APU Pulse

From NESdev Wiki
Revision as of 14:59, 12 June 2009 by Banshaku (talk | contribs) (Created page with 'Each of the two NES APU pulse (square) wave channels generate a pulse wave with variable duty. Each pulse channel contains the following: [[APU Envelope|envelope generat...')
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigationJump to search

Each of the two NES APU pulse (square) wave channels generate a pulse wave with variable duty.

Each pulse channel contains the following: envelope generator, sweep unit, timer, 8-step sequencer, length counter.

    Timer ---> Sequencer    Sweep   Length Counter
                   |          |           |
                   |          |           |
                   v          v           v
Envelope -------> Gate-----> Gate -----> Gate ---> (to mixer)
$4000 DDle.eeee Pulse 1 duty, length counter halt, and envelope (write)
$4004 DDle.eeee Pulse 2 duty, length counter halt, and envelope (write)
bits 7-6 DD-- ---- The duty cycle is set (see table below). The sequencer's current position is not changed.
 
$4002 LLLL.LLLL Pulse 1 timer low (write)
$4006 LLLL.LLLL Pulse 2 timer low (write)
bits 7-0 LLLL LLLL Timer low 8 bits
 
$4003 llll.lHHH Pulse 1 length counter load and timer high (write)
$4007 llll.lHHH Pulse 2 length counter load and timer high (write)
bits 2-0 ---- -HHH Timer high 3 bits
Side effects The sequencer is restarted at the first value of the current sequence. The envelope is also restarted.

Duty Cycle Sequences

Duty Waveform sequence
0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 (12.5%)
1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 (25%)
2 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 (50%)
3 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 (25% negated)

The timer's period is the 12-bit value (%HHHL.LLLLLLL0) formed by timer high and timer low, plus two.

The sequencer is clocked by the timer.

The mixer receives the current envelope volume except when

  • The sequencer output is zero, or
  • The sweep unit is silencing the channel, or
  • The length counter is zero

The behavior of the two pulse channels differs only in the effect of the negate mode of their sweep units.