[dorkbotpdx-blabber] cool chip for synth nerds

[jme...@tffenterprises.com]

I just noticed that a once rare and sought after TI SN76477N
synth/videogame soundfx chip is back on the market in case anyone is
interested.

http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2008-12/complex-sound-generator-ic-back

The new datasheet has a lot of nice minimal examples for noisemaking
stuff.

Aside from being a pretty easy to use synth on a chip, it's the core
of some popular synth diy projects:
http://mypeoplepc.com/members/scottnoanh/birthofasynth/id22.html
http://electro-music.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=32942

It's been used in some products like John Blacet's DSC synth module.
(disco'd due to no chip avail.)
http://www.aural-innovations.com/issues/issue7/chaos.html

Anyway I figured I'd share as there might be some on this list
interested grabbing some of these things while they're available and
$9 instead of however much they were on ebay for years. I don't know
if it's back in production or if BCmicro just found a bunch.

If anyone else wants to order some let me know and we can split
shipping.

-Jesse
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dorkbotpd...@dorkbot.org
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[Barton C Massey]

In message <web-12...@mail.tffenterprises.com> you wrote:
>
> I just noticed that a once rare and sought after TI SN76477N
> synth/videogame soundfx chip is back on the market in case anyone is
> interested.

Huh. I still have a board with one of those on it around
that I built in HS 30+ years ago. Wish I'd known I could
get good money for it on EBay. :-)

> Anyway I figured I'd share as there might be some on this
> list interested grabbing some of these things while
> they're available and $9 instead of however much they were
> on ebay for years. I don't know if it's back in production
> or if BCmicro just found a bunch.

Funny. I used to do business under the name BC Micro.

I think I'll pass on the chips, but thanks much for the
memories!

Bart

[Jesse Mejia]

Cool on the HS project Bart.

Also - I forgot to mention it's the sound chip used in Space Invaders...

Heres another link I found with projects/datasheets:
http://mkv.itm.miun.se/personal/per/diy/76477/

-Jesse

[Laen]

If you're putting together a group order, I'll take 4! Let me know if
you'd like paypal in advance.

I've found and mirrored the datasheet:
http://content.laen.org/electronics/sn76477.pdf
..And an article about it, with some sample circuits:
http://content.laen.org/electronics/Solid-State-SN76477.pdf

Thanks!
-Laen

On Jun 30, 5:01 pm, <jme...@tffenterprises.com> wrote:
> I just noticed that a once rare and sought after TI SN76477N
> synth/videogame soundfx chip is back on the market in case anyone is
> interested.
>

> http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2008-12/complex-sound-generator-ic-...

>
> The new datasheet has a lot of nice minimal examples for noisemaking
> stuff.
>
> Aside from being a pretty easy to use synth on a chip, it's the core

> of some popular synth diy projects:http://mypeoplepc.com/members/scottnoanh/birthofasynth/id22.htmlhttp://electro-music.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=32942

>
> It's been used in some products like John Blacet's DSC synth module.

> (disco'd due to no chip avail.)http://www.aural-innovations.com/issues/issue7/chaos.html

>
> Anyway I figured I'd share as there might be some on this list
> interested grabbing some of these things while they're available and
> $9 instead of however much they were on ebay for years. I don't know
> if it's back in production or if BCmicro just found a bunch.
>
> If anyone else wants to order some let me know and we can split
> shipping.
>
> -Jesse
> _______________________________________________
> dorkbotpdx-blabber mailing list

> dorkbotpdx-blab...@dorkbot.orghttp://music.columbia.edu/mailman/listinfo/dorkbotpdx-blabber

[Eric Garner]

whether or not jesse is putting an order together or not i'm defiantly
of the opinion that BGmicro should go into the "guest star" rotation
on the regular group order.

-eric

--
--Eric
_________________________________________
Eric Garner

[jme...@tffenterprises.com]

Sweet! Yeah I'll go ahead and put together a group order for these
little guys. I just called and checked stock - they have "plenty".
Apparently the package is a little odd so there is also a $3 breakout
board they offer for it. Let me know if you want it as well.

http://www.bgmicro.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=12925

They told me there could potentially be a quantity discount - but
that's a bit unknown so far.

Whether or not I need paypal in advance will depend on how big the
order gets. I'll let yall know.

So far I have Laen down for 4 chips. Anyone else?

-Jesse

[Eric Garner]

i'll take 4 plus one of the breakoutboards

--
--Eric
_________________________________________
Eric Garner

[Alex Norman]

Put me down for 6 [4 of which are for Doug]

-Alex

[dan p]

I'll take 2.

