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[Download] Sneak Prevue Software

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2019 10:43 pm
by AriX
Excited to share copies of the Sneak Prevue software!

I have 2 sets of Sneak Prevue disks (4 in total). They are labeled:
  • Sneak Prevue Main System Disc (Prevue Networks, Inc. Copyright 1994)
  • Sneak Prevue Data Disc (Prevue Networks, Inc. Copyright 1994)
  • Sneak Prevue Main System Disc (TV Guide Networks, Inc.)
  • Sneak Prevue Data Disc (TV Guide Networks, Inc.)
I believe they have essentially the same software as each other, but likely came from two separate Sneak Prevue installations.

As noted in a past post, I've had some troubles dumping them because of bad sectors on the floppy disks. However I have an ADF dump of one set that I believe to be complete, and a .zip of the contents of the other system disk. Time permitting, I can try to pull the other data disk, too.

Without further ado, here are the downloads: Image

Note - unfortunately the ADF doesn't have intact creation/modification dates of the files, but the .zip version does. However the .zip version is missing the files "S_SEGS" and "sts" because of bad sectors on that disk.

Re: [Download] Sneak Prevue Software

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2019 10:47 pm
by AriX
Off the bat - I believe the Sneak Prevue binary is the file called "vd". It's probably compressed like ESQ. I don't remember how we decompressed that one (I think perhaps it was PowerPack 4.0-encoded). Would love any help in popping it open!

Also, I haven't been able to get the software working yet, as when you fire it up it just prints out "Fo" and stops.

Re: [Download] Sneak Prevue Software

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 12:58 am
by AriX
OK, I think I got the vd binary decompressed (I just had to load the PowerPacker 4.0 software on an Amiga and fiddle with it for a minute). Check it out! http://prevueguide.com/Amiga/SneakPrevu ... compressed

Lots of interesting strings in the binary!

