Casio CZ/ VZ/ FZ - Pro Series

Triangular wave modulation (US patent 5164530) is an FM-like Casio speciality that generates waveforms by modulating a monotonous carrier function with a sine (or other) wave and decoding the signal by mirroring it at a triangular wave. With the same count of operators (here only 2?) the produced waveform has higher harmonics than normal FM because at high modulation the wave peaks fold back into the opposite direction. Without modulation it outputs a sine wave and so can nicely blend between very dull and bright timbres. The carrier waveform stands in ROM and so can be switched between a variety of timbres. Like with FM, operators can be combined in various ways.

https://www.google.com/patents/US5164530

- Is TM part of the "phase distortion" engine or something else?

I own a CZ-230S and revived a CZ-101 (had severe water and fire damage), but I am no PD expert and never heard about TM synthesis before (even websearch doesn't help much). Is this used in phase distortion synths (e.g. the later VZ-series) or was this only used in the Casio "Pulse Code Modulation" engine of preset sound keyboards? Patent 5164530 suggests that Casio at least planned to make dedicated TM synthesizers with a PD/FM-like user interface.


I am reworking my technical keyboard descriptions for the WarrantyVoid site. So I websearched for 1980th keyboard patents and discovered a lot of interesting info.

https://www.google.com/patents/US5319151

This is what I wrote for my SA-series page:
>>>
The sound generation is apparently based on a highly complex softsynth with many algorithms those can perform PCM, DPCM, FM and TM (triangular wave modulation) synthesis with sophisticated envelopes. These Casio PCM algorithms are described in the US patent 5319151. This rather confusing 121 page tome however is ambiguous because it covers plenty of different implementations those e.g. can employ different counts of chip-internal sub-CPU cores for sound generation in higher grade instruments. The SA-series is surely the cheapest described "First" or "Second Embodiment" which has none. The algorithms for this version even describe how shorter tasks are stuffed with blank "dummy commands" to keep the timing in sync when different sounds would need different computing time. It works indeed very VCS2600-like - a marvel of freakish realtime programming made from one big loop (plus in "First Embodiment" one timer IRQ to compute waveforms and fill the DAC output FIFO; the "Second" does even this during dummy commands).

The interpolation method with that Casio smoothly blends between wavetable sections is described in the US patent 4442745 "Long duration aperiodic musical waveform generator" It plays sections of compacted samples back and forward to implement things like long decaying cymbals. US patent 4958552 explains algorithms how envelope data is extracted from natural instrument recordings and applied on loop samples as a approximated segmented functions. The original envelope may be removed from the stored loop sample by a waveform normalizer (US patent 4691608). Most important is that these chained envelopes can have basically any length and have (unlike e.g. ADSR) no fixed count of steps. Combined with crossfading between adjacent loop samples this permits very flexible sound definition.

The US patent 5319151 "Data processing apparatus outputting waveform data in a certain interval" mentions for the "First Embodiment" that the chip size is only 5x5mm, a program word has 28 bits (including lower potion of next address) and these further hardware specs:

   "With regard to the circuit scale and the operation time of the specific embodiment (PCM sound source system capable of producing eight polyphonic sounds) the control ROM has a size of 112K bits, RAM 445.4K bits and the control data/waveform ROM (for 100 timbres) 508K bits; one machine cycle is about 276 nanoseconds with a maximum number of cycles of the interrupt program when invoked being about 150; and the executing period of the interrupting process (tone output sampling period) is about 47 microseconds."

   Expressed in KBytes this would mean 55.7KB RAM, 14KB program ROM and 63.5KB sound ROM, which isn't far away from a Commodore C64 with large ROM cartridge. Said CPU speed would be about 3.6 MIPS.
<<<

Higher grade MIDI keyboards like MT-240, MT-540 or MT-750 certainly have sub-CPU cores for 16 bit sound generation. Their external ROM is 512KB up to 1MB.

- Does anybody know more about this sound engine?


                        MAY THE SOFTWARE BE WITH YOU!

*============================================================================*
I                  CYBERYOGI Christian Oliver(=CO=) Windler                  I
I         (teachmaster of LOGOLOGIE - the first cyberage-religion!)          I
I                                      !                                     I
*=============================ABANDON=THE=BRUTALITY==========================*
                      {http://weltenschule.de/e_index.html}

Sorry, I don't have time right now to read all this. Years ago, I looked at another Casio patent. I think it might have been this one (It predates the one you posted.):

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=4658691.PN.&OS=PN/4658691&RS=PN/4658691

I am not an engineer, so when I look at patents, I have to skip over all the details to get a general idea of what's going on. I am wondering if the instruments themselves or the manuals mention which patents cover that specific instrument. If so, perhaps you can use that to tell which model implemented which method of sound production.

If you already have a table of patents cross-referenced with Casio gear, perhaps others can check gear that you don't ave in your table (assuming the patents are listed on the gear or in the manuals).

Steve

--- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "CYBERYOGI =CO= Windler" <cowindler01@...> wrote:

