Results for arcade

Plogue has released version 1.0.0.3 of Chipsounds, a virtual chipsound synthesizer plug-in which turns your host into a classic video game console, vintage 8bit home computer and even an 80’s arcade.

Plogue chipsounds authentically emulates more than eight vintage 8bit-era sound chips (on top of their variants), down to their smallest idiosyncrasies.

Changes in Chipsounds v1.0.0.3

• New presets (around 300 total).
• VST/AU parameters (only on first slots).
• MIDI Out in VSTi mode (AU later).
• Small skin installed but turned off by default (need to choose GUI_small in AriaSetup.xml).
• Transpose setting for each slot.
• MOS TED chip added (not worth a huge mention).
• Various bug fixes.

Chipsounds is available to purchase for PC and Mac (VST/AU/RTAS), priced at 65 EUR excl. VAT. A demo version of Chipsounds is now also available to download (Silence after a 15 minute session; No Save).

More information: Plogue / Chipsounds

Some interesting things I found recently:

# MidiFighter Kit

Ean Golden at djtechtools writes:

I am pleased to announce that in 2 weeks time we will be selling DIY MidiFighter kits in the web-store. This kit will be the first incarnation of our brand new controller line that allows several different levels of customization. Everything from creating original color combos to adding more analog interfaces and customizing the open-source firmware is possible with this exciting new tool.

MidiFighter Kit

MidiFighter kit details

• Release Date: November 30th.
• Price: Aprox $125 for the Kit + Arcade Buttons ($2.50 each) optional wood case- $40.
• Plug and Play-compatible device, compliant MIDI controller.
• USB powered.
• Must be assembled (no expertise required).
• 16 programmable buttons.
• 16 programmable LEDs.
• Expandable to 20 programmable buttons and 4 analog controls.
• Limited-edition 200-piece run in this configuration (black PCB with blue LEDs).

… read more

Plogue has released Chipsounds, a virtual chipsounds synthesizer plug-in for Windows and Mac.

This new product allow any musician to faithfully reproduce the sound and style of vintage video game music and sound effects in a convenient plugin format, usable inside any sequencer or DAW, or as a standalone virtual instrument.

Powered by Plogue/Garritan’s ARIA virtual instrument engine, chipsounds reproduces the idiosyncrasies of the most sought-after classic sound chips, including their most well-known variations, as sonically accurate as possible without adding any non-authentic aliasing or DSP artifacts. Whether musicians are already versed into chiptune/chip music or just interested in those sounds, this is one unique instrument for them.

Research and analysis for this project has been made in house on Plogue’s large collection of cartridges, modified consoles and classic computers and also on the chips themselves using custom made circuit boards and low level 8 bit software code.

Chipsounds simulates the following chips

• TIA used in the 2600 & 7800
  • Accurate Multipulse/Polynomial bit pattern waveforms for those unique combat, engine drones and powerful mix piercing “fake-saw” sound.
• 2A03 and its portable variant, used in the Big N consoles
  • Accurate pulse width settings (1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4).
  • Drawable 4bit/32 step bandlimited Waveform.
  • Huge number custom and classic waveforms to choose from, including the unique triangle sound of the Big “N”.
  • Short (93/127bit) and Long (32767bit) noise patterns accurately modeled.
• AY-3-8910 and its numerous clones 8912/8913/8914/2149F, used in Intv, ZX, ST, Arcades
  • Emulation of Sync Buzzer Envelope Looping tricks.
  • Accurate logarithmic 4Bit DAC.
• POKEY used in 400/800 series computer and Arcades
  • Fat and accurate Multipulse/Polynomial bit pattern waveforms with clock desynchronization.
• SN76489AN and its SN76496 SN94624N predecessor, used in the ColecoVision, SMS, BBC, TI99, PCjr, Tandy and Arcades
  • Basic and RAW, the purest chip there is.
  • Different NOISE patterns for all variants, all emulated.
• UVI used in the Arcadia 2001
  • A rarity that can prove effective in the grinding department with its logical anding of pulse and noise patterns (As used in the Arcadia 2001 and MPT-03).
• P824X used in the Odyssey 2
  • Obscure chip that oddly only plays the scale of E5 (slightly detuned).
  • And the subtle psychoacoustic sound of screaming at the start of its noise pattern.
• SID including 6580 and 8580, used in the C64
  • The most important sound chip of the 80’s gaming era.
  • Variable Pulsewidth, SAW, Triangle, 8bit noise and even combined waveforms.
  • Most waveforms are actually SAMPLES of the real thing for 100% accuracy, especially for the combined waveforms.
• VIC-I used in the VIC20
  • This chip is very underhestimated gem with tolally unique sounding waveforms.
  • Newly discovered “Robotic” waveforms are emulated.
  • Rough, nasty noise pattern too.

