+mytek Posted September 20, 2018 Author Share Posted September 20, 2018 A more Atari like intro... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeOzI3aJOrk By adjusting the delay parameters at the start of the intro.bin file using a hex editor, you can alter the delay before the music begins after power-up. The delay is broken into 2 bytes, first one being the MSB and the 2nd being the LSB, with the total number representing the milliseconds of delay before start (90 = 1st Note-On command). Decimal to Hex Converter Edit: I cranked up the volume for the video. During the first 5-6 seconds following boot-up, something suppresses the audio making the volume lower than usual. It's actual nice in a way, since you really wouldn't want the intro to be blaring, but instead be more in the background. Although I am curious as to why this occurs, and whether it's just a 1088XEL thing (could be, since the audio circuitry is quite unlike anything that Atari every did). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tickled_Pink Posted September 20, 2018 Share Posted September 20, 2018 Should have got one of the old sample record/playback chips and got it to play the Sinistar "I LIVE!" The irony of this work you're doing now is that a few days ago I realised that the one thing that the Atari has never really had, due to the general awesomeness of Pokey, is a sound upgrade. So I had been looking at old chips. But only those in DIP packages. Anything SMD is beyond me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mytek Posted September 20, 2018 Author Share Posted September 20, 2018 Should have got one of the old sample record/playback chips and got it to play the Sinistar "I LIVE!" The irony of this work you're doing now is that a few days ago I realised that the one thing that the Atari has never really had, due to the general awesomeness of Pokey, is a sound upgrade. So I had been looking at old chips. But only those in DIP packages. Anything SMD is beyond me. True I could have done that . Although what mustn't be forgotten, is that I was able to make something similar happen by simply reprogramming a chip that I was already using for the MIDI gating and 31250 baud clock generation. So no extra chips required . And then there is the cost savings, since the PIC chip goes for $0.71 and it runs the whole show. Well to be precise it runs the MIDI interface, you still need a MIDI Synth to create the sound which does cost some $$$. Example shown for 1088XEL plug-in Sound Board 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivop Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 Think I'm ready to order some prototype PCBs. If anybody spots a major flaw, please report! I'll probably order the boards somewhere next week. BTW Mytek, if you want me to open a separate thread, I'll do so instead of cluttering your thread Both designs should eventually be shrunk and possibly assembled in China. Hope I'll manage to hand solder the VS1053 onto the prototype cs9236wb.pdf vs1053wb.pdf 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mytek Posted September 21, 2018 Author Share Posted September 21, 2018 Think I'm ready to order some prototype PCBs. If anybody spots a major flaw, please report! I'll probably order the boards somewhere next week. BTW Mytek, if you want me to open a separate thread, I'll do so instead of cluttering your thread Both designs should eventually be shrunk and possibly assembled in China. Hope I'll manage to hand solder the VS1053 onto the prototype cs9236wb.pngvs1053wb.png No need to move this into a new thread . Since the MIDI coupled with an on-board Synth is a part of the 1088XLD design evolution, I feel that your new board design is pertinent to the discussion. So I'll leave that decision up to you. Just curious as to why you left so much open space in your design. Are you planning for other goodies down the road? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivop Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 No need to move this into a new thread . OK, thanks. I thought I'd better ask, in case it was bothering you. Just curious as to why you left so much open space in your design. Are you planning for other goodies down the road? No, but I figured anything between 5x5cm and 5x10cm costs the same, so I'd just as well space it out a little. Makes soldering and especially debugging easier, although I hope not much debugging is necessary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivop Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 (edited) As for other goodies, I do have some other ideas for other boards. This seems like a nice gadget, although it'll need a program at the A8 side for controls and a MIDI synth to play. I have one in my box, but it took me about 6 months to receive it(!) If you google him around, he's notorious for bad service. Another idea is a PIC/AVR controlling an old school PSG, like AY-3-8910, SID, or even another Pokey And if connected to a stand-alone waveblaster host, you can control it directly with a MIDI synth. Edited September 21, 2018 by ivop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mytek Posted September 21, 2018 Author Share Posted September 21, 2018 That DSP Synth chip that you linked to looks pretty cool (I've got to resist the urge, too many things in the pot already ). Another idea is a PIC/AVR controlling an old school