[Donald Delmar Davis]

Can I get 3? No breakouts.

Thanks.

[jme...@tffenterprises.com]

I'm gonna leave this open for a little bit I think - to see if we can
get some more ppl in on it and more potential for some sort of
discount. I'll keep track of everyone who wants some - and probably
put the order in around the same time as the next normal group order.
(or maybe a day or two after as I'll be traveling that weekend).

-Jesse

[Thomas Lockney]

jme...@tffenterprises.com wrote:
> I'm gonna leave this open for a little bit I think - to see if we can
> get some more ppl in on it and more potential for some sort of
> discount. I'll keep track of everyone who wants some - and probably
> put the order in around the same time as the next normal group order.
> (or maybe a day or two after as I'll be traveling that weekend).

Ok, I give... I'll take 2. I can hope that eventually this pile of parts
will collapse under it's own weight into a blackhole of some sort that
will spit out interesting projects.

[Michael Bunsen]

I'll take 2 and 1 breakout board

Thanks!

Michael

[Thomas Lockney]

Thomas Lockney wrote:
> jme...@tffenterprises.com wrote:
>> I'm gonna leave this open for a little bit I think - to see if we can
>> get some more ppl in on it and more potential for some sort of
>> discount. I'll keep track of everyone who wants some - and probably
>> put the order in around the same time as the next normal group order.
>> (or maybe a day or two after as I'll be traveling that weekend).
> Ok, I give... I'll take 2. I can hope that eventually this pile of
> parts will collapse under it's own weight into a blackhole of some
> sort that will spit out interesting projects.

Ah, yes, forgot that I'll also need 2 breakout boards as well.

[dan p]

I think I missed the part about break out boards?

[Thomas Lockney]

dan p wrote:
> I think I missed the part about break out boards?

From Jesse's earlier email:

> Sweet! Yeah I'll go ahead and put together a group order for these
> little guys. I just called and checked stock - they have "plenty".
> Apparently the package is a little odd so there is also a $3 breakout
> board they offer for it. Let me know if you want it as well.
>
> http://www.bgmicro.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=12925

[dan p]

ah, thanks. Now that I have my mad board etching skills (thanx Don) I'll try to make my own...

[Greg Grunest]

I was wondering if someone could tell me what the breakout board was for.  The chip specs posted on the BGmicro site http://docs.bgmicro.com/pdf/ics76477.pdf show the IC as having standard 10^th inch spacing (100mils x 600mils).

 

Has someone seen the breakout board?  Is there something I’m missing?  Do I really need it? 

 

Should I have attended Don’s class and then I could make whatever boards I wanted and therefore control the universe? (insert maniacal laughter here)

Probably.

 

 

---

[Jesse Mejia]

The SN76477 was produced in 2 form factors - standard dip, and a narrower version. (0.4" row sapcing I believe)

The BG micro lady told me the chips they have in stock are the narrower version - she didn't specify the exact spacing but after doing some internet hunting it looks like they will likely be 0.4". She recommended the breakout board to solve this. 

FYI today I found this socket at digikey:

http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=ED22284-ND

Which I believe will work. Maybe if enough ppl order them w/ the next normal dorkbot group order they'll be cheap!

I need to verify the pin spacing - so far all I know for sure is that the chips BG micro carries fit the little breakout board they also carry.

For what it's worth..  if anyone is interested in the SN voice project.. I *think* these pcbs are still available http://mypeoplepc.com/members/scottnoanh/smselectronicssnvoicepcboard/

These things accept both versions of the chip.

-Jesse

On Jul 3, 2009, at 3:31 PM, Greg Grunest wrote:

I was wondering if someone could tell me what the breakout board was for.  The chip specs posted on the BGmicro sitehttp://docs.bgmicro.com/pdf/ics76477.pdf show the IC as having standard 10^th inch spacing (100mils x 600mils).

[Greg Grunest]

Thanks for the clarification.  In looking at the board for the SN voice project (in the link you provided), you can clearly see in the picture the odd spacing of the SN76477 chip compared to the other ICs  around the 76477.   It even looks like a copy of the BG Micro breakout board.  It must be some sort of .07” or .05” spacing on the chip pins.

[Jesse Mejia]

.04" maybe? What's standard?