>
> Triangular wave modulation (US patent 5164530) is an FM-like Casio speciality that generates waveforms by modulating a monotonous carrier function with a sine (or other) wave and decoding the signal by mirroring it at a triangular wave. With the same count of operators (here only 2?) the produced waveform has higher harmonics than normal FM because at high modulation the wave peaks fold back into the opposite direction. Without modulation it outputs a sine wave and so can nicely blend between very dull and bright timbres. The carrier waveform stands in ROM and so can be switched between a variety of timbres. Like with FM, operators can be combined in various ways.
> 
> https://www.google.com/patents/US5164530
> 
> - Is TM part of the "phase distortion" engine or something else?
> 
> I own a CZ-230S and revived a CZ-101 (had severe water and fire damage), but I am no PD expert and never heard about TM synthesis before (even websearch doesn't help much). Is this used in phase distortion synths (e.g. the later VZ-series) or was this only used in the Casio "Pulse Code Modulation" engine of preset sound keyboards? Patent 5164530 suggests that Casio at least planned to make dedicated TM synthesizers with a PD/FM-like user interface.
> 
> 
> I am reworking my technical keyboard descriptions for the WarrantyVoid site. So I websearched for 1980th keyboard patents and discovered a lot of interesting info.
> 
> https://www.google.com/patents/US5319151
> 
> This is what I wrote for my SA-series page:
> >>>
> The sound generation is apparently based on a highly complex softsynth with many algorithms those can perform PCM, DPCM, FM and TM (triangular wave modulation) synthesis with sophisticated envelopes. These Casio PCM algorithms are described in the US patent 5319151. This rather confusing 121 page tome however is ambiguous because it covers plenty of different implementations those e.g. can employ different counts of chip-internal sub-CPU cores for sound generation in higher grade instruments. The SA-series is surely the cheapest described "First" or "Second Embodiment" which has none. The algorithms for this version even describe how shorter tasks are stuffed with blank "dummy commands" to keep the timing in sync when different sounds would need different computing time. It works indeed very VCS2600-like - a marvel of freakish realtime programming made from one big loop (plus in "First Embodiment" one timer IRQ to compute waveforms and fill the DAC output FIFO; the "Second" does even this during dummy commands).
> 
> The interpolation method with that Casio smoothly blends between wavetable sections is described in the US patent 4442745 "Long duration aperiodic musical waveform generator" It plays sections of compacted samples back and forward to implement things like long decaying cymbals. US patent 4958552 explains algorithms how envelope data is extracted from natural instrument recordings and applied on loop samples as a approximated segmented functions. The original envelope may be removed from the stored loop sample by a waveform normalizer (US patent 4691608). Most important is that these chained envelopes can have basically any length and have (unlike e.g. ADSR) no fixed count of steps. Combined with crossfading between adjacent loop samples this permits very flexible sound definition.
> 
> The US patent 5319151 "Data processing apparatus outputting waveform data in a certain interval" mentions for the "First Embodiment" that the chip size is only 5x5mm, a program word has 28 bits (including lower potion of next address) and these further hardware specs:
> 
>    "With regard to the circuit scale and the operation time of the specific embodiment (PCM sound source system capable of producing eight polyphonic sounds) the control ROM has a size of 112K bits, RAM 445.4K bits and the control data/waveform ROM (for 100 timbres) 508K bits; one machine cycle is about 276 nanoseconds with a maximum number of cycles of the interrupt program when invoked being about 150; and the executing period of the interrupting process (tone output sampling period) is about 47 microseconds."
> 
>    Expressed in KBytes this would mean 55.7KB RAM, 14KB program ROM and 63.5KB sound ROM, which isn't far away from a Commodore C64 with large ROM cartridge. Said CPU speed would be about 3.6 MIPS.
> <<<
> 
> Higher grade MIDI keyboards like MT-240, MT-540 or MT-750 certainly have sub-CPU cores for 16 bit sound generation. Their external ROM is 512KB up to 1MB.
> 
> - Does anybody know more about this sound engine?
> 
> 
>                         MAY THE SOFTWARE BE WITH YOU!
> 
> *============================================================================*
> I                  CYBERYOGI Christian Oliver(=CO=) Windler                  I
> I         (teachmaster of LOGOLOGIE - the first cyberage-religion!)          I
> I                                      !                                     I
> *=============================ABANDON=THE=BRUTALITY==========================*
>                       {http://weltenschule.de/e_index.html}
>

Never mind--neither the gear nor the manuals list the patents covering the instruments. (It couldn't have been that easy, I guess.)
Steve

--- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "steve_the_composer" <smw-mail@...> wrote:

>
> Sorry, I don't have time right now to read all this. Years ago, I looked at another Casio patent. I think it might have been this one (It predates the one you posted.):
> 
> http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=4658691.PN.&OS=PN/4658691&RS=PN/4658691
> 
> I am not an engineer, so when I look at patents, I have to skip over all the details to get a general idea of what's going on. I am wondering if the instruments themselves or the manuals mention which patents cover that specific instrument. If so, perhaps you can use that to tell which model implemented which method of sound production.
> 
> If you already have a table of patents cross-referenced with Casio gear, perhaps others can check gear that you don't ave in your table (assuming the patents are listed on the gear or in the manuals).
> 
> Steve
> 
> --- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "CYBERYOGI =CO= Windler" <cowindler01@> wrote:
> >
> > Triangular wave modulation (US patent 5164530) is an FM-like Casio speciality that generates waveforms by modulating a monotonous carrier function with a sine (or other) wave and decoding the signal by mirroring it at a triangular wave. With the same count of operators (here only 2?) the produced waveform has higher harmonics than normal FM because at high modulation the wave peaks fold back into the opposite direction. Without modulation it outputs a sine wave and so can nicely blend between very dull and bright timbres. The carrier waveform stands in ROM and so can be switched between a variety of timbres. Like with FM, operators can be combined in various ways.
> > 
> > https://www.google.com/patents/US5164530
> > 
> > - Is TM part of the "phase distortion" engine or something else?
> > 
> > I own a CZ-230S and revived a CZ-101 (had severe water and fire damage), but I am no PD expert and never heard about TM synthesis before (even websearch doesn't help much). Is this used in phase distortion synths (e.g. the later VZ-series) or was this only used in the Casio "Pulse Code Modulation" engine of preset sound keyboards? Patent 5164530 suggests that Casio at least planned to make dedicated TM synthesizers with a PD/FM-like user interface.
> > 
> > 
> > I am reworking my technical keyboard descriptions for the WarrantyVoid site. So I websearched for 1980th keyboard patents and discovered a lot of interesting info.
> > 
> > https://www.google.com/patents/US5319151
> > 
> > This is what I wrote for my SA-series page:
> > >>>
> > The sound generation is apparently based on a highly complex softsynth with many algorithms those can perform PCM, DPCM, FM and TM (triangular wave modulation) synthesis with sophisticated envelopes. These Casio PCM algorithms are described in the US patent 5319151. This rather confusing 121 page tome however is ambiguous because it covers plenty of different implementations those e.g. can employ different counts of chip-internal sub-CPU cores for sound generation in higher grade instruments. The SA-series is surely the cheapest described "First" or "Second Embodiment" which has none. The algorithms for this version even describe how shorter tasks are stuffed with blank "dummy commands" to keep the timing in sync when different sounds would need different computing time. It works indeed very VCS2600-like - a marvel of freakish realtime programming made from one big loop (plus in "First Embodiment" one timer IRQ to compute waveforms and fill the DAC output FIFO; the "Second" does even this during dummy commands).
> > 
> > The interpolation method with that Casio smoothly blends between wavetable sections is described in the US patent 4442745 "Long duration aperiodic musical waveform generator" It plays sections of compacted samples back and forward to implement things like long decaying cymbals. US patent 4958552 explains algorithms how envelope data is extracted from natural instrument recordings and applied on loop samples as a approximated segmented functions. The original envelope may be removed from the stored loop sample by a waveform normalizer (US patent 4691608). Most important is that these chained envelopes can have basically any length and have (unlike e.g. ADSR) no fixed count of steps. Combined with crossfading between adjacent loop samples this permits very flexible sound definition.
> > 
> > The US patent 5319151 "Data processing apparatus outputting waveform data in a certain interval" mentions for the "First Embodiment" that the chip size is only 5x5mm, a program word has 28 bits (including lower potion of next address) and these further hardware specs:
> > 
> >    "With regard to the circuit scale and the operation time of the specific embodiment (PCM sound source system capable of producing eight polyphonic sounds) the control ROM has a size of 112K bits, RAM 445.4K bits and the control data/waveform ROM (for 100 timbres) 508K bits; one machine cycle is about 276 nanoseconds with a maximum number of cycles of the interrupt program when invoked being about 150; and the executing period of the interrupting process (tone output sampling period) is about 47 microseconds."
> > 
> >    Expressed in KBytes this would mean 55.7KB RAM, 14KB program ROM and 63.5KB sound ROM, which isn't far away from a Commodore C64 with large ROM cartridge. Said CPU speed would be about 3.6 MIPS.
> > <<<
> > 
> > Higher grade MIDI keyboards like MT-240, MT-540 or MT-750 certainly have sub-CPU cores for 16 bit sound generation. Their external ROM is 512KB up to 1MB.
> > 
> > - Does anybody know more about this sound engine?
> > 
> > 
> >                         MAY THE SOFTWARE BE WITH YOU!
> > 
> > *============================================================================*
> > I                  CYBERYOGI Christian Oliver(=CO=) Windler                  I
> > I         (teachmaster of LOGOLOGIE - the first cyberage-religion!)          I
> > I                                      !                                     I
> > *=============================ABANDON=THE=BRUTALITY==========================*
> >                       {http://weltenschule.de/e_index.html}
> >
>

--- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, "steve_the_composer" <smw-mail@...> wrote:
>
> Never mind--neither the gear nor the manuals list the patents covering the instruments. (It couldn't have been that easy, I guess.)
> Steve

Casio seems to enshroud the inner working of their instruments as much as possible.

The case bottom of my Casio SA-41 e.g. lists the US patents 4121284, 4371923 and 4942516, those however only refer to third party inventions about very generic principles of small microcomputers (key debouncing, multitasking, integrated I/O etc.). I guess this was rather done as a warning that the product is patented while not telling competitors where to search for the important parts.

Unlike Yamaha, Casio is generally infamous for secrecy about the inner working of even their oldest and most outdated keyboard ICs; perhaps driven by fear of patent lawsuits they had lost several times, they never published datasheets nor sold individual sound ICs (only complete instrument designs) to 3rd party manufacturers. Another plausible reason may be, that to be the first in competition, Casio apparently often released products based on new inventions *before* they had finished patenting them. Thus service manuals typically don't explain more about Casio special ICs than barely necessary to identify a faulty one. At least IC pin names in schematics stay complete, although unused ones often lack description.

Otherwise some Casio patent texts even describe complete instruments nicely detailedly. E.g. the PT-50 with ROM-Pack algorithm is described in US patents 4624171 and (later) 33607. The VL-Tone 1 is detailedly explained in US patent 4475429. Yamaha instead patented every tiny technical detail separately (e.g. the PlayCard system concept is split among a variety of US patents, including 4413545, 5144875, 4466324, 4454797, 4387620, 4587878, 4406203), which makes it much harder to conclude the inner working of a certain instrument.


With TM synthesis I suspect that it might be a hidden secret inside the Casio HT-6000 (which sounds noticeably different than other SD-synths), but this also may be result of all those separate VCFs. I likely will need to check the unfiltered waveforms by oscilloscope. Seeing backfoldet peaks of sine waves (like in the patent) would be the best indication for Triangular Wave Modulation. Also the PT-100/MT-88 single chip CPU may use it, but I haven't checked the waveforms either.

Hi,I don't know if the thing I am writing now can be related to this post, but I read somewhere that there are some hidden features via sysex about waveforms and modulation. It should be described here: "http://homepage.mac.com/synth_seal/html/cz1.html" , but I can't reach it through my Pc. Does the link exist anymore? Did someone saved the page? Maybe I have it saved on the several Usb keys I have, or on my spare Hard disk. I am going to try and check. I also read there is an I-Pad editor with these secret features. According to the page "http://www.matrixsynth.com/2012/07/accessing-casio-cz-series-hidden.html"   "Accessed via the iCZ - iControlMIDI (iTunes) Casio CZ series editor on iPad.
Quick tutorial: The Casio CZ series are Phase Distortion synths - Casio's version FM synthesis.  With Yamaha FM synthesis there are carrier waveforms and modulator waveforms.  The carrier is 
what you hear and the modulator modulates.  The DX7 has various 
combinations of them modulating each other referred to as algorithms.  
On the CZ series, and referenced below, Waves are carriers and "Window 
Waves" are modulators.

"We are using a Line 1 + Line 2' 
structure, but not using both Lines at the same time. Line 1 DCO Wave 1 
is Null (Hidden Wave); Line 1 DCO Wave 2 is Sine Sync and Line 1 Window 
Wave is Triangle. Line 2 DCO Wave 1 is Double Sine; Line 2 DCO Wave 2 is
 Off and Line 2 Window Wave is Spike (Hidden Wave).
In the first part, only Line 1 can be heard.
In
 the second part, we are using iControlMIDI increase the DCW1 Level 1 to
 max which makes the Window Modulation sounds like a resonant filter.
In
 the third part and last, we are using iControlMIDI to add Line 2' (so 
with Detune) and you can hear the Window Wave Spike effect which almost 
sounds like a distortion whereas the Line 2 DCO Wave 1 Double Sine 
sounds like a back-end sawtooth.
There is a very short software delay and software chorus.". 
All the best!



________________________________
 Da: CYBERYOGI =CO= Windler <cowindler01@...>
A: CZsynth@yahoogroups.com 
Inviato: Domenica 25 Agosto 2013 2:36
Oggetto: [CZsynth] Triangular Wave Modulation = Phase Distortion? (Casio PCM engine patents)
 


  
Triangular wave modulation (US patent 5164530) is an FM-like Casio speciality that generates waveforms by modulating a monotonous carrier function with a sine (or other) wave and decoding the signal by mirroring it at a triangular wave. With the same count of operators (here only 2?) the produced waveform has higher harmonics than normal FM because at high modulation the wave peaks fold back into the opposite direction. Without modulation it outputs a sine wave and so can nicely blend between very dull and bright timbres. The carrier waveform stands in ROM and so can be switched between a variety of timbres. Like with FM, operators can be combined in various ways.

https://www.google.com/patents/US5164530

- Is TM part of the "phase distortion" engine or something else?

I own a CZ-230S and revived a CZ-101 (had severe water and fire damage), but I am no PD expert and never heard about TM synthesis before (even websearch doesn't help much). Is this used in phase distortion synths (e.g. the later VZ-series) or was this only used in the Casio "Pulse Code Modulation" engine of preset sound keyboards? Patent 5164530 suggests that Casio at least planned to make dedicated TM synthesizers with a PD/FM-like user interface.

