Difference between revisions of "AY"
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This chip was very popular and was used in a lot of machines. | This chip was very popular and was used in a lot of machines. | ||
| − | [[MSX]], [[ZX Spectrum]], [[Atari]]... all used chips from this family (sometimes it was the YM variant instead of AY...). The YM variant differed only in the hardware envelopes where it used 32 steps compared to 16 steps for the AY. | + | [[MSX]], [[ZX Spectrum]], [[Atari]], [[Oric]]... all used chips from this family (sometimes it was the YM variant instead of AY...). The YM variant differed only in the hardware envelopes where it used 32 steps compared to 16 steps for the AY. |
As a result it is still quite popular in the actual Chip Tune movement as a vintage sound processor. | As a result it is still quite popular in the actual Chip Tune movement as a vintage sound processor. | ||
| − | Many Chip Tune sites include AY files. | + | Many [[Chip Tune]] sites include AY files. |
Alas, the [[ZX Spectrum]] is more often used as reference. But a huge library is available. | Alas, the [[ZX Spectrum]] is more often used as reference. But a huge library is available. | ||
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== Chip tune == | == Chip tune == | ||
| − | + | Check the [[Chip Tune]] page. | |
==Links== | ==Links== | ||
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Instrument_AY-3-8910 Wikipedia's opinion on the matter...] | *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Instrument_AY-3-8910 Wikipedia's opinion on the matter...] | ||
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==Some Chip Tunes sites== | ==Some Chip Tunes sites== | ||
Revision as of 18:13, 29 October 2014
AY is the nickname of the AY-3-8910 programmable sound generator family. The Amstrad CPC sound processor is more exactly the AY-3-8912. This chip was very popular and was used in a lot of machines.
MSX, ZX Spectrum, Atari, Oric... all used chips from this family (sometimes it was the YM variant instead of AY...). The YM variant differed only in the hardware envelopes where it used 32 steps compared to 16 steps for the AY.
As a result it is still quite popular in the actual Chip Tune movement as a vintage sound processor.
Many Chip Tune sites include AY files.
Alas, the ZX Spectrum is more often used as reference. But a huge library is available.
Contents
Amstrad Plus specificity
The Amstrad Plus range include DMA sound channels. Each HSYNC, 1 instruction per active DMA channel is read. Each channel executes an instruction which allowed looping and sending data to AY registers. Each DMA channel is effectively a AY register playlist and once started is executed without CPU intervention. It was meant to reduce the strain on the CPU.
This feature offered extra capabilities including 15Khz sample playback.
Technical references
- Datasheet AY-8913 on CPCwiki.
Chip tune
Check the Chip Tune page.
Links
Some Chip Tunes sites
- The AY riderz a "famous" Speccy music group.
- YM rockerz... the same concept, but with the YM, so the Atari version.
- ultrasyd.free.fr Ultrasyd's Website.
