What is it?

This is a well-established sound module for the RC2014 Z80 computer

Why did you make it?

Note that Ed's R6 board uses different ports to the R5 and earlier revs. I've long been using an R5 module with RC2014, which can be jumpered to 'standard' RC2014 ports $D0 and $D8.

However, my MSX2014 project obviously required the sound module to be set to MSX ports - $A0 and $A1. The R5 and earlier revisions do not allow this, but the R6 does.

If you need the earlier board, then those are available in kit form at z80kits.com. If you need this revision, which allows you to set Speccy or MSX ports, then it is open source, or I can send you, with Ed's permission, an assembled and tested module, either with or without a tested AY chip.

What makes it special?

The AY sound chip was very widely used in home computers and arcade cabinets and has a distinctive sound. It's a 3-voice sound generator with square wave and/or noise and an envelope generator. There's a music player (PTX Player) with many, many .pt3 files that you can play.

The chip was used in MSX1 computers and as mentioned, this module is also used in my RC2014-based MSX build, which is the reason that I've built some R6 modules and am offering them here.

Note that AY/YM chips haven't been made for a long time, and any chip you buy is very unlikely to be new stock despite what the seller may claim. Therefore if you choose the 'with sound chip' option then I can make no claims or guarantees for the chip, other than that I will send you one that I have tested and works.

Note also that I'm supplying this with X1 (the on-board oscillator) unpopulated, because it isn't required for my MSX2014 project or for use with standard RC2014. (It uses the bus clock signal and can divide that by 2 or 4. See Ed's documentation).