The enthusiast recreated the Sound Blaster 1.0 sound card - we tell you what the project is notable for.
A DIY project appeared on GitHub, the author of which carried out the reverse engineering of the sound card of the 1990s, Sound Blaster 1.0. We tell what the features of the device.
Photo schlae / CC BY-SA
The project with the scheme and firmware to create a Sound Blaster (SB) sound card clone was published under the name Snark Barker. The replica is 100% compatible with old computers, which are supported by the original device, but built on modern electronic components.
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SB 1.0 was released in the 1990s, and now it is quite rare, which is why it can cost hundreds of dollars at online auctions. The Snark Barker project gives vintage computer lovers a chance to try out the once popular device in business and spend several times less: the most expensive part of the system is the board. You can order ten pieces for about $ 45 (plus shipping).
The original SB 1.0 was released in 1989 by Creative Technology. Sound Blaster was not the first PC audio card on the market, but the first to combine digital audio support, two different types of synthesis and a MIDI interface.
In other devices, analog oscillators with frequency-modulated waves were responsible for sound synthesis. In SB 1.0 a new method appeared, for which the controller Intel 8051 was responsible. To create a digital sound, pulse code modulation was used . At the same time the card provided natural sounding of instruments.
Thanks to its merits, Sound Blaster 1.0 became popular in computers in the early 1990s. The map was supported by Microsoft itself. The corporation noted that the device most corresponded to the Multimedia PC standard, which determined the recommended PC configuration.
Photo Wdwd / CC BY-SA
The author of the project reproduced all the functions of the original map: FM-synthesis, support for incoming signals from the computer, MIDI instruments and microphones. There are two ways to play sound, supported by the original Sound Blaster.
The principle of operation of the first is similar to the one used in the Covox Speech Thing device: the sound was regulated by the driver, which in turn sent information about the samples to the card. In the second case, the sound was controlled by a DMA controller on the motherboard. He provided the sound card with direct memory access, after which Sound Blaster received information about the samples with a given frequency.
The original Sound Blaster did not have an analog-to-digital converter. For sound recording, the method of sequential approximation was used , which was implemented using a signal processor and a comparator. The author of the project gave the corresponding code on his website:
The project developer accurately reproduced the characteristics of the card on modern components. As a controller for sound processing, the author suggests using any microcontroller from the 80C51 family. The original firmware for it can be found in the repository of the project.
A list of other components that are needed to implement the SB 1.0 replica is available on GitHub - almost all of them are available in online electronics stores. For convenience, the table shows the numbers in the Mouser catalog. However, one spare part - the volume switch - can no longer be purchased. It is proposed to independently print on a 3D-printer.
News about Snark Barker has become popular on Hacker News. Commentators rated the project as important, from a cultural and educational point of view - it helps to acquaint new generations of people with the history of computers and the culture of creating audio equipment with their own hands. Replica on the characteristics and sound is no different from the original.
The author of Snark Barker has previously made a replica of another popular sound card of the early 1990s - the AdLib Music Synthesizer Card, better known as simply AdLib . The device at the time was one of the analogs of SB 1.0, which supported only an analog synthesizer of sounds.
According to the engineer, he needed the AdLib replica to repair the IBM XT series computer of the 1980s. The engineer managed to recreate the map from photographs and reproduce not only the AdLib function, but also its appearance. The result is fully compatible with older computers of the time. The firmware code and photos of the device can be found in the GitHub repository .
Another project from another audio enthusiast was dedicated to Gravis Ultrasound (GUS). The map differed from its analogs in that it synthesized sound based on samples of real musical instruments. The sound of GUS seemed less artificial than that of other cards, and therefore Gravis Ultrasound was in demand among musicians.
The project of assembling the replica Gravis Ultrasound was launched in 2015 and was named ARGUS. For two years, the author managed to create a working copy of GUS and start selling it.
The development process of the project is reflected in a special thread on the forum about old games and computers VOGONS. In the subject you can find sound card schemes and information about the equipment necessary for its implementation. The thread is still active: in it enthusiasts offer ideas for improving the device. In general, participation in such projects is a great opportunity to ponder and learn more about the design of computers of a bygone era.
What we write about in the “World Hi-Fi” and Telegram-channel:
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Sound on the wire: the story of the telegraph
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Photo schlae / CC BY-SA
Project Snark Barker
The project with the scheme and firmware to create a Sound Blaster (SB) sound card clone was published under the name Snark Barker. The replica is 100% compatible with old computers, which are supported by the original device, but built on modern electronic components.
