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[[File:APC with 2 555 (pin out) and bridge added.png|thumb|400px|Schematic for a two 555 implementation of the Atari Punk Console]]
{{More citations needed|date=September 2014}}
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The '''Atari Punk Console''' (commonly shortened to '''APC''') is a popular circuit that utilizes two [[555 timer]] ICs or a single 556 dual timer IC. The circuit is a simple DIY noisemaker circuit that is relatively inexpensive and easy to build, easily adaptable and is configurable in many ways. It has been built into a wide variety of enclosures. Its flexibility has led to wide popularity. It is often suggested as a good circuit to build for beginners.
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[[Image:APC with 2 555 (pin out) and bridge added.png|thumb|400px|Circuit diagram of an implementation of Atari Punk Console]]
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The '''Atari Punk Console''' (commonly shortened to APC) is a popular circuit that utilizes two [[555 timer IC]]s or a single 556 dual timer IC. The original circuit, called a "Sound Synthesizer", was published in a Radio Shack booklet: "Engineer's Notebook: Integrated Circuit Applications" in 1980<ref name="Engineea_Notebook_Integrated_Circuit_Applications">{{cite web |url=http://www.jameco.com/jameco/pressroom/punk.html |title=Engineer's Notebook: Integrated Circuit Applications |publisher=Jameco |accessdate=13 September 2014}}</ref> and later called "Stepped Tone Generator" in "Engineer's Mini-Notebook - 555 Circuits" by its designer, [[Forrest M. Mims III]] (Siliconcepts, 1984).<ref name="Engineers_Mini-Notebook">{{cite web |url=http://feenelcaos.org/wp-content/upload/Forrest-Mims-engineers-mini-notebook-555-timer-circuits-ra.pdf |title=Engineer's Mini-Notebook |publisher=Radio Shack |format=PDF |accessdate=13 September 2014 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130822030621/http://feenelcaos.org/wp-content/upload/Forrest-Mims-engineers-mini-notebook-555-timer-circuits-ra.pdf | archivedate=22 August 2013}}</ref> It was named "Atari Punk Console" (APC) by Kaustic Machines crew because its "low-fi" sounds resemble classic [[Atari]] console games from the 1980s, with a square wave output similar to the [[Atari 2600]]. Kaustic Machines added a -4db line level output to the circuit which was originally designed to drive a small 8-ohm speaker.


== History ==
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Atari Punk console is an astable square wave [[oscillator]] driving a monostable [[oscillator]] that creates a single (square) pulse. There are two controls, one for the frequency of the [[oscillator]] and one to control the volume. The controls are usually [[potentiometers]] but the circuit can also be controlled by light, temperature, pressure etc. by replacing a potentiometer with a suitable sensor (e.g., photo resistor for light sensitivity). Most of the time there is also a power switch (often a toggle switch) and a volume knob.
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The original circuit, called a "Sound Synthesizer", was published in a Radio Shack booklet: "Engineer's Notebook: Integrated Circuit Applications" in 1980<ref name="enica">[http://www.jameco.com/jameco/pressroom/punk.html Engineer's Notebook: Integrated Circuit Applications], Jameco</ref> and later called "Stepped Tone Generator" in "Engineer's Mini-Notebook – 555 Circuits" by its designer, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forrest_Mims Forrest Mims].<ref name="emn">[https://web.archive.org/web/20130822030621/http://feenelcaos.org/wp-content/upload/Forrest-Mims-engineers-mini-notebook-555-timer-circuits-ra.pdf Mini-Notebook], Radio Shack - archived</ref> It was named "Atari Punk Console" (APC) by Kaustic Machines because its "low-fi" sounds resemble classic Atari console games from the 1980s, with a square wave output similar to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_2600 Atari 2600]. Kaustic Machines added a -4db line level output to the circuit which was originally designed to drive a small 8-ohm speaker.
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The circuit is a simple [[DIY]] noisemaker circuit that is relatively inexpensive and easy to build, easily adaptable and is configurable in many ways. It has been built into a wide variety of cases, from metal [[IKEA]] bowls to light bulbs, an old Atari mouse or joystick. Its flexibility has led to wide scale popularity among electronics enthusiasts. It is often suggested as a good circuit to build for beginners.


==See also==
== How it works ==
⚫
Atari Punk console is an astable square wave [[oscillator]] driving a monostable oscillator that creates a single (square) pulse. There are two controls, one for the frequency of the oscillator and one to control the volume. The controls are usually [[potentiometers]] but the circuit can also be controlled by light, temperature, pressure etc. by replacing a potentiometer with a suitable sensor (e.g., photo resistor for light sensitivity). Most of the time there is also a power switch (often a toggle switch) and a volume knob.
* [[Circuit bending]]
* [[Chiptune]]


==References==
== Problems ==
With a pot turned down to minimum, because internally the 555 shorts pin 7 to ground during parts of the oscillation, there will be a short circuit across the battery. There's needs to be something to limit the current through the pots and pin 7. Add a series resistor to each of the pots, e.g. 330 Ohms at 9 Volts will limit the power to just under a 1/4 Watt, (the rating of most pots). This will affect the frequency of the oscillator so you may have to experiment with higher value resistors.<ref>[https://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=65396.0 Atari Punk Console - Sparking Pots?], DIYstompboxes.com</ref><ref>[https://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=71808.0 Help! APC B1M pot catching fire!!], DIYstompboxes.com</ref><ref>[https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/102592/problems-with-atari-punk-console-circuit Problems with Atari Punk Console circuit], Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange</ref>

