Using AY-3-8910 without programming?

there there

Hello!

Is there any way to use this chip without any programming? I intend to make a musical instrument using this chip, where I could control a good amount of its functions using knobs and buttons. From what I have gathered, it seems that programming is necessary. Is there a way for somebody with basic knowledge of electronics but no knowledge of programming to manipulate this chip?

Thanks,
James

Post Edited (there there) : 7/6/2010 8:59:55 PM GMT

ElectricAye

I'm not sure, but I've heard of something built by a guy here named Hanno? I've heard "Hanno's Blocks" makes it possible for young children to work with this chip the Propeller*, so perhaps there is hope for your unique situation?

You might want to give your post a better title, though. Click on the pencil icon and state your needs. You might get a better response.




*EDIT: oops, by "this chip" I thought you were talking about the Propeller, not the AY-whatever. Maybe you can use Hanno's Blocks to interface with it and use the Propeller that way?

Post Edited (ElectricAye) : 7/6/2010 8:37:10 PM GMT

ElectricAye

Try this link for Hanno's thing:

12blocks.com/

AntoineDoinel

Hello and welcome, James!

have a look on 2nd post from Ariba on page 2 of this thread:

http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=797590

It's a main object with two sub objects, one is the serial driver (for MIDI in) and the other a very nice synthesized GM tone generator (no PCM samples).

The job of the main object is to continuosly read MIDI input, do some interpretation and pass it as appropriate commands to the synth subobject.

By replacing the tone generator object with the multiple AY-3-8910 (or SIDcog) objects, and some relatively simple modifications to the top object, it should be possibile to do what you're after.
Well, at least to have basic note playing. Attaching potentiometers or controlling parameters with MIDI CC messages will require some more work.

I know this is not exactly "no programming", but the heavy lift is already done in the tone generator objects by Alhe2 and Ariba, the top object is spin only, no assembler, so it would be also a good occasion to start learning the propeller.

I had the same idea in mind, as soon as I'll find the rigth amount of free time I want to try the same thing (starting with SIDcog).

Regards
Alessandro

Post Edited (AntoineDoinel) : 7/6/2010 9:52:18 PM GMT

Hanno

Hi James!
(Thanks ElectricAye for the reference to 12blocks)
I started writing 12Blocks when my 5 year old asked me what I was doing and if she could have a try. Partly inspired by MIT's Scratch project the goal for 12Blocks is to provide beginner programmers with the ideal environment to get started. Some features that should help you:

- you don't need to know about programming to get started- no clkfreq, objects, or passing variables around- to do something, just drag the block from the library to the worksheet and adjust the parameters. There's a pdf that walks you through ~20 different use cases as well as sample programs and manual.
- you can tweak parameters (like delay between notes, or note frequency) from 12Blocks while your program is running- this saves you heaps of time!
- you can easily build an "pc interface" just by dragging "interface" blocks onto the worksheet. Then, save your program as an executable. You can then run that executable like any other program- behind the scenes it'll upload the firmware to the Propeller, start and manage the connection, and send/receive data.

I've spent the last 3 months giving speeches about 12Blocks and TBot- a video of the "Tech Talk" I gave at Google is here:


Check my signature for the 30 day free trial of 12Blocks.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Co-author of the official Propeller Guide- available at Amazon
Developer of ViewPort, the premier visual debugger for the Propeller (read the review here, thread here),
12Blocks, the block-based programming environment (thread here)
and PropScope, the multi-function USB oscilloscope/function generator/logic analyzer