EightyOne and the AY

Emulator and emulator development specific topics
Spirantho
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Re: EightyOne and the AY

Post by Spirantho »

The problem with the ZonX isn't the hardware, it's that the hardware has no software. At all. Nobody's written any. Whatever hardware you make you'll still have to make the software so you may as well make it ZonX compatible too, as it'll just be a matter of changing port numbers. It would be cool to make some software for it, though, a simple tracker-esque thingy would be great.

EightyOne's AY emulation works fine as long as you don't touch the coarse registers, so you can only get the higher octaves. The "hymne" is all done using the fine register, so it plays perfectly.... but as soon as you touch the coarse register it all goes horribly wrong. Unfortunately writing a trackery program will be a nightmare without a working emulator....
Ian Gledhill
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yerzmyey
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Re: EightyOne and the AY

Post by yerzmyey »

I would like to report that HYMNE still doesn't work on EightyOne with ZonX and these two games mentioned above work on AY perfectly.
Something's still wrong... Hm.

PS: Great games, btw.
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RWAP
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Re: EightyOne and the AY

Post by RWAP »

Can someone please remind me of the names of those two games?

Didn't some of the QS releases feature support for sounds?
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BrunoFlorindo
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Re: EightyOne and the AY

Post by BrunoFlorindo »

If memory serves correct, QS's Defenda (Defender?) has optional AY sounds but you need the QS sound board to be able to hear them. :p I think EightyOne includes this game and emulates this board.
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siggi
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Re: EightyOne and the AY

Post by siggi »

Those 2 games did not work with my real ZONX81. My ZXON8-box uses the i/o addresses $1F and $DF, while those games use the addresses $0F and $CF. So I didn't have any sound :(

But I cut the A4 address line in my ZONX81, and now it works :P

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yerzmyey
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Re: EightyOne and the AY

Post by yerzmyey »

Spirantho wrote: except the three people in the world with a ZonX setup?


Actually, it might be about to change.
IN NIHILUM REVERTERIS - a big text-adventure game for ZX81: http://tiny.pl/g2m6m
"MONOCHROME" issue 5 - (Spring 2014) free paper/PDF magazine about ZX81: http://tiny.pl/q2m44
ZX81 COMPETITIONS 2007/2009: http://zx81.republika.pl/
Prime
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Re: EightyOne and the AY

Post by Prime »

Spirantho wrote:I would say very little would need changing. You might be able to stick a crystal on the board the so the timing would be the same between the '81 and the Speccy 128K. Everything else should just about work anyway - after all the ZonX works on Speccy and ZX81.
Are the expansion connector pinouts the same ? or close enough that it will work ? I didn't think they where, though even if they where not should be easy enough to knock up an adapter board.
It's a shame Mike has stopped on EightyOne - I even mailed him but it bounced. Maybe I should take a look at the source but there's no project file there and it's a bit strange. We do need an emulator with working ZonX support, though! Otherwise nothing will ever use it!
When I have time I'll take a look at the EightyOne source if the I/O details are in there. Mess has an implementation of the AY, so hacking ZonX / QS sound support into the ZX81 driver should be reasonably easy to do.

Cheers.

Phill.
RWAP
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Re: EightyOne and the AY

Post by RWAP »

Don't forget that SirMorris is looking into the possibility of adding an AY daughterboard to the ZXpand :-)
Prime
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Re: EightyOne and the AY

Post by Prime »

RWAP wrote:Don't forget that SirMorris is looking into the possibility of adding an AY daughterboard to the ZXpand :-)
Yeah I was thinking about that erlier, it should be possible to make a piggy back board for the rom socket with an AY in it, shouldn't require much additional logic as I believe he already has the address decode for it. You'd prolly need to put an audio amp on there too, an LM386 or something like that would prolly do the trick, unless the AY has enough output power to drive a set of amplified (PC type) speakers.

Mind it wouldn't fit in the Memotech case then tho.

Cheers.

Phill.
sirmorris
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Re: EightyOne and the AY

Post by sirmorris »

The zxpand had zon-x decoding built in to the IO decoding logic in its GALs. There is a daughter board design almost ready, it will be properly announced within the next couple of weeks or so. Honestly, you enthusiasts. Can't you just wait for the proper announcement? ;)

I've also busted open the EO development VM today. I'm integrating the ZXpand emulation DLL which has a little way to go but should at least allow some work on the zx80 ROM... I'm aware that there's a bug with the coarse tuning register and if anyone wants to help with that then I'll see what can be done. Mike is off the scene at the moment so any fix would be 'unofficial'.


C
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