Forte Music MIDI chips?

[Kevin Lightner]

While attending the last NAMM show, I picked up a pamplet for a line of
IC's by Forte Music.
Three chips- FM-MK1, FM-MK2, FM-MK3

They are for encoding keyboards and controllers to MIDI for use in MIDI
master keyboards.

Has anyone heard of these? Used them?

The man at the booth said they were basically targeting manufacturers for
mass purchases, but that small quantities could be made available.

The MK1 is pretty bare bones- just keyboard scanning, sustain pedal in, and
MIDI out.

The MK2 has more- Pitch, Mod and Vol inputs in addition to the MK1 features.

The MK3 has the above plus Aftertouch and two analog inputs for data entry
and master volume.
It also allows an eeprom, MIDI in, switch panel scanning, an 3 digit 7 seg
LED display and several other cool features.

The MK2 and 3's are 40 pin DIPS. The MK1 is available in 24 narrow DIP or
surface mount.
They're all 5vdc powered.

I don't have prices, but they weren't massively expensive as I remember it.

Pretty cool to have all of that on one chip though.
I can think of lots of cool things I could encode with something like this.  :)

-K