Aucbvax.1558 fa.info-micro utzoo!duke!mhtsa!ucbvax!CSTACY@MIT-AI Mon Jun 8 01:24:13 1981 INFO-MICRO Digest V3 #46 INFO-MICRO AM Digest Monday, 8 June 1981 Volume 3 : Issue 46 Today's Topics: Sound - AY-3-8910 & 6802, Graphics - NEC, Nixdorf query, Streaming Tape Drives, Stepper query, MX80 cable query, N* disk query, Home Computer Applications - Stock Portfolios ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 7 May 1981 9:41:05 EDT (Thursday) From: Carl D. Howe Subject: sound generator chips I am looking for a nifty sound generator chip for use in making sound effects for a small computer (i.e. bells, chimes, alarms, Bach partitas, etc.). I would like the chip to be as programmable as possible, relying primarily on inputs from the computer to determine what kinds of sounds get made rather than on external capacitors and resistors. Does anyone have any likely candidates? Please send any replies to cdh@BBN-UNIX; the computer I am sending this from is not often on the net. Carl Howe ------------------------------ Date: 7 May 1981 1321-PDT (Thursday) From: Lauren at UCLA-SECURITY (Lauren Weinstein) Subject: sound chips The obvious (only!) candidate is the General Instruments AY-3-8910. I've been working with these for over a year. They are completely oriented toward 8 bit I/O, have no external parts controlling the sound, and contain 3 tone generators, a noise source, envelope controller, etc. etc. --Lauren ------------------------------ Date: 7 May 1981 1823-EDT From: Bob Clements Sender: CLEMENTS at BBNA Well, there is another alternative, although the AY-3-8910 does a pretty nice job. It has been experimentally determined that the Williams pinball machine people use a dual processor in their current machines [Oooh wow! Modern technology!]. One 6802 processor handles the game and scoring and lights and so on, and another 6802 is completely dedicated to sound generation. It gets a code for a sound (or sound sequence) from the master 6802 and generates it as 8-bit samples which go to a cheap 8-bit D-to-A converter and thence to the speaker. The results are better than the GI chip can do. (CDH come over and listen to a Jericho some time for an example.) /Rcc ------------------------------ Date: 05/27/81 01:54:54 From: DAN at MIT-ML Re: NEC uPD7220 Graphics Display Controller (GDC) Chip I've obtained most of the literature available from NEC on the GDC chip. This includes a thick preliminary spec sheet, a report on the chip given at the last ISSCC, and some other Xeroxed pages of stuff. >From the spec sheet, the beauty as well as the complexity of the chip shows through. This chip is no Motorola 6845, and thus even the spec sheet is not detalied enough to give a perfectly clear description of integrating the chip into a design, especially on the software level. I've also contacted NEC a few times and here is the story on availability: This chip was supposed to be ready this month, but because of various delays, the earliest that the GDC will be available is August. Because of the demand for this product, NEC will only be able to supply very limited numbers per customer (for us University people, this boils down to no more than two chips). In small quantities (under 10), the chip will go for $150. Of course, when the chip enters the full production phase in October or November, the price will drop. Further, the people at NEC realized that the spec sheet does not explain the details of using the GDC, so a 100 some odd page uPD7220 User's manual will also be available in August. If anyone has specific questions about the GDC, pleas drop me some mail and I'll try to look it up in my spec sheet and get you a (hopefully correct) answer. Dan ------------------------------ Date: 30 Apr 1981 1420-PDT From: Barry Megdal Re: Nixdorf LK3000 Modules Does anyone know of a source for the serial and parallel interface modules for the (now discontinued and on sale for $40 or so) Nixdorf LK3000 Language Translator/handheld "computer"? There was a nice RS-232 interface made, but none of the distributors have them, and the factory wants $125. By the way, details of the display/keyboard part were in July, 1980 issue of Popular Electronics. Thanks. Barry Megdal. ------------------------------ Date: 4 May 1981 1934-PDT (Monday) From: Lauren at UCLA-SECURITY (Lauren Weinstein) Subject: streaming tape drives I am looking for a "cheap" (haha!) streaming cartridge-type tape drive suitable for backing up a 20meg Winchester. This device should be S-100 compatible. Anyone know of a standalone unit/controller that doesn't cost as much as the disk? Thanks. --Lauren-- P.S. I AM interested in combined disk/tape units, but most of these do not seem terribly cost effective (I know about the IRWIN unit). I suspect a standalone unit will have to be used since several drives will eventually be involved. --LW ------------------------------ Date: 6 May 1981 1236-EDT From: KSPROUL at RUTGERS Subject: Stepper motors Does anybody know what a Reluctance Stepper motor is, and what is different about it from a normal stepper motor??? Any info would be helpful.. Keith Sproul Ksproul@Rutgers ------------------------------ Date: 7 May 1981 (Thursday) 2054-PST From: DWS at LLL-MFE Re: Cable query for Epson MX-80 When purchased without a serial port, the MX-80 comes with a Centronix type edge connector. A quick scan of the catalog stack fails to show where one is available. Can anyone tell me where to get one? (Centronix to DB-25) or should I roll my own? Thanks, Dave ------------------------------ Date: 28 May 1981 04:39-EDT From: Barry A. Dobyns I recently came across a N* single density controller sans docs/software/schematic. I was wondering if N* still supports this board (to the extent that they would sell me what i don't have) and also wondered if there is a CP/M BIOS for the N* in the public domain, or better yet a bios that integrates the N* and another controller into the same system. -tnx, barry ------------------------------ Date: 15 May 1981 10:18-EDT (Friday) From: Andrew G. Malis Re: Home computer for parents My parents are considering buying a micro to keep track of their stock market and investments portfolio, and to do taxes. They are strictly users, not hackers, and at this point want to do as little programming as possible (or have me do it if it's necessary). Thus, good packaged software is a must. Word processing may be an added interest, but only in the future. The two micros they are currently considering are the Apple II+ with one drive, 32K, and a nice green-phosphor monitor, and the TRS-80 Model III with two drives, 32K, and an RS-232 interface, for about the same money. They don't care at all about games or graphics capabilities. I have had no direct experience with either machine. Does anyone have any recommendations or warnings concerning either system (especially reliability and ease of use for naive users)? Also, has anyone used, or perhaps just know of, any good software that fits the bill for portfolio management? If people send replies to me, I will put together a digested summary of the comments for the entire list. Thanks, Andy ------------------------------ End of INFO-MICRO Digest ************************ ----------------------------------------------------------------- gopher://quux.org/ conversion by John Goerzen of http://communication.ucsd.edu/A-News/ This Usenet Oldnews Archive article may be copied and distributed freely, provided: 1. There is no money collected for the text(s) of the articles. 2. The following notice remains appended to each copy: The Usenet Oldnews Archive: Compilation Copyright (C) 1981, 1996 Bruce Jones, Henry Spencer, David Wiseman.