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CEM3396 ?


Rowan
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Hi All,

I just picked up 6 CEM3396's on eBay for next to nothing, hoping that in the future I may be able to make use of them for a MB based project (Once I've got even half a clue about C :P)

Here is the data sheet:

http://www.synthtech.com/cem/c3396pdf.pdf

you can also by them from the above site: http://www.synthtech.com/cems.html

By the look of things they could be used for a very nice synth, they are the voice chips from the much underrated Matrix 1000.

Has anyone looked into using these chips before?

Cheers,

Rowan

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No problem,

it was more that those chips were going into my inventory, for a future project, you know... lots of future projects to be worked on...

Still, I believe that it should be fairly easy to build a synth with these chips. So I am interested in two of them. How much do you ask?

Best regards, ilmenator

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Okay Rowan, once you worked that out, PM me!

@ matthias: easy is a relative term... look at the Matrix-1000 schematics and you see what I mean. Also, the data sheet of the chip explains a number of things. Most work will have to go into designing the software properly, I guess.

Best regards, ilmenator

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As far as I see it should work with an AOUT-Module, right?

I dont know if one of you has already worked with the CS-80(V), but if i want

to have 2VCOs too, i've got to use 2 CEM3396, right?

hmm. I think I'll buy 2 of these, too.

but first you've got to tell me the price with shipping to Germany.

how does the VCF work? is it a HPF, LPF, Notch etc.  ?

matthias

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Ilmenator,

2 are set aside for you. I'll PM you when I've worked out the cost (sorry i'm busy as hell at the moment, off on holiday tomorrow so I got to pack and clean the house not to mention keep my clients happy ;)).

SPL,

I don't want to be rude but I'd rather thay went to some one who can help working on developing a new MBHP module. If you have some useful skills they are yours. Please don't be offended but if you can't work out from the datasheet what type of filter it has they will go to waste, when someone else may want them that could contribute to this. I think it would be in your interest to hold off untill a working solution is available.

Any other time served memebers interested?

Rowan

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ok. no problem.

I was just thinking of building of a 2 synth after having finished my SID to have more possibilities concerning the creating of sounds.

unfortunately I've got nearly no programming-skills (only Turbo-Pascal in school  :P)

and my electronic-skills are also quite bad when the number of pins of a IC exceeds 14  :)

but in case you need someone to etch PCBs, I can do that. But I think it's better to ask "consumer" (I don't know the exact name). I must admit that his PCBs look a lot better than mine.

matthias 

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So who is going to bid on this item? I would love to, but I would not want to raise the price tag for you nice folks - nor the other way round...  :-*

May I bid on this article then, please? And you stay away, so I will stay away the next time? Pretty please?

Best regards, ilmenator

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Okay,

thanks everybody for staying away...  :D

I assume shipping will be hassle-free, so I will have 6 of those babies by the end of next week.

@Rowan: I could not resist going for 6 of those chips, so please forgive me for withdrawing from you generous offer to share your lot. Maybe SLP can jump the boat now, if he's still interested?

I will most probably not be able to make a design for the chips until spring of next year, as I have some other projects in the pipeline (and a familiy, too). Yet, I am always open for discussions  ;D.

Best regards, ilmenator

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The only thing I want is a cheap ane easy to build synthesizer.

LOL that's you and about 5 million others ;)

Don't be fooled, it'll still be expensive and hard to build... Though it might be more expensive than discrete components and a little less soldering. There's no C code for the pic yet, this is all theory right now... Don't buy the chips unless you want to be a beta tester ;)

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it'll still be expensive

will it exceed 189 euros?

That's what a CS-80V costs in germany.

I don't mind being a beta-tester.

I can etch the PCBs myself and I think burning the PIC won't be a problem either.

There's no C code for the pic yet, this is all theory right now...

I don't know exactly, but I think it shouldn't be that difficult as it's possible to controll the chip with a core, an AOUT and a SHX8.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Yep, you need 11 analog control voltages for taking advantage of the full potential of that chip. You might get away with 10 if you choose between linear or log gain and leave the other away (although this might have some implications, I have not read the specs thoroughly yet).

I suggest we collect some ideas first and then discuss these. I have set up a page in the Wiki, it is here: http://www.midibox.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=midibox_3396

Feel free to modify this anyway you want. You can find a link to the data sheet there, not more yet. But there are plenty of suggestions in the data sheet.

Also, I will not be able to push this forward a lot in the next half year or so.

Best regards, ilmenator

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