Code: Select all

DF1:SearchErr.config
::/::/
%c%s
Sneak Prevue Code - Copyright 1995 Prevue Networks Inc (c)
Helvetish3.font
@ Helvetish3.font
@ Helvetish4.font
@ Helvetish4.font
@ Helvetish5.font
@ Helvetish5.font
!@ Swiss.font
BODCTPLVKxEXYZtFW
Order
Event
Order
Event
Sneak:%c_screen.ini
graphics.library
Gfx fail
diskfont.library
Font fail
dos.library
Dos fail
intuition.library
Intuition fail
supergen.library
Supergen fail
utility.library
battclock.resource
Serial.Write
serial.device
BAUD is 9600
BAUD is 4800
BAUD is 1200
RS232 Receive Handler
Event
Order
Sneak:Sneak.ini
2.0 ROM Starting STS
assign t: ram:
run sts
1.3 ROM
run >nil: ColorText
Sneak Prevue Code - Copyright 1998 Prevue Networks Inc (c)
Vertical Blank Int
DF1:err.dat
DF1:err.dat
Error log for %4s jd %ld VERSION = %s
ASC99098c
Laser Player baud rate is %ld
Error log for %4s jd %ld VERSION = %s
ASC99098c
Error log for %4s jd %ld
%02ld:%02ld:%02ld:%02ld
There is no %s file
Reading %s.
Sneak:Sneak.ini
FONTS
CFORMATS
DATEDPAGES
DISC
SINGLETITLEBB
DEFAULTSTRINGS
RENDERMISC
TITLEBILLBOARD
WEEKENDBB
INTERNATIONAL
VIDEOLOOP
SneakINI : Unknown section "%s"
DF1:Brush.ini
LOGOBRUSH
SneakINI : Unknown section "%s"
SCREEN
read_config: No section.
No size specified in "%s".
No size specified in "%s".
Illegal index in "%s".
NumPageLists
ListName
ScriptO
Name=
Page=
Default=
Seek=
True
False
DefaultDiscID=
AlternateDiscID=
IDLength=
STSS
STMS
NumTitles
RowBufHeight
ColBufLength
Just=Left
Just=Center
Just=Right
GridStartFont
GridNormColor
GridHighColor
TitleStartFont
TitleColor
ChannelStartFont
ChannelColor
PriceStartFont
PriceColor
OrderStartFont
OrderColor
DefaultBBText=
SpTwxLines=
Title
Daily
NumTitlesRequest=
MinNumTitlesDesired=
StartTitleFont=
EndTitleFont=
ChanTimeFont=
XBuffer=
YBuffer=
LiteralBuffer=
NumTitlesPerPage=
NumPagesPerRange=
TimezoneOffset=
StartFrame=
EndFrame=
FILENAME
LOADCOLOR
NONE
XPOS
TYPE
LOGO
YPOS
XSOURCE
YSOURCE
SIZEX
SIZEY
HORIZONTAL
RIGHT
CENTER
VERTICAL
BOTTOM
CENTER
Sneak Prevue Code - Copyright 1998 Prevue Networks Inc (c)
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
 %02d 
Limit for new search errors exceeded
New search errors subsided
HOT!
DF1:MemLog.dat
 %04d
Clock: Read bad
Sneak Prevue Code - Copyright 1998 Prevue Networks Inc (c)
Communication error
Feature not available
Missing argument
Disc is not loaded
Search error
De-focusing error
Picture stop
Other device input
Unrecoverable error
From Command: %s  Line: %3ld
No Player response from %1ls
Player error: %4s
Unidentified Player Error: %4s
Left in park to long
E07:%s
E01 - S.ndx=%d
Can't read disc ID
Sneak:Sneak.ini
DISC
New=%1ls Old=%1ls
DF1:DD%s.dat
DF1:SO%s.dat
*H0DSCL
1MM0EM0DM
Start run mode
E05:E06:%s
E05:%s
E06:%s
%d + 
Timed out starting insertion
Insertion timed out exceeding 20 minutes
BLANK_ID
BLANK_ID
%lsSE
0EM0DM
%lsSEPL
BLANK_ID
%lsSE
PL0EM1AD
BLANK_ID
BLANK_ID
BLANK_ID
%lsSM
Video State Error
%lsSEPL
%lsAD
AudioID: line %3ld w/o switch setting
Start system test
Error in time code from Disc directory %ld
FR%1ld%02ld%02ld%02ld
BLANK_ID
LOCAL_A
A%s_LOC%03ld
LOCAL_V
V%s_LOC%03ld
BOUNCE_
B%s_%03ld
BOUNCE_
B%s_%03ld
%s:G:%03ld
%s:A%03ld:%03ld
%s:V%03ld:%03ld
%s:G:%03ld
%s:A%03ld:%03ld
%s:V%03ld:%03ld
Missing VID %s : Script %s line%3ld
Loss of R stack integrity
POD = %s
%06ld
%lsSE
PL0EM1AD
%06ld
%lsSM
Sneak Prevue Code - Copyright 1998 Prevue Networks Inc (c)
%s error: 'ERROR_NO_FREE_STORE' - %ld
%s error: 'ERROR_OBJECT_IN_USE' - %ld
%s error: 'ERROR_OBJECT_EXISTS' - %ld
%s error: 'ERROR_DIR_NOT_FOUND' - %ld
%s error: 'ERROR_OBJECT_NOT_FOUND' - %ld
%s error: 'ERROR_DISK_NOT_VALIDATED' - %ld
%s error: 'ERROR_DISK_WRITE_PROTECTED' - %ld
%s error: 'ERROR_DEVICE_NOT_MOUNTED' - %ld
%s error: 'ERROR_DISK_FULL' - %ld
%s error: 'ERROR_WRITE_PROTECTED' - %ld
%s error: 'ERROR_READ_PROTECTED' - %ld
%s error: 'ERROR_NO_DISK' - %ld
%s error: - %ld
CacheOpen(%s)
CacheClose(%s)
CacheWrite(%s)
Get_File(%s)
Get_File(%s): Empty file
Get_File(%s)
Binary 3: abort file open
.$$$
CacheOpen(%s)
Binary 2: Cannot write to unopened file
CacheOpen(%s)
CloseBin: Cannot close unopened file
CacheOpen(%s)
.$$$
No regions
Sneak:%c_Region
Sneak:%c_Region
Sneak:%c_Region
DF1:OI.dat
%03ld
DF1:oi.dat
DF1:sc
Put_File: Couldn't save %0ls
Put_File(%s)
DF1:config.dat
DF1:config.dat
DF1:title
DF1:title
%c%c
DF1:PI%02lx.dat
DF1:PI%02lx.dat
CLU mismatch:Didn't use PIR %d
DF1:CVP%02lx.dat
DF1:PI%02lx.dat
DF1:CLU%02lx.dat
DF1:CLU%02lx.dat
DF1:CLU%02lx.dat
DF1:CVP%02lx.dat
%02ld
%02ld
DF1:CVP%02lx.dat
DF1:pages.dat
DF1:pages.dat
%03hd:%2ld:%02ld:%02ld
%08ld
LogMemoryFree(%s)
LogMemoryFree(%s)
%03hd:%2ld:%02ld:%02ld:%02ld
LogText(%s)
LogText(%s)
Software Ver: %0ls
ASC99098c
  Script Ver: %0ls
     PFG Ver: %0ls
   Types Ver: %0ls
    Segs Ver: %0ls
 Regions Ver: %0ls
    Pods Ver: %0ls
Premiere Ver: %0ls
Data Counts:
     Max Memory: %ld
  Local Control: %ld
    Sat.crc_err: %ld
    Sat.cmd_cnt: %u
   Sat.char_cnt: %u
    Mod.crc_err: %ld
    Mod.cmd_cnt: %u
   Mod.char_cnt: %u
Laser Player Errors:
  %s->%-22s: %u
;Version %s
Start
Couldn't save %s
Couldn't save %s
DF1:sc
Couldn't save %s
DF1:sc
SerReadPortD
SerReadPort1
SerReadPort2
SerReadPort3
SerReadPort4
SerReadPort5
SerReadPort6
SerReadPort7
SerReadPort8
DefaultW
SerWritePort1
SerWritePort2
SerWritePort3
SerWritePort4
SerWritePort5
SerWritePort6
SerWritePort7
SerWritePort8
Xexpansion.library
UVSerial.device
Configure for UV Com Card
copy sts.uv sts.ini
serial.device
Configure for CBM Com Card
copy sts.cbm sts.ini
Sneak Prevue Code - Copyright 1998 Prevue Networks Inc (c)
Records:Done: %5ld  errors: %-9ld
Stored:
P1- Binary state error
gqr<
$/o|
f-=v
mj>zjZ
l6qnk
IiGM>nw
Records:Done: %5d  errors: %-9d
Stored:
P1- Binary state error
Satellite buffer overflow at %ld bytes
Rec Signal iSigfCount = %ld
RAM:BIN.DAT
RAM:BIN.DAT
DF1:pages.dat
Deleting File: 
delete %1s
ram:sem
ram:bin.dat
Sneak Prevue Code - Copyright 1998 Prevue Networks Inc (c)
inputdevice
consoledevice
input.device
console.device
Set %d Color %2ld =%2ld %2ld %2ld
Sneak:Sneak.ini
%d:%d
%d:%d
%d:%d
%d:%d
Flags: QTSPDFM : < = Test: ? = Restore
Space = select type, 3 = find, 1 display
OFFLINE
%sLINE 
18RG0RM1IM1AD
18RG0RM2IM2AD
2RG1AD
End of Log - RETURN to start over
Hit RETURN for more
DF1:pages.dat
DF1:U_Segs
DF1:U_Types
Pass
Fail
s%2ld map=%1lc jd =%2ld ts =%2ld src =%2ld fq =%2ld 
%0ls  %0ls  day%2ld 
Hk =%0ls Pr =%0ls Dr =%0ls 
test: %18s  %-4ld    
test: %18s  %-4ld    
dwellsecs# = %3ld
disk_id
Region #%02d->%02d:%02d:%02d:%02d
DF1:pages.dat
Reinitializing Database       
Reinitialization Complete     
abcdefghijklmn1234567890
ABCDEFGHIJKLMN1234567890
Sneak Prevue Code - Copyright 1998 Prevue Networks Inc (c)
%03ld
%03ld
c = %3ld m = %3ld e = %3ld p = %3ld 
 %0ls %0ls
%0ls %0ls%0ls
%0ls%0ls
%0ls%0ls
 ... 
%0ls%0ls%0ls%0ls%0ls
%0ls%0ls%0ls%0ls%0ls
%s%6ls%s
     
