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FM Stereo Sound rerelease by Tecnobytes

FM Stereo Sound rerelease by Tecnobytes

by Tecnobytes on 28-10-2015, 02:23
Topic: Hardware
Tags: fm stereo sound, fm-pac, Tecnobytes, MSX-MUSIC
Languages:

Back in 2002 MRC reported the first cartridge released by Tecnobytes. The FM Stereo Sound. An MSX Music cartridge with two RCA outputs.

This week they announced on their website a new batch of no more than 21 units. If you still don't have MSX-Music or if you collect all the clones ever released and this version is the one you're still lacking, this is your chance.

Information and a way to order your cartridge can be found on their website. Don't wait too long because thirteen years is a long wait.

Relevant link: Technobytes rereleases FM Stereo Sound

Comments (6)

By ro

Scribe (4963)

ro's picture

28-10-2015, 08:56

What's so "stereo" about this? Since there's no software option to set the 2-channel panning (in case this is an fm-pac clone). Is this just 2 RCA instead of one to connect to your 2-channel amp? Or some channel splitting with hard panning or something? curious.....

You know, stereo is not a concept of hardware. It's the song that makes it stereo or not. And as far as I know, only OPL4 supports panning for MSX. So the question is; what chip is used in this nice piece of hardware? (couldn't find it at first glance)

By Grauw

Ascended (10768)

Grauw's picture

28-10-2015, 10:03

The OPLL has a separate drum output, so if it’s anything like the FM Stereo Pak (by Checkmark?) then one channel will have the regular voices and the other the drum sounds.

By tvalenca

Paladin (747)

tvalenca's picture

28-10-2015, 20:11

I wouldn't use those separate outputs to hear music in stereo, but they're actually useful for anyone who wants to achieve maximum sound quality by using different equalizations on each channel

By ricbit

Champion (438)

ricbit's picture

28-10-2015, 21:19

It's like @Grauw said, fake stereo splitting regular and drums channels.

However I'm pretty sure 2002 was not the first release of this cartridge, they sold it back in the early 1990s as well.

By tvalenca

Paladin (747)

tvalenca's picture

29-10-2015, 14:29

I think you're right, @ricbit. But, it seems it was only in 2002 that MRC fellows learned that it existed.

By Tecnobytes

Expert (113)

Tecnobytes's picture

29-10-2015, 16:26

Hi guys.

The FM Sound Stereo has two independent outputs: One is the melody and the other is the rhythm.
In the FMPac and the built in MSX FM, these signals are mixed, but in the FM Sound Stereo they are treated individually. So, in one RCA we have the melody and the in the other we have the rhythm.

Look this schematic:

FM Sound Stereo

Big hug!