Mockingboard

2025-11-01T19:14:40Z

2601:240:4D84:9A60:4C9:AA1A:9A8F:F670: /* top */

{{Short description|Computer sound card}}
[[File:Mockingboard_V1.jpg|thumb|Mockingboard v1 clone]]
[[File:Korean Mockingboard clone.jpg|thumb|Korean Mockingboard clone]]

The '''Mockingboard''' (a [[portmanteau]] between [[mockingbird]] and [[motherboard]]) is a [[sound card]] built by Sweet Micro Systems for the [[Apple II]] [[microcomputer]]s. It provides multiple channels of [[sound synthesis]] using one or more [[General Instrument AY-3-8910|AY-3-8910]]-style sound chips, and some models also offer [[speech synthesis]] using [[Votrax]]-style speech chips. It improves on the Apple II's limited sound capabilities, as did other [[Apple II sound cards]]. Mockingboard cards are supported by many Apple II software products.

==History==
In 1981, Sweet Micro Systems began designing products not only for creating music, but speech and general sound effects as well,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://apple2history.org/history/ah13/ |title=13-Peripherals |website=Apple ][ History|date=28 June 2010 }}</ref> culminating in the release of the Mockingboard in 1983.<ref name="Inc.19832">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AjAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA57|title=Hardware News|magazine=InfoWorld|date=17 January 1983|publisher=InfoWorld Media Group, Inc.|pages=57|volume=5|issue=3|issn=0199-6649}}</ref> The Sound II was introduced at {{USD|199|1983|round=-1}}, and the Sound/Speech I at {{USD|299|1983|round=-1}}.<ref name="Inc.19832" /> The Mockingboard's hardware allowed programmers to create complex, high-quality sound without need for constant [[Central processing unit|CPU]] attention. The Mockingboard could be connected to the Apple's built-in speaker or to external [[Loudspeaker|speaker]]s. However, as the quality of the built-in speaker was not high, the instruction manual recommended obtaining external speakers.

The Mockingboard was available in various models for either the slot-based [[Apple II]] / [[Apple II Plus]] / [[Apple IIe]] systems or in one special model for the [[Apple IIc]]. Sound was generated through one or more [[General Instrument AY-3-8910|AY-3-8910]] or compatible sound chips, with one chip offering three square-wave synthesis channels. The boards could also be equipped with an optional speech chip (a [[Votrax]] SC-01 or compatible chips such as the Arctic-02, SSI 263P, SSI 263AP or 78A263A-P<ref>[https://www.applefritter.com/content/source-speech-ics-used-mockingboard applefritter forum: "Source for speech IC's used in the Mockingboard"]</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://wiki.reactivemicro.com/Mockingboard |title=Mockingboard |website=ReActiveMicro wiki}}</ref>).

Some software products supported more than one Mockingboard. ''[[Ultima V]]'' supported two boards, for a total of 12 voices, of which it used eight. Most other programs supported at most one board with six voices.

An [[IBM PC compatible|IBM PC]]-compatible version was developed, but was only distributed with [[Bank Street Music Writer]].<ref name="oldskool">{{cite web |url=http://trixter.oldskool.org/2011/09/09/the-pc-mockingboard/ |title=The PC Mockingboard |publisher=Oldskooler Ramblings |date=2011-09-09 |accessdate=21 June 2014 |author=Leonard, Jim}}</ref>

==Models==
===Early models===
* Sound I: one AY-3-8910 chip for three audio channels, clocked at 1 MHz<ref name="fenarinarsa">{{Cite web|url=https://www.fenarinarsa.com/?p=3183|title=Something is very wrong with the AY-3-8913|website=Coredump|access-date=2024-12-16|language=en-US}}</ref>
* Speech I: one SC-01 chip
* Sound II: two AY-3-8910 chips for six audio channels
* Sound/Speech I: one AY-3-8910 and one SC-01

===Later models===
* Mockingboard A: two AY-3-8913 chips for six audio channels and two open sockets for SSI-263 speech chips
* Mockingboard B: SSI-263 speech chip upgrade for Mockingboard A
* Mockingboard C: two AY-3-8913 and one SSI-263 ("A+B=C", essentially a Mockingboard A with the Mockingboard B upgrade pre-installed, only one speech chip allowed)
* Mockingboard D: for Apple IIc only, not software compatible with the other Mockingboards, two AY-3-8913 and one SSI-263
* Mockingboard MS: Bundled with Mindscape's [[Bank Street Music Writer]], with two AY-3-8913 chips and an open socket for one speech chip. This model included a headphone jack and a jumper to permit sound to be played through the Apple's built-in speaker.

