1

Temat: YM2203 FM+PSG soundcard (TriYM)

There is nice FM chip which got YM2149 inside.
(3channels FM OPL and 3channels PSG YM).
It was used in Turbosound FM on ZX Spectrum (2x YM2203).

Maybe we can have same standard as little Atari got StereoPokey upgrade (8channels stereo) on 8bit XE/XL Atari but on ST, MegaST,STE... So we will have 2x YM2203 and 1x original YM2149 from motherboard as soundcard.
There is TurboSound soundcard on ZX Spectrum. And on PC is crossplatform TFM Music Maker Tracker (lot of tunes exist and I have 14 000 instruments :) TFI). So we will have small board as StereoPokey and TFM player on ST as SAP or RMT player is on XE/XL for demos, games. One guy from from Exxos forum made 1x YM2203. So for test it and as start it will be good. Latter we can do V2 version as TFM music maker Tracker use 2x YM2203.
I will write author of tracker Shiru (know Him from Sega Megadrive homebrew) for player sources and TFM module and instrument description.

The YM2203, a.k.a. OPN (FM Operator Type-N), is a six channel (3 FM and 3 SSG) sound chip developed by Yamaha.

The YM2203 has the following features:

- Three concurrent FM channels (voices)
- Four operators per channel
- Two interval timers
- Internal implementation of Yamaha's YM2149F SSG chip

Wikipedia:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_YM2203

How it sounds only FM 2203?

https://youtu.be/FIeszfJJmjE
https://youtu.be/8osi0QhAot8
https://youtu.be/9ra2szcrVFg

YM2203 TFM Music Maker Tracker -
https://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=53467

I think we have lot of RAM 1mb or 4mb, Gotek, Ultrasatan, also few of us VOFA ISA STVGA too but no soundcard only Dreamblaster exist. Dreamblaster is perfect but not for Demoscene or new games ideal for Cubase or Adventure games ports from PCs. So we need something with more retro sound (simple like YM, Pokey or SID) and much cheaper (40Euro-50euro solution). Why not FPGA? As it is chip shortage also its not 100% emulation - simulation. FM will give new arcade feeling to games. Original ATARI used FM+YM combo in their arcade systems. Also its huge difference between 3 channels and 9 YM PSG or 6+3PSG. FM will be usable in Demos too(on PC they use softsynths FM sounds little bit similar to it or AceTracker use DSP on Falcon). I own 800XE and its huge difference between 4channel tunes and 8channels. 8 channels stereo are much more amazing!

We have all upgrades now time for classic soundchips SoundCard too. Lets call it TriYM (threeYM). And YM2203 is ideal as it have standard YM inside plus FM feature...

UNSEENMENACE 1X YM2203 OLD VERSION:
https://i.ibb.co/xmqf6R0/PCB.gif
https://i.ibb.co/1bRnvdS/Render.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/R6FnbzH/Bus-Translation.jpg

Here is Atari Forum:
https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=42245

Exxos Forum - 1x YM2203 version
https://exxosforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4124

It sounds really good like Konami Arcade Games or Atari Arcade System or Sega Megadrive / Soundblaster 16 Opl.

Also price is OK 10euro / piece not as Dreamblaster (which sounds beautiful) but cost much more and is Cubase/Notator solution. So complete upgrade will be like 40euro - 50euro.
YM2203+PSG is pure demoscene, homebrew like StereoPokey on 8bit.

I think ST should have good soundcard upgrade after years. And with original YM2203 as it is FPGA shortage. They are common part for Arcades.

What You think about this FM soundcard idea?

Name:
ThreeYM - TriYM

Ostatnio edytowany przez Matej (2022-10-07 06:21:22)

^Elanek
7x130XE + 3xAtari Falcon030 + 1xTT03 + 2xST-ATX

2

Odp: YM2203 FM+PSG soundcard (TriYM)

Similar soundcard was already designed and prototyped by Candle - ask him (and Lotharek) about Melody OPN cartridge.

hex, code and ror'n'rol
niewiedza buduje, wiedza rujnuje

3

Odp: YM2203 FM+PSG soundcard (TriYM)

tak jak pisałem na Atari-forum.com świetny pomysł, biorę sztukę

Lynx I / Mega ST 1 / 7800 / Portfolio / Lynx II / Jaguar / TT030 / Mega STe / 800 XL / 1040 STe / Falcon030 / 65 XE / 520 STm / SM124 / SC1435
DDD HDD / AT Speed C16 / TF536 / SDrive / PAK68/3 / Lynx Multi Card / LDW Super 2000 / XCA12 / SkunkBoard / CosmosEx / SatanDisk / UltraSatan / USB Floppy Drive Emulator / Eiffel / SIO2PC / Crazy Dots / PAM Net
http://260ste.atari.org

4

Odp: YM2203 FM+PSG soundcard (TriYM)

mono napisał/a:

Similar soundcard was already designed and prototyped by Candle - ask him (and Lotharek) about Melody OPN cartridge.

