Download code to the RAM on the cartridge or the NES? The cartridge has no RAM, it's a microcontroller->CPLD, with the CPLD passing opcodes to the 2a03 chip to synthesize notes.
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Minneapolis
Looking at the prototype pages for TSUNDERE, I found this:
It appears to be a cartridge prototype made by the designer, though I am not sure if it's the final design at all. I am very curious about it, because there are no ROMs on board. Did you use that cartridge for development? If so, how did it work? I notice that there are no CHR lines hooked up on the 72-pin connector, and with no spot for any kind of ROM were you just feeding it data from an Arduino perhaps?
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Thanks for the MIDI docs, I'll try to implement as many of those CC's as possible, and also see if I could map them to piano keys on the lowest octaves.
That's one of my prototypes, before I learned how to use CPLDs. All those logic IC's were replaced with a single CPLD, which feeds data to the NES by itself. The Arduino injects code into the CPLD so that it doesn't have to use resources keeping the NES constantly updated.
Last edited by jarek (May 9, 2011 5:10 pm)
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Minneapolis
D'oh, you just said it before I posted. Micro -> CPLD -> 2A03. Clever arrangement.
EDIT: also saves you having to learn any 6502 code. 
EDIT2: I assume that by directly feeding the 2A03 it would make it much more difficult to do anything other than audio production with the NES hardware during operation, yes?
Last edited by arfink (May 9, 2011 5:16 pm)
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Sweeeeeeden
jarek wrote:
Download code to the RAM on the cartridge or the NES? The cartridge has no RAM, it's a microcontroller->CPLD, with the CPLD passing opcodes to the 2a03 chip to synthesize notes.
Oh! So it doesn't even have a tiny bit of (flash) ROM space? It's all live, so to speak? Well, obviously the NES's RAM. It's just 2k, but I'm sure some people can use it for something interesting, if you can copy some code into RAM and jump to it.
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Right, this cartridge is all about audio production.
The cartridge microcontroller has a lot of ROM left over, even after implementing all the features, so if you wanna pick up a dev kit from the Kickstarter, you can hack it open and program any code you would like
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Sweeeeeeden
Don't have many moniez, don't have a NES and don't know 6502 asm, so this thing is not for me. Cool nevertheless, of course!
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Tacoma WA
I'm kind of confused.
Is this designed more towards music production (something you can hook up to your DAW and have pretty good control of the 2a03) or towards just plug and play with a midi keyboard.
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I also pronounce meme like meh-meh. I calls em like I sees em
Don't need to know any asm, this is a completely Plug and Play cartridge for MIDI instruments and computers with an inexpensive USB->MIDI peripheral. This would output the NES-synthesized notes into your DAW, for post-production.
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Chicago IL
jarek wrote:
I also pronounce meme like meh-meh.
gross!
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Saskrotch wrote:
i like how he says MIDI like Meaty
I thought the same thing!
except I didn't like it
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*E wrote:
Saskrotch wrote:i like how he says MIDI like Meaty
gross!
I thought the same thing!
except I didn't like it
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Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA
you might try obtaining a copy of MidiNES to understand just how powerful the cart is.. it will give you an idea of where the bar has been set.
It's super powerful and you'd have to have those features and more to get me to buy.. and if you matched midines 100% i'd say it's easily worth more than $100-150 so long as you made stock and sold from stock and delivered in a quick and timely manner.
but first things first.. invest in a MidiNES cart to see what it's capable of.
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low-gain wrote:
you might try obtaining a copy of MidiNES to understand just how powerful the cart is.. it will give you an idea of where the bar has been set.
It's super powerful and you'd have to have those features and more to get me to buy.. and if you matched midines 100% i'd say it's easily worth more than $100-150 so long as you made stock and sold from stock and delivered in a quick and timely manner.but first things first.. invest in a MidiNES cart to see what it's capable of.
I received a MIDINes when I started developing the Chip Maestro in a trade for a prototype version, and have been using it as a benchmark ever since. For accurate, low latency MIDI to NES note synthesizing, the Chip Maestro matches MIDINes on Video Off mode.
My primary goals were to make it:
1. Fast
2. Reliable
3. Inexpensive
Matching the MIDINes would require matching the price, and that conflicted with my top three priorities. However, if you feel that you would prefer to have the more advanced features at the expense of speed and reliability, consider pledging and receiving a dev kit, so that you can customize the Chip Maestro to your needs.
Last edited by jarek (May 10, 2011 2:33 am)
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Minneapolis
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't it be possible to slap headers on the regular production cartridge? If so, that's what I'd be considering if I decide to get one, as I simply don't have the change for the developer's level pledge.