[sdiy] Timbreon and firmware synth

[Magnus Danielson]

From: ASSI <Stromeko at compuserve.de>
Subject: Re: [sdiy] Timbreon and firmware synth
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 21:01:50 +0100
Message-ID: <200503092101.50883.Stromeko at Compuserve.DE>

> On Mittwoch, 9. März 2005 02:14, Batz Goodfortune wrote:
> > Has anyone done, or even tried to build a synth at firmware level
> > using old computer hardware. In theory, even an old 486 board should
> > lend it self to this task. Running directly from ROM with no bloated
> > OS and minimal hardware support, something like this should fly.
> 
> An old Sun SparcStation (2 or IPX) would be the ideal candidate. It has 
> the audio codec built-in and can run and network from OpenBoot (a FORTH 
> system with the occasional extension) without any help from an 
> operating system.

You can do the same on even more recent (and powerfull!) Sun hardware.

Also, this is naturally what you do with a Sun-workstation when you get tired
with the normal stuff and want a fresh set of problems to solve. Yet another
variant is to hack SPARC assembler ;O)

Hmm... I have the main-boards of some old HP minicomputer lying around
somewhere, I think it was 68020 or 68030 with an 68881 each. 4 fast boards and
one slightly slower. Should be ideal for some flimsy hack... also, I didn't get
my share of 68k hacking, so I still feel it is a good idea. :P

Cheers,
Magnus