How much can you change a program before it becomes a different program? I believe I have reached that point with Computer Blues. Version 4 got rid of the base repeats and Version 5 gave each voice its own channel and different patches for the JAM() and base notes. Fixing the timing can be done but would require a major rewrite.
Here are the resulting sound and program files for Version 5.
MIDI Computer Blues 5 - 3 channels.zip
These are the changes made to version 4 to produce Versio
While playing Pac-man with a standard Atari Joystick, how often have you missed a turn? I may have a solution, if its due to pushing the joystick to far off the four directional axis. If its due to a slow reaction time then you're still on your own.
I noted while playing Pac-man that my granddaughter would rotate the joystick base and start pushing the joystick into the diagonal directions(and so was I to a lesser extent). When 2 directional buttons on the joystick are pressed Pac-man determ
When it’s a camouflaged storage box.
It took me years of careful deliberation before I could gut one of my 410 Data Cassette Recorders. I finally came to the conclusion that I wasn't going to replace the belts just so I could play "Sammy the Sea Serpent". Why not put the case to good use and have it out on display?
My original thought was to turn it into a bank. Put a coin in front of the cassette door and have a hand reach out and grab the coin. Th
The Cassette Motor Control(CMC) bit in the Port A Controller (PACTL ($D302)) address is going to be used as feed back from the Atari8 to the Arduino in the digital horn project. This bit controls the logic state of Pin 8 on the SIO port. This bit has been used to control the data cassette motor. If you're not using the bit to load data from the cassette it is free to be used for other purposes. Put a music tape into a 410 and play 1 audio track through the Monitor or sound system. MIDIMAX u
I have 9 optocouplers setup to receive data from the Arduino for the SAM Rock You project. Eight for the MIDI data byte from the Arduino and 1 to signal the Trigger when new data is ready to be read by the Atari8. A tenth optocoupler needs to be added so that the A8 can let the Arduino know that it is ready for the next byte.
That 10th optocoupler can indicate the status set using the Cassette Motor Control. The Cassette Motor Control line on the SIO port (Pin8) is used to turn the casse
A co-worker gave me his copy of the Spring 1982 Crutchfield catalog knowing I was looking into buying my first computer. This catalog contained 15 pages of Atari product information (page93-107). I was impressed with the graphics capabilities but the onscreen lower case letters made the 800 my first computer. I have never regretted that decision.
Recently I was reminiscing and noticed the catalog pages yellowing. Before it turned to dust seemed like a good time to scan and share. The enti
I've added a third computer to the MIDI chain. Computer #1 plays drums, and Computer #2 runs S.A.M. and Computer #3 plays the lead, . Each computer had a specific BASIC program written to read data from the joystick ports. For this example, Queen's -" We Will Rock You" was arranged for the three computers. You can listen to the MP3 file and then decide if you want to read about the how.
SAM Rocks - mp3.zip
COMPUTER #0 - Control
The music was entered using the MIDI MUSIC SYSTEM softwar
A second Atari8 running SYNDRUM3.BAS was added to the MIDI chain without timing problems. There didn't seem to be a delay between the sounds from the two computers when playing 2 drum sounds on the same beat. Listen to the drum patterns and judge for yourself. Two Drum mp3s.zip THE SECOND DRUM Since the SYNDRUM program only allows one percussion sound, I pulled my first 130XE out of storage to be used as a second percussion sound source. The broken keyboard was replaced with a Transkey
I was getting a second Atari 8bit operational to use as a MIDI SynthDrum sound module controlled by the first running the MIDI MUSIC SYSTEM and MIDIMAX, when I had to leave for a babysitting gig in Rochester. I knew I would have some free time and took a pencil and paper to sketch out a plan for my ultimate 8-bit MIDI rack. At the end of the day the sketch looked like this. The control computer with the MIDI software transmits MIDI data to several Arduino processors with MIDI shields.
Getting the DFRobot voice synthesis shield working was an interim project until I could justify the procurement of a Wizztronics MidiMax unit. Now that it is here I want to get the last experiments documented, in case I ever want to turn the shield into a MIDI device. The last modification to the type and talk program added the ability to re-transmit the last words typed, if just hit the return. The program is still 3 lines of BASIC. 100 DIM A$(200),B$(200):CLOSE #1:OPEN #1,8,0,"R2:":XIO
How many lines of Atari BASIC is required to make the Arduino shield from the last blog post talk? 3 lines - type some text, hit return, send text to the 850 interface and repeat. The Arduino receives the text, does a little reformatting, then sends that string to the XFS5051CE chip for speech synthesis. This isn't just for the Atari8, any computer with an RS232 port can be made to chit-chat. The Shield is going to use the Serial pins 0 and 1 to talk to the Arduino. A TTL to RS232 converte
Since I was successful getting the Wii Nunchuk hooked up to the Joystick port I thought I would try the Wii Classic Controller (WCC). The hardware was simple, unplug the nunchuk attached to the Arduino project from my last blog and plug in the WCC. It was my poor choice of internet search criterial that gave me the most trouble.
