Topic: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

Hello,

I'm working on a PCB for creating a general purpose chiptune platform:

- 1 bit music player (on arduino)
- it can get music from the arduino memory. 1 bit music don't need much memory so this time a whole song, even a complex one, can fit in the memory. It might be possible to stream data from SD if the 1-bit music engine chosen is the same for all the songs.
- it should be possible to create a 1-bit synth, but I don't know why. Probably not an easy task.


- AY-3-8910 emulator (on atmega8), driven by the arduino nano.
- It can replay sinclair, atari, amstrad chiptunes from the sd card
- it might be possible to use it as a (very simple and dirty) AY synth! The avray creator helped me for this, for sending simple notes, I just need to code the synth now, I'll reuse parts from the sid synth)

- Sid emulator (on arduino)
- it can replay some sid files, from the arduino memory, which is limited (so tunes will be cut). I'd like to find a way to stream the tune from the sd card, it's probably possible
- it can be used as a Sid synth (see previous messages)

- Mozzy synth (see https://sensorium.github.io/Mozzi/ ), which can output fun FM sounds and many other effects.

There will be also room for adding light sensors and use the whole thing as a noise box...

It's not rocket science, I've just reuse code and parts from other projects. For the beeper part, it just adds a low pass filter (which might be improved for this purpose, I'm reusing the one adviced from AVRAY)

Besides a low pass filter there is also:
- arduino nano
- SD card reader
- Midi DIN-5 connector

Some  sound examples:

- beeper music: http://garvalf.free.fr/index.php?page=blog_2017-02-12

- http://picosong.com/HUGM/ (Xenon / Spectrum)
- http://picosong.com/wseMn/ (Cauldron / Amstrad)
- https://soundcloud.com/memento-somniare/sidarduino-test (C64 SID synth)
- http://battleofthebits.org/arena/Entry/ … ter/26509/ (personal creation, for zx spectrum)

I'll sell the PCB card alone (if it works as expected), for a cheap price like 3 or 4 € without shipping , and also some complete kits and assembled product (should be below 20 € without shipping)

The github project:
https://github.com/farvardin/garvuino

A picture of the PCB:
https://lut.im/UDH644T7KJ/HSxfYwtAfpHTcHMp.jpg

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

Hi Garvalf

Great to finally meet you at the IVP.

I'd be very interesting in buying one of your fully assembled boards when they're available smile


Btw, just checked again, you're still number 1 wink

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

hello,
I'm back. Yes, it was great to see everyone!
the PCB hasn't arrived yet! But it's in France at the moment, so it's just a matter of few days...

number 1 for what?

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

Haha, number 1, 1-bit album on bandcamp.

You don't remember the conversation at the IVP? wink

We'd all had a LOT of vodka smile

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

oh yes, I remember well now.

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

Holy moly, what a massive Frankenstein of a board! So finally it's all coming together, eh? Congratulations mate, this is a great achievement. And I guess it was quite some work despite you claiming to "just reuse code and parts from other projects" big_smile

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

most work was for drawing the PCB because I didn't know anything about it. But it was an interesting experience. We can consider there are "only" 2 projects on it, the one for playing AY chiptunes, and the other one is for generating all sort of sounds from arduino, so it includes beeper, mozzi and sid with the same output. The low pass filter is not compulsory, but it should sound better with it.

I still haven't received the PCB yet... it's probably blocked because of some regulations.

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

I've got them, and soldered a first one, it seems to work!

https://scontent-cdg2-1.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/21569187_293355864479825_1182996381736894464_n.jpg

https://www.instagram.com/p/BY6k1jtB9Mw … by=garvalf

I'll post a video in a few days.

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

Garvalf, I would be interested of assembled board, when available, please to the list smile

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

ok, I'm still working on the software, and today I'll try to assemble 2 more boards smile

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

I don't have much time at the moment and I'm still waiting for some additional components. I don't forget those who placed their orders. I'll add more informations soon.

At the moment, I've finally finished to make a little video for presenting the board:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npYsu0WO_XI

12

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

Awesome! I think I'll be needing one of those as well...
What's the tune from 0:30 onwards, don't recall hearing that before?

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

thanks. I've just received yesterday some new components!

