Atari Punk Console

The Challenge

Design the housing for an Atari Punk Console (APC) circuit.



The Atari Punk Console (APC) utilizes two 555 timer ICs or a single 556 dual timer IC. The original circuit, was called a Stepped Tone Generator, and was published in a Forrest M. Mims III's Radio Shack booklet: Engineer's Notebook: Integrated Circuit Applications in 1980 and then in Mim's Engineer's Mini-Notebook - 555 Circuits. The Stepped Tone Generator became known as the Atari Punk Console because the square wave output of the version made by Kaustic Machines sounded like the classic Atari console games from the 1980s. Kaustic Machines added a -4db line level output to the circuit which was originally designed to drive a small 8 ohm speaker.

The APC is an astable square wave oscillator driving a monostable oscillator which creates a single (square) pulse. There are two controls, one for the frequency of the oscillator and another to control the width of that pulse. The controls are usually potentiometers but any variable resistor would work.

A quick Internet search will reveal a variety of APCs.

Here is Forest Mims III's schematic

Image from http://chipmusic.org/forums/topic/574/fun-things-to-do-with-a-555-timer-ic/

Parts List

• Breadboard—Jameco
• Wire—Jameco
• Battery Clip—Jameco
• 9 Volt Battery
• 2 555 Timers—Jameco
• 2 8 Pin IC Socket—Jameco
• 8Ω Speaker—Jameco
• 2 1KΩ Resistor—Jameco
• 100Ω Resistor—Jameco
• 22K Ohm Resistor —Jameco
• 2 100K Ohm Potentiometer —Jameco
• 47µF Capacitor—Jameco
• 22µF Capacitor—Jameco
• .047µF Capacitor—Jameco
• 2 knobs —Jameco
• On/Off Switch—Jameco
• 1/2 Dual General-Purpose IC PC Board—RadioShack

Instructions

Image from http://chipmusic.org/forums/topic/574/fun-things-to-do-with-a-555-timer-ic/

1. Breadboard the circuit first to test it.
   
   
   1. Connect ground to ground:
      
      
      

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   2. Add the timers to the breadboard. Make sure that they straddle the gutter:
      
      
      

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   3. Add wires that connect gnd and power to the chips:
      
      
      

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   4. Connect together pins 6 and 7 on each timer with a 1K resistor:
      
      
      

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   5. For each potentiometer connect the far right wire to power and the center wire to pin 7 on each timer:
      
      
      

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   6. Connect pin 2 of the first timer to GND through the 47µF capacitor:
      
      
      

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   7. Connect pin 2 of the second timer to GND through the .047µF capacitor:
      
      
      

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   8. Connect pin 3 of the first timer to a 22K resistor. The other side of the resistor should connect to GND through a 22µF capacitor and to pin 5 of the second timer:
      
      
      

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   9. Connect pin 3 of the second timer to a 100Ω resistor. On the other side of the resistor connect the black wire of the speaker. Connect the red wire of the speaker to the power rail:
      
      
      

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   10. Connect the first wire of the toggle switch to one power rail and the center wire of the switch to the other power rail:
       
       
       

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   11. Add a 9V battery
       
       
       

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   12. Test the circuit.
       
       

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2. Freeform solder or use the protoboard to make your design more permanent.
   
   1. Place sockets in board
      
      
      Here it is from the back
      
      
      

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   2. Use a wire to connect pins 4 to 8 on both timers
      
      
      Here it is from the back
      
      
      

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   3. Use a wire to connect pins 2 to 6 on both timers
      
      
      Here it is from the back
      
      
      

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   4. Connect pins 6 to 7 with a 1K resistor
      
      
      Here it is from the back
      
      
      

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   5. Connect pin 2 of timer 1 to h 47µF capacitor and pin 2 of timer 2to a .047µF capacitor:
      
      
      Here it is from the back
      
      
      

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   6. Connect the middle wire to pins 7 of the timers
      
      
      Here it is from the back
      
      
      

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   7. Connect pin 3 of timer 1 to pin 5 of timer 2 through a 22K resistor.
      
      
      Here it is from the back
      
      
      

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   8. Connect a 22µF capacitor to the resistor:
      
      
      Here it is from the back
      
      
      

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   9. Connect pin 3 of timer 2 to a 100Ω resistor
      
      
      Here it is from the back
      
      
      

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   10. Connect the resistor to the black wire of the speaker and the red wire to the same rail as 4 and 8
       
       
       Here it is from the back
       
       
       

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   11. Add the right most wire of the potentiometer to a power rail
       
       
       Here it is from the back
       
       
       

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   12. Add the switch
       
       
       Here it is from the back
       
       
       

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   13. Use a wire to connect pins 1 together
       
       
       Here it is from the back
       
       
       

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   14. Add the battery clip
       
       
       

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   15. Bend into your configuration
       
       
       

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Basic steps of the Design Process

1. Use a digital caliper to measure your components. Write down the dimensions.
2. Research how people play with knobs and synthesizers. Follow the steps of the design process, then design the housing that reflects your research.

The Design Process requires

1. Describe the general situation or problem you are trying to solve. Instead of asking what do you want to design? ask why do you want to design that? and what problem and or need will your design ultimately be solving?
   
   

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2. Identify your target audience, the group that will benefit from your project. Is the target population an individual, a group, a specific community, or a larger, identifiable population? Is the target population from a specific location (country, region, town), demographic (age or gender), or other identifying characteristics (health condition or employment)? Think about how is your target population connected?
   
   

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3. Identify the requirements and constraints. A requirement is a need or a necessity; it's what a particular product or service should do. A constraint is a restriction on the degree of freedom you have in providing a solution to a need or problem.
   
   

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4. Ask what are the disadvantages of the present solution to the problem?
   
   

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5. Ask what compromises have been made in the present solution?
   
   

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6. Determine if the compromises are necessary?
   
   

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7. Determine if the solution can be improved?
   • By taking a new approach.
   • By making the design more accurate.
   • By making the design more safe.
   • By making the design more convenient.
   • By making the design easier to maintain.
   • By making the design cheaper to produce.
   • By making the design more attractive.
   
   
   

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8. Determine if you can reduce the costs by eliminating parts, using different materials, changing the way the product is manufactured?
   
   

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In a nutshell

Getting Started

Keep a notebook to keep track of your questions and answers. The design process will help inform your choices and should be an integral part of your creative process.

1. Research existing solutions. What aspects of the design appeal to you, why?
   
   

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2. Research how people play instruments. Make sure you know more about this problem than what is provided here on this web page.
   
   

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3. What are your constraints? Make a list.
   
   

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4. Observe how people approach devices with knobs and how they hold objects. Will your synthesizer rest on a table, be held in a hand or fixed to a surface?
   
   

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5. Make sketches. See Examples
   
   

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Some other Designs

Images from www.beavisaudio.com


Image from www.getlofi.com

Image from billtmiller.com


Image from ssheltonimages.com


Image from www.photoree.com