Waveshare Zero Multi Display PCB Build Guide

Here are the build notes for my Waveshare Zero Multi Display PCB. Also see the Waveshare Zero Multi Display PCB – Expander Board. Warning! I strongly recommend using old or second hand equipment for your experiments. I am not responsible for any damage to expensive instruments! If you are new to electronics and microcontrollers, see the Getting … Continue reading Waveshare Zero Multi Display PCB Build Guide →

Waveshare Zero Multi Display PCB Design

Following on from my Arduino with Multiple Displays – Part 2, using a Waveshare Zero type module, I wanted to try even more displays in parallel. I don't know what the performance implications will be, or even if it is possible, but I do know I don't really want to be using jumper wires to try … Continue reading Waveshare Zero Multi Display PCB Design →

Arduino and SP0256A-AL2 – Part 2

After getting the Arduino and SP0256A-AL2 working I wondered if I could repeat the trick from the Arduino and AY-3-8910 and have the Arduino generate the required clock signal for the SP0256A-AL2. This post starts to look at that question. Part 1 - Basic introduction and getting started Part 2 - Arduino programmable clock Part 3 - … Continue reading Arduino and SP0256A-AL2 – Part 2 →

Arduino and SP0256A-AL2

Having had a bit of a play with the SP0256A-AL2 Speech Synthesis chip, this post looks at how to drive it directly from an Arduino. Part 1 - Basic introduction and getting started Part 2 - Arduino programmable clock Part 3 - Using a Raspberry Pi Pico as a programmable clock Part 4 - Using a HC4046 PLL … Continue reading Arduino and SP0256A-AL2 →

SP0256A-AL2 Speech Synthesis

I had one of those moments recently when reading an article online sent me into a bit of a major tangent. The article in question was talking about the SP0256-AL2 speech synthesizer chip. And if you heard a computer talking in the 1980s, then chances are it was probably this chip doing all the hard … Continue reading SP0256A-AL2 Speech Synthesis →

Z80 and AY-3-8910

Finally starting to look at the Arduino and AY-3-8910 was triggered by a couple of things recently. First getting an RC2014 and playing with AY-3-8910 based sound on that. But also, having visiting RetroFest in Swindon this year, talking to Dean Belfield about the methods he used to develop for the ZX Spectrum and how … Continue reading Z80 and AY-3-8910 →

Arduino with Multiple Displays – Part 2

As I mentioned in my last post on Arduino with Multiple Displays I'm going to look at other microcontrollers too. This post takes a wander through my Waveshare Zero and similar format boards that each support one of the RP2040, ESP32-C3 or ESP32-S3. Warning! I strongly recommend using old or second hand equipment for your experiments. … Continue reading Arduino with Multiple Displays – Part 2 →

Arduino with Multiple Displays

A while back I tried to use several SSD1306 displays with an Arduino (see OLED MIDI Display – Part 2) and got into trouble with memory. I have another need for multiple displays coming up, so thought I'd revisit the idea to see what could be done. This shows use to use several cheap SPI-based displays … Continue reading Arduino with Multiple Displays →

Arduino and AY-3-8910 – Part 4

After Part 3 I started to go back and add MIDI, and changed the waveform on the touch of a button, and then started to wonder if I could add envelopes and so on. And then it occurred to me, I didn't really need to re-implement my own synthesis library, I could probably write a custom … Continue reading Arduino and AY-3-8910 – Part 4 →

Arduino and AY-3-8910 – Part 3

I suggested in Part 2 that it might be possible to do some simple modulation of the amplitude of the AY-3-8910 channels rather than drive frequencies directly. This is taking a look at the possibilities of some kind of lo-fi direct digital synthesis using that as a basis. Part 1 - Getting started and looking at … Continue reading Arduino and AY-3-8910 – Part 3 →