Update #33 - status update and important information

Hello there,

After we announced that the next HVSC Update, Update #33,
would contain SID files that would require Sidplay2 or a real C64
to run them correctly (and would crash older SID emulators)
concern was expressed at the fact that the crashes with older
SID emulators would not be appreciated by the users, despite
the fact that in most cases there'd be a PSID equivalent rip.

After some discussion, it has been decided that the best way
to include real C64 sample rips (or any other rip that requires
such things as real-time non-interrupt based playback) is to
make a slight change and introduce a modified PSIDv2NG file
format for these - which will be known as RSID.

RSID is bascially the same specification as PSIDv2NG except
for the following:

* - The header will say RSID instead of PSID.  This will be enough
for older SID emulators (for example, anything based on
Sidplay1-type emulation) to safely reject these SID files without
crashing them.
* - Certain fields, namely load, play, speed, and the PSID-specific
flag, will be reserved and set to 0.

What this will mean also is that anything using Sidplay2-based
emulation will also operate a  strict C64 environment for
these files.  Please note that RSID should only be used _if_ the SID
file will crash older SID emulators.

Sidplay2 is being worked on at the moment to support this
format and this is in beta-testing at the moment, similarly
the rippers' tool PSIDedit will be known as SIDedit in future,
and this tool is also being beta-tested as we speak. There will
also be changes to the HVSC Update Tool to accomodate
this too.

What this will mean is that the scheduled date for the update
release will be put back slightly, but I am sure you will agree
that the wait will be worth it.  To play C64 samples like they
were intended to be?  This has to be a positive.

Kind regards
The HVSC Team