Hardsid4u C64 SID Chip VSTi Sidstation

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The Hardsid4u is a hardware device for Windows PC's that allows you to control four C64 SID chips either as a VSTi controled synthesizer or as a real sound device in your favorite C64 emulator. It offers four times the power of a sidstation at nearly a quarter the price! The following details are from from Hardsid.com
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Two CPUs and main memory
USB connection (compatible with both 2.0 & 1.1)
Isochronous USB endpoint for low-latency audio
VSTi interface with 8000Hz update rate on all SID registers (free)

Wave-in VSTi pin for routing 8000Hz signals to any registers (example: playing other VSTi's sound on the volume register)
Full automation of all VSTi parameters
Superior sound quality (..it is a HardSID!)
Support for up to four SID chips (6581/8580/6582 in any combination)
Updateable firmware over USB
Microsoft Vista compatible (drivers for Win2000/XP/Vista)
Cycle-accurate playback of your favorite SID tunes
Digitized sound + high-speed playback with low CPU utilization

Seamless playback of .sid tunes while you work on your PC by providing a huge playback buffer for non-VSTi applications
Supported by the HardSID 4U Winamp Plugin! (seeking, sub-tune handling, IR remote controlling)
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This particular unit I have installed 4 chips, that include 3 8580 and 1 6581 chip. As you can see by the pictures, these are easily user swappable and you can put your own chips in there. Sids vary wildly from revision to revision and even from chip to chip so you may want to swap some of these out for your own chips if you have a supply. The only chip that is questionable is chip 3, it runs oddly on some sids and the filter seems less usable than the other chips. The hardsid itself works fine as using a different chip in that socket shows no problems. I have recorded an audio demo of the chips below"

HyperSID test

YouTube Uploaded by eptheca on Apr 15, 2011
You can find some info on HyperSynth's HyperSID in this post.
"Test of my HyperSID synth."

HardSID 4U

via this auction

"The ultimate real SID synthesizer. Can hold up to 4 real SID chips. Mine comes with 3 so one slot free for your choice of SID chip (6581/8580/6582). You can buy SID chips from the HardSID site for 15 EUR, probably less from eBay. Each SID can be played by its own VST front end, alowing full intergration and crazy realtime control from with your DAW (Ableton Live, Cubase etc).

Better than a Elektron SID Station for various reasons:

Full DAW intergration with VSTi control
Up to 4 real SIDs
8000Hz update rate on all SID registers (especially for the chip tunes hardcore!)

Lots more info at HardSID 4U Site

This actual HardSID was featured in our Sound on Sound Mix Rescue article where you can also hear full audio for the track plus just the HardSID tracks (Bass and Synth Riff)"

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HardSid4U Studio Edition Sid Synthesizer

via this auction

"The HardSID 4U is the most powerful SID synthesizer since the legendary C64!

* Two CPUs and main memory
* USB connection (compatible with both 2.0 & 1.1)
* Isochronous USB endpoint for low-latency audio
* VSTi interface with 8000Hz update rate on all SID registers (free)
* Wave-in VSTi pin for routing 8000Hz signals to any registers (example: playing other VSTi's sound on the volume register)
* Full automation of all VSTi parameters
* Superior sound quality (..it is a HardSID!)
* Support for up to four SID chips (6581/8580/6582 in any combination)
* Updateable firmware over USB
* Microsoft Vista compatible (drivers for Win2000/XP/Vista)

..and if you're a C64 fan
* Cycle-accurate playback of your favorite SID tunes
* Digitized sound + high-speed playback with low CPU utilization
* Seamless playback of .sid tunes while you work on your PC by providing a huge playback buffer for non-VSTi applications

The HardSID 4U Studio Edition

* Full physical separation of the SIDs from the USB driven circuits
* 100% elimination of EMI (Electromagnetic interference) noise that may come from your PC via USB

Many PC parts (sometimes the USB controller itself) are generating electromagnetic interference (EMI) which travels through the USB cable into your USB Audio device (HardSID 4U in this case). Even if you use a cable with built-in EMI suppression some of the noise will work its way through to your audio device. So, if any part in your PC isn't properly electromagnetically shielded, the EMI noise will be audible when low level audio is played. EMI noise can not be perfectly removed by any suppression method except by expensive physical separation of circuits connected to the PC from the audio circuits.
Suppressed EMI noise is still perfectly acceptable for hobby usage, but if you're planning to record your work/art in studio quality, you should consider going for the HardSID 4U Studio Edition, since it physically separates your audio circuits from the ones connected to your PC. We're using expensive technologies to replace direct electrical contacts between the PC driven circuits and the audio circuits.

