Yamaha YMF262
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The Yamaha YMF262, also known as the OPL3 (OPL is an acronym for FM Operator Type-L), is an FM synthesis sound chip. It is an improved version of the Yamaha YM3812 (OPL2), adding the following features:
- twice as many channels (18 instead of 9)
- simple stereo (hard left, center or hard right)
- 4 channel sound output
- 4 new waveforms (alternating-sine, "camel"-sine, square and logarithmic saw)
- 4 oscillator mode, pairing 2 channels together for a maximum 6 channels
- reduced latency for host-register access (the OPL2 had much longer I/O access delays)
The YMF262 was used in many sound cards, including the popular Sound Blaster Pro 2.0, Sound Blaster 16 ASP and AWE family, the MSX OPL3 Cartridge.
Like its predecessor, the OPL3 output audio in digital-I/O form, requiring an external DAC chip like the YAC512. Competing sound chip vendors (such as ESS, OPTi) designed their own OPL3-compatible audiochips, with varying degrees of faithfulness to the genuine OPL3. Yamaha's later PC audio-controllers, including the YMF278 (OPL4), the single-chip Yamaha YMF718/719S, and the PCI YMF724/74x family, included the YMF262's FM-synthesis block for backward-compatibility with legacy software.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- MIDIbox FM, a YMF262-based DIY synthesizer
- AdlibTracker.net Adlib Tracker II (YMF262-Tracker)
- An YMF262 emulator with an online player for OPL3 music.
