I am interested, found them on eBay, but they don't ship them outside Germany 🙁

shock__ wrote:

a small electronics distributor (SLY Electronics) near me (Berlin) is currently clearing out their old stock - offering unused 8580R5 SID chips for 25€

Interesting offer. I can be interested in it, but I'm struggling for money now. I need at least 5 SID's for some orders.

I'm ready to replace my PCB order, got some money for it.
But at the moment bristlehog is reporting about strange behavior with his board while he trying to write some drivers.
We need to investigate this before PCBs will be ordered.

Yep, I'm developing a SID player for DOS and Innovation SSI-2001, and meeting some strange effects. Hopefully, we (me, Fagear and our third crew member who isn't here on Vogons) shall overcome them and it will be possible to play not only MIDI and games over the card, but various PSID, RSID etc. modules too.

Awesome, good luck guys!

I would love to see how does development of such a thing look like, and programming for MS DOS. Is it possible that you make a short video?

Stojke wrote:

I would love to see how does development of such a thing look like, and programming for MS DOS. Is it possible that you make a short video?

Well, maybe yes. As long as I regularly produce videos I can shoot one about development. I mean, I've done this already several times. 😀
I think I can do one about PCB layout: copying layout, improving it, adding new features. History-like one.
But I have too many ideas for the videos and too little time to plan, shoot and edit them all. 🤣
And, well, I shoot them in Russian language, because my viewers are Russian-speaking and my verbal English is not so good.

Translating everything to English is not so easy, because I do not write any script before videos. So after I've done a video I have to watch it, write down all text, translate it into English and mess up with Youtube subtitle system. The last one is terrible. It can take many hours to do, even longer than I shoot and edit the video.

About programming... it is up to bristlehog. At the moment at least. Maybe I'll join him to help write some code for the replica one day. Because I've already downloaded some sources for SID-emulators and I'm looking into them from time to time. 😕

Upd.
Here are some pictures I've taken two days ago. Main room is occupied with "new year food and drinks" 🤣 and in the second room there is chaos (room overhaul). So I've found some free space (0.5x0.5m) and doing the debug in such way:

Youtube has that commentary thing, you could just add english translation latter .
Really cool videos! I have no idea whats going on in the oscilloscope one, but i like it 😁

Some good news here!
I've replaced my order for the first batch of new PCBs (30pcs. now), today it was confirmed and I've already paid for it.
So, in 15 days I should get new PCBs! 😎

Awesome 😀

Small video about packaging the replica.
Still waiting for PCBs, they should be ready on January 29th.

Love all these little video snippets - it's great to see this project coming along so nicely!

I've got the message that my PCBs are done. 😎 I'm waiting for shipping tomorrow and hoping that I didn't really screwed it all up.

shock__ wrote:

I don't know if eBay links are allowed here, but a small electronics distributor (SLY Electronics) near me (Berlin) is currently clearing out their old stock - offering unused 8580R5 SID chips for 25€
I've bought from them before and had very good experiences - maybe one or another user here is interested in sourcing their chips from them? I could also pre-test them in one of my C64s to make sure you don't get a new but broken chip if wanted.

You can find 8580R5 SID chips for a couple of dollars on Taobao in China:
http://s.taobao.com/search?q=8580R5&commend=a … 803581.d4908513

Is the 8580R5 the best one?

vetz wrote:

You can find 8580R5 SID chips for a couple of dollars on Taobao in China:
Is the 8580R5 the best one?

I can't really recommend any of them. Because I don't know.
I've tried some time ago to buy 8580s at aliexpress for $6/IC, the seller "sent the item" but soon I've got message "The cargo has problem, so there is no shipment, sorry" (and a lot more chinglish). So, just stupid scam.
MAYBE someone can find cheap source of real working SIDs (not fake one) but I didn't find it yet. You can try it (I'm not registered at Taobao), if chips are fake - you simply can get money back and only lose some time. If they are real ones - pretty good, you will be happy.

Term "best" is not the correct one.
8580 and 6581 are different. In the most ways they perform very similar to each other, 8580 is more close to datasheet (6581 sometimes performs differently from document claims). But there are fans of both 6581 and 8580. So it is personal, sound of which one you prefer.

The replica is compatible with both 6581 and 8580 but to change the IC you have to do some modifications on the PCB (install 78L09 regulator for 8580 or remove and short it for 6581).
Actually you can run 6581 on PCB configured for 8580, so 6581 will run at +9 V instead of +12 V. Many chances it will work, but output sound will clip and distort.

Got the new PCBs (subtitles pending...)!
They are pretty good...

Assembling and testing are in progress, I'll keep you updated.

They look amazing!

awesome!!!

So awesome to finally see my name on a PCB 😀

How do I send you my money?

So... First board is assembled (English subtitles are pending...)!

IT WORKS!
Better than the 1st version.
1) no problems with fast PCs (no need to mod anything yourself)
2) it is compatible with regular mounting bracket (like from ESS AudioDrive and many other dirt-cheap boards)
3) audio connectors now are regular 3.5mm mini jacks
4) working AUDIO OUT header (for internal connection with other sound cards), it automatically turns off when something is connected into 3.5mm mini jack
5) working line input (for daisy chain), it automatically shorts input to ground if nothing is connected (noise pickup prevention)
6) supports 555IE6 and 74HC192 counters (they perform a little differently), jumpers set correct frequency (0.89 or 1.02 MHz) with any of these ICs
7) daughter-boards are supported as well as with 3.5mm mini-jack (that will be placed into 3rd hole in mounting bracket)

^^ That's some fantastic work Fagear - very professional! BTW, what soldering iron were you using? I think I need to upgrade mine.

You mention daughter boards - what plans/ ideas do you have for those? Something like DSPs for effects?

Oh boy... I want mine!! 😁