ESS Technology introduces new Wavetable Music Synthesizer chip.FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 25, 1995--ESS Technology, Inc. introduced today the ES689 Wavetable A group of sampled sound waves used in MIDI. See wavetable synthesis and MIDI. (hardware, music) wavetable - A type of sound generator often built in a sound card. A wavetable contains digitised samples of real instrument sounds or effect (FX) sounds. Music Synthesizer synthesizer Machine that electronically generates and modifies sounds, frequently with the use of a digital computer, for use in the composition of electronic music and in live performance. chip, an integrated audio processor that delivers superior acoustic performance comparable to expensive professional synthesizers, but at an affordable price. The ES689 can play back 32 voices simultaneously at 44.1 kHz CD-quality stereo audio, producing high fidelity high fidelity n. The electronic reproduction of sound, especially from broadcast or recorded sources, with minimal distortion. high music with the realism of a live symphonic orchestra. The ES689 connects to an ESS ES98X ROM, which stores a wavetable instrument sample set from InVision Interactive (Palo Alto Palo Alto, city, California Palo Alto (păl`ō ăl`tō), city (1990 pop. 55,900), Santa Clara co., W Calif.; inc. 1894. Although primarily residential, Palo Alto has aerospace, electronics, and advanced research industries. , CA). The resulting chipset is General MIDI A standard set of 128 sounds for MIDI sound cards and devices (synthesizers, sound modules, etc.). By assigning instruments to specific MIDI patch locations, General MIDI provides a standard way of communicating MIDI sound. compatible and supports 128 melodic instruments with 47 rhythm instruments. Fred Chan, President of ESS Technology, stated, "ESS continues our product leadership in 16-bit stereo PC audio with the ES689 Wavetable Synthesizer. ESS' wavetable synthesizer design, with InVision's wavetable sample set, provides affordable but high-quality wavetable music synthesis." Scott France, President of InVision Interactive, stated, "InVision Interactive is well-known in the musical instrument industry for providing the highest quality CD-ROM CD-ROM: see compact disc. CD-ROM in full compact disc read-only memory Type of computer storage medium that is read optically (e.g., by a laser). samples for professional music sampling platforms. InVision designed a new library of sounds specifically for the ES689. We believe the InVision sound set for the ES689 provides audio solutions and a price/performance margin for multimedia applications unparalleled in the industry." The ES689 leverages ESS' AudioDrive product line of 16-bit 44.1 kHz stereo audio processors, highly integrated mixed-signal devices which record and play back 16-bit 44.1 kHz stereo audio. The ES689 contains a simple serial interface control path to connect to ESS' 16-bit AudioDrive components, including ES1688, ES1788, ES1888, ES788, and ES888. This 3-chip complete stereo audio subsystem -- with ESS 16-bit AudioDrive, ES689 Wavetable Synthesizer, and ES98X Wavetable ROM -- includes all on-chip integration for compatibility with software operating in Sound Blaster and Sound Blaster Pro modes, ESS-developed ESFM ESFM Escuela Superior de Fisica y Matematicas (Spanish) ESFM European Society of Feline Medicine FM music synthesis, and high-quality wavetable synthesis. The ES689 can also interface to any external audio D/A converter to produce the wavetable audio output. "Wavetable synthesis achieves greater audio fidelity and instrument realism by storing samples of live musical instruments into the ES98X ROM memory," stated Bill Windsor, Strategic Marketing Manager of ESS Technology. "To play back a note from an instrument selected by the MIDI command stream, the ES689 wavetable synthesizer selects stored samples from the selected instrument and performs complex arithmetic calculations before playing the note, including interpolation interpolation In mathematics, estimation of a value between two known data points. A simple example is calculating the mean (see mean, median, and mode) of two population counts made 10 years apart to estimate the population in the fifth year. between sampled notes, pitch shifting, and filtering. The note played includes overtones and timbre timbre Quality of sound that distinguishes one instrument, voice, or other sound source from another. Timbre largely results from a characteristic combination of overtones produced by different instruments. of the real instrument, resulting in very high audio quality. "The ES689 wavetable expands ESS' existing high-quality audio technology," Windsor continued. "ESS developed ESFM music synthesis for our AudioDrive products as a superset A group of commands or functions that exceed the capabilities of the original specification. Software or hardware components designed for the original specification will also operate with the superset product. However, components designed for the superset will not work with the original. to OPL-3 music synthesis, to produce greater depth of instrument sounds. Wavetable takes that a leap further with outstanding instrument realism." The ES689 also includes an MPU-401 serial port to interface to General MIDI devices. General MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface (music, hardware, protocol, file format) Musical Instrument Digital Interface - (MIDI /mi'-dee/, /mee'-dee/) A hardware specification and protocol used to communicate note and effect information between synthesisers, computers, music keyboards, controllers, and other electronic ) is the control standard defined by the music industry enabling a common control interface between MIDI playback and composition controllers. General MIDI defines a standard for 128 common musical instruments which are invoked by a MIDI playback device; MIDI music synthesis is performed by the music synthesis device such as an FM synthesizer or higher-quality wavetable synthesizer. The ES689 and ES98X are sampling now. The ES689 is packaged in a 100-pin package. Evaluation Kits will be available in May, including an ES1688/ES689/ES98X Evaluation Board and sound applications software library. Pricing is available by contacting ESS directly. ESS Technology Inc. designs, develops and markets mixed-signal integrated circuits for speech, sound and multimedia PC solutions. The company was founded in 1984 and holds 14 worldwide patents in time-domain audio compression and reconstruction technology. Since 1989, ESS has shipped over 70 million audio ICs. AudioDrive is a registered trademark, and ESFM and ESPCM ESPCM Electronic Speech Systems Pulse Code Modulation are trademarks, of ESS Technology Inc. ESFM technology is ESS Technology Inc. patent pending. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders. For more information please contact ESS Technology Sales Department, phone 510/226-1088, fax: 510/226-8868. CONTACT: ESS Technology Inc. William Windsor, 510/226-1088 |
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