Comments on: Music Synthesizer for the TRS-80 Color Computer http://www.wiretotheear.com/2008/12/07/music-synthesizer-for-the-trs-80-color-computer/ Mon, 20 May 2013 18:44:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Momo http://www.wiretotheear.com/2008/12/07/music-synthesizer-for-the-trs-80-color-computer/comment-page-1/#comment-3342 Momo Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:02:24 +0000 http://www.wiretotheear.com/?p=1720#comment-3342 Mnematics Videotext.... Good old time! There was no downloads for sure, we were just messing around... enjoying the fact we were "online"! There was a IRC gateway at the end, an email feature, and a few thematic hmm newsgroups... I wish I could find the people I used to hang out with there... Count Zero, Dinosaur Jr, that old Andygee and more... The frenchie Mnematics Videotext….
Good old time!
There was no downloads for sure, we were just messing around… enjoying the fact we were “online”! There was a IRC gateway at the end, an email feature, and a few thematic hmm newsgroups…
I wish I could find the people I used to hang out with there… Count Zero, Dinosaur Jr, that old Andygee and more…

The frenchie

]]> By: Matthew Reed http://www.wiretotheear.com/2008/12/07/music-synthesizer-for-the-trs-80-color-computer/comment-page-1/#comment-2929 Matthew Reed Tue, 09 Dec 2008 01:51:51 +0000 http://www.wiretotheear.com/?p=1720#comment-2929 I'm glad I'm not the only one to think that some laptop keyboards resemble chiclet keyboards. The "Stereo Music Synthesizer" you mention was the Orchestra-90, which was also available for the TRS-80 Model I, III, and 4. The Orchestra-90 was a fairly simple digital-to-analog converter with some very clever software behind it. Music quality depended on the abilities of the transcriber, but there were some very good music files available. By the way, the Color Computer used the Motorola 6809, not the 6508e. I’m glad I’m not the only one to think that some laptop keyboards resemble chiclet keyboards. The “Stereo Music Synthesizer” you mention was the Orchestra-90, which was also available for the TRS-80 Model I, III, and 4. The Orchestra-90 was a fairly simple digital-to-analog converter with some very clever software behind it. Music quality depended on the abilities of the transcriber, but there were some very good music files available. By the way, the Color Computer used the Motorola 6809, not the 6508e.

]]> By: David http://www.wiretotheear.com/2008/12/07/music-synthesizer-for-the-trs-80-color-computer/comment-page-1/#comment-2926 David Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:50:23 +0000 http://www.wiretotheear.com/?p=1720#comment-2926 The Orchestra-90 has two 8 bit DACs and embedded software for writing songs. I seem to recall the built-in demo song is a bit of the William Tell Overture. What you really want to find is the Speech/Sound Cartridge :) The Orchestra-90 has two 8 bit DACs and embedded software for writing songs. I seem to recall the built-in demo song is a bit of the William Tell Overture. What you really want to find is the Speech/Sound Cartridge :)

]]> By: Rex Rhino http://www.wiretotheear.com/2008/12/07/music-synthesizer-for-the-trs-80-color-computer/comment-page-1/#comment-2913 Rex Rhino Mon, 08 Dec 2008 03:31:09 +0000 http://www.wiretotheear.com/?p=1720#comment-2913 I used to have one of those devices that my friend gave me in the early 90s when he got rid of his CoCo. If you are looking for the next SID chip like phenomena of retro sound, don't bother... Beyond nostalgia, there isn't really much value to this thing. I used to have one of those devices that my friend gave me in the early 90s when he got rid of his CoCo. If you are looking for the next SID chip like phenomena of retro sound, don’t bother… Beyond nostalgia, there isn’t really much value to this thing.

]]> By: aztro http://www.wiretotheear.com/2008/12/07/music-synthesizer-for-the-trs-80-color-computer/comment-page-1/#comment-2909 aztro Sun, 07 Dec 2008 23:57:04 +0000 http://www.wiretotheear.com/?p=1720#comment-2909 the oldest synth i remember was the atari, and believe it or not, it came with cubase the oldest synth i remember was the atari, and believe it or not, it came with cubase

]]> By: Chris http://www.wiretotheear.com/2008/12/07/music-synthesizer-for-the-trs-80-color-computer/comment-page-1/#comment-2904 Chris Sun, 07 Dec 2008 21:48:59 +0000 http://www.wiretotheear.com/?p=1720#comment-2904 Very interesting find! I did some research and found out that the name of the program is Orchestra, and was released as Orchestra-80, Orchestra-85 and Orchestra-90, with the difference being how many voices they could play and so on. The higher versions being the best ones. It also seems that this game had some add-on peripheral to allow it to play back the synthesized voices. I have tried in vain to hear any audio demos of how it sounded, but found a winamp plugin called In-ORCH that lets you play back old Orchestra music files. The problem is I haven't seen ANY sites that have old music files. To find more, search google for: TRS-80 "orchestra 85" And here is the info about the Winamp plugin to allow it to play Orchestra files: http://www.trs-80.com/trs80-main-orch80.htm Very interesting find! I did some research and found out that the name of the program is Orchestra, and was released as Orchestra-80, Orchestra-85 and Orchestra-90, with the difference being how many voices they could play and so on. The higher versions being the best ones.

It also seems that this game had some add-on peripheral to allow it to play back the synthesized voices.

I have tried in vain to hear any audio demos of how it sounded, but found a winamp plugin called In-ORCH that lets you play back old Orchestra music files. The problem is I haven’t seen ANY sites that have old music files.

To find more, search google for:
TRS-80 “orchestra 85″

And here is the info about the Winamp plugin to allow it to play Orchestra files:
http://www.trs-80.com/trs80-main-orch80.htm

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