> <http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=ED22284-ND

>From: dorkbotpdx-bl...@dorkbot.org
> [mailto:dorkbotpdx-bl...@dorkbot.org] On Behalf Of dan p
> Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 10:28 PM
> To: A discussion list for dorkbot-pdx (portland, or)
> Subject: Re: [dorkbotpdx-blabber] Synth chip (SN76477) Group Order
>
>
>
> ah, thanks. Now that I have my mad board etching skills (thanx Don)
>I'll try
> to make my own...
>
> On Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 7:41 PM, Thomas Lockney
><dorkb...@dorkbot.org>
> wrote:
>
> dan p wrote:
>
> I think I missed the part about break out boards?
>
>>From Jesse's earlier email:
>
>
>
> Sweet! Yeah I'll go ahead and put together a group order for these
>little
> guys. I just called and checked stock - they have "plenty".
>Apparently the
> package is a little odd so there is also a $3 breakout board they
>offer for
> it. Let me know if you want it as well.
>
> http://www.bgmicro.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD

> <http://www.bgmicro.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=12925>

[Laen]

According to the data sheet, the pin spacing is .07" (versus the
normal .1" pin spacing), and the Wikipedia page says the chip came in
a .6" wide DIP or a .4" wide DIP. It looks like we're getting the
second one, which would be a .4" DIP with .07" pin spacing.

Pretty weird!

-Laen

On Jul 6, 12:45 pm, Jesse Mejia <jme...@tffenterprises.com> wrote:
> .04" maybe? What's standard?
>
> On Sun, 5 Jul 2009 22:44:06 -0700
>   "Greg Grunest" <g...@grunest.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > Thanks for the clarification.  In looking at the board for the SN
> >voice
> > project (in the link you provided), you can clearly see in the
> >picture the
> > odd spacing of the SN76477 chip compared to the other ICs  around
> >the 76477.
> > It even looks like a copy of the BG Micro breakout board.  It must
> >be some
> > sort of .07" or .05" spacing on the chip pins.
>

> >From: dorkbotpdx-blabber-boun...@dorkbot.org
> > [mailto:dorkbotpdx-blabber-boun...@dorkbot.org] On Behalf Of Jesse
> >Mejia
> > Sent: Saturday, July 04, 2009 8:46 AM
> > To: A discussion list for dorkbot-pdx (portland, or)
> > Subject: Re: [dorkbotpdx-blabber] Synth chip (SN76477) Group Order
>
> > The SN76477 was produced in 2 form factors - standard dip, and a
> >narrower
> > version. (0.4" row sapcing I believe)
>
> > The BG micro lady told me the chips they have in stock are the
> >narrower
> > version - she didn't specify the exact spacing but after doing some
> >internet
> > hunting it looks like they will likely be 0.4". She recommended the
> >breakout
> > board to solve this.
>
> >FYI today I found this socket at digikey:
>
> >http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail

> > <http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=ED22...

> >> &name=ED22284-ND
>
> > Which I believe will work. Maybe if enough ppl order them w/ the
> >next normal
> > dorkbot group order they'll be cheap!
>
> > I need to verify the pin spacing - so far all I know for sure is
> >that the
> > chips BG micro carries fit the little breakout board they also
> >carry.
>
> >For what it's worth..  if anyone is interested in the SN voice
> >project.. I
> > *think* these pcbs are still available
> >http://mypeoplepc.com/members/scottnoanh/smselectronicssnvoicepcboard/
>
> > These things accept both versions of the chip.
>
> > -Jesse
>
> > On Jul 3, 2009, at 3:31 PM, Greg Grunest wrote:
>
> > I was wondering if someone could tell me what the breakout board was
> >for.
> > The chip specs posted on the BGmicro

> > sitehttp://docs.bgmicro.com/pdf/ics76477.pdfshow the IC as having

> >standard
> > 10th inch spacing (100mils x 600mils).
>
> > Has someone seen the breakout board?  Is there something I'm
> >missing?  Do I
> > really need it?
>
> > Should I have attended Don's class and then I could make whatever
> >boards I
> > wanted and therefore control the universe? (insert maniacal laughter
> >here)
>
> > Probably.
>
> >  _____  
>

> >From: dorkbotpdx-blabber-boun...@dorkbot.org
> > [mailto:dorkbotpdx-blabber-boun...@dorkbot.org] On Behalf Of dan p
> > Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 10:28 PM
> > To: A discussion list for dorkbot-pdx (portland, or)
> > Subject: Re: [dorkbotpdx-blabber] Synth chip (SN76477) Group Order
>
> > ah, thanks. Now that I have my mad board etching skills (thanx Don)
> >I'll try
> > to make my own...
>
> > On Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 7:41 PM, Thomas Lockney

