OMF file format?

Started by larryhagman, November 28, 2009, 02:33:52

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larryhagman

Hi everyone,

Can anyone help me?
I've downloaded some old very cool music from my childhood, I found them at ftp.amiga.org and the problem is that all these files are in OMF file format (Onyx Music File)

And I cannot play them.

http://www.filewatcher.com/b/ftp/ftp.amigascne.org /mirrors/ftp.modland.com/pub/modules/Onyx%20Music% 20File/Tirana.0.0.html

These MOD-like files were part of a music disc called JANGLE from 1994 (from team Onyx)
( http://scene.org/file.php?file=/mirrors/hornet/mu sic/disks/1993/jangle.zip&fileinfo )

The name of the musician is Tirana. This is a PC version, and DOSBOX just simply doesn't work. (sound problem - I've tried all of the DOSBox versions already...)

Isn't there a player which supports OMF by chance? Google doesn't work...  ::)
thnx

deus-ex

Hi larryhagman,

I'm afraid there's no player available supporting this format except for the routine included in Jangle itself. I extracted the modules and made them available at MODLAND in the hope that one day we may find some of those songs in their original format (if those do exist) and someone may be able to decipher the format to develop a player/loader/converter.

For example that once worked out for the CBA format which was used in the musicdisk Expoze by Heretics. After finding a few of the modules in their original format (MOD, S3M) I asked Pailes (author of MilkyTracker) whether adding support for the CBA format was doable, now those can be loaded with MilkyTracker and optionally saved to MOD or XM format.
Best regards
deus-ex

larryhagman

Hi!
Thanks a lot!

I've already found two - unfortunately only -chip tunes from the music disc in .MOD format. (from Hydra/Anarchy)
But nothing more. 2 of 22..

http://www.textfiles.com/artscene/music/mods/MODS/MODLAND/Hydra/laxity%20remix.mod
http://linuks.mine.nu/ftp.modland.com/Onyx%20Music%20File/Hydra/laxity%20remix.omf

..and an another, too. (last betrayal remix)

Then maybe someday.. ?
As I see the easiest way to get an old PC with SoundBlaster and rip to MP3...

Asle

Hi,

I've tried to convert this format a loooooong time again (about when the zikdisk was out, in fact), but wasn't successful. I didn't raised the subject again due to the lack of new cases.
I guess I'm a bit more experienced with formats, now. I'll see if a quick converter can be drawn up.
Don't jump just yet. I don't guarantee nothing, but at least, I'll have a bit more than a look.

Sylvain

larryhagman

#4
Hi Sylvain!

Thank you. Somebody adviced me playing OMF files with http://zakalwe.fi/uade/ , but after your reply I think it will not work. Actually I haven't checked this program yet, only the documentation.

I took a look at the binary files, and they look quite ''regular'' music files, but unfortunately I am not too professional in these formats - and I never was. Once I coded some parts in an S3M player in assembly, but my routine/knowleage already almost gone.. But the header + patterns + 8bit instruments are clearly visible.

I remember about 10-15 years ago I've ripped instrumenst from jangle.exe with a simple cut tool :)

Anyway, thanks everything again!  8)


Crown

Maybe it would make sense to trace and contact the coder and/or musician?

deus-ex

That should be rather difficult, the musicdisk was released in 1993.

BTW, Jangle is available under the following FTP link, size 2.04 MB:
ftp://hornet.madtracker.org/mirrors/hornet/music/disks/1993/jangle.zip
Best regards
deus-ex

larryhagman

Yes, I think too.
I guess the coder is pretty unreachable for now, already 16 years have passed...

swirlythingy

Just to let you know - I'm looking into this.  I've converted quite a few esoteric formats in my time, and this one isn't proving too difficult (helped massively by the ProTracker conversion Larry found, of course!).  I should have something ready by tomorrow.

Points of interest: the notes seem to be stored backwards in every pattern (first time I've seen that one!), there is (as far as I can tell, completely useless) three bytes padding before every pattern, and the sample data is unsigned.

deus-ex

@swirlythingy

Hijacking a thread and going completely off topic isn't quite polite, you should have used this thread instead.

The MODLAND server is on-line and accessible. You may try one of the mirrors if you have connection issues:
Amigascne : <ftp://ftp.amigascne.org/mirrors/ftp.modland.com>
Exotica   : <ftp://aero.exotica.org.uk/pub/mirrors/modland>
Ziphoid   : <ftp://modland.ziphoid.com>

Best regards
deus-ex

Asle

Quote from: swirlythingy on December 05, 2009, 17:43:53
Just to let you know - I'm looking into this.  I've converted quite a few esoteric formats in my time, and this one isn't proving too difficult (helped massively by the ProTracker conversion Larry found, of course!).  I should have something ready by tomorrow.

Points of interest: the notes seem to be stored backwards in every pattern (first time I've seen that one!), there is (as far as I can tell, completely useless) three bytes padding before every pattern, and the sample data is unsigned.

Really ? hum ... I can't wait for the result, then. Please share your discovery ! (format desc, converter source code, converted ziks) :)

Sylvain

swirlythingy

Here they are!  (I could send the converter source code as well, but as it's written in BBC BASIC for Acorn machines, it probably wouldn't mean anything to you...)

I chose to use StarTrekker because it was the only 8-channel MOD derivative I knew about (and could play), but I'm aware that one or two things aren't quite correct ('Biologii', for example, uses CIA tempo commands).

Hope you enjoy them!

deus-ex

Thanks for sharing with us, however I can't access them through the provided link. Can you please upload them to MODLAND, too? That would be great.
Best regards
deus-ex

swirlythingy

How should I do that?  Can I just upload them from my FTP application, and if so, is there a certain place where they should be put?  (Maybe a subdirectory in 'Onyx Music Files'?)

swirlythingy

OK - I put them in uploads/omf_conversions.  The format specification's there as well.