Difference between revisions of "AY"

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(Changed ZXArt link to automatically display AY files.)
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{{Template: Infobox Format
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{{Infobox Format
| Title     = AY-3-8910
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| Title       = AY-3-891x
| Format   = AY
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| Format     = AY
| Developer = [[General Instruments]]
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| Developer   = Patrik Rak
| Released = 1988/??/??
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| Header      = Custom
| FirstGame =  
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| Content    = Programmatic
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| Instruments = Combined
 +
| OutputDA    = Yes
 +
| OutputMIDI  = No
 +
| OutputFM    = No
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| OutputPSG  = Yes
 +
| Released   = 199?-??-??
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| FirstGame   = N/A
 
| Extension01 = *.ay
 
| Extension01 = *.ay
 
}}
 
}}
  
AY is the format used to house the ripped audio code for the AY-3-8910 audio chip created by [[General Instruments]]. It is a 3-voice programmable sound generator that was used in the [[Intellivision]], [[Vectrex]], [[MSX]], [[Atari ST]], [[Amstrad CPC]], [[Oric 1]], [[Colour Genie]], [[Elektor TV]], [[Sinclair ZX Spectrum]] (128/+2/+3), the [[Apple II Mockingboard]], as well as several arcade cabinets. AY files contain the machine code that is sent to the chip itself.
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'''''AY''''' is the format used to house the ripped audio code for the [[AY-3-8910]] series of audio chips. These 3-voice programmable sound generators were developed by [[General Instrument]]. The AY-3-8910 series was the most popular audio chip of the early 1980s and was featured in the majority of the home computers, arcade cabinets, slot machines, and sound boards of the day. AY files contain machine code and data that is sent to the 8910 chip. Although the AY-3-8910 was used on many different platforms, the AY format itself only supports those which used a Zilog 80 processor, in particular, the [[Amstrad CPC]] and [[ZX Spectrum]] home computers.
  
A datasheet for the 3-8910 can be seen [http://www.vgmpf.com/Docs/Format-AY-3-8910.pdf here] in PDF.
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Before the appearance of the AY format, music from ZX Spectrum was ripped into [[VTX]] and [[AYM]] formats. However, AY has superseded these formats, and they're both now obsolete.
  
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==Players==
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<div style="float:right;">([[:Category: AY Players|Category]])</div>
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* [[Audio Overload]] - Linux, Macintosh, Windows
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* [[DeliPlayer]] - Windows
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* [[Game Emu Player]] - foobar2000
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* [[NEZ Plug]] - Winamp
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==Converters==
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<div style="float:right;">([[:Category: AY Converters|Category]])</div>
  
==Players==
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===AY to ?===
* [[NEZ Plug]] - Winamp Plugin
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* [[Audio Overload]] - Linux, Macintosh, Windows - [[WAV]]
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* [[Game Emu Player]] - foobar2000 - [[WAV]]
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* [[NEZ Plug]] - Winamp - [[WAV]]
  
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===? to AY===
  
 
==Games==
 
==Games==
[[:Category:Games That Use AY|Games That Use AY]]
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<div style="float:right;">([[:Category:Games That Use AY|Category]])</div>
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Any games released for the [[ZX Spectrum]] or [[Amstrad CPC]] can have their soundtrack ripped to AY format.
 +
 
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=== Missing ===
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The majority of popular ZX Spectrum games have their music ripped to AY, or outdated [[AYM]] and [[VTX]], or even just tracker formats like [[ASC]], [[PT2]], [[PT3]], [[STC]], but this list includes games that either don't have a rip, or have an incomplete rip in any of the formats mentioned above:
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* [[4x4 Off-Road Racing (ZXS)]] - lacks [[Taps]]
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* [[Sigma Seven (ZXS)]] - AY-3-8913 version plays incorrectly
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* [[Thanatos (ZXS)]] - AY-3-8913 version plays incorrectly
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* [[The Rocky Horror Show (ZXS)]] - lacks PC Speaker 48k version of [[Time Warp]]
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 +
==How to Obtain==
 +
Ripping AY files is an arduous process that requires an intimate knowledge of the platforms CPU and sound chip. A lot of the more popular games have already had their soundtracks ripped to AY and can be downloaded from the following sites:
  
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* [http://www.worldofspectrum.org/projectay worldofspectrum.org/projectay] - Project AY.
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* [[:File:Project AY archive.zip]] - because as of December 2019 Project AY files downloading seems to be very slow and unstable, a backup on VGMPF has to be made.
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* [https://zxart.ee/eng/music/database/format:AY ZX-Art.ee] - ZX-Art.
  
 
==Links==
 
==Links==
*'''Wikipedia:''' [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Instrument_AY-3-8910 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Instrument_AY-3-8910]
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* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Instrument_AY-3-8910 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Instrument_AY-3-8910] - Wikipedia.

Revision as of 08:53, 30 December 2019

AY-3-891x
AY.png
Developer: Patrik Rak
Header: Custom
Content: Programmatic
Instruments: Combined
Target Output
Output - Digital Audio.png Output - MIDI - No.png Output - FM Synthesis - No.png Output - PSG.png
Released: 199?-??-??
First Game: N/A
Extensions
  • *.ay

AY is the format used to house the ripped audio code for the AY-3-8910 series of audio chips. These 3-voice programmable sound generators were developed by General Instrument. The AY-3-8910 series was the most popular audio chip of the early 1980s and was featured in the majority of the home computers, arcade cabinets, slot machines, and sound boards of the day. AY files contain machine code and data that is sent to the 8910 chip. Although the AY-3-8910 was used on many different platforms, the AY format itself only supports those which used a Zilog 80 processor, in particular, the Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum home computers.

Before the appearance of the AY format, music from ZX Spectrum was ripped into VTX and AYM formats. However, AY has superseded these formats, and they're both now obsolete.

Players

(Category)

Converters

(Category)

AY to ?

? to AY

Games

(Category)

Any games released for the ZX Spectrum or Amstrad CPC can have their soundtrack ripped to AY format.

Missing

The majority of popular ZX Spectrum games have their music ripped to AY, or outdated AYM and VTX, or even just tracker formats like ASC, PT2, PT3, STC, but this list includes games that either don't have a rip, or have an incomplete rip in any of the formats mentioned above:

How to Obtain

Ripping AY files is an arduous process that requires an intimate knowledge of the platforms CPU and sound chip. A lot of the more popular games have already had their soundtracks ripped to AY and can be downloaded from the following sites:

Links