I hope this is appropriate for this forum. But I wanted to let everyone know there has been some new files added to my TMS9918 repo on GitHub (thanks David).

Also, I created another repo for "Retro Audio" files that contain various documents on chips like the AY-3-8910, SN7648, etc.

Manuals, schematics, etc. Everything I can find for it.

So I thought it would be good reference material for anyone wanting to integrate these classic chips with their home-brew computers.

Enjoy!

https://github.com/cbmeeks/TMS9918

https://github.com/cbmeeks/RetroAudio

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Cat; the other white meat.

Looks superb. It would be nice - ahem, for me - to have some info on the YM3812 AKA OPL2. Though it might be considered the bleeding edge of retro, it's perfectly useable in 8 bit micros.

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8 bit fun and games: https://www.aslak.net/

The YM3812 is in there.

That is an awesome IC. I haven't got to play with it yet, however. I actually own a few of them. A few years ago I started writing a VGM player for Arduino (or any SPI controller) to play VGM files with the AY8912 and SN76489. I got those to work. My intention was to support many of the legacy chips including the 3812. So I got on a website called vgmrips.net where it lists each IC and what systems they were in....then I got on eBay and bought a bunch of them.

Some of those chips were amazing. But when memory got dirt cheap, processors got really fast, etc., we lost the need for synthesized samples.

At least people still write music with them.

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Cat; the other white meat.

Whoops. That's what I get for browsing with the phone.



Yeap. I have one in my micro. Not done much with it yet, just played notes and stuff. Oh, I did write a routine which played back register dumps written out with DOSBox. That was fun! Couldn't get the timing quite right though.

Driving one isn't that bad. Not as straight forward as an AY, since you need the serial DAC, but it's pretty easy to work with. I just wish I had some musical talent.



Yes. Of course you had the middle ground systems. I still have a soft spot for the Amiga's Paula's MOD files etc.

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8 bit fun and games: https://www.aslak.net/

I've had similar experiences. But I mostly play VGM files I download (register dumps basically). Timing is tough because each PC had different timing. For example, the AY8910 usually ran between 1-2MHz (IIRC) so depending on the computer, it would usually get a derivative of the CPU clock. Which makes the audio sound different. I usually clock that chip at 1.79 MHz.



That's one reason I haven't messed with those more advanced chips yet. My first successful Arduino music player was the SN76489. Which is about as simple as you can get but I still loved it. Heck, a few 555's could almost sound like a SN76489...lol.




Being an Amiga owner since 1989, and owning 6-7 Amiga's at the moment, I certainly have a soft spot for Paula as well. But Paula cheats...LOL...

Well, by that I mean it's sample playback vs. FM synthesis, etc. Those other chips are actually more complicated than Paula. But it's all good.

Imagine a home-brew computer with a couple SIDS, couple AY's and a couple Paula's...man that would "rock".

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Cat; the other white meat.