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Colecovision Drum Machine Cart Created

Posted by simoniker on from the nintendo-teenage-robots dept.

Thanks to AtariAge for discussing their first title to be published for the classic ColecoVision console, called CVDRUM. According to their site, "CVDRUM is a new ColecoVision cartridge by E-Mancanics, based on popular software and hardware drum machines, that enables the user to create up to 9 different one measure musical rhythm patterns.. which can then be arranged.. [and] looped for musical performance. The tempos are also close enough that it can be used in concert with Paul Slocum's Atari 2600 SynthCart." The cart will be unveiled at the Austin Gaming Expo on July 26th.

6 of 16 comments (clear)

  1. Commodore? by GigsVT · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Wouldn't it make more sense to put these types of things on a Commodore 64/128 that already has a kick ass synth chip?

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    1. Re:Commodore? by bjb · · Score: 3, Interesting
      Wouldn't it make more sense to put these types of things on a Commodore 64/128 that already has a kick ass synth chip?

      Yeah, sure.. it's already been done, but that's not the point. The point is that someone did it, its got very cool retro gaming geek value, and it is the first (?) exploit of the ColecoVision's capabilities to date. We've had the Atari SynthCart before and C64 toys before, we've seen the IntyOS just in the last two weeks, but nothing yet for ColecoVision.

      However, I will agree that the ColecoVision's sound chip (AY-5-8910, I believe?) was nothing special. Using it for a drum machine is a bit limited. If I remember correctly, it has 1 white noise channel and 3 tone generators. Still, it made better music than my Apple ][ at the time (until I got the Echo ][+ card, which had the same chip).

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    2. Re:Commodore? by Winterblink · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Wouldn't it make more sense to put these types of things on a Commodore 64/128 that already has a kick ass synth chip?

      It might. But then most of the work is already done for you.

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    3. Re:Commodore? by Brandon+T. · · Score: 3, Informative

      A company has already built a completely dedicated piece of hardware around the sid music chip from the commodore 64: http://www.sidstation.com.

    4. Re:Commodore? by Paul+Slocum · · Score: 4, Informative

      Many retro-programmers like to program the console they first owned which may be the reason for the programmer's platform choice.

      But for people that are really into making music using old computer/video game gear, each of those sound chips has its own unique sound. Granted the CV's TI chip is less interesting than the Atari and Commodore chips, but I think the CVDrum programmer has come up with some cool sounds. I even programmed a synth on my TRS-80 Model III with no sound chip because of the great gritty tone the cassette output produces. Plus, working within the limitations of those early sound chips forces you think about sound and be creative in ways that you aren't with a Korg workstation.

  2. The complete system by Dsal · · Score: 4, Funny

    Now I can play the bongos and Congo Bongo on one convenient platform