The Big SID Hunt
FAQ

Requested SID tunes
What still needs ripping.
Request a SID tune
Please, read the note!
SID Hunt notification list
Sign up or sign off.
SID Hunt FAQ
The HVSC Ripped Tunes page
What has been ripped already, but is not in the HVSC, yet.
(Outside link, intended for rippers and requesters.
Check here before sending me a request - it might be ripped already!)
Rip Compo
If you think you are good enough to rip SID tunes
and you want to win a prize doing it,
visit Steppe's and Yodelking's Rip Compo!

  1. What is this Big SID Hunt?

    It started a long time ago when I first stumbled upon HVSC. At that time, this collection of Commodore-64 music files was missing quite a few of my favorite tunes, so I started the Big SID Hunt to encourage people to rip those missing favorite tunes of mine. It turned out to be a big success, and even though after all these years there's still one or two requests of mine on the SID Hunt list that are unripped, it was a great success.

    Then I thought, why not let other people request SID tunes, too? After all, as huge as HVSC is already, there still might be some SIDs missing from it that other SID fans would like to hear. So, the SID Hunt was opened up to the public, and since then it has provided many valuable SID tunes to HVSC - and to the joyous fans of SID music.

  2. I am looking for a SID tune from a demo or a game. What should I do?

    First of all, make sure that what you are asking for is:

    If you still can't find what you are looking for, go ahead and request the SID Tune.

  3. Can I request a SID tune that's already on the list of requested tunes in the SID Hunt?

    Absolutely! In fact, I encourage you to do so - the more people request a tune, the harder our rippers will work to get it for you!

  4. Will I get the SID tune I requested?

    If you provide your email address on the Request a SID tune form, then as soon as it gets ripped, I'll send the SID file to you for verification purposes - and, of course, to make you happy!

    Eventually, ripped requests will also make their way into the HVSC, so if you are a bit more patient, you'll see your request in an upcoming HVSC Update package.

  5. How long does it take to get the SID tune I requested?

    It depends on many factors. Somtimes it takes just a few weeks, sometimes years.

    First of all, the rippers have to find the game or demo in which the requested tune can be found. Of course, if you provide a link to the game/demo in your request and/or you send the game/demo image to me, this won't be an issue.

    If you don't have the game/demo yourself, at least try to give a concise, precise description of it in the Comments section of your request to give us a clue what exactly it is in which you heard the tune you'd like to see as a SID file.

    After that, the time it takes to rip the music from the game/demo depends on whether there's a ripper actually working on it and whether it's easy to rip the tune from the game/demo or it takes a lot of work (some tunes are just next to impossible to rip due to technical limitations).

  6. Can I get any of the other SID files that are requested, too?

    Only if you requested it yourself and provided your email address in your request when you filled out the form.

    If this is not the case, wait until the next HVSC Update, which is when the ripped request will show up in HVSC. (It's not guaranteed, but it's usually the case, as the HVSC Crew gives priority to ripped requests.)

  7. Can I get up-to-date info about the SID Hunt?

    Absolutely! Just sign up on the SID Hunt Notification List, and then I'll notify you every time when something significant happens in the SID Hunt. Which usually happens when a lot of new requests just came in, or when a lot of old requests got ripped.

  8. Can I be a SID Hunt Hero, too?

    Unfortunately, not any more. The "official" list of SID Hunt Heroes is not updated any more, as I am not keeping track of ripped requests any more. However, you can still be a hero for those people who request tunes if you rip one or more tunes for them! If you rip a request, send the ripped SID file to me in the proper format with the proper credits - and that's it! If you don't know how to rip tunes, I advise you to check out Michael Schwendt's informative webpage about this topic.

  9. Who's a "ripper"?

    A ripper is a person who extracts the data from a game/demo into SID format.

    It requires a good knowledge of C64 assembly language, some knowledge of the SID chip itself, and some patience. Because of these required skills, there are only a handful of rippers who provide SID Hunt rips on a regular basis. But anybody can become a ripper - even you! There were even cases when the person requesting a tune in the SID Hunt managed to rip his own request!

    If you want to become a ripper yourself, I advise you to check out Michael Schwendt's informative webpage about this topic.