Note to self:
"I do not need to build an AY-3-8910 out of discrete logic chips."
"I do not need to build an AY-3-8910 out of discrete logic chips."
"I do not need to build..."
https://github.com/mengstr/Discrete-AY-3-8910
But how cool would that be!
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diyelectromusic
@diyelectromusic@mastodon.social
mastodon 4.8.0-nightly.2026-10-06Simple DIY electronic music projects - #Arduino, #RaspberryPi #MIDI, #synthdiy, where music and #STEM overlap. Home of the #LoFiOrchestra and follower of #MakersHour. I also try to list every time I get a #MakerFail too, as that is how I learn!
Blog: @diyelectromusic.com
Videos: @diyelectromusic
Non music-related making: @emalliab@mastodon.social
2237 Followers
595 Following
41 Posts
Joined October 28, 2022
Pronouns:
He/Him
Country:
UK
Just installing MSDOS 6.2 as you do...
Been a while since I last had those disks out! And you forget the tactile satisfaction of ejecting one disk and inserting the next. Those clunks and sounds...
Ah yes, DLBSPACE and MEMMAKER - those key innovations to stretch your PC further!
Also been a while since I saw a CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT
Wish I still had my set of Win 3.11 floppies - never mind, this will do!
#RetroComputing #MSDOS
Replying to
@MakersHour@cupoftea.social A1 Hello #MakersHour, Kevin here. I'd like to be making the new PCBs I have on order as I'm quite impatient.
The fact I've only just soldered up the one that already came in the post yesterday is irrelevant... :)
A simple breakout for the Pimoroni #PGA2350 module.
https://diyelectromusic.com/2026/05/04/pga2350-breakout-pcb-design/
#RP2350 #PGA2350
Apparently today is International Women in Music Day, so to all of you on my timeline who identify that way, you are seen, you are valued :)
https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/international-women-in-music-day/
That's annoying... somewhere in the house I know I have a db9 to db9 null modem cable - but can I find it!?
Found several straight throughs mind.
I've had to resort to my usual technique for finding such things. I've just ordered another one.
This. Oh, so very much this.
I'm trying to sort out a pile of ICs I've had delivered over the past month or two.
But I'm not sure having a cat on my lap rubbing against me is particularly good from an ESD point of view so it looks like it will have to wait a bit longer...
Replying to
@MakersHour A5 I feel like I'm cheating here as in true Blue Peter style I have several I made earlier - any of my #LoFiOrchestra would do :)
#MakersHourhttps://makertube.net/c/lofiorchestra/videos
Is anyone aware of any article that provides a summary view of the Raspberry Pi Pico rp2040/rp2350 PIO APIs?
There are lots of getting started and tutorials and so on; and the datasheet and hardware API reference lists them all.
But, for example, I've not found anything that states there are sm_config_ , pio_sm_set_ , and the pio_encode_ groups. Or that there are _set_, _in_, _out_, _sidestep_ variants.
I've got it, but before I blog it, I'd like to know if I've just missed it somehow.
Replying to
@MakersHour A4 Any of the visualisations would be interesting to scale up. I've always wanted to add LEDs to a bookshelf to make a large display for example.
Another fun one might be coloured lights under the chairs of a live symphony orchestra...
Of course the canonical example of this kind of thing at scale is Project Blinkenlights...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZRUtKYCpms
#MakersHour
Replying to
@MakersHour A2 I guess how all of my messing around with lo-fi, small, cheap, low-power microcontrollers and vintage retro computers and music equipment is only really possible thanks to having a modern, expensive, powerful computer on the Internet and modern electronic diagnostic tools.
#MakersHour
Replying to
@MakersHour A1 Hello #MakersHour, Kevin here, running a bit late.
I'm still trying to get to grips with Raspberry Pi RP2350 PIO and have finally powered up a new Z80 computer I've had built for a while, but was lacking the right cable to connect to it! Blog post on its way.
Replying to
@MakersHour A3 I would really like to get my educational synth thing into some kind of kit (ish). Should all fit in about half-a-shoebox I'd say.
#MakersHour
I've just stumbled across the "unofficial retrofest ad" and I'm still chuckling at it now...
Hoping to be visiting again on the Sunday this year fingers crossed!
Replying to
Ok, so finding a printable version of the PCB and overlaying it on a lightbox gives the attached.
This seems pretty clear to me that not only are (what I know as) D0 on both 16-way connectors connected, but they are also both connected to input side 2A1 and output side 1Y4 of the same 74LS244.
