[A full-blown newb on the way to a POKEY synth]

Hi Nils,

I know you are just getting the single POKEY implementation down, but Atari developed a Quad Pokey chip (and the ever popular Quad Pokey eliminator board which replaced the single Quad Pokey chip with four individual Pokeys). Four Pokeys can do quite a bit sonically. Please investigate :)

Please see the MAME source code for the Pokey implementation. There are some undocumented commands, etc.

http://www.mamedev.org/source/src/emu/sound/pokey.txt.html

http://www.mamedev.org/source/src/emu/sound/pokey.h.html

http://www.mamedev.org/source/src/emu/sound/pokey.c.html

The SID stuff is also interesting...

http://www.mamedev.org/source/src/emu/sound/index.html

tm

[Vote what Frontpanels for the MB6582 you would like]

I take one set (alternate design).

[SID as a drum machine?]

When does the MBSID-D get an 'official' release on the website navigation toolbar? :)

[Elby Designs DIY kits?]

I would say for what the Pixie is and the work that has been involved, the price is quite reasonable. Then again, I may be biased as I have been working with Laurie on the Pixie for almost two years... The PCBs are professionally made, drilled and silk-screened. Really high-quality materials. While it *is* a DIY kit, it's not something that was ever intended to be free as the MIDIBox is.

The ICs are somewhat easy to find, but getting them all in one shot from Laurie is probably the best route. Some of them are usually only available with large minimum orders (some of the CMOS stuff). Unless you have a parts place near your home.  :)

TheCD-ROM of documentation is only for ease. When he is selling the Pixie (very shortly now) all the documentation will be on-line. You will not need the CD-ROM. However, there will be no PCB layouts as other people have noted.

tm

[SID as a drum machine?]

Would be curious to know if an interface could be made to turn a SID into a drum machine? WOuld be wicked to have a MIDIbox SID sitting next to a SID drum machine (MIDIbox or other).

I had not realized there were drum machine programs for the C64.

http://c64music.blogspot.com/2005/11/commodore-64-as-drum-machine.html

tm

[Midibox Quad SID boards]

Although the first order would be priced at US$5 per sq. inch, subsequent orders are US$2.50 per sq inch. Pretty good deal for small runs. Don't know how how shipping would be to Europe, but probably not much.

http://www.sparkfun.com/shop/index.php?shop=1&cart=425815&cat=86&

[faulty SIDs]

Heatsink(s) would probably be a good idea - particularly when they were originally heatsinked in the C64 (hence the white heatsink compound on the top of the chip).

tm

[the becoming of a midbox sid.]

to answer your questions:

1. no, thats what i was wondering aswell, the white foam you see on the "ikea" extra parts photo is where all my ICs and parts where plugged in..

Wow! Nothing worse than packing ICs on regular white styrofoam. It generates a static charge just sitting there! Hope your ICs work...

tm

[Bended MIDIbox SID engine]

Thank you. TH=he information contained in the changelog was exactly what I was wanting to read! :)

tm

[Bended MIDIbox SID engine]

Thorsten,

Any news on this new version of the MIDIbox SID firmware? :)

[MIDIBOX Atari POKEY?]

You forgot these links ;)

http://www.ionpool.net/arcade/atari/lpt_pokey.zip

http://www.ionpool.net/arcade/atari/pokey_v_062.zip

http://www.ionpool.net/arcade/atari_docs/pokey_datasheet.pdf

[Any similarities to the Droid-3 synth?]

Ah, interesting. I thought in an attempt to mimic 8-bit video game sounds they must be using some sort of FM synth architecture.

[Any similarities to the Droid-3 synth?]

I agree it's too expensive. Just wondering if the MIDIbox FM synth and the Droid-3 have some sound/operating similarities. Wondering if one could 'make' an Droid-3 out of their MIDIbox FM synth  ;D

tm

[Any similarities to the Droid-3 synth?]

Anyone in EU have one of the Droid-3 synths compare it to the MIDIbox FM synth?

http://abildgard.com/en/droid-3/

tm

[Pg-800 clone/ Jx8p controller]

What is *really* needed is a PG-200 controller replacement. That's what everyone (and by everyone I mean *me* ;) wants.

Schematics:

http://fa.utfs.org/diy/jx3p/jx3p_schem.htm

tom

[SID tester for MIDIbox SID?]

Has anyone come up with a test routine to actually test a SID chip prior to being used in the MIDIbox SID? Would be nice to have (and probably already exists for the C64 but I wouldn't know where to look). As referenced on the HardSID page about their SID 'classes':

http://www.hardsid.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=11

Cheers,

tom