The Via board, was Re: [sdiy] super cheap synthisizers

[Linium]

Le Jeudi 13 Juin 2002 16:05, vous avez écrit :

> Bloody hell. Isn't that cute! All you need is a nice realtime embedded OS.
> Say, isn't there a linux project for that?

You shouldn't need an embedded OS since you can run normal OS like windoz or 
linux on it. Concerning realtime performance and linux, you need to recompile 
the source kernel with the lowlatency patch, that way should get quite low 
latency time (sub 10 ms). 

> But then I heard that characteristic sound of a record scratching. "AC'97"
>
> It's still a very cute but AC97 -or as they put it, "Consumer mode S/PDIF -
> is stuck at 48K sample rate. This is what you need if you wanna do AC3 but
> I suspect you'll need a sample rate converter at some point.

i find that 2 outs are not enough unless you want to do a dedicated PC with 
virtual synth and that's all. In my mind what could be nice is to make an 
hybrid synth with analog filters. So you need at least 4 outs and 6 or 8 are 
better.
I would add a cheap sbpci128 with 4 outs and use the serial port to send data 
to some DAC to control real VCF and VCA like the emf Moog-like ones.  
The PC generates sounds and control enveloppes, plus the Midi thing with 
PureData which an existing (free) synthesis package.
Well it gives a nice analog hybrid for not to much bucks.

> AC'97s aren't known for their quality either but there are some half
> reasonable implimentations. You just have to hope this is one of them. But
> this is very cute. Needless to say at around 300 bux AU I won't be getting
> one any time soon but let me know when you're ready to upgrade. I might
> give you 50 bux for it. :)

Me too i don't know if i am going  buy one. But it could make a nice Mame 
(you know that famous Arcade emulator) station :))

Linium