I think I have to at this point conclude that the schematic is wrong...
Replying to
@wokstation @MakersHour Cue that scene from Robots "It's a new style of music blending jazz and funk. We call it junk."
Replying to
@Janet_52square @MakersHour Oh, that's a great rendition! I never realised people covered these types of things :)
I keep thinking the music box at the start of Camberwick Green would make a great make for someone.
How reliable are those cheap chip testers at picking out LS vs HC - does anyone know?
It seems to reliably say the same thing in repeated tests, but I regularly get cheap marked LSs coming up as HCs, and vs versa.
But is there any economic sense in remarking to the wrong thing? Surely both are still in demand?
I'm now pondering how to test them myself...
Replying to
So having traced through the PDS PC card PCB at a high level the connections are, I believe, essentially as shown here in this "pseudo schematic".
Of course, I'm assuming the PCB actually works :)
Replying to
@scruss I think the operative words from his history are "It's difficult to find information on PDS these days"
:)
Replying to
@drfootleg @grahamdunning Here are my notes from the first time I, a complete novice, designed a PCB and had it built...
https://diyelectromusic.com/2022/06/13/arduino-uno-dual-merge-midi-shield-part-2/
(these days I always use jlcpcb with most of the default settings)
Main tip - keeping everything within a 100x100mm 2-layer board means they are ridiculously cheap to get made!
Replying to
@Workshopshed @MakersHour We could rig up my #LofiPlanets to some actuators and possibly, actually make that work! :)
Replying to
@wokstation @MakersHour I've seen some booknooks I'd quite like to visit, so scaling one of those up would be fun. Would probably have to be x10 in each of the 3 dimensions not just 10x normal size though...
Replying to
@Andy @MakersHour haha - fab :)
Have Aliexpress unpacking videos always been a thing and I just didn't notice?
Or have lots more people suddenly started doing them...?
Replying to
@gloriouscow@oldbytes.space That's a pretty impressive set of cross-compatibility there :)
Replying to
Ok, can someone tell me either I'm not going crazy and the schematic doesn't match the board, or what obvious thing I'm missing...
https://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/PDS_development_system
Look at the schematic and board diagrams for the remade PC card.
The schematic shows D0-3 on the two connectors going to different 244 ICs.
But I'm pretty sure the board shows D0-3 on both connectors linked and going to the same 244.
Look at pin 11 for three 244s...
Replying to
@Workshopshed @MakersHour If you ever want a V2, then this could give a bit of inspiration...
https://boat.horse/clock/index.html
Replying to
Replying to
@bornach @MakersHour Ah yes, I have some of those too. They were really useful.
But in that specific case I also asked about an issue with one of their boards and they weren't able to support it as the engineer had gone, which presents another dilemma - open source is a good way for continuity and self-support for a business's products. But then the potential AI/slop impact can get even worse...
There is a fundamental tension between providing information and those exploiting it I guess.
Replying to
@LewisWorkshop@mastodon.online Not after finding it so disappointing last year I'm afraid (excepting meeting yourself of course)...
Replying to
@niconiconi@mk.absturztau.be This looked like such a great publication, at one point I was seriously looking to see if I could get a copy, after messing around quite a lot with the #TD4 CPU design myself. But ultimately had to decide there would be little point giving my lack of language skills.
But I was still looking if I could get copy. I mean, this really is such a great publication! :)
Replying to
@MakersHour@cupoftea.social A4 I'm not doing very well with these answers! No, "not really", to this one too :)
Holidays tend to be holidays from making too. Although finding inspiration from new places is always nice.
#MakersHour
Replying to
@suearcher@toot.wales @MakersHour@cupoftea.social Chickens and vegetables, no, nothing springs to mind at the intersection of those two things at all...
Replying to
@RueNahcMohr I suspect that is what is going on - but as I say, that isn't reflected in the schematic, so I think I probably need to reverse eng it properly...
Replying to
@lcamtuf@infosec.exchange That looks so good!
Are there plans for a UK preorder (postage from the US is a lot)?
I'm really not sure I can keep looking at that cover mind :)
Replying to
@drfootleg @MakersHour Surely this signals that you should return to the roots of 3D printers. Getting them to print new 3D printers! :)
Replying to
@MakersHour@cupoftea.social A3 No.
Unless this counts of course. It isn't easier but it was greatly simplified...
#MakersHourhttps://makertube.net/w/3wJUQJ9oHBgNRPo5XE5L6W
Replying to
cc #MakersHour
I can't help thinking this relates to some of our questions from time to time :)
#Springfluencer