A field closely related to burn-in tools is
benchmarking. It might not have the same aim, but it creates the same results -
putting your hardware through hell. The main difference is that benchmarks need
to be timed for the results to make any sense, so you wouldn't keep them
running for days on end. But you will be able to see whether the tweaks you
make to your system are worthwhile, and whether your system can survive a
combined onslaught.
A
field closely related to burn-in tools is benchmarking. It might not have the
same aim, but it creates the same results - putting your hardware through hell.
The famous Heaven benchmark, while designed
primarily to test your GPU prowess, will still put your CPU under heavy load,
and testing the cooling on your CPU, motherboard and GPU and case is a
legitimate exercise.
There are several Linux-specific
benchmarks, but our favourite is an open-source project called 'BSMBench'
(http://bsmbench.org).
This was developed to calculate the
processing power within grids of computers, but it works equally well in the
world of multi-core hyperthreading, and can give some very surprising results
while still putting your CPUs under strain. It's too new to be included with any
distribution, but it can be built easily enough by following the README
instructions that are part of the direct download. You just need to run a
simple script, and execute a comprehensive benchmark of a single core, just
type:./ bsmbench_balance -i sets/balance-l.bsmbench -o output/baM.out.
Create retro sound effects
Create the nostalgic sounds of old
videogames, Henry Winchester explains how
Sfxr began life as a very quick and easy
way for videogame programmers to ... add custom sounds to games they had
created. The application includes a bank of useful preset sounds, but it also
offers an easy way to create unique effects. It works a little like a
synthesizer - the keyboard-like instrument that's synonymous with electronic
music.
Sfxr
began life as a very quick and easy way for videogame programmers to ... add
custom sounds to games they had created
The sounds it creates are short bursts of
noise, which are perfect replacements for Windows' own default alerts. Instead
of the usual sounds you can create interesting and unique blips that are
activated when opening and closing programs, or when Windows starts and shuts
itself down.
If you love customising your desktop
wallpaper or screensaver then you'll love sfxr, but even if you don't want to
change the way your PC sounds, it's still a fun toy and a great introduction to
the world of synthesised music.
Settings
These buttons let you change the overall
sound of sfxr, with the names of the first three referring to the graphical
shapes of the waves generated. 'Noise' is great for snare-like sounds.
Generator
Each of these settings is based on a
videogame action, such as Pickup/Coin for collecting in-game valuables, or Jump
for a positive, leaping sound.
Play
It's a good idea to constantly play your
sounds as you're altering the levels. You can do this by clicking the 'Play
sound’ button or pressing the [space] bar.
Levels
Click and dragon each level to alter Its
properties. Vibrato, for instance, adds a tremor to your sounds, whereas LP
Filter accentuates the bass.
Step-by-step: Become an sfxr maestro
Making sound effects to shutdown your system
by
1.
Get sfxr
You can download sfxr from Tomas
Pettersson's site here: www. drpetter.se/project_sfxr.html. When the page has
loaded you'll find a bit of backstory on the project; how it was made for the
10th Ludum Dare competition back in 2007 and so on, and towards the bottom
you'll find download links. We want the Windows 32 version, so dick 'sfxr.zip'.
You can also hear some samples if you click 'sfxdemo.mp3'.
You
can download sfxr from Tomas Pettersson's site here: www.
drpetter.se/project_sfxr.html.
2.
Sound installation
When asked whether you want to save or open
the file, select 'Open'. The file will download and open automatically. Next,
click 'Extract all files' to the upper left and the files will be unzipped into
a new folder. For easy access, right-click on the sxfr application and choose
‘Send to' followed by 'Desktop (create shortcut)’. This will create an icon on
your desktop.
3.
Volumising
Next, open sfxr by double-clicking the
program's icon. Begin by clicking ‘Play sound' to the right. This will play one
of the preset noises. If this sound is too loud or too quiet, you can set the
volume by clicking and dragging the slider above. Click 'Play sound' again to
check it’s okay. You can also play sounds by tapping your keyboard's [space]
bar.
4.
The music generation
To the left you'll see the generator, which
is designed to create random sounds based on a number of common videogame
actions, such as Pickup/Coin and Explosion. Click on one once, and a sound will
be generated in the right-hand panel. Click on it again to create another
randomised sound. You'll see the sliders change each time you create a new
sound.
5.
Mutate and randomise
The Mutate setting at the bottom changes
the sound's settings ever so slightly, altering the pitch or tone. If you've
created a sound you like using the generator but feel it's lacking a certain
something, click the 'Mutate' button until it sounds just right. The Randomize
setting throws everything up in the air and creates sounds that range from
interesting to unlistenable.
6.
Manual labour
Now you've seen how the basics work, you’re
ready to get stuck into the nitty-gritty of sfxr. The four buttons to the top
-Squarewave, Sawtooth, Sinewave and Noise - create different types of sound,
from techy and clean to messy and noisy. Click one and choose 'Play sound' to
hear it, then select another and play again to listen to the difference.
7.
Slide away
For more control, you can use the sliders
to alter a sound's properties. Attack, Sustain and Decay set how long it takes
for a sound to peak and trough, and Start Frequency allows you to alter its
pitch. There are many other options here too. We recommend setting them to
maximum one at a time and then finding the middle ground that sounds just
right.
8.
Save and load
If you create or stumble across a sound
effect you particularly like, click 'Save sound; choose a directory (it’s My
Documents by default) and type a filename before clicking ‘Save’. If you want
to use a sound for alerts in Windows, click 'Export .WAV' and then follow the
same procedure. It's a good idea to do both in case you want to change a sound
later on.
9.
Noisy Windows
To play your sounds in Windows, click
‘Start’, choose 'Control Panel' then 'Sound' and finally select the 'Sounds'
tab at the top. Next, choose the sound you wish to alter (for example, 'Close
program’) then click the 'Browse' button and find the sound you created in
sfxr. Next, click 'Open', then 'Apply' or 'OK'. You can change your sounds at
any time using this method.
10.
Sounding off
Well done! You now have a firm
understanding of every function of sfxr, from creating randomised sound effects
to altering levels to make your own custom noises. You also know how to replace
Windows' default sound effects with your own. The best way to get to know sfxr
is to simply play around with it. It's lots of fun, and you'll be surprised how
much you can do.