%c%s%s%s
     
%c%s %0ls
%c%s%s%s
     
%c%s
%c%s %0ls
%c%s %0ls
%c%0ls
     
DF1:pages.dat
%0ls%0ls%0ls%0ls
%0ls%0ls
att=%1ld ts=%1ld src=%1ld jd=%1ld p=%1ld
Sneak Prevue Code - Copyright 1998 Prevue Networks Inc (c)
line %3ld
                              
%1lc
PFG:%1ld   fmt:%1ld   ndx:%2ld 
fmt_name:%s 
RTN:%1ld   rstk:%2hd   RM:%1hd 
m:%2ld.%2ld p:%2ld
:%02ld  
     %s
 on 
 off
%4ld
%7ld
%7ld
%5ld
%7ld
%7ld
%4ld
%5ld
%5ld
%02lx 
%03ld 
%3ld 
jd:%3ld  cts:%2ld TZ:%2ld  OB:%1lc  DST:%1ld FD:%1lc KB:%1lc
OW+:%2ld  RC-:%1ld  RC+:%1ld  LV:%1ld  LA:%1ld   F:%1lc   CF:%1lc
BB_DPC:%3ld  VI_DPC:%3ld  AD_DPC:%3ld  
Memory - CHIP:%7ld  FAST:%8ld  Log Active  
Memory - CHIP:%7ld  FAST:%8ld                           
 On air is: TRUE  
 On air is: FALSE 
Timed out Starting Insertion
Insertion Flag = Y
Insertion Flag = N
Datecode of Laserdisc:
     %s

