Where can I get a Yamaha YM2612 in the UK?

Thought it might be fun to build some kind of instrument using the sound chip from the megadrive and some kind of microcontroller (arduino/xmos/...).

I must admit, I don't know much about electronics. Are these chips pretty rare now? The usual (UK) component shops (RS, Farnell) don't seem to stock them. Perhaps there is a similar chip on the market?

Could be easier to take the code from an emulator and do it in software.

Cheers

 

Personally I would try to scrap old tv/radio and computer pci sound cards for the chip or similar versions of it.
I'm sure theres a few emulators you could play through anyway....pedals and such are much harder XD

 

Buy a faulty Mega Drive and take it out.

 

Good call - I shall have a dig.

 

This is also an option too, although my un-soldering skills would probably yield the chip useless

 

Buy a megadrive and have it shipped to me (also in the UK) and I will take the chip out and send it all to you.

 

Managed to get one for 2 pounds at the local retro store. But serious noob mistake made - MD2 not MD1, the YM is in a custom ASIC >.<

Will try to swap for a MD1

 

Wish I had a local retro shop

 

You could just buy one on Ebay for $4 and get it shipped for another $4.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1pcs-YM2612...839?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27c62dff7f

I have used this company before and they did ship the ICs I wanted, they did work, they seemed to be new and it took 2 weeks to deliver.

 

I managed to get one from a broken megdrive 1 in the end. When I find some time, I am going to try to unsolder it and stick it in a breadboard

 

OK, well it works. I have an arduino driving the ym2612. Currently in the process of making software to make driving the chip a bit easier. Eventual goal: write a simple sequencer for computer PC which will play chiptune by sending commands down the serial line to the arduino :victorious:

A question to the community -- Is there a list of "voices" and their parameters some place on the internet, or should I extract the voice parameters from a VGM file? I have had a google about, but I guess I don't have the lingo to find what I am looking for.

First on the list is the sonic 3 flying battery bass noise -- I love it.

Cheers

 

Hi there, sorry I'm normally a lurker but I thought this might help. Here is a collection of OPM files which are patch files for the VOPM VSTi. I believe they can also be used with other FM instruments so the data contained within may be useful to you. The OPMs are from a wide range of megadrive games so you should be able to find the sound you're looking for. Sorry in advance if this isn't useful.

Also on this page you can find vgm2opm which will allow you to extract OPM instruments from VGM files.