3 replies to this topic

[happy_comrade]

Hello everyone
I've been reading up on the Atari Video Music console. Looks interesting.

Is anyone aware of a decent set of high resolution schematics? All I can seem to find are the mid-resolution/low resolution set here:

http://www.atarimuse...videomusic.html

It's pretty hard to make out the component names and values...
thanks

-HC

[happy_comrade]

... looking at it further, I guess the whole thing is built around a custom IC. Without that IC (or an internal schematic of it), a detailed overall schematic wouldn't be of much use.

[atarifan49]

happy_comrade, on Mon Sep 19, 2011 6:30 AM, said:

... looking at it further, I guess the whole thing is built around a custom IC. Without that IC (or an internal schematic of it), a detailed overall schematic wouldn't be of much use.

It would be nice if there were any details about the custom I.C. used in the Video Music.  You can read the patent to get an idea and give you more insight to how it works.  I did get to briefly talk with the inventer of the Video Music and he said that you can't make the chip these days anyway.  I think he said he was made using a NMOS process that is no longer used in the industry.

[atarifan49]

atarifan49, on Sat Sep 24, 2011 8:39 PM, said:

happy_comrade, on Mon Sep 19, 2011 6:30 AM, said:

... looking at it further, I guess the whole thing is built around a custom IC. Without that IC (or an internal schematic of it), a detailed overall schematic wouldn't be of much use.

It would be nice if there were any details about the custom I.C. used in the Video Music.  You can read the patent to get an idea and give you more insight to how it works.  I did get to briefly talk with the inventer of the Video Music and he said that you can't make the chip these days anyway.  I think he said he was made using a NMOS process that is no longer used in the industry.

The chip was made using n-channel MOS metal gate process - which was the most common process for high speed logic at the time.  It required +5V, +12V and -5V.

I recently asked Al Alcorn this question - What sparked the idea for video music?

Al Alcorn answered:

Quote

We had just finished shipping Home Pong containing our first custom chip.  That chip was created by a small team, Harold Lee, Bob Brown, Carl Nielson and myself.  The idea for Video Music came from Bob Brown with support from Harold.  They were passionate about it so we did it.

It was somewhat ironic that it came from Bob Brown as he seemed to be the most conservative "adult" engineer we had.

Glenn