MockingChick: New Mockingboard clone..? Advice please.

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Charlie

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Hello everyone,
I wonder if I might ask if anyone could render some kind advice? On my A2Pi thread I posted how I wanted a Mockingboard sound card for my Apple IIe, price and availability being the main stumbling blocks so I decided to hand wire (ugh!) my own from the v1a schematic.
It seems said schematic has some errors and given my lack of knowlwge of such things I have struggled to dope out what the fixes should be... if anyone feels like lending a hand feel free to post on that thread.

Well in a fit of madness I got ticked off, decided I could do better (famous last words), downloaded Eagle, and had a go:
View attachment CL Mockingboard2.zip
MockingChick Schematic.pngMockingChick PCB.png

I must say what a total b**l ache Eagle is to use if you've not used it before. Oh well, crack on... I present my MockingChick Mockingboard clone. I believe just about as cut down as you can get and have something that functions about right.
No mixing for the motherboard speaker. Sorry, but easy enough to patch in if wanted.
An amp will be needed. I very much doubt it will drive speakers by itself.

So, the advice?
I'm absolutely pushing beyond the limits of my knowledge with this one. If anyone feels like doing a reality check to see if there are any obvious errors I'd be most grateful.
.sch and .brd files in a .zip file above
pictures of schematic and PCB layout for anyone interested.

Area(s) of specific concern:
My version on this theme comes from a simplified design I found that uses two DIP40 AY-3-8910s. I ditched those in favour of two DIP24 AY-3-8913s as they are nearly pin compatible for the purpose, much smaller (potential PCB cost), and it's what I've got.
The 'nearly' is what has me concerned...
The AY-3-8910 has two 'selection' lines: BCR1 and BCR2, while the AY-3-8913 only has BCR1. BCR2 exists internally, pulled high. I don't *think* this is important here... famous last words..?
The AY-3-8913 also has a line the AY-3-8910 does not in the shape of BDIR.
Well, after some thought I basically wired up my AY-3-8913s as AY-3-8910s subsitiuting the 'missing' BCR2 line for the BDIR... This alteration has been deliberately left obvious on the schematic.
My other (lesser) concen regards the AY-3-8913s two GND pins. I only wired up PIN19 and left the other floating... naughty, but as far as I understand both pins are internally connected and given how I packed this board (again with an eye on cost) Eagle had some issues routing the PCB. For the same reason I've left a good few unused pins elsewhere floating and the (only?) two power rail caps are quite deliberately nested one on the other.
Also in the interests of component count and availability I played a bit fast 'n loose with the mixing resistors on the output. Near enough is good enough?

So:
How many obvious mess up's..?
Suggested fixes..?
D'ya think my chick could fly..?

Many thanks in advance.
 
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I will try and devote some time to this after Cheltenham Charles :)

BTW could you PM me your email addy so I can discuss the Integra B with you please :)

Bas :)
 
Thanks Bas, much apppreciated. PM sent.:)


Just a little something:
MockingChick3D.pngMockingChick3DRear.pngMockingChick3DPCB.png
?Maybe?
 
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A better optomised version, hopefully:PS
I've just run the above through Eagle's error checking. While the circuit itself checks out I see it routed a couple of VIAs a bit close to the edge connector and a couple of traces right across some of it too...
...that's not going to fly. I've now learned how to move traces by hand so sorted those issues. If by some miracle it turns out this board might actually work I'm tempted to order a run - having never tried this before that may result in further requests for advice.
 
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View attachment Mockinbird_2.1.zip

I saw the errors and fixed them. Needed to keep occupied whilst waiting for the weather around Table Mountain to clear (has just cleared). Added copper pours on VCC and GND, connected the extra un-used ground pins as leaving them hanging causes weird stuff to happen inside the device.

C1 and C4 were overlapping, moved them and changed C1-C3 to normal axial capacitors which are easier to obtain and smaller. Added C5 and C6 to fit under U2 and U3, bend them flat to the PCB.

Ian
 
Thank you so much!

I shall have a look right away.
 