> ><dorkbot...@dorkbot.org>

> > wrote:
>
> > dan p wrote:
>
> > I think I missed the part about break out boards?
>
> >>From Jesse's earlier email:
>
> > Sweet! Yeah I'll go ahead and put together a group order for these
> >little
> > guys. I just called and checked stock - they have "plenty".
> >Apparently the
> > package is a little odd so there is also a $3 breakout board they
> >offer for
> > it. Let me know if you want it as well.
>
> >http://www.bgmicro.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD
> > <http://www.bgmicro.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=12925>
> > &ProdID=12925
>
> > _______________________________________________
> > dorkbotpdx-blabber mailing list

> > dorkbotpdx-blab...@dorkbot.org

> >http://music.columbia.edu/mailman/listinfo/dorkbotpdx-blabber
>
> > _______________________________________________
> > dorkbotpdx-blabber mailing list

> > dorkbotpdx-blab...@dorkbot.org

> >http://music.columbia.edu/mailman/listinfo/dorkbotpdx-blabber
>
> _______________________________________________
> dorkbotpdx-blabber mailing list

> dorkbotpdx-blab...@dorkbot.orghttp://music.columbia.edu/mailman/listinfo/dorkbotpdx-blabber

[Greg Grunest]

Where did you find that? I looked on the web for another half hour figuring
it would be easy to find. Oh well. I bow down to your web searching
skills! Maybe you can find my old college girlfriend and that guy who owes
me money.

[Jesse Mejia]

Yeah - nice one! That was seriously an unusually hard piece of info to
track down!

[Donald Delmar Davis]

Not that this isnt facinating but ...

What's the status on the group order part of this thread?

[Donald Delmar Davis]

I was wondering if anyone had a couple of these laying about and they
could bring them to the meeting today?

Don.

[Laen]

Here's datasheet #1, showing the 600mil * .1" pin spacing:
http://docs.bgmicro.com/pdf/ics76477.pdf

..and here's datasheet #2, showing the 400mil * .07" pin spacing:
http://mkv.itm.miun.se/personal/per/diy/76477/sn76477datasheet.pdf

I took a shot at making an eagle part for it:
http://content.laen.org/electronics/SN76477.lbr

..And a breakout board to get it up to a 600mil, .1" pin spacing:
http://content.laen.org/electronics/SN76477.brd

The trace sizes on it should be good enough for home etching.

-Laen

On Jul 6, 1:54 pm, "Greg Grunest" <g...@grunest.com> wrote:
> Where did you find that?  I looked on the web for another half hour figuring
> it would be easy to find.  Oh well.  I bow down to your web searching
> skills!  Maybe you can find my old college girlfriend and that guy who owes
> me money.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: dorkbotpdx-blabber-boun...@dorkbot.org
>

> [mailto:dorkbotpdx-blabber-boun...@dorkbot.org] On Behalf Of Laen

> Sent: Monday, July 06, 2009 1:50 PM

> To: dorkbotpdx-blab...@dorkbot.org

> > > sitehttp://docs.bgmicro.com/pdf/ics76477.pdfshowthe IC as having

> dorkbotpdx-blab...@dorkbot.orghttp://music.columbia.edu/mailman/listinfo/dorkbotpdx-blabber
>
> _______________________________________________
> dorkbotpdx-blabber mailing list
> dorkbotpdx-blab...@dorkbot.orghttp://music.columbia.edu/mailman/listinfo/dorkbotpdx-blabber

[Paul Stoffregen]

I have one TL074, which is pretty a low noise version of the TL084.

[Jesse Mejia]

The group order is hangin out. I'm going to place it early next week
around the same time as the usual group orders. I'm hoping for more
takers so we can potentially get a discount.

So far the tally is:

Laen - 4
Eric - 4 + 1 breakout
Alex - 6
Dan - 2
Don - 3
Michael 2 + 1 breakout
Thomas - 2
Me - probably 2 + 1 breakout

That puts as at 25.. any more takers? (no idea where or if there is
going to be a price break)

Greg did you want some? Did I miss your request?

-Jesse

On Mon, 6 Jul 2009 14:13:49 -0700

Donald Delmar Davis <ddelma...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Donald Delmar Davis]

if its in a dip that will work. Only 1?

[Paul Stoffregen]

> if its in a dip that will work. Only 1?

Yes, dip, yes, only 1.

I have lots of other opamps. If you can say which specs are important,
I probably have something that's a reasonable substitute.

