Programmable sound generator
Encyclopedia
A Programmable Sound Generator is a sound chip
that generates sound waves by synthesizing multiple basic waveforms, and often some kind of noise generator, (all controlled by writing data to dedicated registers in the sound chip, hence the name) and combining and mixing these waveforms into a complex waveform, then shaping the amplitude (its "envelope
") of the resulting waveform using "attack" "decay" "sustain" and "release" time periods, so that the resulting waveform then mimics a certain kind of sound.
They were and are often used in home computers and Game consoles.
example) was the AY-3-8910
from General Instrument
(or its derivatives AY-3-8912/AY-3-8913), the SN76489
from Texas Instruments
and the Yamaha YM2149, a AY-3-8910 made under license. Yamaha also brought out the YM2203
and YM2608
chips on the market, these were also capable of FM synthesis
.
A chip made by Toshiba
called the PSG also found broad use, especially in several generations of MSX
-computers.
Sound chip
A sound chip is an integrated circuit designed to produce sound . It might be doing this through digital, analog or mixed-mode electronics...
that generates sound waves by synthesizing multiple basic waveforms, and often some kind of noise generator, (all controlled by writing data to dedicated registers in the sound chip, hence the name) and combining and mixing these waveforms into a complex waveform, then shaping the amplitude (its "envelope
Envelope (disambiguation)
An envelope is the paper container used to hold a letter being sent by post.Envelope may also refer to:In mathematics:* Envelope , a curve, surface, or higher dimensional object defined as being tangent to a given family of lines or curves In science:* Viral envelope, the membranal covering...
") of the resulting waveform using "attack" "decay" "sustain" and "release" time periods, so that the resulting waveform then mimics a certain kind of sound.
They were and are often used in home computers and Game consoles.
Examples
The most used (canonicalCanonical
Canonical is an adjective derived from canon. Canon comes from the greek word κανών kanon, "rule" or "measuring stick" , and is used in various meanings....
example) was the AY-3-8910
General Instrument AY-3-8910
The AY-3-8910 is a 3-voice Programmable Sound Generator designed by General Instrument, initially for use with their 16-bit CP1610 or one of the PIC1650 series of 8-bit microcomputers...
from General Instrument
General Instrument
General Instrument was an electronics manufacturer based in Horsham, PA specializing in semiconductors and cable television equipment. The company was active until 1997, when it split into which was later acquired by Vishay Intertechnology in 2001, CommScope and NextLevel Systems General...
(or its derivatives AY-3-8912/AY-3-8913), the SN76489
Texas Instruments SN76489
The SN76489 Digital Complex Sound Generator is a TTL-compatible Programmable Sound Generator chip from Texas Instruments. It contains three square wave tone generators and one white noise generator, each of which can produce sounds at various frequencies and sixteen different volume levels...
from Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology...
and the Yamaha YM2149, a AY-3-8910 made under license. Yamaha also brought out the YM2203
Yamaha YM2203
The YM2203, aka OPN , is a six-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's the progenitor of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips used in many videogame and computer systems throughout the 1980s and early 1990s...
and YM2608
Yamaha YM2608
thumb|right|Yamaha YM2608YM2608, aka OPNA, is a sixteen-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's a member of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips, and the successor to the YM2203...
chips on the market, these were also capable of FM synthesis
Frequency modulation synthesis
A 220 Hz carrier tone modulated by a 440 Hz modulating tone with various choices of modulation index, β. The time domain signals are illustrated above, and the corresponding spectra are shown below ....
.
A chip made by Toshiba
Toshiba
is a multinational electronics and electrical equipment corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is a diversified manufacturer and marketer of electrical products, spanning information & communications equipment and systems, Internet-based solutions and services, electronic components and...
called the PSG also found broad use, especially in several generations of MSX
MSX
MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
-computers.