[net.music.synth] GI 8910 Chip opinions?

knudsen@ihwpt.UUCP (mike knudsen) (09/26/85)

Can anyone out there give me their opinions
(hard facts also welcome) on the Gen Instruments
8910 (Prefix AY-??) sound generator chip?  I know this is a little
beneath the DX-7 axers, but I have a chance to buy a
home computer peripheral using 4 of these buggers
to play 12 voices plus 4 percussion channels, for $80.
Each 8910 has 3 voices plus one "noise" channel.
The chip offers a fixed set of ADSR envelopes to choose
from, and a duration for the envelopes.  I don't know
whether the envelopes or even the durations can be set
separately for each of the 3 voices.  Nor whether overall
amplitudes can be modified, nor how much coloration of
the noise (for different size drums) is possible.

This chip, or its sisters, has probably been used in
several home comps and game machines.  It may be same
as the 8912, but with the 3rd voice instead of the
8-bit input port.

Please email any responses to ihnp4!ihwpt!knudsen.
Thanks, mike k.