Re: What exactly is a Mockingboard?

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Dosius writes ...
> 
> I know very little about the piece of hardware called "Mockingboard".
> Does anyone know how it works?  it uses an "AY8910" processor?  I was
> asked to implement this in Dapple if possible, and I'd like to, if not
> in Dapple, then in Dapple ][.  Apparently Marat's AY8910 emulator
> isn't up to the task (only square wave), so I might need some info on
> the AY8910?

 ....

     A Mockingboard is a slot card that plugs into an Apple II ... IIgs or a
module that connects to a //c (and, I guess, a IIc+).  There are several
models, including some with speech chips.

     Probably, the most popular Mockingboard models were the ones with two
AY-3-8910 Programmable Sound Generators, like the "Sound II", "A", "C", "D".
These supplied two outputs, each having three 'voices'-- so, for instance, you
could play six tones at once. Anyway, that is the configuration which got the
best support in software releases.

     You can find good examples of Mockingboard sound in Ultima III-V (mainly
music), Thunderbombs (sound effects), Lancaster (music and effects).

     For more about Mockingboard and programming, see

http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/Csa2SOUND.html#009 ...
ftp://ground.ecn.uiowa.edu/apple2/Faqs/R027MOCKBD.DOC .



Rubywand