APC (Atari Punk Console)

The Atari Punk Console (aka the Stepped Tone Generator) is basically a simple sound synth that is made using only two 555 timer ICs.

Step 1 Ingredients

The parts you need are:
2x LM555 timer ICs
2x 500k potentiometers
1x 10 uf electrolyctic capacitor
1x .01 uf ceramic disk capacitor
1x .1 uf ceramic disk capacitor
1x 1k resistor (brown, black, red, gold)
1x 8 ohm speaker
1x 9 volt battery and clip
1x pad-per-hole perfboard
lots of wire
solder

The tools you need are:
soldering iron
wire snippers
desoldering pump (or bulb/wick)
optional but very recommend: helping hands tool

Comments

[TobaTobias]

Great project. The middle pin goes to positive, where does the other pin that isn't ground go?

[FjerrFjerrson]

Great stuff! This is one of the first main things i've put together without some form of microcontroller at the heart of it. I got started in electronics with an Arduino, followed by a Picaxe, followed by a TI Launchpad.

Thank you for making my first venture into "real" electronics fun! =)

[josh1324]

Your welcome, I'm glad you liked it!

[samswiftglasman]

fantastic - can't even describe how much fun i have been having with this!

I only had 1M log pots hanging around but they sound pretty great with a 10k resistor

[josh1324]

I'm glad you like it

[blinkyblinky]

Ordering on line would help.

Actually, 50K pots I found give the real stepped tone effect.

[rock_god]

Mine sounds like an old modem, any ideas on how to make it sound better?

[josh1324]

what are you using for a speaker?

[Robot Lover]

Thanks for sharing! This could be simplified using a 556 timer. You should look into that! It's always good when you can simplify a circuit!

[josh1324]

I was going to do that, but all we have in cape breton is just a couple of "the source" stores. All they had were 555s. And they were really expensive too! (like $5 each!)

[Robot Lover]

Wow! that kinda sucks! Well heres a good site to buy ic chips and other components for cheap.

http://www.taydaelectronics.com/servlet/StoreFront

!!!

[josh1324]

thanks for the link :3 its really good

[vishalapr]

This is really cool!Rated 4.5*!Have a look at my latest iblees!

[josh1324]

I'm glad you liked it