I am reworking my technical keyboard descriptions for the WarrantyVoid site. So I websearched for 1980th keyboard patents and discovered a lot of interesting info.

https://www.google.com/patents/US5319151

This is what I wrote for my SA-series page:
>>>
The sound generation is apparently based on a highly complex softsynth with many algorithms those can perform PCM, DPCM, FM and TM (triangular wave modulation) synthesis with sophisticated envelopes. These Casio PCM algorithms are described in the US patent 5319151. This rather confusing 121 page tome however is ambiguous because it covers plenty of different implementations those e.g. can employ different counts of chip-internal sub-CPU cores for sound generation in higher grade instruments. The SA-series is surely the cheapest described "First" or "Second Embodiment" which has none. The algorithms for this version even describe how shorter tasks are stuffed with blank "dummy commands" to keep the timing in sync when different sounds would need different computing time. It works indeed very VCS2600-like - a marvel of freakish realtime programming made from one big loop (plus in "First Embodiment" one timer IRQ to compute waveforms and fill the DAC
 output FIFO; the "Second" does even this during dummy commands).

The interpolation method with that Casio smoothly blends between wavetable sections is described in the US patent 4442745 "Long duration aperiodic musical waveform generator" It plays sections of compacted samples back and forward to implement things like long decaying cymbals. US patent 4958552 explains algorithms how envelope data is extracted from natural instrument recordings and applied on loop samples as a approximated segmented functions. The original envelope may be removed from the stored loop sample by a waveform normalizer (US patent 4691608). Most important is that these chained envelopes can have basically any length and have (unlike e.g. ADSR) no fixed count of steps. Combined with crossfading between adjacent loop samples this permits very flexible sound definition.

The US patent 5319151 "Data processing apparatus outputting waveform data in a certain interval" mentions for the "First Embodiment" that the chip size is only 5x5mm, a program word has 28 bits (including lower potion of next address) and these further hardware specs:

"With regard to the circuit scale and the operation time of the specific embodiment (PCM sound source system capable of producing eight polyphonic sounds) the control ROM has a size of 112K bits, RAM 445.4K bits and the control data/waveform ROM (for 100 timbres) 508K bits; one machine cycle is about 276 nanoseconds with a maximum number of cycles of the interrupt program when invoked being about 150; and the executing period of the interrupting process (tone output sampling period) is about 47 microseconds."

Expressed in KBytes this would mean 55.7KB RAM, 14KB program ROM and 63.5KB sound ROM, which isn't far away from a Commodore C64 with large ROM cartridge. Said CPU speed would be about 3.6 MIPS.
<<<

Higher grade MIDI keyboards like MT-240, MT-540 or MT-750 certainly have sub-CPU cores for 16 bit sound generation. Their external ROM is 512KB up to 1MB.

- Does anybody know more about this sound engine?

MAY THE SOFTWARE BE WITH YOU!

*============================================================================*
I                  CYBERYOGI Christian Oliver(=CO=) Windler                  I
I         (teachmaster of LOGOLOGIE - the first cyberage-religion!)          I
I                                      !                                     I
*=============================ABANDON=THE=BRUTALITY==========================*
{http://weltenschule.de/e_index.html}


 

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

i'll admit , i wrote an almost complete program to edit the cz 101 sysex and 
design sounds....it could access all these waves mentioned and do more to 
simplify sound design .... there were a few sounds i made that  had unique 
prperties and i attributed this to the fact the editor was easier to use 
than
the cz at making sounds . but the more i look into this sectrum  the more 
what manduca says is tru ,,,some additional features can be accessed while 
using an external editor.....

good luck ,, i sold my cz 101 last year but do have a cz1 to work with now
 trying soon to write a cz1 editor...
thanks

charlie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "F.Manduca" <resistenzaaoltranza@...>
To: <CZsynth@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 29, 2013 8:13 AM
Subject: Re: [CZsynth] Triangular Wave Modulation = Phase Distortion? (Casio 
PCM engine patents)


Hi,I don't know if the thing I am writing now can be related to this post, 
but I read somewhere that there are some hidden features via sysex about 
waveforms and modulation. It should be described here: 
"http://homepage.mac.com/synth_seal/html/cz1.html" , but I can't reach it 
through my Pc. Does the link exist anymore? Did someone saved the page? 
Maybe I have it saved on the several Usb keys I have, or on my spare Hard 
disk. I am going to try and check. I also read there is an I-Pad editor with 
these secret features. According to the page 
"http://www.matrixsynth.com/2012/07/accessing-casio-cz-series-hidden.html" 
"Accessed via the iCZ - iControlMIDI (iTunes) Casio CZ series editor on 
iPad.
Quick tutorial: The Casio CZ series are Phase Distortion synths - Casio's 
version FM synthesis.  With Yamaha FM synthesis there are carrier waveforms 
and modulator waveforms.  The carrier is
what you hear and the modulator modulates.  The DX7 has various
combinations of them modulating each other referred to as algorithms.
On the CZ series, and referenced below, Waves are carriers and "Window
Waves" are modulators.

"We are using a Line 1 + Line 2'
structure, but not using both Lines at the same time. Line 1 DCO Wave 1
is Null (Hidden Wave); Line 1 DCO Wave 2 is Sine Sync and Line 1 Window
Wave is Triangle. Line 2 DCO Wave 1 is Double Sine; Line 2 DCO Wave 2 is
 Off and Line 2 Window Wave is Spike (Hidden Wave).
In the first part, only Line 1 can be heard.
In
 the second part, we are using iControlMIDI increase the DCW1 Level 1 to
 max which makes the Window Modulation sounds like a resonant filter.
In
 the third part and last, we are using iControlMIDI to add Line 2' (so
with Detune) and you can hear the Window Wave Spike effect which almost
sounds like a distortion whereas the Line 2 DCO Wave 1 Double Sine
sounds like a back-end sawtooth.
There is a very short software delay and software chorus.".
All the best!



________________________________
 Da: CYBERYOGI =CO= Windler <cowindler01@...>
A: CZsynth@yahoogroups.com
Inviato: Domenica 25 Agosto 2013 2:36
Oggetto: [CZsynth] Triangular Wave Modulation = Phase Distortion? (Casio PCM 
engine patents)




Triangular wave modulation (US patent 5164530) is an FM-like Casio 
speciality that generates waveforms by modulating a monotonous carrier 
function with a sine (or other) wave and decoding the signal by mirroring it 
at a triangular wave. With the same count of operators (here only 2?) the 
produced waveform has higher harmonics than normal FM because at high 
modulation the wave peaks fold back into the opposite direction. Without 
modulation it outputs a sine wave and so can nicely blend between very dull 
and bright timbres. The carrier waveform stands in ROM and so can be 
switched between a variety of timbres. Like with FM, operators can be 
combined in various ways.

https://www.google.com/patents/US5164530

- Is TM part of the "phase distortion" engine or something else?

