Posted By
MMS
on 2014-03-23
09:25:02
 |  Re: Tracker instruments
Comment 1) 8bit HW output?
I recently had a discussion with TLC, if the SID card's improved 8bit digital output (called SID Digi-blaster) may improve the digi sound output?
The question is raised due to an idea to realize a 8bit Covox like sound card (with Ferranti ZN426E or equivalent) via the Plus/4 User Port: would it have any benefit on the quality of sound output? Modifiying existing programs would no be a big deal, as I see, but I am a lamer to do it myself, haha!
Theoretically the 8 bit instead of 4 bit may result more noise-less output, not to mention that some CPU power could be saved, as you can pass the raw 8bit data (mixed from 3-4 paralelle samples) to user port output, no need to reconvert it to 4 bit. --> higher sampling rate can be reached. --> upper frequencies could be converted too eg in SID emu. By this the tracker like playback would be possible, in a better quality than on C64 (8bit VS 4 bit).
Covox card is easy, I made one for my PC 16 years ago.
Interestingly switching on and off the Digi blaster in Plus4emu did not cause any noticeable difference.
anyone has any idea, why?
Comment 2)
Increasing the spped also possible if you do not switch off completely the screen (Pigmy did it in the past witha 3-channel playback, was something from Michael Jackson in 1995 or so), but to switch off partially the screen (eg. leave only 100 rasterlines visible) and switch the Plussy to NTSC mode in the non visible area. That may provide extra 20% CPU power, as I calculated, though with half screen visible, but still much nicer than a completely blank screen.
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