Binary Star, a musicdisk for the PCE with SCC (MSX) tunes!

[ccovell]

Hi, folks.  This is more-or-less in time for the PCE's 30th birthday, but Konami's SCC add-on for the MSX turns 30 as well.  Since this summer I've been working on making a sort of SCC emulator/player for some of Konami's fab MSX tunes, and so why not release it today?

http://www.chrismcovell.com/data/BinaryStar.zip



It plays .VGM tunes which I compressed down to a nybble stream by bit-encoding only the SCC and AY PSG writes.  The AY PSG is mappable to any of the PCE's channels, but I have one of them (for noise hits) usually mapped to the PCE's last channel.  I even have AY envelope emulation in there, although the AY chip creates voltage spikes through the envelope that just aren't feasible to emulate on the PCE.

Anyway, that's the tech specs.  Enjoy and leave a comment!

Post a thumb on Pouet.net (demoscene site): http://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=72039

Youtube video capture (from emulator):

Technical document now added: http://www.chrismcovell.com/texts/binarystar-tech.html

[Michirin9801]

This is great! It's always nice to have more music to listen to on the PCE ;3
Thanks for this ccovell ^^
Also, nice visual effects!

[Arkhan]

sweet.

It's be cool if we could fiddledick with the panning and mix the tunes more than they ever dreamed they could back then.

[Dicer]

sweet.

It's be cool if we could fiddledick with the panning and mix the tunes more than they ever dreamed they could back then.

Fiddledick is a term I'm gonna shoehorn into as much conversation as I can...

[ccovell]

It's be cool if we could fiddledick with the panning and mix the tunes more than they ever dreamed they could back then.

That level of control was a possible option, but for each song or group of songs, is just for obsessives.  Purists might want MONO; the stereo arrangement was how I thought it would fill the L+R spaces & frequencies.

You can also press Select (hidden feature) to hear each channel soloed.  Or, Y'know, mix them in proper high-fidelity using the KSS plugins for WinAmp & Audacity.

[Arkhan]

Fiddledick is a term I'm gonna shoehorn into as much conversation as I can...

Good.  Everyone should.

Or, Y'know, mix them in proper high-fidelity using the KSS plugins for WinAmp & Audacity.

But then it's not on the PCE, and where's the fun in that?

[touko]

Even with a "simple" music player chris push some impressive/cool effects . 

[Necromancer]

Thanks, Mr. Covell!

So many goodies to download and try lately.  It's an embarrassment of riches! 

[Arkhan]

Thanks, Mr. Covell!

So many goodies to download and try lately.  It's an embarrassment of riches! 

bwwahahahaha and now you are partaking in MSX soundsssssssssssss

the darkside will soon consume youuuuuuuuuu



and we can share cake.

[SmokeMonster]

Thanks, Chris. This is quite brilliant

[Vimtoman]

Looks great too. Thanks

[ccovell]

Thanks, everyone.

I've added an entry on Pouet and a video on Youtube:

 http://www.pouet.net/prod.php?which=72039

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLmwpvkw-0I

[Necromancer]

Thanks for the video.  I've still not gotten around to checking it out for myself, so this is a good substitute.

Sweet tunes and I love the graphical flair, especially the birthday cake. 

[spenoza]

So, do you need to make custom sound files for this, then?

[pixeljunkie]

awesome - downloading this tonight! thanks!