I own a CZ-230S and revived a CZ-101 (had severe water and fire damage), but 
I am no PD expert and never heard about TM synthesis before (even websearch 
doesn't help much). Is this used in phase distortion synths (e.g. the later 
VZ-series) or was this only used in the Casio "Pulse Code Modulation" engine 
of preset sound keyboards? Patent 5164530 suggests that Casio at least 
planned to make dedicated TM synthesizers with a PD/FM-like user interface.

I am reworking my technical keyboard descriptions for the WarrantyVoid site. 
So I websearched for 1980th keyboard patents and discovered a lot of 
interesting info.

https://www.google.com/patents/US5319151

This is what I wrote for my SA-series page:
>>>
The sound generation is apparently based on a highly complex softsynth with 
many algorithms those can perform PCM, DPCM, FM and TM (triangular wave 
modulation) synthesis with sophisticated envelopes. These Casio PCM 
algorithms are described in the US patent 5319151. This rather confusing 121 
page tome however is ambiguous because it covers plenty of different 
implementations those e.g. can employ different counts of chip-internal 
sub-CPU cores for sound generation in higher grade instruments. The 
SA-series is surely the cheapest described "First" or "Second Embodiment" 
which has none. The algorithms for this version even describe how shorter 
tasks are stuffed with blank "dummy commands" to keep the timing in sync 
when different sounds would need different computing time. It works indeed 
very VCS2600-like - a marvel of freakish realtime programming made from one 
big loop (plus in "First Embodiment" one timer IRQ to compute waveforms and 
fill the DAC
 output FIFO; the "Second" does even this during dummy commands).

The interpolation method with that Casio smoothly blends between wavetable 
sections is described in the US patent 4442745 "Long duration aperiodic 
musical waveform generator" It plays sections of compacted samples back and 
forward to implement things like long decaying cymbals. US patent 4958552 
explains algorithms how envelope data is extracted from natural instrument 
recordings and applied on loop samples as a approximated segmented 
functions. The original envelope may be removed from the stored loop sample 
by a waveform normalizer (US patent 4691608). Most important is that these 
chained envelopes can have basically any length and have (unlike e.g. ADSR) 
no fixed count of steps. Combined with crossfading between adjacent loop 
samples this permits very flexible sound definition.

The US patent 5319151 "Data processing apparatus outputting waveform data in 
a certain interval" mentions for the "First Embodiment" that the chip size 
is only 5x5mm, a program word has 28 bits (including lower potion of next 
address) and these further hardware specs:

"With regard to the circuit scale and the operation time of the specific 
embodiment (PCM sound source system capable of producing eight polyphonic 
sounds) the control ROM has a size of 112K bits, RAM 445.4K bits and the 
control data/waveform ROM (for 100 timbres) 508K bits; one machine cycle is 
about 276 nanoseconds with a maximum number of cycles of the interrupt 
program when invoked being about 150; and the executing period of the 
interrupting process (tone output sampling period) is about 47 
microseconds."

Expressed in KBytes this would mean 55.7KB RAM, 14KB program ROM and 63.5KB 
sound ROM, which isn't far away from a Commodore C64 with large ROM 
cartridge. Said CPU speed would be about 3.6 MIPS.
<<<

Higher grade MIDI keyboards like MT-240, MT-540 or MT-750 certainly have 
sub-CPU cores for 16 bit sound generation. Their external ROM is 512KB up to 
1MB.

- Does anybody know more about this sound engine?

MAY THE SOFTWARE BE WITH YOU!

*============================================================================*
I                  CYBERYOGI Christian Oliver(=CO=) Windler 
I
I         (teachmaster of LOGOLOGIE - the first cyberage-religion!) 
I
I                                      ! 
I
*=============================ABANDON=THE=BRUTALITY==========================*
{http://weltenschule.de/e_index.html}