%0ls%0ls
        %0ls%0ls
                %0ls%d      
Logging: 
 on 
 off
Output To: 
parallel
  file       
Bytes in Buffer: 
%c%s
%s %s
%c%s
%c%s
  %s
%c%s
%0ls
%s  
%cM 
s=%2ld ts=%2ld jd=%2ld
s=%2ld ts=%2ld att=%2ld
Sneak Prevue Code - Copyright 1998 Prevue Networks Inc (c)
Data
Hardware
Data Saves
Logging
Version
Configuration
Insertion
Video
Player
Auto Tests
Stats
View Log
Diagnostics
All Data
Scripts
Error log
Select Code
On/Off
Flush Buffer
File/Parallel
To access diagnostics for serial data,
channel lineup, program information,
script, clock, local configuration
or errors, press RETURN
To access diagnostics for video,
insertion or auto tests press RETURN
To manually save program data
or scripts to disk, press RETURN
To set up logging output,
press RETURN

Software:
         Script:
                PFG:
                    Types:
                          Segs:

FILEDATE
        JDATE
             SOURCES

Current program information map (source x timeslot)



Press RETURN to view current Order Information,
Press P to view Special Order Information,
then any key to return to main menu

Local configuration & some clock stuff



Press RETURN to initiate Insertion manually

KEYS FOR VIDEO/AUDIO DIAGNOSTICS
'E' = external    'I' = internal    'O' = overlay
'1' = A1 audio    '2' = A2 audio
Press RETURN for laser player
diagnostic screen.
Press RETURN to auto test
LaserDisc and CG operation

Code  Description                   Count





Press RETURN to view current
Error Log
Press RETURN to select
diagnostic tests
Press RETURN to save all local 
data to disk
Press RETURN to save only script 
data to disk
Save the system error log to
disk file df1:err.dat
Save the system select code to
disk file df1:sc

%0ls
    %0ls
        %0ls
            %0ls
                %0ls
ASC99098c



PODS:      %0ls
               Premiers: %0ls
                             Regions:  %0ls
%-3s    
%-24s    
%-5hu    
Comm Card: %3s
ROM Ver: %3s
Errors:
Errors:
Cmnds:
Cmnds:
Bytes:
Bytes:
Box is
Box is
Cnt:
Cnt:
Max:
Max:
Sat Data:
Mod Data:
Validation
%sLINE 
ASC99098c
ASC99098c
ASC99098c

1 ... Communications Link Diagnostic
                                    2 ... Random Frame Seek Diagnostic
                                                                      3 ... Incremental Frame Seek Diagnostic
                             4 ... Half Scan Frame Seek Diagnostic
                                                                  5 ... Edge Scan Frame Seek Diagnostic