Mockingchick Prototype

Mockingchick Prototype

It's come to that moment. I wasn't brave enough just to go order the PCBs, so I pulled apart my half made Mockingboard 1a and hand wired a prototype of my Mockingchick...

MockingchickProtoFront.jpgMockingchickProtoBack.jpg
Front and Back

No it's not pretty but I believe I've wired it up right (minus caps under the main ICs for now). But here's the rub; it's my schematic! (not withstanding Stedy's most kind input) Do I dare plug it in to my Apple II? Not sure I'm feeling brave enough at the mo'. I might sleep on it...
 
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Oh how detest Linux and all it's nasty unpleasantness!!!

Having gotten that of my chest I wonder if I might as some advice? My Mockingchick prototype is plugged in and there are no flames / magic smoke to report. Always a good sign, I feel... So with amp + speakers connected time to test it out.

Ah. It seems I don't have any Apple II software that uses the Mockingboard. Ok, load up a disk image from RaspappleII and I'll be ready to test... Ah, again. Still no Mockingboard aware software. Right, I'll just download something from within Linux...
...nope! My WiFi dongle is suddenly no-longer recognised, the desktop control panel for configuring networks now refuses to start, and having dirtied myself once again with the most unpleasent and unintuative Linux command-line I'm once again defeated - grrr!

S*d Linux!

...Would any longtime Apple II user out there mind telling me how I can get a Mockingboard to output sound via the computer's command line so I can test my board?

Many thanks.

*Update*
ADTPro to the rescue... aaaand not a peep! Not obvious that any Mockingboard aware software is throwing up errors at least.
That's most dissapointing, but no magic smoke or hot chips at least. So here comes the tedious job of trying to sus what I did wrong... suggestions much appreciated.

Working backwards:

Did I play too fast 'n loose with the output resistors? (I took a punt at near enough values to keep component count down)
(surely I'd get some output?)

I didn't bother with too many smoothing caps. (This was to be a proof on concept: fix noisey/flakey later)
(really enough to render it silent?)

Wired up wrong? (I was very careful to recheck every connection and buz them all out as I went)
(no hot chips / magic smoke. Maybe beef up power lines?)

Dead IC(s)? (I don't have spare AY chips so I hope they aren't both duds)
(both duds?)

I've got my schematic wrong in the first place...
...Ooo I really hope not... HELP!
 
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Hi,

You need to connect /A7 from IC1D to pin 24 (/CS1) of the 6522, without this the 6555 will not be addressed.
You will also need some logic to connect /IOSELECT and A5 to CS0 of the sound ships, tieing CS to VCC will fail. You need an 7400 NAND gate with a spare inverter on /IOSELECT so that when A5 is high and /IOSELECT is low, the CS input of the sound chip is low.

A few additional basic checks first, with the card plugged into the Apple IIe and powered on, access allowing. Be careful when probing.

1) Pin 25 of the 6522, is there a clock signal or if using a DMM, a 2.5V DC level?
2) Pin 34 of the 6522 is the /RESET signal, is this logic 1 (>2.0V)?
3) Pin 21 of the 6522, is the /IRQ signal, this should be logic 1?
4) When you run a test application, does pin 12/PB2 of the 6522 go high, this is the reset signal to the AY-3-8913 devices?
5) Dumb question, did you connect all the power wires when you wire wrapped the prototype?
6) What is the voltage on PB1/pin 11 of the 6522, this controls direction on the AY-3-8913 devices?
7) Are you feeding the output to an amplifer? This cannot drive speakers directly.

Good luck.
 
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Thank you very much Stedy, I really appreciate your advice. That's a good few steps closer to a working prototype. :)
 
I really need to email you Charles, i just havent stopped.

Apologies my friend, i will get there :)
 
No worries, I know all about life getting stupidly busy... :)
 
For anyone interested here are my two latest takes on the Mockingboard:


The first version is the 'simple' design... actually not! It's made to use (nearly) as few components on as small a board as possible.



The second version is rather more 'beefy' to give better output. My sincere thanks for constructive input so far... I'm well aware I'm a rank novice at this stuff so if any kind person feels like doing a reality check on these designs I'd really appreciate it.
 
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