[comp.sys.atari.st] yamaha sound chip

alan@ecrcvax.UUCP (Alan P. Sexton) (06/06/89)

Can anyone give me an address or telephone number from which I can order
a datasheet for the Yamaha YM-2149 sound chip that is used in the Atari?

Alan Sexton					tel. (089) 92699164
European Computer-Industry Research Centre (ECRC)
Arabellastr 17, 8000 Muenchen 81, West Germany
mcvax!unido!ecrcvax!alan  | from US:	...!pyramid!ecrcvax!alan
alan@ecrcvax.UUCP	  | from US:	alan%ecrcvax.uucp@pyramid.pyramid.com

dag@per2.UUCP (Daniel A. Glasser) (06/08/89)

In article <735@ecrcvax.UUCP>, alan@ecrcvax.UUCP (Alan P. Sexton) writes:
> Can anyone give me an address or telephone number from which I can order
> a datasheet for the Yamaha YM-2149 sound chip that is used in the Atari?

The Yamaha YM-2149 is a slightly modified (I forget how) license of the
General Instrument AY-3-8910 PSG (Programmable Sound Generator.  GI published
a very good manual for this chip under the title "Programmable Sound Generator
Data Manual" in February, 1981 (I cannot find a part number) which covers the
architecture, operation, electrical interface, and music and sound effects
generation.  It has some pretty interesting information on using the D/A
circuitry.  The document covers both the AY-3-8910 and the AY-3-8912 PSG.
The '8912 is in a 28 pin package does not have the B I/O port, an "extra"
address line, or an additional test pin (which is not used in normal operation
anyway.)  Programming-wise, these chips are identical.  The Yamaha chip may
have a different pin-out.  I don't have my Atari documentation handy.

The manual has the following addresses: (quoted without permission)

	Microelectronics Division/General Instrument Corporation
			WORLDWIDE SALES OFFICES
	--------------------------------------------------------
	NORTH AMERICA
	Microelectronics Division

	Northeast --	600 West John Street
			Hicksville, New York 11802
			Tel: 516-733-3107, TWX: 510-221-1866

	Southeast --	7901 4th St. N., Suite 208
			St. Petersburg, Florida 33702
			Tel: 813-577-4024, TWX: 810-863-0398

			American City Bldg., Suite 602
			Columbia, Maryland 21044
			Tel: 301-730-8992, TWX: 710-862-2861

	South Central -	5520 LBJ Frwy., Suite 330
			Dallas, Texas 75240
			Tel: 214-934-1654

	East Central --	4524 S. Michigan Street
			South Bend, Indiana 46614
			Tel: 219-291-0585, TWX: 810-299-2518

	Central --	2355 S. Arlington Hts. Rd., Suite 408
			Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005
			Tel: 312-981-0040, TWX: 910-687-0254

	Southwest --	201 Standard Street
			El Segundo, California 90245
			Tel: 213-322-7745, TWX: 910-384-6296

	Western --	3080 Olcott St., Suite 235 D
			Santa Clara, California 95051
			Tel: 408-496-0844, TWX: 910-379-0010

	EUROPE

	    European Sales Headquarters:
		General Instrument Microelectronics Ltd.
		Regency House, 1-4 Warwick Street, London W1R 5WB
		Tel: 01-439-1891, Telex: 23272

	    Central European Sales Office:
		General Instrument Deutschland GmbH
		(MOS Produktgruppe)
		  ,
		Nordenstrasse 3, 8000 Munchen 40
		Tel: (089)28.40.31, Telex: 528054

	    Southern European Sales Office:
		Via Jacopo Palma, 20146 Milano
		Tel: (02)408.41.01, Telex: 332423

Note that the above information is from a document dated February, 1981, and
may have changed substantially over the past eight years.  I have left out
the Asian contacts because I'm very lazy.
-- 
 _____________________________________________________________________________
    Daniel A. Glasser                           One of those things that goes
    uwvax!per2!dag                              "BUMP!!!(ouch)" in the night. 
 ---Persoft, Inc.---------465 Science Drive-------Madison, WI 53711-----------

FORSTER@cs.umass.EDU (David Forster) (06/11/89)

Since you bring up the subject, does the chip also do something with incoming
audio signals?  I noticed there's a pin for it on the monitor plug.  Is this
actually connected?  (On the TI Explorer in my office, the audio chip not only
generates sound, but also can be connected to a microphone to record sound, so
this doesn't sound like such an unreasonable proposition.)

- David Forster (forster@cs.umass.edu / forster@umass.bitnet)

obryan@gumby.cc.wmich.edu (Mark O'Bryan) (06/13/89)

In article <8906110020.AA01982@crash.cs.umass.edu>, FORSTER@cs.umass.EDU (David Forster) writes:
> Since you bring up the subject, does the chip also do something with incoming
> audio signals?  I noticed there's a pin for it on the monitor plug.  Is this
> actually connected?  (On the TI Explorer in my office, the audio chip not only
> generates sound, but also can be connected to a microphone to record sound, so
> this doesn't sound like such an unreasonable proposition.)

The audio input pin is designed for mixing an external input with the
internally generated 3 audio channels + noise.  The chip was designed
to be usable in a number of low-cost configurations, for various
purposes, and provided this feature as a free-bie.

There's no A-to-D converter inside that could be used to digitize the
incoming audio.  In fact, I don't think there's even a level comparator,
so you couldn't even do the A-D in software if you wanted to (and could
live with the slow speed).

-- 
Mark T. O'Bryan                 Internet:  obryan@gumby.cc.wmich.edu
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI  49008