Player over-temperature detection: %s
ENABLED  
DISABLED 
%s show warning message if player too hot  
   Do
Don't
Testing Communications Link
Random Seek Mode
Incremental Seek Mode
Half Scan Seek Mode
CUSTOMER DIAGNOSTICS
Data Diagnostics for %1ls
Hardware Diagnostics
Save Data Manually
Laser Player Diagnostics
Laser Player Diagnostic Menu
Communications Link Diagnostic
Frame Seek Diagnostic
Logging Control
Press SPACE BAR to select then
RETURN to enter selection.
Press ESC to resume SNEAK PREVUE
Press SPACE BAR to select diagnostic
Press ESC to return to main menu
Press SPACE BAR to select then
RETURN to enter selection.
Press ESC to return to main menu
Press number of test to select
Press ESC to return to Sneak Preview
Press ESC to cancel diagnostic
Press SPACE to stop diagnostic
One moment please
No current CLU
Sneak Prevue Code - Copyright 1998 Prevue Networks Inc (c)
%s  %s
%s  %s
DF1:SO%s.dat
No script
DF1:DD%s.dat
DF1:SO%s.dat
DF1:Premier.dat
Couldn't save disk dir for %s
DF1:DD%s.dat
DF1:SO%s.dat
DF1:Premier.dat
Couldn't save script
DF1:DD%s.dat
DF1:U_Types
DF1:U_Types
Sneak:%c_Types
Sneak:%c_Types
No Types
INSERT
DEFAULT
PRIMEBB
DF1:Premier.dat
No Segments
DF1:U_Segs
DF1:U_Segs
Sneak:%c_Segs
Sneak:%c_Segs
Start
DF1:err.dat
Sneak Prevue Code - Copyright 1998 Prevue Networks Inc (c)
C%1ld
case:
case:
%02d:%02d
CONFIGSET
SET(
Ignored %s
Executed %s
POD = %s
ETN(
ETJSR(
ETRTN(
PRTN(
ONFIGSET(
SL2112
HHRC
EXIST[
ALSE
HHRC
HOUR
ONFIG[
KLIST[
KVER[
ASC99098c
EXIST[
UMSRC
UMT[
UMPI[
MCNT[
RIME
AYPART
Sneak:%c_PFG
Sneak:%c_PFG
No PFG
Sneak:%c_PPOD
Sneak:%c_PPOD
No PPOD
Sneak Prevue Code - Copyright 1998 Prevue Networks Inc (c)
6YxxNxA
CSL0000
ASC99098c
E08:%s
ASC99098c
Validation Error!  'F' Command pos. #%d!!
Got: 0x%x, expecting "%s"
P2- CLU date out of range
Reset CLU%02lx.dat
Nasty allocation error
PI date out of range! %1ls %3ld
PI date out of range! %1ls %3ld
Test
Frame = %ls  
%lsSE1MM0EM0DM
%lsSM0MM
Sneak:Sneak.ini
DF1:pages.dat
P3- COI date out of range
DF1:CVP%02lx.dat
No CLU for CVP%02lx
No V2 Source %1ls 
%0s,%0s,%0s
No V3 Source %1ls 
%0s,%0s,%0s
%0s,%0s,%0s
%0s,%0s,%0s
Sneak Prevue Code - Copyright 1998 Prevue Networks Inc (c)
%0ls%0ls
Sneak Prevue Code - Copyright 1998 Prevue Networks Inc (c)
Timecode line %1ld not valid
pages
[%s]
pages=%hd
%05d:%02hd:%02hd/%05d:%02hd:%02hd/%c
ValidPageFile(%s)
BuildPages(%s)
Sneak:Sneak.ini
DatedPages
CPT:O
CABDK
OTE:HCPDK
PTOE:HDK
P:TEO:HDK
%s%s
%0ls%0ls
%s %0ls
%0ls %0ls
%s %s
%s %s
Number of Tries: %u      
Pass: %u      
Fail: %u      
Frame Number: %d                
Diagnostic Completed!
Number of Tries: %u      
Pass: %u      
Fail: %u      
Time Out: %u      
Last Test Time: %s      
Total Test Time: %s      
Minimum Test Time: %s      
Average Test Time: %s      
Maximum Test Time: %s      
%06ld
%lsSE
12:44:44 
DlJanuary
February
March
April
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
E:Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
Jun.
Jul.
Aug.
Sep.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Reading local data ...
Hung up while testing
Multiport Serial Card
Testing the system ...
Installing LaserDisc ...
Processing Data
Please Stand By ...
Reset received
This Is Your Sneak Prevue Channel.
Please Stand By For Pay-Per-View
Information and Videos.
This Is Your Sneak Prevue Channel.
Please Stand By For Pay-Per-View
Information and Videos.
This Is Your Sneak Prevue Channel.
Please Stand By For Pay-Per-View
Information and Videos.
This Is Your Sneak Prevue Channel.
Please Stand By For Pay-Per-View
Information and Videos.
This Is Your Sneak Prevue Channel.
Please Stand By For Pay-Per-View
Information and Videos.
This Is Your Sneak Prevue Channel.
Please Stand By For Pay-Per-View
Information and Videos.
This Is Your Sneak Prevue Channel.
Please Stand By For Pay-Per-View
Information and Videos.
This Is Your Sneak Prevue Channel.
Please Stand By For Pay-Per-View
Information and Videos.
This Is Your Sneak Prevue Channel.
Please Stand By For Pay-Per-View
Information and Videos.
This Is Your Sneak Prevue Channel.
Please Stand By For Pay-Per-View
Information and Videos.
This Is Your Sneak Prevue Channel.
Please Stand By For Pay-Per-View
Information and Videos.
Ch. 44W
Sneak Prevue
Prevue Networks, Inc.
K(Error opening LASER port
KPOrder Now!
KnCh. 
K~Ch. 
Don't go out ... Order in Tonight!
Also showing
Also now showing
Now showing
this morning
today
today
tonight
tomorrow
L$on Ch. 
L2on channel
L>Starts in 
LNIn progress 
L^Next Showing
Lp%s
%s %hd
%s %s %hd
%s %s %hd
Illegal date format
%2ld:%02ld:%02ld
%2ld:%02ld
%2ld:%02ld:%02ld
%2ld:%02ld%s
%2ld%s
%ld:%02ld %s
12 midnight
12 noon
%ld:%02ld %s
Illegal time format
%s %s
$%08lx -> Debug.c
%03hd:%2ld:%02ld:%02ld:%02ld
All PI from CLU
%6s [%03hd %08s] %s
All PI from WorkCLU
%6s [%03hd %08s] %s
Title Database
%6s [%03hd %08s] (%03hd) %s
Unique Title Database
%6s [%03hd %08s] (%03hd) %s
Row %03hd -> JD=%2hd TS=%2hd SRC=%2hd %s
%02x 
Number of group types = %hd
List Name = ->%s<-
Number of Pages = %hd
Start Date = %ld
Start Hours = %d
Start Mins = %d
End Date = %ld
End Hours = %d
End Mins = %d
Group Name = ->%s<-
Page 1 = ->%s<-
Page 2 = ->%s<-
Pages in Range = %s
True
False
Skip flag = %s
True
False
<CTRLX>
<CTRLY>
<CTRLL>
<CTRLA>
JulienDay=->%ld<- 
Source Count = ->%ld<- 
Source=->%s<-
Price=->%s<-
Phone=->%s<-
Order=->%s<-
V Props=->%s<-
OW Plus=->%s<-
Src Group=->%s<-
Order Mode=->%c<-
Override Count=->%ld<-
TimeSlot=->%ld<-
OW Plus=->%s<-
R1 V Props==->%s<-
R1 Price=->%s<-
R1 Phone=->%s<-
R1 Event=->%s<-
R1 Order=->%s<-
R2 V Props==->%s<-
R2 Price=->%s<-
R2 Phone=->%s<-
R2 Event=->%s<-
R2 Order=->%s<-
R3 V Props==->%s<-
R3 Price=->%s<-
R3 Phone=->%s<-
R3 Event=->%s<-
R3 Order=->%s<-
NULL
'\0'
%3d:%2ld:%02ld:%02ld
000:00:00:00
DF1:Log_File
so_index:
format:
format_index:
type_requested:
type_played:
title:
source:
promo_time:
LOCAL
LOGO_%02x
DF1:Brush.ini
PFBA
DUALPF
HIRES
LACE
SPRITES
VP_HIDE
GENLOCK_AUDIO
GENLOCK_VIDEO
EXTRA_HALFBRITE
NumViews=
NumViewports=
NumRastports=
Viewport
Mode=
DxOffset=
DyOffset=
DWidth=
DHeight=
Depth=
Rastport=
View
Mode=
DxOffset=
DyOffset=
Viewports=
DF1:async.config
Don't miss the upcoming feature presentations|Sneak Prevue...your PPV connection
Ah:TCP
A6,2C1,2H1,2T1,2P1,2
M60+M-15
%c%d
DF1:dst.dat
N%c%04d%03d%02d:%02d
%c%04d%03d%02d:%02d
g2%c
g3%c