Yes but for small Atari XE/XL 8bit. This is for ST, MegaST etc. But will ask them maybe they will support this idea.

Ostatnio edytowany przez Matej (2022-10-06 16:11:17)

^Elanek
7x130XE + 3xAtari Falcon030 + 1xTT03 + 2xST-ATX

5

Odp: YM2203 FM+PSG soundcard (TriYM)

Ah, I'm blind. Forgive me guys.

hex, code and ror'n'rol
niewiedza buduje, wiedza rujnuje

6

Odp: YM2203 FM+PSG soundcard (TriYM)

nie dość, że nie stereo, to jeszcze i to na dokładkę :)

Cuda wianki i nie tylko :) POKEY 4ever ;)

7

Odp: YM2203 FM+PSG soundcard (TriYM)

Yes first will try test that from Exxos how it works than my idea is to upgrade it to:
2x ym2203 + ym2149
= 2x 3fm 3psg (STEREO) + ym2149 (stereo as on spectrum A- LEFT B- BOTH C- RIGHT) -> thayt B center both can be subwoofer out too (low bass freq for example) so it can be 2.1 soundcard / pure stereo / only ym2149 mono on both left right cinch(3 position switch like on Atari 800 StereoPokey got stereo/mono).

It can be done via mux mixer (like 1euro chip).

^Elanek
7x130XE + 3xAtari Falcon030 + 1xTT03 + 2xST-ATX

8

Odp: YM2203 FM+PSG soundcard (TriYM)

Yes first will try test that from Exxos forum how it works than my idea is to upgrade it to:

2x ym2203 + ym2149
= 2x 3fm 3psg (STEREO) + ym2149 (stereo as on spectrum A- LEFT B- BOTH center C- RIGHT)

-> that B can be even center both can be subwoofer out too (low bass freq for example) so it can be 2.1 soundcard / pure stereo / only ym2149 mono on both left right cinch(3 position switch like on Atari 800 StereoPokey got stereo/mono switch).

It can be done via mux mixer (like 1euro chip).

9psg YM classic an plus 6fm channels will sounds amazing. You can do tricks like reverb or echo like guys from Grayscale did on Pokey...

Ostatnio edytowany przez Matej (2022-10-07 11:16:30)

^Elanek
7x130XE + 3xAtari Falcon030 + 1xTT03 + 2xST-ATX

9

Odp: YM2203 FM+PSG soundcard (TriYM)

I think it is better to use some of 16 (or more) voice YM chips used in Sound Blasters

Mayonez/COBRA
Atari 1040 STE (4MB RAM, TOS 2.06/1.06, Ultrasatan, Netusbee)
Atari 65XE, 512KB ext. RAM, SIO2SD

10

Odp: YM2203 FM+PSG soundcard (TriYM)

yep, SB's EMU8000 would be cool, but anyway YM2203 is also ok

Lynx I / Mega ST 1 / 7800 / Portfolio / Lynx II / Jaguar / TT030 / Mega STe / 800 XL / 1040 STe / Falcon030 / 65 XE / 520 STm / SM124 / SC1435
DDD HDD / AT Speed C16 / TF536 / SDrive / PAK68/3 / Lynx Multi Card / LDW Super 2000 / XCA12 / SkunkBoard / CosmosEx / SatanDisk / UltraSatan / USB Floppy Drive Emulator / Eiffel / SIO2PC / Crazy Dots / PAM Net
http://260ste.atari.org

11

Odp: YM2203 FM+PSG soundcard (TriYM)

I have 10x opl3 + dac - 18channel FM stereo at home. But YM2203 is compatible with that classic YM2149 which is inside every ST and thats nice feature also more simple coding, or tracker modules. Also sounds very close to OPL2/3 from Soundblaster. To get full potential of OPL3 multiple operators and effects you need 400mhz pentium + 128mb - my friend coded AdlibTracker2. Very cool tracker. More simple songs can be replayed on 6502/65c816/68000 but multilayer operators plus effects not.