PSG, like AY-3-8910, SID, or even another Pokey And if connected to a stand-alone waveblaster host, you can control it directly with a MIDI synth. You kind of lost me on that last part. I can see using an MCU to access one of those sound chips, but what exactly do you mean by a stand-alone wave blaster host? Are you suggesting having the MCU be a bridge from the sound chip's requirements over to MIDI type commands? If that's what you mean, I could certainly see doing that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivop Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 (edited) Forget about the stand-alone waveblaster host, which is something like https://www.serdashop.com/Webwinkel-Product-198933091/DreamFace-S2-Enclosure.html but can be done as well with MIDI Muse or your MIDI Module. It just means you hear the notes you play on your (synth) keyboard are directly processed and made audible by the connected WaveBlaster board, i.e. connect MIDI-IN to the WB. As for the bridge function, that's indeed what I suggest. The MCU interprets the incoming MIDI events and makes the appropriate sounds by driving a data bus and address bus to the PSG, which will have its obvious limits, being a 3 or 4 channel sound chip. Through SYSEX events, you could also cater for reprogramming all the hardware registers one at the time, or in one go, like, every 1/50th of a second Edit: BTW Irgendwer had an idea of creating an add-on that is even more sophisticated, that would allow you to upload a full player and have it play autonomously. Edited September 21, 2018 by ivop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mytek Posted September 21, 2018 Author Share Posted September 21, 2018 Got it . If I turn around the direction assignments on the MIDI_IN vs. Data_Out, then that would allow the PIC's UART RX line to be connected to MIDI_IN. By doing that one change, it would be very easy to setup the PIC to automatically accept a MIDI data stream and buffer it in the internal RAM all via an interrupt driven routine. Of course the RAM is limited to 256 bytes, so you would have to process it before the buffer overflowed. Anyway then take that data and feed it into a translation routine as part of the main loop firmware to change from MIDI to PSG, AY-3-8910, SID, or Pokey commands. Simple in concept, but still a lot going on under the hood. Although now that I think about it, it would definitely require a bigger PIC to have enough I/O pins to hook into the parallel addressing and data of those sound chips, as well as the R/W and whatever control signals are also required. But all of this is doable . Maybe someday . Or we just let Irgendwer finish his project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Level42 Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 (edited) A more Atari like intro... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeOzI3aJOrk Mmmm....it's more Bally-Midway I wanted to say Namco, but as we all know Pac Man was Namco, but Ms.Pac Man was Evil Otto by GCC, which was bought by Bally-Midway and changed into Ms.Pac Man (bless them all !) LOL...anyway, it's a nice tune, but a bit too long IMHO....o well....it's all just playing around...... The "Have you played Atari today" is only 8 notes....ever noticed those boot-up sounds tend to be as short as possible (to stay "tolerable") Edited September 21, 2018 by Level42 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mytek Posted September 21, 2018 Author Share Posted September 21, 2018 Mmmm....it's more Bally-Midway I wanted to say Namco, but as we all know Pac Man was Namco, but Ms.Pac Man was Evil Otto by GCC, which was bought by Bally-Midway and changed into Ms.Pac Man (bless them all !) LOL...anyway, it's a nice tune, but a bit too long IMHO....o well....it's all just playing around...... The "Have you played Atari today" is only 8 notes....ever noticed those boot-up sounds tend to be as short as possible (to stay "tolerable") Yep it is a bit much, but a good example of the intro feature. I too would like to find something simple and sweet that sounds cool, but hasn't been used on other computer systems. If it also unmistakably says Atari to the user, so much the better. Do you happen to have that tune "Have you played Atari today" in MIDI format , or know someone that can create it? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+kheller2 Posted September 22, 2018 Share Posted September 22, 2018 Yep it is a bit much, but a good example of the intro feature. I too would like to find something simple and sweet that sounds cool, but hasn't been used on other computer systems. If it also unmistakably says Atari to the user, so much the better. Do you happen to have that tune "Have you played Atari today" in MIDI format , or know someone that can create it? "Have you played" is so much better than the silly, in my opinion, sound of the Jaguar starting up -- which reminded me of something FisherPrice would have done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted September 22, 2018 Share Posted September 22, 2018 (edited) lol sorry it isn't what you're looking for.... You would think with all the guitar covers of the Atari versions of zybex and draconus music and such that someone would have riffed of out little jingle by now... Edited September 22, 2018 by _The Doctor__ 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Stephen Posted September 22, 2018 Share Posted September 22, 2018 lol sorry it isn't what you're looking for.... You would think with all the guitar covers of the Atari versions of zybex and draconus music and such that someone would have riffed of out little jingle by now... OMG - used that since the day it came out. NEVER knew it had that hidden feature!