Better music capabilities

Champion (285)

08-12-2017, 07:56

When I listened to some ZX-Spectrum game music I could clearly hear drums and things like high hit-hat and close hit-hat, snare, etc. which you don't hear in MSX PSG game music!
So does ZX-Spectrum sound generator more advance than MSX1 or what? And what are the features of it?!

Для того, чтобы оставить комментарий, необходимо регистрация или !login

By JohnHassink

Ambassador (5684)

08-12-2017, 08:09

No, it's exactly the same PSG; the AY-3-8910.
Could you give an example of things you hear in Spectrum music which you didn't hear on MSX PSG?

By Pencioner

Scribe (1612)

08-12-2017, 08:59

What if some Spectrum games used PSG + its speaker (i believe latest machines with PSG still have that legacy speaker of 1st versions), and that's why it look like an extra channel suitable for hi-hats, snares etc? (I'm now aware, it is just a wild guess)

By syn

Prophet (2135)

08-12-2017, 09:16

What legacy speaker do you mean?

By hamlet

Scribe (4106)

08-12-2017, 10:34

The specci have an build in speaker, which provides the same sound channels as the external EAR and TV output. There is no extra channel except maybe the rattle of its plastic case.
There wasn´t much MSX with build in speakers?

By Grauw

Ascended (10821)

08-12-2017, 11:45

The AY3 was only added in the ZX Spectrum 128. The previous models only had something akin to the key click on MSX, which can produce tones by software-controlled oscillation (through a BIOS call). It does consume the full CPU while playing a tone though, so if you ask me it’s unlikely that it’s used in combination with the AY3.

By hamlet

Scribe (4106)

08-12-2017, 11:43

So the plus model could add a "click" to the AY3 sound? Or does the AY3 replace the click chip?

By Grauw

Ascended (10821)

08-12-2017, 11:52

The key click on MSX is only a click because it’s toggled between 0 and 1 state once. If you toggle it at 440 Hz, you get a middle A square wave sound, just like on the Spectrum. It’s not really a chip either, just some GPIO (from the PPI in the case of MSX) which is mixed into the audio signal.

The AY3 on the 128 does not replace the beeper, it has both, although the speaker disappeared and both are output through the TV.

By hamlet

Scribe (4106)

08-12-2017, 11:52

So it would be possible to add a percussion voice, like eimaster asked?
I know this is not a Sinclair forum I even haven´t a Spectrum, but this is a nice hack.

By Grauw

Ascended (10821)

08-12-2017, 11:59

The beeper (Spectrum) / key click (MSX) can be used to have an additional square wave or noise channel in addition to the AY3, but since it requires 100% CPU it means you can’t do anything else while it’s sounding.

Also, it has no volume control.

By hamlet

Scribe (4106)

08-12-2017, 11:58

Does it work on MSX a similar way? Or is the MSX click produced by the AY3?