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Author Topic: ScoreTrack, Vilmos Kopácsy MIDI attempt (Read 21035 times)

Offline IstvanV

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Re: ScoreTrack, Vilmos Kopácsy MIDI atempt
« Reply #30 on: 2017.August.12. 11:15:06 »
Do you loaded DAVE.ENV first?

Also, even if DAVE output is selected, the program still tries to write to the MIDI port. If a valid MIDI output is not selected in the emulator, then the ROM will freeze in this routine because bit 6 of port F6h will never be 0:
Code: ZiLOG Z80 Assembler
  1. .   DCAC  C5           PUSH  BC
  2. .   DCAD  F5           PUSH  AF
  3. .   DCAE  0E B2        LD    C, B2
  4. .   DCB0  ED 40        IN    B, (C)
  5. .   DCB2  3E 07        LD    A, 07
  6. .   DCB4  D3 B2        OUT   (B2), A
  7. .   DCB6  00           NOP
  8. .   DCB7  DB F6        IN    A, (F6)
  9. .   DCB9  CB 77        BIT   6, A
  10. .   DCBB  20 FA        JR    NZ, DCB7
  11. .   DCBD  F1           POP   AF
  12. .   DCBE  D3 F7        OUT   (F7), A
  13. .   DCC0  00           NOP
  14. .   DCC1  ED 41        OUT   (C), B
  15. .   DCC3  C1           POP   BC
  16. .   DCC4  C9           RET
Although a version of the ROM where the MIDI output code is simply patched out could be made, I do not know if anyone actually wants to use it. With more work, it could also be made EXOS compatible and loadable from a .com file, include DAVE.ENV by default, and perhaps use the FILE extension.

Offline gflorez

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Re: ScoreTrack, Vilmos Kopácsy MIDI atempt
« Reply #31 on: 2017.August.12. 12:23:27 »
I think it is a great program with some faults. It can be used for learning, for composing or only as a player.

I would like to have a copy of  the interface....

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What are that letters under the xtal on the interface picture?

Offline Tutus

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Re: ScoreTrack, Vilmos Kopácsy MIDI atempt
« Reply #32 on: 2017.August.12. 15:30:03 »
Blame me, but I sincerely don't think that the original idea of this Midi interface and program was the job of Vilmos and his company.

He played like nobody with the Iron Curtain isolation, and is not the first time that he borrows others work....

On the other side, who was Jeffrey?

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The keyboard at the bottom line, what is it for?

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I have found that the Spectrum program "Wham, the music box" has a similar layout.


:evil:  He had stolen everything that he could...

Offline gflorez

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Re: ScoreTrack, Vilmos Kopácsy MIDI atempt
« Reply #33 on: 2017.August.12. 16:55:24 »
I know, but it would have been even worse without his "worthy help", in a way he preserved what he borrowed....

If you execute :HELP ST it also returns "WRITTEN BY JEFFREY" that I think is the only not modified text.

I wonder, what is Jeffrey's complete name?

Offline gflorez

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Re: ScoreTrack, Vilmos Kopácsy MIDI atempt
« Reply #34 on: 2017.August.12. 17:35:35 »
Not related, but I've found this interview to Alberto José González, a Spanish composer that made the music and graphics of some serious games of the 8-bit era, like Hostages, North & South, Light Corridor and Mystical.

He started to make music with a Spectrum and a copy of "Wham!, the Music Box" program.


Another interview, in Spanish translated to English by Google.
« Last Edit: 2017.August.13. 02:13:07 by gflorez »

Offline gflorez

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Re: ScoreTrack, Vilmos Kopácsy MIDI atempt
« Reply #35 on: 2017.August.13. 01:30:29 »
Zozo, Werner has a lot more .SNG files:



« Last Edit: 2017.August.13. 02:12:08 by gflorez »

Offline Tutus

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Re: ScoreTrack, Vilmos Kopácsy MIDI atempt
« Reply #36 on: 2017.August.13. 08:21:48 »
If a Midi hardware and software came into being, it would be a dream :)

Offline IstvanV

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Re: ScoreTrack, Vilmos Kopácsy MIDI atempt
« Reply #37 on: 2017.August.13. 12:34:36 »
If a Midi hardware and software came into being, it would be a dream :)

The software can happen, we already have ScoreTrack and this program plays real time MIDI input with DAVE instruments. Unfortunately, those who could make the hardware do not seem to be active these days.

Offline gflorez

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Re: ScoreTrack, Vilmos Kopácsy MIDI atempt
« Reply #38 on: 2017.August.13. 13:45:23 »
Thanks to your superb emulator we can taste how it can be to have a Midi interface.

But now you can go a step further: Midi recording...  You can use your EP Midi instrument program to save the song on a ScoreTrack format file. Then the song can be played, modified, and even returned to the PC. What do you think?

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About the hardware,it will be no more necessary if you add recording capabilities. But I will love to have a clone of the interface.