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mytek Posted September 22, 2018 Author Share Posted September 22, 2018 Doc I'll have to check out that tune tomorrow because my wife is asleep, and I don't wish to find out what happens if I wake her. ------------------------ On a separate note, I think I have the DIN part of the MIDI interface worked out. Edit: The R7 value will likely be lower then shown in order to insure a fast and hard upward swing to the signal, but the exact value is presently unknown until I get a scope on it. This will have it's own independent board lay out suitable for rear panel access, although it will require a few holes in the upper case cover of the 1050 to allow access to the connectors and the switch. Of course this board is completely optional, only required if you wish to interface to an external device or to play MIDI-Maze (who would want to do that ). I went with a H11L1 opto-isolator for the MIDI-IN connection, since it has good drive characteristics, and switching speeds up to 1 Mhz which far exceeds what is required. And since it incorporates a Schmidt trigger opto device, any noise on the line should be ignored. All the signal gating is handled by the MIDI PIC MCU which will be integrated into the XLD design, and is incorporated into the MIDI-XEL board. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mytek Posted September 22, 2018 Author Share Posted September 22, 2018 lol sorry it isn't what you're looking for.... You would think with all the guitar covers of the Atari versions of zybex and draconus music and such that someone would have riffed of out little jingle by now... That is indeed the tune i was looking for . Now how to get it into MIDI format Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted September 22, 2018 Share Posted September 22, 2018 (edited) It should then the happy poppy synth meow meow version would go over even better today... this ain't it either, but you should know... https://boomkat.com/products/liberator-69e88849-55d2-4663-8672-4bba9b109445 press play... skip to the jingles at the end, Almost every jingle is slighty different but these two were closest to each other.. Some are happy and modern almost... others not so much... a few are even cheerful, I'd search em out, find your faves and start asking the music crews here on AA for a midi embodying the cheerful yet synthy jingle in midi form.. Edited September 22, 2018 by _The Doctor__ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mytek Posted September 22, 2018 Author Share Posted September 22, 2018 Doc I like the first of the two you just posted the best. It has a real synthy sound to it . ------------------ DIN interface update: better buffering added. Adding one more IC (74HC14) allows for much better buffering and noise suppression, due to now having Schmidt trigger signal conditioning across the board. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mytek Posted September 23, 2018 Author Share Posted September 23, 2018 Small change to the DIN Interface header: Pin-5 now = Midi-CLK. Although this isn't going to be currently used in any DIN interface board I have in the works, I figured it might come in handy for something else down the road. The XEL-MIDI PCB has had it's interface header modified as well. Here is a preliminary look at the DIN Interface PCB. Will work with either the 1088XLD or the MIDI-XEL add-on board. 1088XLD installation using threaded stand-offs to elevate above the motherboard. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Level42 Posted September 23, 2018 Share Posted September 23, 2018 Doc I like the first of the two you just posted the best. It has a real synthy sound to it . Yes TOTALLY agree, that is exactly the one I had in mind. That cheesy 80s synth sound fits PERFECTLY for our beloved machines It has to be an analogue synth though considering the 2600 era....I’m not an expert but it sounds like a MiniMoog to me.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Level42 Posted September 23, 2018 Share Posted September 23, 2018 Just puzzled out the notes on an online keyboard.... Naturally the melody is amazingly simple D,D,D,D,F,E,C,D That’s it. Some chords to it would be nice.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Level42 Posted September 23, 2018 Share Posted September 23, 2018 (edited) Like this 20180924_000606.mp4 Edited September 23, 2018 by Level42 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_The Doctor__ Posted September 23, 2018 Share Posted September 23, 2018 now a little bit of kink in the first notes and some synth and we be jammin.... I betcha some one is dying to go wild on it.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Level42 Posted September 23, 2018 Share Posted September 23, 2018 It has to be General Midi to keep it compatiblen I guess ? Definitly like that hidden Atati Artist Pokey version too ! Maybe Jon can add that one to U1MB firmware ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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