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

I can barely reply because Yahoo Neo theme is locking up my browser (few letters per minutes) with 16tons of javascript. Dear webmaster, please turn off this horrible theme! I am using a historical PC made of finest DOS hardware (550MHz AMD K6-3+ with 768MHz) running Win98SE and I definitely will not "up"grade to any modern unrepairable wifi c'rap. And yes, the link is indeed dead. Try the web archive: http://web.archive.org/web/20120618100255/http://homepage.mac.com/synth_seal/html/cz1.html --- In czsynth@yahoogroups.com, <resistenzaaoltranza@...> wrote: Hi,I don't know if the thing I am writing now can be related to this post, but I read somewhere that there are some hidden features via sysex about waveforms and modulation. It should be described here: " http://homepage.mac.com/synth_seal/html/cz1.html" , but I can't reach it through my Pc. Does the link exist anymore? Did someone saved the page? Maybe I have it saved on the several Usb keys I have, or on my spare Hard disk. I am going to try and check. I also read there is an I-Pad editor with these secret features. According to the page " http://www.matrixsynth.com/2012/07/accessing-casio-cz-series-hidden.html"   "Accessed via the iCZ - iControlMIDI (iTunes) Casio CZ series editor on iPad. Quick tutorial: The Casio CZ series are Phase Distortion synths - Casio's version FM synthesis. With Yamaha FM synthesis there are carrier waveforms and modulator waveforms. The carrier is  what you hear and the modulator modulates. The DX7 has various  combinations of them modulating each other referred to as algorithms.  On the CZ series, and referenced below, Waves are carriers and "Window  Waves" are modulators.  "We are using a Line 1 + Line 2'  structure, but not using both Lines at the same time. Line 1 DCO Wave 1  is Null (Hidden Wave); Line 1 DCO Wave 2 is Sine Sync and Line 1 Window  Wave is Triangle. Line 2 DCO Wave 1 is Double Sine; Line 2 DCO Wave 2 is Off and Line 2 Window Wave is Spike (Hidden Wave). In the first part, only Line 1 can be heard. In the second part, we are using iControlMIDI increase the DCW1 Level 1 to max which makes the Window Modulation sounds like a resonant filter. In the third part and last, we are using iControlMIDI to add Line 2' (so  with Detune) and you can hear the Window Wave Spike effect which almost  sounds like a distortion whereas the Line 2 DCO Wave 1 Double Sine  sounds like a back-end sawtooth. There is a very short software delay and software chorus.".  All the best!    ________________________________ Da: CYBERYOGI =CO= Windler < cowindler01@... > A: CZsynth@yahoogroups.com  Inviato: Domenica 25 Agosto 2013 2:36 Oggetto: [CZsynth] Triangular Wave Modulation = Phase Distortion? (Casio PCM engine patents)       Triangular wave modulation (US patent 5164530) is an FM-like Casio speciality that generates waveforms by modulating a monotonous carrier function with a sine (or other) wave and decoding the signal by mirroring it at a triangular wave. With the same count of operators (here only 2?) the produced waveform has higher harmonics than normal FM because at high modulation the wave peaks fold back into the opposite direction. Without modulation it outputs a sine wave and so can nicely blend between very dull and bright timbres. The carrier waveform stands in ROM and so can be switched between a variety of timbres. Like with FM, operators can be combined in various ways.  https://www.google.com/patents/US5164530  - Is TM part of the "phase distortion" engine or something else?  I own a CZ-230S and revived a CZ-101 (had severe water and fire damage), but I am no PD expert and never heard about TM synthesis before (even websearch doesn't help much). Is this used in phase distortion synths (e.g. the later VZ-series) or was this only used in the Casio "Pulse Code Modulation" engine of preset sound keyboards? Patent 5164530 suggests that Casio at least planned to make dedicated TM synthesizers with a PD/FM-like user interface.  I am reworking my technical keyboard descriptions for the WarrantyVoid site. So I websearched for 1980th keyboard patents and discovered a lot of interesting info.  https://www.google.com/patents/US5319151  This is what I wrote for my SA-series page:  >>> The sound generation is apparently based on a highly complex softsynth with many algorithms those can perform PCM, DPCM, FM and TM (triangular wave modulation) synthesis with sophisticated envelopes. These Casio PCM algorithms are described in the US patent 5319151. This rather confusing 121 page tome however is ambiguous because it covers plenty of different implementations those e.g. can employ different counts of chip-internal sub-CPU cores for sound generation in higher grade instruments. The SA-series is surely the cheapest described "First" or "Second Embodiment" which has none. The algorithms for this version even describe how shorter tasks are stuffed with blank "dummy commands" to keep the timing in sync when different sounds would need different computing time. It works indeed very VCS2600-like - a marvel of freakish realtime programming made from one big loop (plus in "First Embodiment" one timer IRQ to compute waveforms and fill the DAC output FIFO; the "Second" does even this during dummy commands).  The interpolation method with that Casio smoothly blends between wavetable sections is described in the US patent 4442745 "Long duration aperiodic musical waveform generator" It plays sections of compacted samples back and forward to implement things like long decaying cymbals. US patent 4958552 explains algorithms how envelope data is extracted from natural instrument recordings and applied on loop samples as a approximated segmented functions. The original envelope may be removed from the stored loop sample by a waveform normalizer (US patent 4691608). Most important is that these chained envelopes can have basically any length and have (unlike e.g. ADSR) no fixed count of steps. Combined with crossfading between adjacent loop samples this permits very flexible sound definition.  The US patent 5319151 "Data processing apparatus outputting waveform data in a certain interval" mentions for the "First Embodiment" that the chip size is only 5x5mm, a program word has 28 bits (including lower potion of next address) and these further hardware specs:  "With regard to the circuit scale and the operation time of the specific embodiment (PCM sound source system capable of producing eight polyphonic sounds) the control ROM has a size of 112K bits, RAM 445.4K bits and the control data/waveform ROM (for 100 timbres) 508K bits; one machine cycle is about 276 nanoseconds with a maximum number of cycles of the interrupt program when invoked being about 150; and the executing period of the interrupting process (tone output sampling period) is about 47 microseconds."  Expressed in KBytes this would mean 55.7KB RAM, 14KB program ROM and 63.5KB sound ROM, which isn't far away from a Commodore C64 with large ROM cartridge. Said CPU speed would be about 3.6 MIPS. <<<  Higher grade MIDI keyboards like MT-240, MT-540 or MT-750 certainly have sub-CPU cores for 16 bit sound generation. Their external ROM is 512KB up to 1MB.  - Does anybody know more about this sound engine?  MAY THE SOFTWARE BE WITH YOU!  *============================================================================* I CYBERYOGI Christian Oliver(=CO=) Windler I I (teachmaster of LOGOLOGIE - the first cyberage-religion!) I I ! I *=============================ABANDON=THE=BRUTALITY==========================* { http://weltenschule.de/e_index.html}     [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I just finished a first version of a cz-101 patch editor in max msp that's working well for me so far. I'll put it up soon and would love to have some people test it out.



On Aug 29, 2013, at 5:47 PM, charlie midi gfa <charles.copp@...> wrote:

> i'll admit , i wrote an almost complete program to edit the cz 101 sysex and
> design sounds....it could access all these waves mentioned and do more to
> simplify sound design .... there were a few sounds i made that had unique
> prperties and i attributed this to the fact the editor was easier to use
> than
> the cz at making sounds . but the more i look into this sectrum the more
> what manduca says is tru ,,,some additional features can be accessed while
> using an external editor.....
>
> good luck ,, i sold my cz 101 last year but do have a cz1 to work with now
> trying soon to write a cz1 editor...
> thanks
>
> charlie
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "F.Manduca" <resistenzaaoltranza@...>
> To: <CZsynth@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Thursday, August 29, 2013 8:13 AM
> Subject: Re: [CZsynth] Triangular Wave Modulation = Phase Distortion? (Casio
> PCM engine patents)
>
> Hi,I don't know if the thing I am writing now can be related to this post,
> but I read somewhere that there are some hidden features via sysex about
> waveforms and modulation. It should be described here:
> "http://homepage.mac.com/synth_seal/html/cz1.html" , but I can't reach it
> through my Pc. Does the link exist anymore? Did someone saved the page?
> Maybe I have it saved on the several Usb keys I have, or on my spare Hard
> disk. I am going to try and check. I also read there is an I-Pad editor with
> these secret features. According to the page
> "http://www.matrixsynth.com/2012/07/accessing-casio-cz-series-hidden.html"
> "Accessed via the iCZ - iControlMIDI (iTunes) Casio CZ series editor on
> iPad.
> Quick tutorial: The Casio CZ series are Phase Distortion synths - Casio's
> version FM synthesis. With Yamaha FM synthesis there are carrier waveforms
> and modulator waveforms. The carrier is
> what you hear and the modulator modulates. The DX7 has various
> combinations of them modulating each other referred to as algorithms.
> On the CZ series, and referenced below, Waves are carriers and "Window
> Waves" are modulators.
>
> "We are using a Line 1 + Line 2'
> structure, but not using both Lines at the same time. Line 1 DCO Wave 1
> is Null (Hidden Wave); Line 1 DCO Wave 2 is Sine Sync and Line 1 Window
> Wave is Triangle. Line 2 DCO Wave 1 is Double Sine; Line 2 DCO Wave 2 is
> Off and Line 2 Window Wave is Spike (Hidden Wave).
> In the first part, only Line 1 can be heard.
> In
> the second part, we are using iControlMIDI increase the DCW1 Level 1 to
> max which makes the Window Modulation sounds like a resonant filter.
> In
> the third part and last, we are using iControlMIDI to add Line 2' (so
> with Detune) and you can hear the Window Wave Spike effect which almost
> sounds like a distortion whereas the Line 2 DCO Wave 1 Double Sine
> sounds like a back-end sawtooth.
> There is a very short software delay and software chorus.".
> All the best!
>
> ________________________________
> Da: CYBERYOGI =CO= Windler <cowindler01@...>
> A: CZsynth@yahoogroups.com
> Inviato: Domenica 25 Agosto 2013 2:36
> Oggetto: [CZsynth] Triangular Wave Modulation = Phase Distortion? (Casio PCM
> engine patents)
>
> Triangular wave modulation (US patent 5164530) is an FM-like Casio
> speciality that generates waveforms by modulating a monotonous carrier
> function with a sine (or other) wave and decoding the signal by mirroring it
> at a triangular wave. With the same count of operators (here only 2?) the
> produced waveform has higher harmonics than normal FM because at high
> modulation the wave peaks fold back into the opposite direction. Without
> modulation it outputs a sine wave and so can nicely blend between very dull
> and bright timbres. The carrier waveform stands in ROM and so can be
> switched between a variety of timbres. Like with FM, operators can be
> combined in various ways.
>
> https://www.google.com/patents/US5164530
>
> - Is TM part of the "phase distortion" engine or something else?
>
> I own a CZ-230S and revived a CZ-101 (had severe water and fire damage), but
> I am no PD expert and never heard about TM synthesis before (even websearch
> doesn't help much). Is this used in phase distortion synths (e.g. the later
> VZ-series) or was this only used in the Casio "Pulse Code Modulation" engine
> of preset sound keyboards? Patent 5164530 suggests that Casio at least
> planned to make dedicated TM synthesizers with a PD/FM-like user interface.
>
> I am reworking my technical keyboard descriptions for the WarrantyVoid site.
> So I websearched for 1980th keyboard patents and discovered a lot of
> interesting info.
>
> https://www.google.com/patents/US5319151
>
> This is what I wrote for my SA-series page:
> >>>
> The sound generation is apparently based on a highly complex softsynth with
> many algorithms those can perform PCM, DPCM, FM and TM (triangular wave
> modulation) synthesis with sophisticated envelopes. These Casio PCM
> algorithms are described in the US patent 5319151. This rather confusing 121
> page tome however is ambiguous because it covers plenty of different
> implementations those e.g. can employ different counts of chip-internal
> sub-CPU cores for sound generation in higher grade instruments. The
> SA-series is surely the cheapest described "First" or "Second Embodiment"
> which has none. The algorithms for this version even describe how shorter
> tasks are stuffed with blank "dummy commands" to keep the timing in sync
> when different sounds would need different computing time. It works indeed
> very VCS2600-like - a marvel of freakish realtime programming made from one
> big loop (plus in "First Embodiment" one timer IRQ to compute waveforms and
> fill the DAC
> output FIFO; the "Second" does even this during dummy commands).
>
> The interpolation method with that Casio smoothly blends between wavetable
> sections is described in the US patent 4442745 "Long duration aperiodic
> musical waveform generator" It plays sections of compacted samples back and
> forward to implement things like long decaying cymbals. US patent 4958552
> explains algorithms how envelope data is extracted from natural instrument
> recordings and applied on loop samples as a approximated segmented
> functions. The original envelope may be removed from the stored loop sample
> by a waveform normalizer (US patent 4691608). Most important is that these
> chained envelopes can have basically any length and have (unlike e.g. ADSR)
> no fixed count of steps. Combined with crossfading between adjacent loop
> samples this permits very flexible sound definition.
>
> The US patent 5319151 "Data processing apparatus outputting waveform data in
> a certain interval" mentions for the "First Embodiment" that the chip size
> is only 5x5mm, a program word has 28 bits (including lower potion of next
> address) and these further hardware specs:
>
> "With regard to the circuit scale and the operation time of the specific
> embodiment (PCM sound source system capable of producing eight polyphonic
> sounds) the control ROM has a size of 112K bits, RAM 445.4K bits and the
> control data/waveform ROM (for 100 timbres) 508K bits; one machine cycle is
> about 276 nanoseconds with a maximum number of cycles of the interrupt
> program when invoked being about 150; and the executing period of the
> interrupting process (tone output sampling period) is about 47
> microseconds."
>
> Expressed in KBytes this would mean 55.7KB RAM, 14KB program ROM and 63.5KB
> sound ROM, which isn't far away from a Commodore C64 with large ROM
> cartridge. Said CPU speed would be about 3.6 MIPS.
> <<<
>
> Higher grade MIDI keyboards like MT-240, MT-540 or MT-750 certainly have
> sub-CPU cores for 16 bit sound generation. Their external ROM is 512KB up to
> 1MB.
>
> - Does anybody know more about this sound engine?
>
> MAY THE SOFTWARE BE WITH YOU!
>
> *============================================================================*
> I CYBERYOGI Christian Oliver(=CO=) Windler
> I
> I (teachmaster of LOGOLOGIE - the first cyberage-religion!)
> I
> I !
> I
> *=============================ABANDON=THE=BRUTALITY==========================*
> {http://weltenschule.de/e_index.html}
