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+--- Thread: Sound : optional SN76489AN (/thread-382.html)
Sound : optional SN76489AN - snake - 30-09-2021
Why was this chip optional, was it an expensive chip at the time?
Can it be fitted to ALL Microbee models?
What games used it?
RE: Sound : optional SN76489AN - someone - 30-09-2021
The Texas Instruments SN76489AN PSG and accompanying audio amplifier were added to the Alpha Plus prototype (aka Premium Series) as a feature bump.
However when it was sold both of these features remained unpopulated. Prior to that the General Instrument AY-3-8910 was sold as the BeeThoven expansion accessory. PSG were not overly expensive but the microbees were made to a price point for the NSW Education department thus omitted.
Other features that were on the prototype and not included in the sold model include:
Texas Instruments RS232 transceiver
Motorola MC146818 RTC (Real Time Clock & RAM)
8K Char, Attribute & Colour RAM
As for software for the SN76489AN, there's a Jukebox program that plays 3 channel music.
Someone doesn't know whether the MWBASIC was updated to support it.