Mockingboard
The Mockingboard (a pun on "Mockingbird") is a sound card built by Sweet Micro Systems for the Apple II series of microcomputers. It improves on the Apple II's limited sound capabilities, as did other Apple II sound cards.
![](../I/Mockingboard_V1.jpg.webp)
![](../I/Korean_Mockingboard_clone.jpg.webp)
In 1981, Sweet Micro Systems began designing products not only for creating music, but speech and general sound effects as well,[1] culminating in the release of the Mockingboard in 1983.[2] The Sound II was introduced at US$199 (equivalent to $580 in 2022), and the Sound/Speech I at US$299 (equivalent to $880 in 2022).[2] The Mockingboard's hardware allowed programmers to create complex, high-quality sound without need for constant CPU attention. The Mockingboard could be connected to the Apple's built-in speaker or to external speakers. 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 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[3][4]).
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.
Applied Engineering's Phasor was compatible with the Mockingboard. It had 4 sound chips and thus provided 12 audio channels. Few programs supported using it for more than six voices, however.
An IBM PC-compatible version was developed, but was only distributed with Bank Street Music Writer.[5]
Models
Early models
- Sound I: one AY-3-8910 chip for three audio channels
- 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 M: 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
- Echo+: emulates 1 x Mockingboard card, two AY-3-8913 for six channels, speech is provided by a Texas Instruments TMS5220NL Speech Synthesizer, compatibility with SC-01 or SSI-263 unknown.
- 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.[6][7]
- Phasor: emulates 2 × Mockingboard cards with optional voice support, 1 x ALF Music Card. Developed by Applied Engineering.
Modern cards
- 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.[8]
- Mockingboard v1: A clone of the Mockingboard A from ReactiveMicro.com
- Mockingboard v2.2: The Mockingboard is a 6 voice sound card for the Apple II/IIplus, IIe, IIGS family of computers. Developed by ReActiveMicro.[9]
- Mockingboard for IIc: This Mockingboard variant is software compatible with the other Mockingboard A/C without voice. Special designed for the Apple IIc. install on the CPU socket. Used two AY-3-8912 and CPLD for IO Bus interface. Developed by Ian Kim in Korea.
- SD Music card: First FM sound card for Apple II, Used a YM2413 and ATmega128 to emulate Mockingboard A/C without voice support. It provide Maximum nine voices and provide direct register control for YM2413. Developed by Ian Kim in Korea.
- SD Music Deluxe (OPL3): OPL3(YMF262) Mockingboard I/II/A/C emulated soundcard, Stereo sound and user defined instruments voice channels, Direct control for RAW data. VGM player supported. Developed by Ian Kim in Korea.
See also
References
- "13-Peripherals". Apple ][ History. 28 June 2010.
- "Hardware News". InfoWorld. Vol. 5, no. 3. InfoWorld Media Group, Inc. 17 January 1983. p. 57. ISSN 0199-6649.
- applefritter forum: "Source for speech IC's used in the Mockingboard"
- "Mockingboard". ReActiveMicro wiki.
- Leonard, Jim (2011-09-09). "The PC Mockingboard". Oldskooler Ramblings. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
- "Mustalgame photos - Apple II Documentation Project".
- "Mustalgame manual - Apple II Documentation Project" (PDF).
- Mega Audio at A2Heaven online store
- "Mockingboard v2.2 – Assembled or Kit". www.reactivemicro.com. Retrieved 2021-04-18.