')
SB 1.0 was released in the 1990s, and now it is quite rare, which is why it can cost hundreds of dollars at online auctions. The Snark Barker project gives vintage computer lovers a chance to try out the once popular device in business and spend several times less: the most expensive part of the system is the board. You can order ten pieces for about $ 45 (plus shipping).
Why Sound Blaster 1.0?
The original SB 1.0 was released in 1989 by Creative Technology. Sound Blaster was not the first PC audio card on the market, but the first to combine digital audio support, two different types of synthesis and a MIDI interface.
In other devices, analog oscillators with frequency-modulated waves were responsible for sound synthesis. In SB 1.0 a new method appeared, for which the controller Intel 8051 was responsible. To create a digital sound, pulse code modulation was used . At the same time the card provided natural sounding of instruments.
Thanks to its merits, Sound Blaster 1.0 became popular in computers in the early 1990s. The map was supported by Microsoft itself. The corporation noted that the device most corresponded to the Multimedia PC standard, which determined the recommended PC configuration.
Photo Wdwd / CC BY-SA
About replica
The author of the project reproduced all the functions of the original map: FM-synthesis, support for incoming signals from the computer, MIDI instruments and microphones. There are two ways to play sound, supported by the original Sound Blaster.
The principle of operation of the first is similar to the one used in the Covox Speech Thing device: the sound was regulated by the driver, which in turn sent information about the samples to the card. In the second case, the sound was controlled by a DMA controller on the motherboard. He provided the sound card with direct memory access, after which Sound Blaster received information about the samples with a given frequency.
The original Sound Blaster did not have an analog-to-digital converter. For sound recording, the method of sequential approximation was used , which was implemented using a signal processor and a comparator. The author of the project gave the corresponding code on his website:
mov p1,#80h ; Start DAC at the halfway point, 1000 0000 mov c,t1 ; 1 Put comparator output into carry bit mov p1.7,c ; 2 If greater, then leave MSB as is. If less, clear MSB setb p1.6 ; 1 Set DAC to upper or lower halfway point mov c,t1 ; 1 Check comparator output again mov p1.6,c ; 2 Rinse and repeat setb p1.5 mov c,t1 mov p1.5,c setb p1.4 mov c,t1 mov p1.4,c setb p1.3 mov c,t1 mov p1.3,c setb p1.2 mov c,t1 mov p1.2,c setb p1.1 mov c,t1 mov p1.1,c setb p1.0 mov c,t1 mov p1.0,c mov a,p1 ; We are done, copy DAC code into accumulator. The project developer accurately reproduced the characteristics of the card on modern components. As a controller for sound processing, the author suggests using any microcontroller from the 80C51 family. The original firmware for it can be found in the repository of the project.
A list of other components that are needed to implement the SB 1.0 replica is available on GitHub - almost all of them are available in online electronics stores. For convenience, the table shows the numbers in the Mouser catalog. However, one spare part - the volume switch - can no longer be purchased. It is proposed to independently print on a 3D-printer.
News about Snark Barker has become popular on Hacker News. Commentators rated the project as important, from a cultural and educational point of view - it helps to acquaint new generations of people with the history of computers and the culture of creating audio equipment with their own hands. Replica on the characteristics and sound is no different from the original.
Similar projects
The author of Snark Barker has previously made a replica of another popular sound card of the early 1990s - the AdLib Music Synthesizer Card, better known as simply AdLib . The device at the time was one of the analogs of SB 1.0, which supported only an analog synthesizer of sounds.
According to the engineer, he needed the AdLib replica to repair the IBM XT series computer of the 1980s. The engineer managed to recreate the map from photographs and reproduce not only the AdLib function, but also its appearance. The result is fully compatible with older computers of the time. The firmware code and photos of the device can be found in the GitHub repository .
Another project from another audio enthusiast was dedicated to Gravis Ultrasound (GUS). The map differed from its analogs in that it synthesized sound based on samples of real musical instruments. The sound of GUS seemed less artificial than that of other cards, and therefore Gravis Ultrasound was in demand among musicians.
The project of assembling the replica Gravis Ultrasound was launched in 2015 and was named ARGUS. For two years, the author managed to create a working copy of GUS and start selling it.
The development process of the project is reflected in a special thread on the forum about old games and computers VOGONS. In the subject you can find sound card schemes and information about the equipment necessary for its implementation. The thread is still active: in it enthusiasts offer ideas for improving the device. In general, participation in such projects is a great opportunity to ponder and learn more about the design of computers of a bygone era.
What we write about in the “World Hi-Fi” and Telegram-channel:
Go
Sound on the wire: the story of the telegraph Go
How to turn a laptop into a radio? What you need to know before you start a career in the audio industry DSD conversion: fake or good?Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/442422/
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