Re: [Download] Sneak Prevue Software

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2019 11:31 pm
by LocalH
Initial examination follows:
AriX wrote: Sat Apr 20, 2019 10:47 pm Off the bat - I believe the Sneak Prevue binary is the file called "vd". It's probably compressed like ESQ. I don't remember how we decompressed that one (I think perhaps it was PowerPack 4.0-encoded). Would love any help in popping it open!

Also, I haven't been able to get the software working yet, as when you fire it up it just prints out "Fo" and stops.
From looking at the strings you posted, the only one that starts with "Fo" is "Font fail"

Looking at the System ADF, there are two fonts available, both ColorFonts. CSTriumvirate (which is normally the name of a Compugraphic outline font) in size 101, and Helvetish0 in sizes 22, 24, 26, 28, 31, and 33. The strings listed only contains Helvetish3, Helvetish4, and Helvetish5. Perhaps renaming/duplicating the font to one of those names may get further?

There are two scripts in S:, startup-sequence and startup-cli (or what I will call "s-s" and "s-c" for the rest of this post). s-s contains the following, and from this it is obvious that it is intended to require a 2.0 or newer Kickstart:

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failat 21

Echo "TV GUIDE NETWORKS, S N E A K  P R E V U E"

version >NIL: graphics.library 36

if warn

   echo "********************************************************"
   echo "**                          **"
   echo "**     PLEASE STAY TUNED    **"
   echo "**                          **"
   echo "**      Error: 1.3 ROM      **"
   echo "**                          **"
   echo "********************************************************"

else

   echo "2.0 ROM detected - running SetPatch2.1"
   setpatch2.1 QUIET
   Stack 8192
   vd

endif
While s-c contains one line:

Code: Select all

Execute res
I do not see a script called "res" anywhere on the disk, but it is possible it is a script that the software would create. There is a temporary file in T: that might be old, it's called Command-0-T01 (which is one of the temporary filenames that the Execute command uses when running scripts), which contains the following:

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echo "PREVUE NETWORKS,   S N E A K    P R E V U E"
SetClock Load
failat 20
endif
vd
Many of the files in the root are text files (except for vd, sts, and ColorText, and ADF Opus gave me checksum errors when attempting to view the latter two files). Even with the errors, it did extract a file for sts, and there are strings visible near the end, but it has the same initial binary as vd, so I think it may still be packed, will investigate further.

