PlayCity support in SymAmp (SymbOS)

[Prodatron]

My PlayCity cards arrived this monday, so I couldn't resist with implementing the sound support in SymAmp. Thanks to SyX' modified PT3 player routines this was quite easy, so yesterday evening I already had a result:


PlayCity 6 channel sound in SymbOS for the Amstrad CPC

I had a lot of fun, as the sound is really cool (in reality), so THANKS A LOT, TotO for this very nice piece of hardware!! 
Also many thanks to SyX for the modified routines!

The implementation in SymAmp isn't 100% finished and will take a few more days, but if someone wants to try out the current version, just ask here.

CU,
Prodatron

[CraigsBar]

He'll yes please

[TotO]

Great work!
Thank you for your support... And sharing this video.

What about a SymTracker? 

[SyX]

GREAT WORK!!!

Remember to add in the wiki page that SymAmp supports the board

PS: I love that yellow Zilog logo in the CTC

[Optimus]

Awesome!

Where do I buy Playcity?

[TFM]

There:


PlayCity MX4 Board - Cent Pour Cent

[Ast]

@Optimus : here!


Have a good fun...

[Ast]

Arg, same time as Tfm.... 

[TFM]

Haha! Good teamwork here! 

[Prodatron]

He'll yes please

Ok, here is the EXE from last evening + the 6channel PT3s I currently have.
There are some issues left:
- PT3 playback is currently fixed to PlayCity only
- initialisation of normal 3channel PT3s is buggy (it takes 15-20 seconds before they start; maybe I use a wrong TS_Status value)
- song position jumping doesn't work exactly
- MSX support for PT3 playback currently cut out (ok, not so interesting in this forum probably )

What about a SymTracker? 

Indeed Trebmint started a design some years ago
[attachimg=3]
But currently I hope that there will be a Starkos version + player, which is more effective compared to the double-PT3 concept.

BTW, I have the 10 PT3 6channel modules from the Reset#10 player. Are there already more available?

@SyX: Will add it now to the list Btw wouldn't it be better to put the list directly in the PlayCity article?

CU,
Prodatron

[mahlemiut]

Does this mean I have to emulate the PlayCity now?

[CraigsBar]

Does this mean I have to emulate the PlayCity now?

no, just buy one. They are awesome.

[Prodatron]

Does this mean I have to emulate the PlayCity now?

Would be very cool, if the PlayCity is emulated in some more emulators!  Should be very easy only for the music part, as there are only 2x2 additional ports + the timing of the YMZ chips (only two additional OUTs).

CU,
Prodatron

[SyX]

Good night!

There are some issues left:
- initialisation of normal 3channel PT3s is buggy (it takes 15-20 seconds before they start; maybe I use a wrong TS_Status value)

I converted the player for those 6 channels songs and tried to optimize a little, maybe i made something that hurt the normal 3 channels songs. I should take a look, but i only will being able to look in december (crossing fingers ).

But currently I hope that there will be a Starkos version + player, which is more effective compared to the double-PT3 concept.

Me too, there is a pair of projects working in this line and those are going to help a lot to make possible that new games have extra music for PlayCity (McKlain is killing for being able to put his hands in a CPC tracker that support more than 3 channels).

I have a semi-functional midi converter/player using the PlayCity and work in progress version of an extended AYC player for supporting extra channels and being able to use it in demos without taking a big hit in CPU.

BTW, I have the 10 PT3 6channel modules from the Reset#10 player. Are there already more available?

Yes, there is a few ones in the Vortex tracker package, look inside the Turbo-Sound folder, i only took the ones i liked more.

@SyX: Will add it now to the list Btw wouldn't it be better to put the list directly in the PlayCity article?

Instead of being the last thing in the PlayCity page, they are the first thing in the software support page. I felt it's better in that way.

The PlayCity article links to this page and i made that with the idea that the software supporting the board has its own place, not only because people could find faster software using the board, but specially for developers have a better place to announce them and explain with more detail (and pictures) how their software use the board.

[CraigsBar]

OH MY GOD!!! SymAmp with 6 channel sound is AWESOME!


I have just listened to these tracks on my PlayCity equipped 6128plus (Loaded from a DOS Floppy) and the presentation is amazing. Although these are clearly the same tracks as the Reset 10 demo disk but I swear they sound better in SymAmp.


there is only one slight problem. I now need to get a 2nd PlayCity card to match up with my Symbiface on my other machine.. Damn you Prodatron and Tot0 Damn you both 


But keep it up, I am loving the CPC in 2014

[mahlemiut]

no, just buy one. They are awesome.

If it were practical for me to do, I would.

Of course, if it were up to me, I'd go over the top and make it like Gyruss sound hardware - 5 AY-3-8910s and a DAC.

[Trebmint]

Where do I sign the petition for Richard to integrate PlayCity into WinApe and make it the defacto new Sound Hardware that the CPC has waited 20 years for???

[Prodatron]

Yes, there is a few ones in the Vortex tracker package, look inside the Turbo-Sound folder, i only took the ones i liked more.

Thanks, I collected all additional ones I could found (28 songs) and have attached them here! I agree, you probably selected the best ones, but a few of these additional ones are quite good, too.
If someone knows about even more, feel free to post them here!

I converted the player for those 6 channels songs and tried to optimize a little, maybe i made something that hurt the normal 3 channels songs. I should take a look, but i only will being able to look in december (crossing fingers ).

No problem, I should be able to fix it. I can still see somehow the structure of the old original PT3 player I used before, so it shouldn't be complicated. I will upload the sources when it's finished.

I have a semi-functional midi converter/player using the PlayCity and work in progress version of an extended AYC player for supporting extra channels and being able to use it in demos without taking a big hit in CPU.

Cool A midi player for the CPC, that's crazy!...

CU,
Prodatron

[villain]

Whoooooo, that's cool. I just do some experiments with Vortex Tracker. Don't know if there will be any results but if anybody here is an experienced user, please let me know. Some questions probably will occur.

[MacDeath]

Edited a bit some Wiki "chiptune" and "Sound" related pages to add a few links, be it Chiptune sceners or the Playcity... to have a bit more visibility...

[mahlemiut]

Made a start at this...

(MESS) amstrad: Added preliminary support for the PlayCity. · ed94243 ·

[TotO]

Ho, it's great to read that!!! 
Thank you.

[SyX]

Made a start at this...

(MESS) amstrad: Added preliminary support for the PlayCity. · ed94243 ·

Fantastic!

I'm going to compile mess now for testing the demo programs

Barry if you need more information, ask. And the same thing, if you are interested in adding support for X-Mem or Minibooster in Mess

[Prodatron]

Very cool!! And I didnt know that other CPC hardware is supported, too (like the Symbiface II)

[SyX]

I have retouched the PlayCity software page, adding software categories for being clearest and a few captures of Mess using the PlayCity thanks to @mahlemiut. Now the NMI interrupts work!!! Great Work mahlemiut!!!

For the most impatient, remember that you will need to recompile Mess for testing the PlayCity support, the rest can wait to the next Mess official version