Re: Covox Sound Master Reverse Engineering / Replica

Posted on 2016-12-19, 14:38

by

by Yvan256

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

I haven't forgot about this project, but a lot of stuff has been happening since I last posted here. Here's something interesting, if it could further help this project: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/272490757158

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Re: Covox Sound Master Reverse Engineering / Replica

Posted on 2015-02-12, 15:02

by

by Yvan256

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

The best solution for the bracket might be to simply cut those on a CNC and then use a sheet metal brake for the bends required. My CNC is almost up and running and although I didn't plan on cutting metal with it, I could give it a try. Even if it takes 20 passes to go through the metal, it doesn't …

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Re: Covox Sound Master Reverse Engineering / Replica

Posted on 2015-01-30, 14:19

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by Yvan256

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Jepael wrote: On a side note, did anyone have a link to the programming manual? It might help figuring out the hardware as well. I have the original programming manual, once I have access to a scanner I'll scan it.

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Re: Covox Sound Master Reverse Engineering / Replica

Posted on 2015-01-28, 15:30

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by Yvan256

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Here's the best I can do at the moment, without a scanner.

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Re: Covox Sound Master Reverse Engineering / Replica

Posted on 2015-01-27, 16:26

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by Yvan256

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

I'm slowly getting there... I have not much time to do this and PCB is really hard to reverse. http://fotkidepo.ru/photo/229919/46283k6000wyFJs/1052198.jpg Awful layout. And lots of traces are invisible under ICs. But still, I didn't finished with all visible traces yet. And a GAL/PAL device is a …

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Re: Covox Sound Master Reverse Engineering / Replica

Posted on 2014-12-26, 14:51

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by Yvan256

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

carlostex wrote: Yvan256 wrote: I'll have to fetch up the programming manual. You guys also have it... right? I can only speak for myself, AFAIK no one here in vogons has any kind of Sound Master documentation. I have never found anything digitally on the web either. I guess that's something else I …

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Re: Covox Sound Master Reverse Engineering / Replica

Posted on 2014-12-26, 04:20

by

by Yvan256

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

It is a bit difficult to find info, but some sources say the Sound Master has a DAC and it supports DMA for the DAC, so the PAL chip would be handling DMA protocol. Now, I can't find any timebase chip to trigger DMA transactions, so you guys with the schematics can re-post it or figure out if the …

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Re: Covox Sound Master Reverse Engineering / Replica

Posted on 2014-12-25, 22:47

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by Yvan256

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Finished for today with it. [...] Currently using outline from SSI-2001 replica project. :happy: Yeah, yeah, I can take a hint... (viewed from components side) http://yvan256.net/soundcards/Covox-Sound-Master-1-PCB-dimensions.png What worries me about that GAL is the non-fab, white silkscreen on it …

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Re: Covox Sound Master Reverse Engineering / Replica

Posted on 2014-12-08, 00:46

by

by Yvan256

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

carlostex wrote: Awsome!!! Thanks Yvan. The traces on the card are quite visible so the pictures are not too bad. But i'm a bit worried about that GAL. One step at a time. ..

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Re: Covox Sound Master Reverse Engineering / Replica

Posted on 2014-12-08, 00:45

by

by Yvan256

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Fagear wrote: I've downloaded the archive, opened fine. I will take a look at photos next day. If you need better close-ups on some area or parts details, just tell me.

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Re: Covox Sound Master Reverse Engineering / Replica

Posted on 2014-12-07, 21:40

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by Yvan256

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Robin4 wrote: That archive is damaged! Maybe you've downloaded it before it was completely uploaded? The size is 82 148 706 bytes.

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Re: Covox Sound Master Reverse Engineering / Replica

Posted on 2014-12-07, 21:05

by

by Yvan256

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Alright, here's close-up photos taken with an old iPhone 3GS. I'll take better photos with an iPhone 4 if needed and if I have time, but it probably won't be until next week-end at best. If someone can draw a crude representation of the card and its components I'll be happy to label them if I can ( …

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Re: Covox Sound Master Reverse Engineering / Replica

Posted on 2014-11-19, 02:21

by

by Yvan256

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Hello everyone, sorry for the lack of updates, lots of things happening on my end. I did receive the ICs from Vetz, thank you again. I will try and find time to take close-up photos of the Sound Master next weekend, I got an old iPhone 4 as a gift a few weeks ago, the camera is much better on this …

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Re: Covox Sound Master Reverse Engineering / Replica

Posted on 2014-10-24, 15:32

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by Yvan256

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

I'll try and post photos over the weekend, along with the relevant pages of the programmer manual about jumper settings.

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Re: Covox Sound Master Reverse Engineering / Replica

Posted on 2014-10-20, 00:12

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by Yvan256

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Awesome!! @Keropi Yep. Hopefully Yvan can trace the card and do some prototyping. @Yvan I thought he was gonna send you all five... Possible... I'm juggling around six or seven projects right now, it's a bit hard to keep track of all the details. :dead: I'll even need to make a sub-project to try …

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Re: Covox Sound Master Reverse Engineering / Replica

Posted on 2014-10-20, 00:03

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by Yvan256

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

I asked Yvan to post a proper photo of the Covox Sound Master. But i'm sure it does use a AY-8930. Those clones should be the same as the AY8930's on Covox cards, its actually probably that Covox used AY8930's from different manufacturers. So yes they are "promising" enough. Are you going to send …

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Re: Covox Sound Master Reverse Engineering / Replica

Posted on 2014-10-19, 23:56

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by Yvan256

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

Filename Covox Sound Master AY8930 closeup.jpeg File size 159.47 KiB Views 2156 views File comment Covox Sound Master, close-up of the AY8930 IC

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Re: Covox Sound Master Reverse Engineering / Replica

Posted on 2014-09-03, 19:40

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by Yvan256

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

carlostex wrote: It would be nice to have some high resolution pictures of the card for starters. Because there are none on the web right now. The only thing I have is an old iPhone 3GS, I'm not sure that would qualify as high resolution pictures.

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Re: Covox Sound Master Reverse Engineering / Replica

Posted on 2014-09-03, 13:53

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by Yvan256

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

If your card is still working, it would seem to follow it has retained the data. I don't know if it's still working, but I do have a Tandy 1000 RLX, so I could test it with Ultima VI. Unfortunately I'm busy with two other projects right now. I'll try to find a flatbed scanner to scan both sides of …

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Re: Covox Sound Master Reverse Engineering / Replica

Posted on 2014-08-29, 22:39

by

by Yvan256

in Marvin \ Sound

in Marvin \ Sound

I have only taken a quick look at it, but aren't GALs relatively simple? They have input and output pins, and the outputs change depending on the inputs? They're only complex, programmable 74HC138, as far as utility goes? That's only 256/512/1024/etc combinations to try out, isn't it? Oh yeah they …

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