Mockingboard
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The Mockingboard was a sound card for the Apple II family of microcomputers built by Sweet Micro Systems. The standard Apple II machines never had particularly good sound, especially when compared to competitors like the SID chip-enabled Commodore_64. With the notable exception of the Apple_IIGS, all an Apple II programmer could do was send clicks to the speaker.
The Mockingboard was available in various models for either the slot based Apple II / Apple II Plus / Apple IIe systems or in one special model for the Apple IIc. Sound was generated through one or more AY-3-8910 or compatible sound chips, with one chip offering three square-wave synthesis channels. The boards could also be equipped with an optional speech chip (a Votrax SC-01 or compatible).
Some software products supported more than one Mockingboard. For instance, Ultima V supported two boards, for a total of 12 voices.
There was a Mockingboard compatible sound card from Applied Engineering, called the Phasor. It had 4 sound chips and thus provided 12 audio channels.
Models
Early models:
- Sound I: one AY-3-8910 chip for three audio channels
- Speech I: one SC-01 chip
- Sound II: two AY-3-8910 chips for six audio channels
- Sound/Speech I: one AY-3-8910 and one SC-01
Later models:
- Mockingboard A: two AY-3-8910 chips for six audio channels
- Mockingboard B: speech chip upgrade for Mockingboard A
- Mockingboard C: two AY-3-8910 and one SC-01 (essentially a Mockingboard A with the upgrade preinstalled)
- Mockingboard D: for Apple IIc only
External links
- info and photos of the Mockingboard (http://www.apple2world.jp/apple2/COL/MapItems/card/sound/mockingboard/mockingboard.html)
- Mockingboad Mini-Manual (http://apple2.org.za/gswv/a2zine/GS.WorldView/Resources/ARTICLES/MockingBoard.MiniManual.html)