher installed. Start the file crusherxlive.exe and press the Start button. After confirming the DSP Setup you'll hear your first crusher-X sound! Choose Crusher | Jostick Setup to enable the joystick and force feedback functions. Please be shure that you have a proper installation of the (force feedback) joystick on ID 1. Attach the device bevore starting the application. If you like to uninstall crusher-X please choose HELP | Uninstall.
DSP Setup | The DSP Setup dialog will appear the first time you Start crusher-X or when you select Crusher | DSP Setup: If your system allows full duplex input and output, please choose an input device from the Devices tab so you can use crusher-X as a real-time effects unit. Note that crusher-X only works with a single output device. Use the Mixer buttons on the right of the dialog to set up the Windows mixer. If you use more than one sound device, you will have to assign the desired mixer to the specified device (see Options in the Windows mixer menu). If you use an input device, you should pull up the record master volume and one or more sources (e.g. Mic) in the Windows mixer. For the output device, pull up the master volume and the Wave Volume. In some cases you may have to unmute the desired channels in the Windows mixer. If your system has enough power, choose the 44100Hz Sampling Rate option. PC 200MHz and above: 44100Hz PC 166MHz and below: 22050Hz Go to Crusher DSP | DSP Options to optimize the DSP buffer for your soundcard. If the Windows mixer doesn't appear when you press Mixer, you will have to open the Windows mixer manually. Make sure that you have opened the Wave line out in the Volume Control of your specified sound device. Open one Source (e.g. Mic) in the Recording Control for the real-time input. If you have more than one soundcard installed, you'll need to assign the mixer to the corresponding device.
Startup Errors | If you get a DirectX error message, you may have to close other applications that are using the soundcard. To remedy startup errors, go to the Crusher DSP | DSP Setup dialog: Try other input or output combinations or other modes. Press Apply and start the DSP again by clicking Start DSP. Note: Most of the reported startup errors in crusher-X result from an improperly installed Sound System or old drivers that are not supported by DirectX! crusher-X is a real-time application that takes advantage of the DirectX interface, so please verify that you are using certified DirectX drivers in your Windows system! Check for DirectX drivers by opening the DirectX panel inside the Windows Control Panel. If there is no DirectX panel then you may need to install a new DirectX version from the DirectX page: http://microsoft.com/directx/ Note: Win98 already has DirectX installed, but you cannot view the DirectX panel! Please contact your hardware distributor for the latest DirectX drivers. If there is no DirectX driver available, then try newer versions of regular Windows drivers. DirectX will try to emulate the functions in a special software layer. Use another sound application (e.g. Cool Edit) to check the input and output functions: in Cool Edit you can check the duplex mode by recording and monitoring a file simultaneously. Some applications (such as Cubase) use their own drivers. It is not known whether full duplex mode is available under the Windows drivers, so you may need to contact your hardware distributor for adapted Windows drivers. There's no official DirectX5 for Windows NT4. For that reason crusherX does not support Windows NT. However, you can download and try an unofficial patch for DirectX5 under WinNT at Erik Unger's DirectX (from the JEDI-Project) page: http://www.delphi-jedi.org/DelphiGraphics/DirectX/Download.htm. You could also do a search on the net for the NT4DX5.ZIP file. Crusher-X will probably run fine under Windows NT5 aka Win2K since it will include DirectX 7. If the error persists, please send us a note with the complete text of the error message and a detailed description of your system. We will do our best to help you!
O ptimize Buffers | To optimize performance, you should set the device buffer size for your soundcard. To reduce the delay between input and output (if you use an input and an output device) you should optimize the buffer by decreasing it until the overload sign flashes. If this occurs choose a bigger buffer size and press Apply. You can leave the DSP running while adjusting the buffers. Good soundcards under recent versions of Windows allow a minimal delay of about 0.020 sec. Choose the Crusher DSP | DSP Setup dialog: Buffers In other sound applications, the device buffer is usually connected directly to the internal DSP buffer. As a bonus, crusher-X allows you to separate the DSP buffer from the device buffer, which permits smaller internal feedback delays but increases the system load. Please adjust the internal buffer to your system; while running the DSP press Apply after choosing another DSP buffer size. Take a look at the CPU load. DSP Priority Highest: The DSP Thread is not interrupted by interface actions. Use this for slower systems if you like to have good sound quality. But the interface reaktions becomes a bad perfomance on slower Systems. Normal: Faster Interface reaction, but DSP-Thread may be interrupted on slower Systems. Please use it if you like to use crusher-X together with other applications like sequencers. All settings in this dialog will be saved after closing and will reload next time you start crusher-X.
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