This tune (which I forgot to name in the video) is "Vapeurs d'Alcool" : http://zxart.ee/eng/authors/g/garvalf/v … qid:70829/

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

It's not forgotten! It was just delayed because I'm missing a component for assembling and kits. First time I thought I bought one but I hadn't, second time I bought it on aliexpress and got email confirmation. But the seller cancelled the order a few days later and I haven't been noticed at all! So I've just bought it again.

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

How does it cope with 1-bit engines like zbmod and Pytha where some emulators produce strong parasite tones ?

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

unfortunately it's not a z80 emulator, so it can only replay the 4 engines ported by Shiru to the Arduino: octode, phaser1, qchan and tritone

17 (edited by Shiru 2017-12-17 21:52:34)

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

Still hope we'll do a full blown Z80 emulation with AY format player on Arduino eventually.

website - 1bit music - other music - youtube - bandcamp - patreon - twitter (latest news there)

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

I see there is this project: https://playground.arduino.cc/Code/ArduZ80
Don't know if it's possible to use the other beeper engines on it!

It's also possible to drive a real z80 from arduino: http://baltazarstudios.com/arduino-zilog-z80/

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

I've received the missing parts and now I have a few more boards...

I've made a shop on Etsy for this: https://www.etsy.com/fr/listing/581873069/
You can order it there, or send me a message on http://garvalf.online.fr/contact_form.php

There are more options if you order it directly (and pay with gift on paypal or with an other system):

Garvuino complete version (fully assembled with Midi)            20,00 €
Garvuino no-midi version (fully assembled)                        19,00 €
Garvuino no AY version (fully assembled with Midi, no atmega8 chip but it would be a pity)        19,00 €
for Garvuino without arduino nano chip, because you have one for example, remove 2 € from the prices above               
shipping France                         2,00 €
shipping Europe                        3,00 €
shipping World + tracking                7,00 €
shipping Europe + tracking            6,00 €
shipping France + tracking            2,50 €

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

Great, I sent you a message through your site smile !

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

garvalf wrote:

I see there is this project: https://playground.arduino.cc/Code/ArduZ80
Don't know if it's possible to use the other beeper engines on it!

It's also possible to drive a real z80 from arduino: http://baltazarstudios.com/arduino-zilog-z80/

I looked into this before. Unfortunately, ArduZ80 is not usable at all. It is incomplete, misses hundreds of opcodes, even some widely used documented ones, does not have any time tracking (very important for beeper uses), and is written in C, so likely not fast enough even in such incomplete form.

Hooking up actual Z80 does not make much sense to the original purpose - a beeper sound card. Z80 emulation on Arduino was considered to make device more accessible, reduce number of components and eliminate need of having EPROM burner. Otherwise you can just design the device with actual Z80, it just adds a few more logic chips (~10 chips total), and you need to program the boot ROM.

website - 1bit music - other music - youtube - bandcamp - patreon - twitter (latest news there)

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

it's a pity for the arduz80. So no possible automatic port to arduino from the countless zx spectrum ones...

@d0x10 and @ataritufty I'm made your packages, I'll post them this afternoon! Meanwhile I've updated the doc: https://github.com/farvardin/garvuino/b … _manual.md

Basically, the most "important" thing to know is the jumpers connections. When used in AY mode, the mono jumper should be off, when used in beeper, sid or mozzi mode the mono jumper should be on, the J4 (ay chip ground) should be off. Also the AY>L and AY>R can be off to reduce noise (but it will work anyway). And TX could be off as well when flashing the arduino chip (you can leave it on, but it the transfer fails, try to remove it)

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

Thanks garvalf, looking forward, mostly using beeper/sid/mozzi so means jumper on. Checking updated doc now smile

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

ok it has been sent now! I've removed the brass stands, and put it in a little plastic bag, don't miss them, you don't even need a screwdriver to install them again.
I've already flashed the arduino with a 1-bit tune (phaser1 from MR BEEP), it sounds great!

Re: PCB for Beeper (and other chiptunes) musics

Arrived yesterday, all seems to be fine, works perfectly !

I am going to test Mozzi too, any details about flashing process I need to know ?

Thanks Garvalf !!