Connectors
* Four mono dry outputs for the best sound quality (2x stereo jacks)
* Mixed output for the easiest usage (1x stereo jack - mono signal)
* Four mono inputs for filtering external sources with SID filters (2x stereo jacks)
* USB connector for connecting the unit to a desktop PC or a Notebook
* DC-in connector for connecting the power supply (1A@12VDC)

The VSTi interface for your HardSID 4U
* 8000Hz update rate on all SID registers. This is not a dumb MIDI control interface!
* Wave-in VSTi pin for routing 8000Hz signals to any SID registers. Example: playing another VSTi's sound on the volume register (drum sampler, guitar synth, anything...)! No other SID synth can do this!
* Full automation of all VSTi parameters in your VST host
* Advanced modulation for each oscillator (3x for each SID):
o 8x8 Modulation Matrix with selectable sources, targets and amount (-100% to 100%)
o 8 Modulation Source Combiners for advanced modulation
o 4 LFOs
o 4 Envelopes
o Table editor for value sequencing at up to 8000Hz speed
* Selectable filter curve for driving the famous analog SID filters (logarithmic/linear for the 8580/6581)
* Up to four VSTi instances can run simultaneously (one for each SID)"

Oral Hygiene via Punk Disco

via Punk Disco on AH:

"Hey all

http://www.punkdisco.co.uk/Music/oral_hygiene.mp3

We unashamedly sold out with this one. We have decided to abandon our punk ethics (it worked for The Clash) and go for the big corporate sponsorship deal. Within 6 months, this track will be played to you each time you open your toothpaste, via tiny little space age microchip record players. Colgate, Macleans, etc, email oral at punkdisco dot co.uk with your offers.

Most of the annoying mid-frequencies, discounting Leah, are from the HardSID 4U which we have fallen in love with. There is also some MKS80 and SunSyn love action.

PS: I have also just uploaded a slightly tweaked version of our "At the dISCO" track but unless you are an avid punkdISCO fan (hi Mum), you probably will not notice.

http://www.punkdisco.co.uk/Music.htm

Punk is for life, not just for Christmas.

Paul
London
www.punkdisco.co.uk
Banned by YouTube video (Obviously NOT SAFE FOR WORK):

Mickey Mouse is Dead - punkdISCO

YouTube via punkdiscoUK

"Our first version was banned by YouTube as the "submission violates our Terms of Service on pornography, obscene or defamatory material". So, here is our heavily edited and hopefully "YouTube friendly" version.. Paul and Leah xxx"
"thats mental! and rather fkin ace too! cheers! dick subhumans""

Update: More punkdisco featured on MATRIXSYNTH

Oberheim Matrix-12 Tracks via Jeremy

NMAT - Guess the Samples

"Basically, mix in the song Sexual Healing (Marvin Gaye), Steam (Peter Gabriel) and an old Disney cartoon (Oh Yeah). I think it works well, even if it is a sample too far."

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HARDSID 4u

via this auction

"Via it's USB connection, it can be used as a MIDI style analog sounding synthesizer via any VST compatible sequencer, or simply as a SID music player. If you want the authentic sound of the SID chip in your music without having to mess around with old floppy disk drives, blurred RF outputs and dodgy power supplies, then this is the little guy for you! Official site here: http://www.hardsid.com The HardSID 4U is the most powerful SID synthesizer since the legendary C64!"

HardSID 4U playing a Lotus theme

YouTube via Ogrim88. via Nusonica

"I am giving my brand new HardSID 4U a go, with the main theme from one of the Lotus games. The HardSID takes up to four SID-chips from the Commodore 64. Sounds freaking awesome! Audio is recorded directly from the HardSID 4U to my recording soundcard, E-MU 1820. There is two 6581-type SIDs and two 6582 (which sounds like the 8580)."

Update via Ogrim in the comments: "The pictures I used in the video, are avalible at my site www.ogrim.net"

HardSid PCI

images via this auction

"HardSid Quattro PCI card. It can handle up to 4 sid chips. 2 chips are included, a 6581 and a 8580. Also if desired i can include a cd with manuals in a PDF format and also drivers/software, but all of manuals and drivers are on the HardSid website. The the drivers/software are for Windows 98/ 2000/ ME/ XP. This card has recently been discontinued and is somewhat hard to find."

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HardSID Quattro PCI

via this auction

"1 x 6581 SID chip all controlled by virtual midi port inside your sequencing software, or you can controll via MIDI"

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HardSID 4U

"The HardSID 4U is the most powerful SID synthesizer since the legendary C64!

* USB connection (compatible with both 2.0 & 1.1)
* Isochronous USB endpoint for low-latency audio
* VSTi interface with 8000Hz update rate on all SID registers (free)
* Wave-in VSTi pin for routing 8000Hz signals to any registers (example: playing other VSTi's sound on the volume register)
* Full automation of all VSTi parameters
* Superior sound quality (..it is a HardSID!)
* Support for up to four SID chips (6581/8580/6582 in any combination)
* Updateable firmware over USB
* Microsoft Vista compatible (drivers for Win2000/XP/Vista)

..and if you're a C64 fan

* Cycle-accurate playback of your favorite SID tunes
* Digitized sound + high-speed playback with low CPU utilization
* Seamless playback of .sid tunes while you work on your PC by providing a huge playback buffer for non-VSTi applications"

http://www.hardsid.com/

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