Emax

I just saw this post on the Yamaha DX group and thought I would put it here for us to comment on as well.  Don't know how it might apply but ideas are welcome.  My initial thought is somehow using this to translate the EMAX source code into something that we could understand and modify, then we could write a new OS that would implement the new features of the extra stuff we put in, or possibly if the stars were aligned we could even replace the dated microprocessor of the EMAX with this one and write brand new code...

Here is the Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmel_AVR

Re: Editor Librarians for TX81Z
Posted by: "Alan Probandt" alan_probandt at yahoo.com   alan_probandt
Mon Dec 28, 2009 7:18 am (PST)


Hello,
  I have noticed the trend towards over-complication that was mentioned in your message and agree.  However instead of resurrecting 1980s 8-bit home computers, I suggest looking into the modern microcontroller scene that is always improving in terms of performance for the price.
  I have been doing MIDI development with the Atmel AVR microcontroller a lot for the past five years or so.  I don't have a lot to show for it, from a professional perspective, but what has been done is in open source and available.  The AVR is almost a 1980s home computer on a inexpensive chip.  There is a 20MHz CPU core running 130+ op-codes, two or three input/output ports, a  serial port UART or two, a cluster of 10 bit analog/digital convertors, several timers, and a Flash ROM space of 4K bytes to 128K bytes.  Lacking is big on-board RAM, video, and sound generators.   Programs are written in free assemblers or C compilers and loaded into the flash ROM.  No need for ultraviolet erasers any more. All programs are stored in the ROM. No program code runs from RAM, which makes AVRs different from home computers.
  Video can be done using attached LCD graphics modules that sell for about $20.  Sound ICs have disappeared probably for good, but MP3 and MIDI are straightforward to implement.  Massive data storage is done on small cheap SD Flash cards at a cost of about $10 per gigabyte.
  AVRs have the same programming 'feel' that the old home computers do, but they are much more widely available.  There isn't any concern that a program written for DOS or Commodore 64 can't be shared because the hardware is unobtainable.
  The 10-year-old 8-bit 20MHz $8 AVR is on the verge of being replaced by the $4 50MHz 32bit ARM-family of microcontrollers, specifically the Cortex M3.  This device is made by many companies, but it is much more difficult to program and is 'overkill' for MIDI applications.
 
  Just a brief update on the alternatives to using unprogrammable desktop PCs for MIDI applications.