RE: https://mastodon.social/@samster/116093908713088888

(1/2) Thanks for the mention Samster. My journey with SID and the Z80 started way, way back in 2002, working out how to get it to play happily when connected to a fast Zilog Z80 bus on the SAM Coupe, rather than the MOS6510 it was designed for.

2003 saw the first commercial version of my SID Interface for the SAM Coupe. It's had a few tweaks in the years since and is still available.

In 2020 I was asked if the interface would work on the RC2014 (Thanks Shiela!). Replied no, but then a few weeks later, yes!, having redesigned the interface in a version specifically for the RC2014 bus and integrating an interrupt controller for 50/60/100Hz - ideal for use with other soundchips too! This version has also had a few tweaks over the last six years since release, currently on v1.3.

Can't add photos due to the 'quote' so will add a reply to this post with photos... (Nice to see this now implemented in Mastodon!)

#samcoupe #commodore #c64 #soundchip #chiptune #demoscene #rc2014 #zxspectrum

Кросс-трекеры: ретро-музыка на современном ПК

Я не раз обращался к теме музыкальных редакторов системы «трекер». Казалось бы, сколько можно, горшочек, не вари. Но этих программ насчитывается сотни, и несмотря на сходство до степени смешения, созданы они с разными намерениями, посвящены решению различных задач, а к их появлению привели исторические причины разной степени занимательности. В то же время, эта нишевая тема, развивавшаяся десятилетиями, почти не имела выхода за пределы специализированных сообществ в формате обзорных публикаций для массового читателя. А значит, можно и нужно продолжать её раскрывать. Сегодня уделю пристальное внимание явлению «кросс-трекеров» — программ для современных ПК и операционных систем типа Windows и Linux, позволяющих создавать музыку для различных старых компьютеров, игровых приставок и прочих подобных устройств, а точнее, для их музыкальных синтезаторов. Зачем, почему, что происходит, кто здесь — как обычно, сейчас разберёмся во всех этих животрепещущих вопросах.

https://habr.com/ru/companies/ruvds/articles/976554/

#трекер #tracker #звуковой_чип #soundchip #chiptune #sid #ay38910 #2a03 #pokey #ruvds_статьи

More community links added to showcase some of the fab projects people have been working on that use some of the interfaces and modules that I've released for #RC2014 & compatible systems.

https://2014.samcoupe.com

#retrocomputing #z80 #soundchip #chiptune #zxspectrum #samcoupe

Another old soundchip or rather melody chip in this case, that I picked up in Tandy in 1989 and soldered up in a circuit once I had an iron and had been taught to solder during a couple days of work experience at an electronic company during high school. This was the first microchip I'd bought, exciting times!

The chip is the UM3482A which has 12 tunes built in and 3 instrument waveforms. Sadly, I don't have the packaging or datasheet any more, but this is still my original bit of stripboard from back then. It's had the odd running repair over the years to resolder the wires and the push button switch has been replaced once.

(For more soundchip tinkerings see the soundchip interfaces I've designed and released for #RC2014 and compatible systems in recent times: SID from the #C64, SAA1099P from the #SAMCoupe, plus my ZXTT module to clock your AY/YM at the exact frequency of the 128K #ZXSpectrum! https://2014.samcoupe.com [End of plug! 😜 ])

#electronics #soundchip #synth #chiptune

📌 #Introduction
Developer of 33 years for #SAMCoupe #computer - #hardware, #software and magazines. Plus #Retrocomputing hardware for #RC2014, #ZXSpectrum, #Soundchip.

Recent releases: (⭐ newest!)

➡️ SAM Coupe 🌐 https://www.samcoupe.com
⭐ Quazar Surround Soundcard - new editions.
⭐ VIC-20 Cartridge Interface (new batch available)
⭐ SAM Revival 9 revamp (with Manic Miner!)
SAM Revival 11 revamp
SAM Revival issue 26
Mechanical Keyboard
Trinity Ethernet Interface v1.2 (+SD storage)

➡️ RC2014 + Compatibles 🌐 https://2014.samcoupe.com
⭐ SAA1099P Soundchip Interface
⭐ SID Soundchip Interface V1.3
ZX True Tone (ZXTT)
Graphic OLED Interface

➡️ ZX Spectrum 🌐 https://zx.samcoupe.com
ZX 2 Way Expansion Interface
ZX-RC2014 Bus Interface
ROM Slot + Flash Cart

Not been about for a bit so let's start catching up! A video of my SAA1099P Soundchip Interface for RC2014 / RCbus systems being used on a ZX Spectrum, connected via my ZX-RC Bus Interface. The SAA1099P gives six sound channels, with stereo volume registers for each channel. The SAA1099P was made popular for chiptunes by its use in the SAM Coupe computer - the system I've been developing on over the last 32 years!

More info / Purchase the interfaces: https://2014.samcoupe.com

The music playing on the ZX Spectrum was created for the SAA soundchip using E-Tracker music software on the SAM Coupe, the tune being a rendition of the C64 game music from Thing On A Spring, with this version composed for the SAA soundchip by David Sanders.

The E-Tracker player code itself has not required any modification, but I coded a simple IM2 interrupt wrapper for it to play on the Spectrum.

#RC2014 #ZXSpectrum #Chiptune #Demoscene #SAMCoupe #Soundchip #Retrocomputing #Retrogaming

🚨 Website Update!
https://2014.samcoupe.com

Added an application note for my ZX True Tone module (ZXTT) to show the pinout for using it in other AY-3-8910/12 and YM2149 soundchip applications. While originally designed to replace a chip on Ed Brindley's RC2014 YM/AY soundcard it's ideal for other circuits where you use an AY to play ZX Spectrum music.

The ZXTT provides a clock signal to the soundchip of 1.7734MHz to match the 128K ZX Spectrum ensuring that playback of Speccy tunes is pitch (and envelope!) perfect. (A video on my page shows how much distortion a clock of 1.75MHz gives, which is often used for Speccy related AY circuits.)

#rc2014 #soundchip #zxspectrum #retrocomputing #computing #hardware #electronics #chiptune

Hey maker community! 👋

Sharing hard-won audio design lessons for KT148A voice chip users:

The volume struggle is REAL when:
• Using <1W film speakers
• Housing design ignores acoustics

But good news! We found:

🔹Paper cone speakers (AliExpress) work wonders
🔹Proper venting > amplifier mods
🔹Size DOES matter for speakers

Anyone else solved this differently? Let's compare notes!

#ProductDesign #HardwareSolutions #KT148A #SpeakerVolume #VoiceChip #SoundChip

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-make-speaker-sound-louder-kt148a-voice-chip-key-points-tsui-dckoc