STS must have been some sort of dialup service offered by Prevue as part of this system. There are two separate configuration files found, sbs.cbm and sbs.uv. The content of sbs.cbm is listed below:

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[Hello]
Welcome to the Prevue STS Host system
[InitModem]
AT&F&H1&B1&R2
[Config]
DeviceName      = serial.device
DeviceUnit      = 3
BaudRate        = 19200
AutoLogOff      = 0
FilePath        =
TaskName        = vd
ActivityLog     =
ErrorLog        = PROGDIR:STS_Error.Log
LogTrimKB       = 1
ReadBuffer      = 16384
ZModemFlags     = OY TN AY KN
sts.uv is identical, except instead of using Commodore's serial.device, it's using UVSerial.device. sts.psw seems like it would store a password to connect to STS, and on this ADF contains 55TBIRD.

.ini files? For an Amiga program? That's a new one. Sneak.ini must be an overall config file, at the top it has a comment ;Sneak.ini Version 95289.

A_Screen.ini and N_Screen.ini appear to have screenmode settings for different modes of the program? They seem to be able to set up different screen configurations, with different individual screen positions. To fully understand this requires a bit of understanding of Amiga Intuition screens (as in, the draggable screens like Workbench or other application screens, with menu/title bars and containing windows, etc). The terms View, Viewport, and Rastport are relevant. A View is basically the overall screen configuration, and only one View can be visible at a time, but programs can change between Views. Within each View there is one or more Viewport. A Viewport is basically the structure containing the data used to represent each screen, including it's physical position (in addition to the user being able to drag Viewports if there is a title bar, applications can position them fairly arbitrarily outside of a few hardware restrictions). Each Viewport also has a Rastport, which is basically a pointer that is used to do direct rendering to a screen outside of the normal Intuition window structure (such as applications like ESQ and VD would do).

A_Screen.ini sets up two different Views to switch between, with three different Viewports, but only two of them are visible at once (one of two 640x400 Viewports near the top of the screen, centered horizontally above one 704x55 Viewport near the bottom). These screens are all 8 colors (3 bitplanes). I'm not as knowledgeable on Sneak Prevue as I am Prevue Guide, but if there is a mode with static information at the bottom and the top half changing between two different displays, that's probably what this was for.

N_Screen.ini is simpler. It also has two Views, but each only contains one 640x400 Viewport, also positioned the same as the ones from before. They are also 8 colors. I do remember there were full screen displays for movie times that were overlayed on top of a background, that's probably this.

The S_* and W_* files seem to be full of comments, and are really too big to include in a forum post. There is also a nearly identical copy of S_TYPES called 9S_TYPES which only has five lines of difference, perhaps some sort of temporary or backup file?

C: contains a very basic Amiga command folder. I see they were still using UVEd. Also wondering why there's a SetPatch1.3 present, perhaps an older version of the software ran on 1.3? I know the black grid often ran on 1.3.

DEVS: contains three different serial devices, one of which likely confirms a board identification I made almost nine years ago. oldser.device is a slightly modified serial.device from 1.3, the only modification is the internal device name. UVSerial.device is "UVSerial.device 1.275 (6.6.94)" which likely drove some of their hardware. serial.device is not a stock serial.device however, it is "A2232 driver 33.11 (22 May 90)". So now we know for sure they used the A2232 7-port serial board at one point.

L: is nothing special.

LIBS: contains copinit.library and supergen.library, libraries required to support programmatic control of a connected Digital Creations SuperGen genlock. We know they used their own genlock hardware for ESQ, but perhaps they used SuperGens for Sneak?

Extracting the whole contents of the ADF to a folder, for comparison to the zip contents, gave me a crap ton of errors. I'll definitely be running the disk through DiskSalv just to get an error report if nothing else. Right away, I notice that 1994Label is missing sts.cbm, has the same sts.pw, a few differences in S_PFG and S_TYPES, the W* files are at least the same exact filesize.

The data disk seems to be similar to the .dat files on the Prevue Guide disk, in that it would most likely be any downloaded data for currently active promotions.

The DD*.dat files seem to be some sort of ordering. I'm going to take a stab and speculate that these files are involved in mapping out what's where on the Laserdiscs, whether video segments or still background. The first line of each file corresponds to the last five characters of the filename, and I'm guessing was their versioning system for this data, or perhaps a region management system.

dst.dat seems to be a mildly binary file. It contains the following (ASCII and binary are directly concatenated, and only separated by spaces here for clarity):

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g20 <0x04> 200209701:00 <0x13> 200230000:00 [no linebreak here but adding one for clarity]
g30 <0x04> 200209705:00 <0x13> 200230004:00
err.dat seems to be an error log.

Premier.dat seems to map movie titles to internal IDs of some sort.

SC contains the text "SL2596" and based on our experience with the Prevue Guide software, I'm gonna go ahead and assume this is the select code.