I just needed to find the function library for the WCC. The first search pointed me to “playground.arduino.cc/Main/WiiClassicController”. This is a library cre
Playing MIDI notes has turned out to be quite easy for Atari BASIC through the RS232-Arduino-MIDI OUT (RAMO) interface (see previous posts in this blog). Most MIDI instruments have additional functions beyond receiving the note ON and note OFF commands. Each MIDI instrument should come with a MIDI Implementation Chart (MIDI-IC) that will indicate which functions are implemented. The MIDI-IC for the CASIO CTK-481 will be used to build some BASIC programs to control the CTK-481. That is to
There is a sound recording of the first attempt to simulate wind chimes within the following .ZIP file. It was recorded using Window 10's Voice Recorder. The A8 used Atari BASIC's RND(0) function to pick note, volume, and delay values for the chime strikes. Then sent the MIDI data to the Yamaha TG33 Tone Generator, Preset 2 #87 PC*Bells. You don't need the A8 setup to hear the recording. Its in .m4a format. A8 Wind Chimes - Gentle Breeze in C minor.zip If you are interested in the A8 sid
After listening to MIDI Computer Blues V2, I decided to try to simulate some wind chimes but before that was going to happen I had to be able to transmit data at a faster rate. If the tempo of MIDI Computer Blues V2 could be improved there was a chance of making the wind chimes sound real. The Arduino Uno interface loop() was shortened to two lines. I didn't think this was going to make much of a difference and it didn't. /*RS232 to MIDI v2 - 9/14/16 * Pack007 * * This program reads bytes
After hearing Computer Blues through a MIDI synthesizer, I can understand how some parents feel while hearing their child's first recital. Its not so much listening to the music as it is hearing the potential.
It is in this spirit that I post these zipped sound files.
Atari computer blues 8.m4a - the original sound from the A8 with 8 as the speed
Midicb piano.m4a - recorded the Casio CKT-481 synth at speed 1
Midich organ.m3q - Organ sound
Midich organ and dr
The Arduino is receiving data from the 850 and can send data to a MIDI device. The trick now is to get the MIDI command data from the 850 and send it to the MIDI device. There was nothing but silence from the synthesizer during the first day of programming. I would have had a sleepless night but decided to go to bed and skim the 850 manual for possible fixes. Fell asleep within 5 minutes. The Arduino sketch seems simple enough. Read 3 bytes - Write 3 bytes. Just be sure the pin assignment
Within the Atari 800 computer manual is a program called Computer Blues. "This program generates random musical notes to "write" some very interesting melodies for the programmed bass." Maybe the first program I typed in . That same program is in the 1030 XE manual. It was while listening to this program and trying to figure out what to do with an Arduino MIDI shield that I thought, "What would Computer Blues sound like if played through a synthesizer?"
Gone is my MIDI Mate, CZ-101 and Rolan
This bibliography (of sorts) began while researching previous projects and has expanded greatly while organizing my magazine collection. Articles or books on hardware projects requiring a screw driver and/or a soldering iron were added to the list along with a general interest piece or two. Most of these articles/books can easily be found on the web and will be in hard copy forever. I'm hoping that someone will find the inspiration within this list to build or update some of these projects
I wanted the RTC project to be over but it wasn't long before daylight savings kicked in and I needed to reset the clock. All I wanted to do was be able to run a program on the Atari8 to set the time on the RTC and then have it rerun the SETCLOCK.BAS to update the clock on the Atari8.
And as long as I was going to do that I may as well reconfigure the hardware and………. . So by the time I was finished it needed to be called version 2.1.
Hardware:
When I found Arduino Uno clones for $6.50
As if there isn’t enough hardware to hook up to your RS232 equipped computer, now you can build your own. It was a nice thought to build Arduino boards with a USB port for serial communications and programming, and even nicer that it can be equipped with an RS232 port for communicating with our Ataris.
You’ll need an 850 interface or a PR:connection hooked up and running on your Atari 8-bit. The ST has an on board RS232 port. If you have hooked up a modem or set up communication to anothe
Radio controlled mini cars don’t last forever. Sometimes they get stepped on and sometimes the battery won’t charge anymore. In any case, when the radio transmitter and receiver still work, it may be an opportunity to hack a 4 output digital controller.
The receiver unit is from a Bensu Mini Racer. They all seem to have slightly different electronics under the hood but most serve the same functions; forward, reverse, right and left. IR control systems for these cars may pose unkno
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