The Family BASIC keyboard was a peripheral that was built for programming on the Nintendo Family Computer, or Famicom. As [Linus Åkesson] demonstrates, though, it can do so much more. Meet the Family Bass.
The core of the project is a special adapter which [Linus] created to work with the Family BASIC keyboard. Traditionally, the keyboard plugs into the Famicom’s expansion port, but [Linus] wanted to hook it up to the controller port on a Nintendo Entertainment System instead. Getting them to talk was achieved with an ATtiny85 which could cycle through the 72-key matrix in the keyboard and spit out a serial stream of data the controller port could understand.
On the NES end, the console is set up to run custom code from [Linus] that lets him play the internal sound chip’s triangle wave with the keyboard. He demonstrates this ably in a video where he performs a song called Platform Hopping along with some of his other retro computer instruments.
We’ve seen [Linus] build some other great instruments in the past too, which are both creative and nostalgic. Video after the break.
No demo of the rods. What’s up with pitch bending?
Was wondering the same, the ‘c=tar’ is explained here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAHe1afxuOU (starts around 3:59).
<<< rocks >>>
Sadly his last awesome video didn’t make the cut.
It need to be watched, programing skills are impressive, and his use of the LIST command as UI is eye opening & jaw dropping…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly5BhGOt2vE
The cut? We loved the live-hacking: https://hackaday.com/2024/10/16/linus-live-codes-music-on-the-commodore-64/
I think the nes has the signaling for the 15 pin famicom connector on the bottom expansion iirc
So just need a pcb and breakout board and a bunch of extra ram and esp32 or raspberry pi with an fpga