Dark Star returns...

From John E Blacet
Sent Sun, Nov 9th 1997, 17:04

It looks like the long absent Blacet Dark Star will be making another
swing through our local planetary system!

For those who don't remember it's last fly-by, this is a modular sound
generator based on the classic TI 76477 sound chip and featured
variable  clocked noise, a noise filter, a VCO, PWM LFO, attack and
decay. It was a pretty cool, compact solution for generating very
interesting noise based events.

When the last lonely (partless) PCB left the stockroom a few weeks ago,
I dragged out the breadboard and started fiddlin'. My conclusion was
that this thing was too good to let die. I added a few improvements such
as voltage control of the noise clock, noise filter, VCO and PWM LFO.
The range of the controls has also been extended. Some very nice pots
and knobs were designed in.

It looks like this will be a 3" x 5.25" module fitting the FracRak
system (also size used by Doepfer). (If anyone is interested in other
packaging, I would certainly like to hear the details, such as size,
clear area and mounting hole location, size.)

The downside in all this is the scarcity of certain key components. This
will result in the Dark Star's appearance in the local system being very
brief. In a week or so I will have info on my web page on ordering
details and will be accepting deposits for early January delivery.

Whooossssshhh----(who was that guy?) >:>#