The SO*.dat seems to be a timed playlist type of setup, with timestamps that go up to just over five hours in SO9B347.dat, and nearly six hours in SO9C060.dat. SO9C060.dat also references Cablevision so I'm assuming these disks came from a Cablevision headend?

title is a three-byte file containing a CRLF followed by 0x1a. No clue lmao.

All of this was analysis done without opening an Amiga emulator lol.

Re: [Download] Sneak Prevue Software

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2019 1:35 am
by LocalH
Initial look at the ADF with DiskSalv indicates two additional damaged files besides S_SEGS and sts - fonts/Helvetish0/24.4C (which could very well be causing it to try to throw a "Font fail" error, and in fact comparing the ADF's file with the ZIP's does indeed show a difference) and c/assign which is probably not that vital, and could be replaced with the copy from the ZIP. I'm going to attempt to see what I can get with Salvage mode in recovering the TVG disk's S_SEGS (I'm thinking sts is the same between disks, the font should be too).

Edit: I was able to salvage S_SEGS from the ADF with no reported errors, and c/Assign as well (even though it was easily replaceable), and fonts/Helvetish0/24.4C I elected to copy from the .ZIP, however sts still gave an error that the file could still potentially be damaged:

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STARTING VOLUME COPY TO MIDIStuff:prevue/TVG-salv/.
 FILE S_SEGS
 FILE ColorText
 FILE sts
 NEXT  Resolved block conflict (352322036 <> 433)
  ERROR: Disk Fault, File may be incomplete.
 UDIR Fonts
 UDIR Fonts/Helvetish0
 FILE Fonts/Helvetish0/24.4C
 NEXT  Resolved block conflict (1430345602 <> 1666)
  ERROR: Disk Fault, File may be incomplete.
 UDIR C
 FILE C/Assign
So unless we find other disks, or get good redumps, this file *may* be a showstopper, depending on whether it is vital to merely displaying anything at all. Going to attempt to decompress sts and then try to boot a "fixed" copy of the ADF.

Re: [Download] Sneak Prevue Software

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2019 2:01 am
by AriX
LocalH, this is awesome!! Great detective work and analysis! The font failure seems like a very strong lead!

Given that sts seems to be a dial-up system as you mentioned, I'm hopeful that it's not required to get this going.

Would you be able to share your patched .adf when you get a chance? I haven't been able to make one, as the tools I'm using are just freaking out about the corrupt files.

Re: [Download] Sneak Prevue Software

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2019 2:31 am
by LocalH
AriX wrote: Wed Apr 24, 2019 2:01 am Would you be able to share your patched .adf when you get a chance? I haven't been able to make one, as the tools I'm using are just freaking out about the corrupt files.
Sure. Here you go. For anyone wishing to boot this, make a backup copy, as I did see WinUAE's drive access light flash red a couple of time during boot, indicating a write. It may be too late as AriX (as well as the previous owner, undoubtedly) had already tried booting the disk on his system before dumping it, but better safe than sorry.

Also, here's how far it boots now. Not much further, but baby steps.

Re: [Download] Sneak Prevue Software

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2019 2:32 am
by AriX
LocalH wrote: Wed Apr 24, 2019 2:31 am
AriX wrote: Wed Apr 24, 2019 2:01 am Would you be able to share your patched .adf when you get a chance? I haven't been able to make one, as the tools I'm using are just freaking out about the corrupt files.
Sure. Here you go. For anyone wishing to boot this, make a backup copy, as I did see WinUAE's drive access light flash red a couple of time during boot, indicating a write. It may be too late as AriX (as well as the previous owner, undoubtedly) had already tried booting the disk on his system before dumping it, but better safe than sorry.

Also, here's how far it boots now. Not much further, but baby steps.
This is great progress! Thanks for your work on this, LocalH!

Re: [Download] Sneak Prevue Software

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2019 3:49 am
by LocalH
I also soon plan on setting up an ersatz hard drive installation like tin did way back with the Prevue ADF, and see what SnoopDOS reports. But that's for tomorrow or the next day, it's getting late here lol

Re: [Download] Sneak Prevue Software

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2019 7:29 pm
by tin
Well how interesting is this?!!

I've got it installed on a hard drive, did the usual tricks, but at the moment get as far as LocalH

I think it DOES need STS, and I think somehow (at this stage, could be wrong etc etc) that STS is also used for talking to the LD. The only snoopdos alerts that show up are the executable trying to open the serial port given in the sts.ini which comes from sts.cbm at the start.

I'm guessing the STS recovered from the disk is no good, and wondering the ZIP version of your two disks AriX, there's no STS on there at all. possible both disks have had read errors affecting STS?

I've tried a local disksalv, but I think it hasn't been able to do the trick.

Anyway I think that's the next step, getting STS from somewhere.