== References ==
{{From Wikipedia|Atari_Punk_Console|30 June 2019}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
* ''[https://www.jameco.com/Jameco/workshop/diy/atari-punk-console.html Making Music with an Atari Punk Console]'' by Forrest M. Mims III, Jameco
* [http://web.media.mit.edu/~stefanm/HowTo/Electronics.html Original schematics]
* [http://compiler.kaustic.net/machines/apc.html Kaustic Machines added a line out to the APC]
* [http://compiler.kaustic.net/machines/apc.html Kaustic Machines] implementation, with speaker changed to line output
* [http://www.forrestmims.org/ Forrest M. Mims III web page]
* [http://www.forrestmims.org/ Forrest M. Mims III] web page
* [http://recompas.com/portfolio/the-voice-of-saturn-synthesizer-mk-i/ Voice of Saturn Synthesizer MK I], based on the APC and uses a vactrol for voltage control.
* [http://aronnelson.com/gallery/v/seljer/album114/ PCB layout for dual 555 version]
* [https://www.instructables.com/id/Voltage-Controlable-Atari-Punk-Console/ Atari Punk Console], Instructables, with voltage control
* [http://stuff.marmelos.com/atari_punk_console/ Page describing the circuit + schematic + video sample]
* [https://lushprojects.com/apc/lushprojects-atari-punk-console.pdf Atari Punk Console kit build instructions], lushprojects.com. Uses stripboard and includes helpful basic electronic background info.
* [http://www.jameco.com/Jameco/PressRoom/punk.html?CID=punk Forrest M. Mims III Atari Punk Console Project description]
* [http://fritzing.org/projects/atari-punk-console-aka-the-stepped-tone-generator Atari Punk Console a.k.a The Stepped Tone], [[Fritzing]]

* [http://fritzing.org/projects/atari-punk-console-with-cv-inpus Atari Punk Console with CV inpus], Fritzing
{{DIY Culture in Electronic Music}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20201016203932/https://sites.google.com/a/berklee.edu/jmdblog-491/customization/fmsynthesizerwithtwo555chips FM synthesizer with two 555 Chips] by Juan M Delgado - archived

=== Kits and PCBs ===
[[Category:Electronic musical instruments]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20190717185235/https://www.emizinstruments.com/sdiy/atari-punk-console-p-57.html?language=en eMiZ Instruments]
[[Category:DIY culture]]

Latest revision as of 19:02, 19 July 2022

Schematic for a two 555 implementation of the Atari Punk Console

The Atari Punk Console (commonly shortened to APC) is a popular circuit that utilizes two 555 timer ICs or a single 556 dual timer IC. The circuit is a simple DIY noisemaker circuit that is relatively inexpensive and easy to build, easily adaptable and is configurable in many ways. It has been built into a wide variety of enclosures. Its flexibility has led to wide popularity. It is often suggested as a good circuit to build for beginners.

History

The original circuit, called a "Sound Synthesizer", was published in a Radio Shack booklet: "Engineer's Notebook: Integrated Circuit Applications" in 1980[1] and later called "Stepped Tone Generator" in "Engineer's Mini-Notebook – 555 Circuits" by its designer, Forrest Mims.[2] It was named "Atari Punk Console" (APC) by Kaustic Machines because its "low-fi" sounds resemble classic Atari console games from the 1980s, with a square wave output similar to the Atari 2600. Kaustic Machines added a -4db line level output to the circuit which was originally designed to drive a small 8-ohm speaker.

How it works

Atari Punk console is an astable square wave oscillator driving a monostable oscillator that creates a single (square) pulse. There are two controls, one for the frequency of the oscillator and one to control the volume. The controls are usually potentiometers but the circuit can also be controlled by light, temperature, pressure etc. by replacing a potentiometer with a suitable sensor (e.g., photo resistor for light sensitivity). Most of the time there is also a power switch (often a toggle switch) and a volume knob.

Problems

With a pot turned down to minimum, because internally the 555 shorts pin 7 to ground during parts of the oscillation, there will be a short circuit across the battery. There's needs to be something to limit the current through the pots and pin 7. Add a series resistor to each of the pots, e.g. 330 Ohms at 9 Volts will limit the power to just under a 1/4 Watt, (the rating of most pots). This will affect the frequency of the oscillator so you may have to experiment with higher value resistors.[3][4][5]

References

This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia:Atari_Punk_Console (view authors).

  1. ^ Engineer's Notebook: Integrated Circuit Applications, Jameco
  2. ^ Mini-Notebook, Radio Shack - archived
  3. ^ Atari Punk Console - Sparking Pots?, DIYstompboxes.com
  4. ^ Help! APC B1M pot catching fire!!, DIYstompboxes.com
  5. ^ Problems with Atari Punk Console circuit, Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange

External links

Kits and PCBs

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