[Donald Delmar Davis]

084 Pinout compatible. Low noise is better. I need a spluffer now but
will be doing some mixing/multiplexing in the next gen.

[Paul Stoffregen]

Donald Delmar Davis wrote:
> 084 Pinout compatible. Low noise is better. I need a spluffer now but
> will be doing some mixing/multiplexing in the next gen.

In the DIP14 quad pinout, other than that one TL074, most of what I have
are LM324 and LP324. I do have a few spendy LMC6484A's (which also work
only up to +12 or +/-6 volts).

In DIP8 dual pinout, I have a bunch of LM833 and NE5532 low noise, high
quality audio opamps. The only good "audio" opamps I have are in DIP8.

[Greg Grunest]

It would seem a shame not to actually hold one of those chips after all
this. I'll take 2 ICs and 1 breakout board.

- Greg

[Brian Richardson]

I'll take 2 + 1 breakout

[Jared Arave]

I'm looking to finally get this project off the ground, and I assume someone's probably rigged up something similar - I want to build a simple little MIDI -> solenoid setup that could be controlled via my hardware midi sequencer (With no intervening laptop). ~ 8 outputs would be more than enough. 

I was initially thinking about using an Arduino with a MIDI shield, but I recently came across these kits at highly liquid, which seem pretty well suited to this project; I'm just not sure which one would be the best choice. Also, if anyone can recommend a source for, or specific variety of solenoid for this, I'd really appreciate it; right now I've got my eye out for smallish push-types, that I'll mount w/ drum mic clips.

Really though, any experience or advice would be great - I'm kind of a novice when it comes to hardware.

Thanks,

Jared

[Donald Delmar Davis]

There are at least 3 people in the group who have done this or something close with an arduino. Its pretty braindead and with a dorkboard or teensy you can easily do this for less than 30 bucks. (tip 120s are in the 50-75cent range..

[Jim Larson]

Jared Arave asked:

" Also, if anyone can recommend a source for, or

specific variety of solenoid for this, I'd really appreciate it ..."

Check out allelectronics.com, catalog # SOL-102. Nice little 12 V solenoid for only $2.75. $2.50 in
quantity of 10. Group order time?

HTH.

-jkl

[dan p]

I might be interested in arduino controlled solenoid play time. If a group order was going out...

[Greg Borenstein]

I would totally go in on some of these. I'm actually in Toronto right now where I installed my midi-driven drum robot at the Future Ruby conference. There are some videos here and I'd be glad to talk to people working on similar projects when I get back to town:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUoUMko77KM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNcKMYzbIok

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= GVrxZPGmSu0

-- Greg

[Jesse Mejia]

I just got back from out of town - I'll put the order in for these
chips tonight or tomorrow. This is just a last call if anyone else
wants some. So far this is how we're lookin:

Laen - 4
Eric - 4 + 1 breakout
Alex - 6

dan - 2
don - 3
thomas - 2

Michael 2 + 1 breakout

Greg - 2 + 1 breakout
Brian - 2 + 1 breakout
me 3 + 1 breakout

-Jesse

On Mon, 6 Jul 2009 18:51:43 -0700

[Thomas Lockney]

I need a breakout board as well. Please add that to the order.

Thanks!

--
Thomas Lockney
Instigator, Geek, Techie
http://www.google.com/profiles/tlockney

[dan p]

I'll take a break out board, add one for me.

[Jesse Mejia]

I just put the order in. Funny old-timey sounding folks over there at
BG micro. They can't really do qty discount below 100 pcs (we ordered
30) but the older sounding gentleman on the phone told me he would try
to get me discount of some sort "even if he have to take a hammer to
the guy".

Anyway here was my final order:

Laen - 4
Eric - 4 + 1 breakout

Alex - 6 + 1 breakout
Dan - 2 + 1 breakout
Don - 3
Thomas - 2 + 1 breakout

Michael 2 + 1 breakout
Greg - 2 + 1 breakout
Brian - 2 + 1 breakout
me 3 + 1 breakout

-j

[Jesse Mejia]

The shipment came in. They ended up giving us a 50 cent discount per
chip - pretty nice of em.

I'll bring them to the meeting on monday - so it's 8.50 per chip, 2.95
per breakout + .80 per person for shipping.

Totals here: http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=tgUFXSiwfzy4v5xQpq6PO3Q

Cash at the meeting is ideal - paypal would be fine too but I need to
figure out what they charge etc... and I'm lazy and haven't done that.
If you want to do the paypal thing let me know.

-j

[dan p]

I'll bring cash... Thanks for putting this order together.

Dan.