Yamaha YM2203
Encyclopedia
The YM2203, aka OPN is a six-channel sound chip
developed by Yamaha. It's the progenitor of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis
chips used in many videogame and computer systems throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. The YM2203 itself was used in a variety of NEC
computers, along with various arcade game machines.
The YM2203 and the rest of the OPN synthesizer family generate sound via frequency-modulated
digital sine waves. It included 12 operator "cells", each generating a 13-bit floating point sine wave at a programmable frequency, the volume of which is controlled by a programmable ADSR envelope generator. The output of these cells could be either summed together by the mixer, or fed into the input of another cell, in 4 cell batches creating three final sound values or "channels". 4 operator cells per channel allowed a total of 8 different permutations of cell connections, known as "algorithms" or instrument patches. The resulting digital sound output of each channel through the mixer was then converted to analog sound through a DAC, either with an external companion chip or an internal DAC, depending on the model.
The YM2203 itself has the following features:
The SSG module implemented the YM2149F's three SSG channels and dual GPIO ports
The YM2203 is used with a YM3014
external DAC
companion chip.
Sound chip
A sound chip is an integrated circuit designed to produce sound . It might be doing this through digital, analog or mixed-mode electronics...
developed by Yamaha. It's the progenitor of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis
Frequency modulation synthesis
A 220 Hz carrier tone modulated by a 440 Hz modulating tone with various choices of modulation index, β. The time domain signals are illustrated above, and the corresponding spectra are shown below ....
chips used in many videogame and computer systems throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. The YM2203 itself was used in a variety of NEC
NEC
, a Japanese multinational IT company, has its headquarters in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. NEC, part of the Sumitomo Group, provides information technology and network solutions to business enterprises, communications services providers and government....
computers, along with various arcade game machines.
The YM2203 and the rest of the OPN synthesizer family generate sound via frequency-modulated
Frequency modulation synthesis
A 220 Hz carrier tone modulated by a 440 Hz modulating tone with various choices of modulation index, β. The time domain signals are illustrated above, and the corresponding spectra are shown below ....
digital sine waves. It included 12 operator "cells", each generating a 13-bit floating point sine wave at a programmable frequency, the volume of which is controlled by a programmable ADSR envelope generator. The output of these cells could be either summed together by the mixer, or fed into the input of another cell, in 4 cell batches creating three final sound values or "channels". 4 operator cells per channel allowed a total of 8 different permutations of cell connections, known as "algorithms" or instrument patches. The resulting digital sound output of each channel through the mixer was then converted to analog sound through a DAC, either with an external companion chip or an internal DAC, depending on the model.
The YM2203 itself has the following features:
- Three concurrent FM channels (voices)
- Four operators per channel
- Two interval timersProgrammable Interval TimerIn computing and in embedded systems, a programmable interval timer is a counter which triggers an interrupt when it reaches the programmed count.- Common features :...
- Full internal implementation of Yamaha's YM2149FGeneral Instrument AY-3-8910The AY-3-8910 is a 3-voice Programmable Sound Generator designed by General Instrument, initially for use with their 16-bit CP1610 or one of the PIC1650 series of 8-bit microcomputers...
SSG chip
The SSG module implemented the YM2149F's three SSG channels and dual GPIO ports
The YM2203 is used with a YM3014
Yamaha YM3014B
thumb|YM3014BThe YM3014B, aka DAC-SS, is a floating point digital-to-analog converter chip developed by Yamaha. It generates one analog output from a single serial input, the sound data containing a 10-bit mantissa and 3-bit exponent. It was featured alongside many Yamaha sound synthesis chips,...
external DAC
Digital-to-analog converter
In electronics, a digital-to-analog converter is a device that converts a digital code to an analog signal . An analog-to-digital converter performs the reverse operation...
companion chip.
Other OPN family chips
- Yamaha YM2608Yamaha YM2608thumb|right|Yamaha YM2608YM2608, aka OPNA, is a sixteen-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's a member of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips, and the successor to the YM2203...
aka OPNA - Yamaha YM2610Yamaha YM2610YM2610, aka OPNB, is a fifteen-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's a member of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips, and related to the YM2608...
aka OPNB - Yamaha YM2612Yamaha YM2612thumb|right|Yamaha YM2612The YM2612, aka OPN2, is a six-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It belongs to Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips used in several game and computer systems. Developed as a stripped-down version of the YM2608, it lacks its larger sibling's ADPCM channel,...
aka OPN2 - Yamaha YM3438Yamaha YM2612thumb|right|Yamaha YM2612The YM2612, aka OPN2, is a six-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It belongs to Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips used in several game and computer systems. Developed as a stripped-down version of the YM2608, it lacks its larger sibling's ADPCM channel,...
aka OPN2C, a YM2612 in CMOS form - Yamaha YMF288Yamaha YM2608thumb|right|Yamaha YM2608YM2608, aka OPNA, is a sixteen-channel sound chip developed by Yamaha. It's a member of Yamaha's OPN family of FM synthesis chips, and the successor to the YM2203...
aka OPN3, updated version of the YM2608