First of all we need the schematics, probably de-soldering  the components to track all the circuits. But it collides with the SD-reader working address at 07 segment, so probably a stand alone card is a better solution. I imagine that strange loooong cartridge protruding uglily the EP.

But it is only a serial port, so may be a module for the incoming EPNet card could be the best solution. You only have to adapt the program to the EPNet serial port, completely EXOS friendly.


I am only thinking aloud....

Offline IstvanV

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Re: ScoreTrack, Vilmos Kopácsy MIDI atempt
« Reply #39 on: 2017.August.13. 14:44:19 »
But now you can go a step further: Midi recording...  You can use your EP Midi instrument program to save the song on a ScoreTrack format file. Then the song can be played, modified, and even returned to the PC. What do you think?

Unfortunetely, I do not know the SNG file format, it would need to be reverse engineered first if it is not already documented. Recording a MIDI file with an Enterprise program should be possible, but when I tried to open an existing MIDI file with ScoreTrack, it did not work. Perhaps only format 0 (single track) files are supported, or MIDI file reading was not implemented yet and the SNG format is required.

Quote
But it is only a serial port, so may be a module for the incoming EPNet card could be the best solution. You only have to adapt the program to the EPNet serial port, completely EXOS friendly.

The emulated input port has features like buffering (making it possible to receive multiple bytes of MIDI data only at video interrupts), and the data is also filtered in a way that makes it easier to parse on the Enterprise side. But the program could still be modified to work on real hardware, as long as it does not require continuous attention from the Z80 (no interrupts).

Offline gflorez

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Re: ScoreTrack, Vilmos Kopácsy MIDI atempt
« Reply #40 on: 2017.August.14. 14:22:38 »
Tip: to change the values on the Names and ADSR modes, move the cursor Up or Down while pressing Space, but without a song loaded the program hangs.

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I've been playing with the .MID ScoreTrack file(not to be confused with standard MIDI files).

It is an instruments description that is also exactly the first part of the .SNG ScoreTrack file.

0000h-0030h "Enterprise Computers Ltd EED 1990 Scoretrack v1.0"
0031h-00D9h Name of the 14 instruments, 12 characters each.
00DAh-00E6h 14 bytes, channel number.
00E7h-00F4h 14 bytes, volume.
00F5h-0102h 14 bytes, pan.
0103h-0110h 14 bytes, program.
0111h-011Eh 14 bytes, octave.
011Fh-0132h 20 bytes, unknown.
0133h-0139h 7  bytes, unknown.

Offline IstvanV

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Re: ScoreTrack, Vilmos Kopácsy MIDI atempt
« Reply #41 on: 2017.August.15. 12:42:26 »
011Fh-0132h 20 bytes, unknown.

These always seem to contain the string "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST". Perhaps unused or reserved for some feature that was not implemented.

0133h-0139h 7  bytes, unknown.

0136h is the tempo (bpm)?

013Ah-04C7h: envelopes (65 bytes per channel), each envelope segment is 4 bytes long:
- duration (FFh = end of envelope)
- pitch change (8 bits, signed)
- left volume change
- right volume change

04C8h: the event list begins here, I still need to figure out the format. It begins and ends with an FFh byte, and seems to be organized more like the notation shown on screen than MIDI data. Notes are 4 bytes long:
- channel number (?)
- duration (12 = quarter note (1 beat), 6 = eighth note, etc.)
- MIDI pitch
- MIDI velocity
A single 00h byte means end of the current note/chord, or empty space on the notation. This simple "music":
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Translates to the following data:
000004C0 .. .. .. .. │ .. .. .. .. │ FF 01 0C 47 │ 7F 01 0C 43
000004D0 7F 00 01 0C │ 48 7F 00 01 │ 06 45 7F 00 │ 01 06 41 7F
000004E0 00 00 00 00 │ 00 00 00 00 │ FF
« Last Edit: 2017.August.15. 14:17:17 by IstvanV »

Offline gflorez

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Re: ScoreTrack, Vilmos Kopácsy MIDI atempt
« Reply #42 on: 2017.August.15. 17:27:29 »
0135h Tone of the score or sheet music, from 1 to 15, C to C♭:

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0136h Tempo.
« Last Edit: 2017.August.15. 17:35:22 by gflorez »

Offline IstvanV

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Re: ScoreTrack, Vilmos Kopácsy MIDI atempt
« Reply #43 on: 2017.August.15. 17:33:59 »
But it is only a serial port, so may be a module for the incoming EPNet card could be the best solution. You only have to adapt the program to the EPNet serial port, completely EXOS friendly.

Newer keyboards connect to the USB port, but they still support serial as well with the traditional 5-pin DIN connectors.

It may be an interesting idea to combine the SID card with a MIDI port, if the card is actually completed and released.

Offline gflorez

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Re: ScoreTrack, Vilmos Kopácsy MIDI atempt
« Reply #44 on: 2017.August.15. 19:59:38 »
I said EPNet because soon it will be a reality, more accessible and usable than a lonely prototype SID card.

But I would like to  see that, of course.