via this auction
"Paia Programmable Drum Kit -
Here's a truly unique piece of musical history. Apparently this is the very first stand-alone drum machine as well as the first programmable drum machine! It's basically an analog synthesizer which synthesizes pre-programmed drum sounds. The drums are triggered from touch-sensors. . .Made from 1975-1983, this was sold as a kit for DIY. As a result of that DIY factor, I believe, this kit is indeed somewhat functional, but despite it's warm analog sounds, displays some operational issues. Firstly, the "snare" sound seems to be multi-triggering really fast and will do this, almost sounding like white noise, until you touch the sensor, at which time it repeats normally with the tempo. The other sounds work except for the kick drum sounds, which seem to be heard but very softly. . . I either can't figure out how to program it (spent all of five minutes and gave up) or it doesn't work. . . .Tempo works just fine, output is relatively clean once you start "triggering" the sounds by touching the pads"
Update via metasonix in the comments: "Every PDS I've seen or heard about in the past several years, has (without exception) had a non-functional programming section.
Apparently the (now primitive) 2112 shift-register chip dies after 20+ years, and is almost impossible to find today. Funny, how early semiconductors fail----usually for not-obvious reasons. I've looked to find if someone did a study on this phenomenon, and it seems no one ever did."
Update via Krunkwerk in the comments: "I purchased a bunch of SY2114A ICs the other day, on the gut feeling that there's something that I'd worked on recently which uses them.As Not Even Remotely Funny correctly points out, the SY2112A (aka: 2112) is a 256x4 SRAM. For the past few days, I've been trying to locate spec sheets for this device. I finally found a couple this evening:
http://www.datasheetarchive.com/
(search for 2112)
It was during this same search that I came across this particular post, which I found quite interesting.
Incidentally, if anyone here has a PDS with a failed 2112 onboard and has been unable to locate a replacement: let me know. I'd be happy to help out (I have about 20 of the SY2114-35s at the moment). The thought of a vintage piece of kit in a non-functional state - for want of a difficult to locate part - makes me sad ."
Every PDS I've seen or heard about in the past several years, has (without exception) had a non-functional programming section.
ReplyDeleteApparently the (now primitive) 2112 shift-register chip dies after 20+ years, and is almost impossible to find today. Funny, how early semiconductors fail----usually for not-obvious reasons. I've looked to find if someone did a study on this phenomenon, and it seems no one ever did.
how would like it to play!
ReplyDelete2112 is a 256x4 sram, not a shift register
ReplyDeleteFirst stand alone drum machine? What does that even mean? Even if you don't count Theremin and Scott's one-off machines, or the electro-mechanical ones, Korg has this beat by more than a decade.
ReplyDeleteMy PDS, built from a kit back in about 1980, is a functional decoration hanging on my studio wall... actually about 6 inches above my Michael Jackson Thriller award. PDS's were dang cool in their time, as close to an 808 as I was going to get;^)
ReplyDeleteI made this post Featured considering all the comments coming in. If you click on the Featured label on the top of the site, you should be able to get to it quicker.
ReplyDeleteI think he meant first programmable - not first standalone
ReplyDeleteI purchased a bunch of SY2114A ICs the other day, on the gut feeling that there's something that I'd worked on recently which uses them.
ReplyDeleteAs Not Even Remotely Funny correctly points out, the SY2114A (aka: 2114) is a 256x4 SRAM. For the past few days, I've been trying to locate spec sheets for this device. I finally found a couple this evening:
http://www.datasheetarchive.com/
(search for 2112)
It was during this same search that I came across this particular post, which I found quite interesting.
Incidentally, if anyone here has a PDS with a failed 2114 onboard and has been unable to locate a replacement: let me know. I'd be happy to help out (I have about 20 of the SY2114-35s at the moment). The thought of a vintage piece of kit in a non-functional state - for want of a difficult to locate part - makes me sad .
Quick correction: in my previous response, I had incorrectly quoted the part as 2114. It should actually say SY2112A, not SY2114A.
ReplyDeleteThe 2114 is a similar component to the 2112. Except, it has a slightly larger capacity - 1024x4 bits instead of 256x4 bits. A whopping 4 kilobits! (that's bits, not bytes)