Information on audio input via Joystick ports

[rcamp48]

Hello all: I just got my U1MB board and cables this afternoon, I will be having a friend put that in, but my question is : Is there a way to input sound through the joystick ports via a small circuit , and use my U1MB board to sample sounds via the line out on my main computer, ie: the record player and tape outputs on my Sony 100 Watt amp? I am looking at digitizing short 1-2 minute clips of good old rock and roll tunes, just enough for my 1024 KB Atari 800xl to handle.

 

Or is there a way to use the U1MB board to do this?

 

Russ

 

[Rybags]

U1Meg just supplies the 1 Meg of RAM and switchable ROM.  There's no DSP or custom chips that do ADC work as described.

But of course with that much Ram there's potential for a decent amount of sound to be sampled or played back in software.

 

Back in the day there were products that provided audio input to the paddle POTs which could then be sampled by software.

I guess  you'd use fast POT scan mode which allows a sample every 2 scanlines which can equate to about an 8 KHz sample rate.

If you're using 4-bit samples that means a bit over 4 minutes which is about equal to an average song.

 

But if it was me doing it, I'd just use a PC to do the sampling and coversion then do a program for the Atari to do the playback.

 

In the modern day we've got tricks to do 7 (or 8?) bit playback, have a look here - https://atariage.com/forums/topic/279232-fujiconvert-01/

[rcamp48]

On 11/16/2021 at 1:30 AM, Rybags said:

U1Meg just supplies the 1 Meg of RAM and switchable ROM.  There's no DSP or custom chips that do ADC work as described.

But of course with that much Ram there's potential for a decent amount of sound to be sampled or played back in software.

 

Back in the day there were products that provided audio input to the paddle POTs which could then be sampled by software.

I guess  you'd use fast POT scan mode which allows a sample every 2 scanlines which can equate to about an 8 KHz sample rate.

If you're using 4-bit samples that means a bit over 4 minutes which is about equal to an average song.

 

But if it was me doing it, I'd just use a PC to do the sampling and coversion then do a program for the Atari to do the playback.

 

In the modern day we've got tricks to do 7 (or 8?) bit playback, have a look here - https://atariage.com/forums/topic/279232-fujiconvert-01/

I just got my u1mb board and had a friend put it in, I have a video with many songs all 45 seconds in length, here is the video : https://youtu.be/C-guFnCDzOw, and the second video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJqun2eWWqI&t=433s

Spoiler

 

 

[+bhall408]

On 11/16/2021 at 1:30 AM, Rybags said:

Back in the day there were products that provided audio input to the paddle POTs which could then be sampled by software.

I guess  you'd use fast POT scan mode which allows a sample every 2 scanlines which can equate to about an 8 KHz sample rate.

If you're using 4-bit samples that means a bit over 4 minutes which is about equal to an average song.

I'm close to releasing a "2021" (or maybe "2022") version of The Vigitizer, my recording/editing app that I'd done in 84-85.

 

I have 2 items left to do before I post to AtariAge -- some better CIO error handling, and showing the amount of memory used/available.

 

Here is a shot of the current build...

 

 

 

[+bhall408]

FWIW, Vigitizer does 4-bit samples, packed 2 samples per byte.

It should work with any of the various POT scan projects that were popular back in the day, but I'll also be posting the parts list and schematic (80s era, so warning - radio shack part numbers!) for anyone that wants to try building their own.

 

 

 

[cbelcher]

Looking forward to all of it!

[rcamp48]

10 hours ago, cbelcher said:

Looking forward to all of it!

Here are some files for download, they are 1 MEG in size each, so you will need a 1 Meg Atari, but the 45 secs of music is really clear.