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I just finished a first version of a cz-101 patch editor in max msp that's working well for me so far. I'll put it up soon and would love to have some people test it out.    --- In czsynth@yahoogroups.com, <cowindler01@...> wrote: I can barely reply because Yahoo Neo theme is locking up my browser (few letters per minutes) with 16tons of javascript. Dear webmaster, please turn off this horrible theme! I am using a historical PC made of finest DOS hardware (550MHz AMD K6-3+ with 768MHz) running Win98SE and I definitely will not "up"grade to any modern unrepairable wifi c'rap. And yes, the link is indeed dead. Try the web archive: http://web.archive.org/web/20120618100255/http://homepage.mac.com/synth_seal/html/cz1.html --- In czsynth@yahoogroups.com , <resistenzaaoltranza@...> wrote: Hi,I don't know if the thing I am writing now can be related to this post, but I read somewhere that there are some hidden features via sysex about waveforms and modulation. It should be described here: " http://homepage.mac.com/synth_seal/html/cz1.html" , but I can't reach it through my Pc. Does the link exist anymore? Did someone saved the page? Maybe I have it saved on the several Usb keys I have, or on my spare Hard disk. I am going to try and check. I also read there is an I-Pad editor with these secret features. According to the page " http://www.matrixsynth.com/2012/07/accessing-casio-cz-series-hidden.html"   "Accessed via the iCZ - iControlMIDI (iTunes) Casio CZ series editor on iPad. Quick tutorial: The Casio CZ series are Phase Distortion synths - Casio's version FM synthesis. With Yamaha FM synthesis there are carrier waveforms and modulator waveforms. The carrier is  what you hear and the modulator modulates. The DX7 has various  combinations of them modulating each other referred to as algorithms.  On the CZ series, and referenced below, Waves are carriers and "Window  Waves" are modulators.  "We are using a Line 1 + Line 2'  structure, but not using both Lines at the same time. Line 1 DCO Wave 1  is Null (Hidden Wave); Line 1 DCO Wave 2 is Sine Sync and Line 1 Window  Wave is Triangle. Line 2 DCO Wave 1 is Double Sine; Line 2 DCO Wave 2 is Off and Line 2 Window Wave is Spike (Hidden Wave). In the first part, only Line 1 can be heard. In the second part, we are using iControlMIDI increase the DCW1 Level 1 to max which makes the Window Modulation sounds like a resonant filter. In the third part and last, we are using iControlMIDI to add Line 2' (so  with Detune) and you can hear the Window Wave Spike effect which almost  sounds like a distortion whereas the Line 2 DCO Wave 1 Double Sine  sounds like a back-end sawtooth. There is a very short software delay and software chorus.".  All the best!    ________________________________ Da: CYBERYOGI =CO= Windler < cowindler01@... > A: CZsynth@yahoogroups.com  Inviato: Domenica 25 Agosto 2013 2:36 Oggetto: [CZsynth] Triangular Wave Modulation = Phase Distortion? (Casio PCM engine patents)       Triangular wave modulation (US patent 5164530) is an FM-like Casio speciality that generates waveforms by modulating a monotonous carrier function with a sine (or other) wave and decoding the signal by mirroring it at a triangular wave. With the same count of operators (here only 2?) the produced waveform has higher harmonics than normal FM because at high modulation the wave peaks fold back into the opposite direction. Without modulation it outputs a sine wave and so can nicely blend between very dull and bright timbres. The carrier waveform stands in ROM and so can be switched between a variety of timbres. Like with FM, operators can be combined in various ways.  https://www.google.com/patents/US5164530  - Is TM part of the "phase distortion" engine or something else?  I own a CZ-230S and revived a CZ-101 (had severe water and fire damage), but I am no PD expert and never heard about TM synthesis before (even websearch doesn't help much). Is this used in phase distortion synths (e.g. the later VZ-series) or was this only used in the Casio "Pulse Code Modulation" engine of preset sound keyboards? Patent 5164530 suggests that Casio at least planned to make dedicated TM synthesizers with a PD/FM-like user interface.  I am reworking my technical keyboard descriptions for the WarrantyVoid site. So I websearched for 1980th keyboard patents and discovered a lot of interesting info.  https://www.google.com/patents/US5319151  This is what I wrote for my SA-series page:  >>> The sound generation is apparently based on a highly complex softsynth with many algorithms those can perform PCM, DPCM, FM and TM (triangular wave modulation) synthesis with sophisticated envelopes. These Casio PCM algorithms are described in the US patent 5319151. This rather confusing 121 page tome however is ambiguous because it covers plenty of different implementations those e.g. can employ different counts of chip-internal sub-CPU cores for sound generation in higher grade instruments. The SA-series is surely the cheapest described "First" or "Second Embodiment" which has none. The algorithms for this version even describe how shorter tasks are stuffed with blank "dummy commands" to keep the timing in sync when different sounds would need different computing time. It works indeed very VCS2600-like - a marvel of freakish realtime programming made from one big loop (plus in "First Embodiment" one timer IRQ to compute waveforms and fill the DAC output FIFO; the "Second" does even this during dummy commands).  The interpolation method with that Casio smoothly blends between wavetable sections is described in the US patent 4442745 "Long duration aperiodic musical waveform generator" It plays sections of compacted samples back and forward to implement things like long decaying cymbals. US patent 4958552 explains algorithms how envelope data is extracted from natural instrument recordings and applied on loop samples as a approximated segmented functions. The original envelope may be removed from the stored loop sample by a waveform normalizer (US patent 4691608). Most important is that these chained envelopes can have basically any length and have (unlike e.g. ADSR) no fixed count of steps. Combined with crossfading between adjacent loop samples this permits very flexible sound definition.  The US patent 5319151 "Data processing apparatus outputting waveform data in a certain interval" mentions for the "First Embodiment" that the chip size is only 5x5mm, a program word has 28 bits (including lower potion of next address) and these further hardware specs:  "With regard to the circuit scale and the operation time of the specific embodiment (PCM sound source system capable of producing eight polyphonic sounds) the control ROM has a size of 112K bits, RAM 445.4K bits and the control data/waveform ROM (for 100 timbres) 508K bits; one machine cycle is about 276 nanoseconds with a maximum number of cycles of the interrupt program when invoked being about 150; and the executing period of the interrupting process (tone output sampling period) is about 47 microseconds."  Expressed in KBytes this would mean 55.7KB RAM, 14KB program ROM and 63.5KB sound ROM, which isn't far away from a Commodore C64 with large ROM cartridge. Said CPU speed would be about 3.6 MIPS. <<<  Higher grade MIDI keyboards like MT-240, MT-540 or MT-750 certainly have sub-CPU cores for 16 bit sound generation. Their external ROM is 512KB up to 1MB.  - Does anybody know more about this sound engine?  MAY THE SOFTWARE BE WITH YOU!  *============================================================================* I CYBERYOGI Christian Oliver(=CO=) Windler I I (teachmaster of LOGOLOGIE - the first cyberage-religion!) I I ! I *=============================ABANDON=THE=BRUTALITY==========================* { http://weltenschule.de/e_index.html}     [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I didn't know Yahoo had user selectable themes. I just use whatever is standard. I am aware that a month or so ago, they changed their e-mail stuff, but I didn't notice any major changes in Yahoo! Groups.

I sympathize. I have tried to retune my Win98SE PC, but have some difficulties either getting Windows Updates or getting newer software to work.  Mine is so old, I couldn't even run Linux Distributions.  I kept getting a message that I needed a newer BIOS.

Personally, I think WinXP is better than either Win98SE, Windows 7, or Windows 8. If you can find a WinXP one from someone who likes Win7/Win8, it might be worth your while. (Mine is about 8 years old and doesn't have WiFi.)

If you are using FireFox and you don't have it, I like the No$cript extension. It lets me choose which scripted web-pages I want to run.

Good luck.

Steve

--- In CZsynth@yahoogroups.com, <cowindler01@...> wrote:
>
> I can barely reply because Yahoo Neo theme is locking up my browser (few letters per minutes) with 16tons of javascript. Dear webmaster, please turn off this horrible theme! I am using a historical PC made of finest DOS hardware (550MHz AMD K6-3+ with 768MHz) running Win98SE and I definitely will not "up"grade to any modern unrepairable wifi c'rap.