Opl3 how it sounds:
https://youtu.be/qwtqbwDjoqM
https://youtu.be/DEhbdVYSVMQ

Lotharek is doing Melody FM for A800 XE/XL with opl3. But instruments will be more simple. 2operators etc. Probably on 68040/68060 will be same as on pentium.

But 2x ym2203 sounds close and eats less cpu.

Ostatnio edytowany przez Matej (2022-10-07 19:01:11)

^Elanek
7x130XE + 3xAtari Falcon030 + 1xTT03 + 2xST-ATX

12

Odp: YM2203 FM+PSG soundcard (TriYM)

Matej napisał/a:

I have 10x opl3 + dac - 18channel FM stereo at home. But YM2203 is compatible with that classic YM2149 which is inside every ST and thats nice feature also more simple coding, or tracker modules. Also sounds very close to OPL2/3 from Soundblaster. To get full potential of OPL3 multiple operators and effects you need 400mhz pentium + 128mb - my friend coded AdlibTracker2. Very cool tracker. More simple songs can be replayed on 6502/65c816/68000 but multilayer operators plus effects not.

Opl3 how it sounds:
https://youtu.be/qwtqbwDjoqM
https://youtu.be/DEhbdVYSVMQ

Lotharek is doing Melody FM for A800 XE/XL with opl3. But instruments will be more simple. 2operators etc. Probably on 68040/68060 will be same as on pentium.

But 2x ym2203 sounds close and eats less cpu.

Sounds great, typical "metalic" FM

Mayonez/COBRA
Atari 1040 STE (4MB RAM, TOS 2.06/1.06, Ultrasatan, Netusbee)
Atari 65XE, 512KB ext. RAM, SIO2SD

13

Odp: YM2203 FM+PSG soundcard (TriYM)

I know I'm a bit late to this thread but I stumbled on this while doing a Google Image search for YM2203 circuit diagrams :D  I've recently gone back to this project as I've learnt a lot about circuit design over the last year as I've been working on my own custom PC keyboard using a Teensy.  I've made a number of improvements based on feedback I've had and stuff I've learnt and I'm almost ready to get a prototpye PCB made.  Responding to some of the other suggestions in this thread, the reason I went for the YM2203 is that it uses the exact same register arrangement as the YM2149 but has some extra registers for the FM channels.  The pinout is slightly different and the ST only uses 2 of the 3 control lines (the 3rd is just held high on the ST), hence the need for the extra logic to translate the control signals from the ST to something the YM2203 should understand (basically converting 2-bit control to 3-bit).

p.s. how do you get it to display attached images in the post?

Ostatnio edytowany przez Unseen Menace (2023-08-22 19:37:22)

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14

Odp: YM2203 FM+PSG soundcard (TriYM)

Unseen Menace napisał/a:

Responding to some of the other suggestions in this thread, the reason I went for the YM2203 is that it uses the exact same register arrangement as the YM2149 but has some extra registers for the FM channels.  The pinout is slightly different and the ST only uses 2 of the 3 control lines (the 3rd is just held high on the ST), hence the need for the extra logic to translate the control signals from the ST to something the YM2203 should understand (basically converting 2-bit control to 3-bit).

sounds promising
as I mentioned I would buy one for my ST

Unseen Menace napisał/a:

p.s. how do you get it to display attached images in the post?

just put a link (remove "&preview&secure_str=qwc35" from the link) to your uploaded between the IMG tag 

http://www.atari.org.pl/forum/misc.php?action=pun_attachment&item=10786
http://www.atari.org.pl/forum/misc.php?action=pun_attachment&item=10785

Post's attachments

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Tylko zalogowani mogą pobierać załączniki.
Lynx I / Mega ST 1 / 7800 / Portfolio / Lynx II / Jaguar / TT030 / Mega STe / 800 XL / 1040 STe / Falcon030 / 65 XE / 520 STm / SM124 / SC1435
DDD HDD / AT Speed C16 / TF536 / SDrive / PAK68/3 / Lynx Multi Card / LDW Super 2000 / XCA12 / SkunkBoard / CosmosEx / SatanDisk / UltraSatan / USB Floppy Drive Emulator / Eiffel / SIO2PC / Crazy Dots / PAM Net
http://260ste.atari.org