001 Bob Dylan - Like A Rolling Stone pdm16_16_0 mono 7860Hz ram ntsc.zip 002 Rolling Stones - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction pdm16_16_0 mono 7860Hz ram ntsc.zip

003 John Lennon Plastic Ono Band - Imagine pdm16_16_0 mono 7860Hz ram ntsc.zip004 Marvin Gaye -What's Going On pdm16_16_0 mono 7860Hz ram ntsc.zip

005 Aretha Franklin - Respect pdm16_16_0 mono 7860Hz ram ntsc.zip006 The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations pdm16_16_0 mono 7860Hz ram ntsc.zip

007 Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode pdm16_16_0 mono 7860Hz ram ntsc.zip008 The Beatles - Hey Jude pdm16_16_0 mono 7860Hz ram ntsc.zip

 

I literally have hundreds more and they all play back on a 1 MB Atari.

 

Russ

 

PS: If you you really want digital music, I made up these 4 16.7 MB hard drive files, they will load with Fujinet and the U1MB mod no problem:

 

DISK1.ATR   DISK2.ATR   DISK3.ATR    DISK4.ATR

 

Edited November 23, 2021 by rcamp48
add files

[rcamp48]

Here are a few more files for direct download, keep in mind that they are in the 4 16.7 meg files that are above as well, but are easier to download and separate

 

 011 The Beatles - Let It Be pdm16_16_0 mono 7860Hz ram ntsc.zip   011 The Beatles - Let It Be pdm16_16_0 mono 7860Hz ram ntsc.zip   012 Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come pdm16_16_0 mono 7860Hz ram ntsc.zip

013 The Beatles - Yesterday pdm16_16_0 mono 7860Hz ram ntsc.zip  014 - Bob Dylan - Blowin' In The Wind pdm16_16_0 mono 7860Hz ram ntsc.zip 016 The Beatles - I Want to Hold Your Hand pdm16_16_0 mono 7860Hz ram ntsc.zip 

017 The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Purple Haze pdm16_16_0 mono 7860Hz ram ntsc.zip

018 Chuck Berry - Maybellene pdm16_16_0 mono 7860Hz ram ntsc.zip

019 Elvis Presley - Hound Dog pdm16_16_0 mono 7860Hz ram ntsc.zip

020 The Beatles - Let It Be pdm16_16_0 mono 7860Hz ram ntsc.zip

 

009 Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit pdm16_16_0 mono 7860Hz ram ntsc.zip

[rcamp48]

I can do higher sample rates and in stereo, but it shortens the time that the particular song is played back, from 45-60 secs to maybe 12-15 secs , the higher sample rate (up to 47 khz instead of 8 khz) really eats up memory, all files have been done with Fujiconvert. Here is the link for those that are interested: Fujiconvert. I used the lowest possible settings in Fujiconvert and the songs still sound great on the Atari, these are the settings that I found worked the best with the U1MB board and Fujinet:

 

 

Edited November 23, 2021 by rcamp48
add a picture

[Wrathchild]

1 hour ago, rcamp48 said:

worked the best with the U1MB board and Fujinet

Isn't Fujinet just a transport mechanism here, the file is loaded into the extended memory and replayed from there? So high-speed SIO2PC/SIO2SD/SIO2BT should be no different?

[+nasty niff]

Fujiconvert I get full length songs in stereo, using  u1mb and side 3 with fjc player built into the side 3 cartridge

 

 

 

 

Edited November 23, 2021 by mistapaul

[rcamp48]

1 hour ago, Wrathchild said:

Isn't Fujinet just a transport mechanism here, the file is loaded into the extended memory and replayed from there? So high-speed SIO2PC/SIO2SD/SIO2BT should be no different?

Should not be any different at all

 

[rcamp48]

I am working on some Old Time Radio Broadcasts, starting off with Abbot and Costello, followed by The Shadow, then followed by The Lone Ranger, I have them all, or at least most of them.

I will have to get a Side 3 cart too.... Russ (Really busy converting music and old time radio broadcasts, I must have over 900,000 files that need to be converted. Maybe I will put them on a Mega Link at let others convert them too...