Chipsounds is available for PC and Mac (VST/AU/RTAS) for the introductory price of $75 USD until November 1, 2009.

More information: Plogue / Chipsounds

JBM has released Arcadion, a freeware monophonic synth VST plug-in for Windows PC.

Time to dust off them arcade joysticks and plugin your pennymachines. JBM is here with a plugin that will most likely get all arcade fans going wild. Arcadion is a monophonic 3 oscilator synth aiming to recreate how old time arcades sounded like when the 80’s ruled.

Arcadion features

• 3 oscilators.
• 10 waves per oscilator.
• Mixer between the oscilators.
• VCO and VCA envelope.
• 16 preprogrammed patches.

A demo mp3 is available here and you can download Arcadion here.

Some interesting things I found on May 23rd, 2008:

# Review: Olympus LS-10 WAV/WMA/MP3 Recorder – Olympus brings its expertise in cameras and voice recorders to the exploding field of portable WAV/MP3 recorders and comes up with some new twists. Guitarist Mark Nelson tests this 24-bit, aluminum-clad beauty and likes what he hears.

Mark writes:

I like the Olympus LS-10 a lot. I’m tickled with the design, ergonomics, audio quality, and the rugged aluminum case. I even like the little carrying case; it’s just big enough for the recorder and a mini tripod.

# Peter Vogel’s Fairlight Audio Archives – A collection of audio material including Fairlight demos, radio interviews and CMI pieces from the eighties. There are even a couple of recordings from the Fairlight CMI's predecessor, the Qasar M8, designed by Tony Furse.

# S T E I M needs your support –

Things are not well at STEIM. We are in the danger of losing our structural funding from the government, based on a review from the advisor board which called us ‘closed and only appealing to a niche audience’. The outlook isn’t exactly bleak, but at the moment our future is unclear.

You can help out the creators of the Cracklebox by writing to the Dutch government, more info here.

# Cyclepong 2.0 – Cyclepong is an update of the classic arcade game Pong to use bikes as the controllers.

# Interview: New Virtual Instrument Maker FAW Talks Usability and Design

Peter Kirn writes:

Eoin Rossney, our new writer and contributor to the Kore minisite, got a chance to talk to FAW co-founder Gavin Burke, a fellow Irishman. We’ll have more on the instrument itself soon, but it’s an excellent, coffee-fueled discussion.

Some interesting things I found on May 14th, 2008:

# MIDIBox – William Logo's DIY MIDIBox64 based controller.

Beautiful! Check William’s MIDIBox Flickr set for more images.

What’s in it?

• MIDIBox64 (uCApps.de)
• 12″x12″ Faux Walnut Case (Hammond case/Band It faux walnut iron on melamine)
• 16 Knobs (Futurelec)
• 5 Faders (60mm Bourns PTS series)
• 16 Arcade Buttons (Happ Controls)
• 32 MIDI controlled LED buttons (Shanpu/MEC 3F)
• Screen from Sparkfun

# CrudBox – Records button presses as a sequence controlling onboard 5v ports.

# NI Kore Minisite @ CDM – Peter Kirn launches a new blog devoted to NI’s Kore and Komplete lines.

Peter writes:

We’re pleased to have the opportunity to partner with Native Instruments to bring you regular stories on how to make the most of Kore and the Komplete family of instruments and effects (Reaktor, Kontakt, Massive, and more). Over the coming weeks, we’ll offer tutorials, interviews, tips, resources, and free downloadable projects and presets. We’ll have resources for beginners, but we’ll also have some bleeding-edge “things you’re not supposed to do” ideas, as well, because that’s half the fun of this.

# Synthinetic – A kinetically powered synthesizer that produces crazy sounds of destruction and beauty. Using energy creatively to produce and manipulate sound.

# Processing.js – John Resig ported the Processing visualization language to JavaScript, using the Canvas element.

# Ultra Awesome: NES coffee table – Kyle Downes made a giant NES controller/ coffee table/ storage box.