===Other compatible cards===
* Mustalgame Card: Mockingboard clone from Capital Computer Co (Hong Kong) with two AY-3-891x chips. Integrated Software Automatic Mouth (S.A.M.) for speech synthesis. Amplifies Apple II speaker sound without need for interconnecting cable.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://mirrors.apple2.org.za/Apple%20II%20Documentation%20Project/Interface%20Cards/Audio/Capital%20Computer%20-%20Mustalgame/Photos/| title=Mustalgame photos - Apple II Documentation Project}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=https://mirrors.apple2.org.za/Apple%20II%20Documentation%20Project/Interface%20Cards/Audio/Capital%20Computer%20-%20Mustalgame/Manuals/Capital%20Computer%20-%20Mustalgame%20-%20Manual.pdf |title=Mustalgame manual - Apple II Documentation Project}}</ref>
* The [[Applied Engineering]] Phasor used four AY-3-891x chips to provide a 12-channel music synthesizer, four white noise generators and speech support, with stereo output. It was compatible with software designed for the Mockingboard, in addition to software for the [[ALF Products#Apple Music Synthesizer / Music Card MC16|ALF Apple Music Synthesizer]], Echo and Super Music Synthesizer boards. It could be used in Apple II and [[Apple IIGS]] machines, where it could provide sound support for software that did not yet support the IIGS sound chip.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Chien |first1=Philip |title=Phasor: Compatible Sounds |journal=The Apple IIGS Buyer's Guide |date=Fall 1987 |page=41 |url=https://archive.org/details/The_Apple_IIGS_Buyers_Guide_Fall-1987_HQ/page/n39/mode/2up |access-date=28 Aug 2025}}</ref> The Phasor came with demonstration software for playing music, speech and sound effects, and the Compose music editor.<ref name="PhasorManual">{{cite web |title=Phasor User's Manual, v1.1 |url=http://www.downloads.reactivemicro.com/Public/Apple%20II%20Items/Hardware/Phasor/Phasor%20Manual.pdf |publisher=Applied Engineering |access-date=7 Sep 2025 |archive-date=15 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715160451/http://www.downloads.reactivemicro.com/Public/Apple%20II%20Items/Hardware/Phasor/Phasor%20Manual.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Modern cards===
* Mockingboard-T: A variant of the Mockingboard Sound II using tubes. Developed by A2Heaven.<ref>[http://www.a2heaven.com/webshop/index.php?rt=product/product&product_id=133 Mockingboard-T at A2Heaven online store]</ref>
* Mega Audio: emulates 2 x Mockingboard cards without voice support, 1 x ALF Music card, 4 x S.A.M.-cards (4 x DAC). Developed by A2Heaven.<ref>[http://www.a2heaven.com/webshop/index.php?rt=product/product&product_id=159 Mega Audio at A2Heaven online store]</ref>
* Mockingboard v1: A clone of the Mockingboard A from GSE-Reactive
* Mockingboard v2.2: A variant of the Mockingboard A with some minor enhancements from ReActiveMicro.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mockingboard v2.2 – Assembled or Kit|url=https://www.reactivemicro.com/product/mockingboard-assembled-or-kit/|access-date=2021-04-18|website=www.reactivemicro.com|language=en-US}}</ref>
* Mockingboard for IIc: This Mockingboard variant is software compatible with the other Mockingboard A/C without voice designed for the Apple IIc. It installs on the [[CPU socket]]. Uses two AY-3-8912 and CPLD for IO Bus interface. Developed by Ian Kim in South Korea.
* SD Music card: First FM sound card for Apple II, uses a [[Yamaha YM2413|YM2413]] and [[AVR microcontrollers|ATmega128]] to emulate Mockingboard A/C without voice support. It provides a maximum of nine voices and provides direct register control for the YM2413. Developed by Ian Kim in South Korea.
* SD Music Deluxe ([[OPL3]]): OPL3(YMF262) Mockingboard I/II/A/C emulated sound card, Stereo sound and user defined instruments voice channels, Direct control for RAW data. VGM player supported. Developed by Ian Kim in South Korea.
* A2FPGA Multicard: Provides a variant of Mockingboard Sound II using [[General Instrument AY-3-8910#Variants|YM2149]] logic with output mixed into HDMI. Available from ReActiveMicro.<ref>{{Cite web|title=A2FPGA|url=https://www.reactivemicro.com/product/a2fpga-multicard/|access-date=2024-12-16|website=www.reactivemicro.com|language=en-US}}</ref>
* The ReActiveMicro Phasor, released in 2019, is a compatible clone of the Applied Engineering Phasor.<ref name="ReActiveMicroPhasor">{{cite web |title=Phasor |url=https://wiki.reactivemicro.com/Phasor |website=The ReActiveMicro Apple II Wiki |publisher=ReActiveMicro |access-date=7 Sep 2025}}</ref>

==Defects==
French Touch member fenarinarsa investigated and documented a problem with the AY-3-8913 chip, whereby the output had poor bass response.<ref name="fenarinarsa"/> This affects all cards that use the AY-3-8913 and can be demonstrated with Cybernoid.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Cybernoid|url=https://github.com/tomcw/Cybernoid|access-date=2024-12-16|website=github.com|language=en-US}}</ref> A hardware patch is available that replaces the AY-3-8913 with a AY-3-8910 or YM2149.<ref>{{Cite web|title=AY-3-8913 to AY-3-8910 Adapter|url=https://github.com/Fr3nchT0uch/AY-3-8913_to_AY-3-8910_Adapter|access-date=2024-12-16|website=github.com|language=en-US}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Apple II peripheral cards]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links==
* [http://apple2.org.za/gswv/a2zine/GS.WorldView/Resources/ARTICLES/MockingBoard.MiniManual.html Mockingboard Mini-Manual]
* [http://applevault.com/hardware/sweet_micro_systems/mockingboard/ Detailed Mockingboard info, software compatibility table, and data sheets for programming information]

{{Speech synthesis}}

[[Category:Speech synthesis]]
[[Category:Sound cards]]
[[Category:Apple II peripherals]]

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