Hacking the Korg DW8000: Custom Firmware & SID Chips with Thomas Jansson

Описание: In this week's episode, we are joined by Thomas Jansson, a talented developer who is breathing new life into the vintage Korg DW8000 synthesizer by developing custom firmware, adding modern features while staying true to its 1980s charm. We also dive into his passion for SID chips, Commodore 64, Amiga, chip tunes, and reverse engineering vintage hardware.

Thomas shares how he reverse-engineered the DW8000 OS, added features like expanded unison spread, filter resolution, modulation destinations, and new LFO options. He also demonstrates live the upgrades he's developed and talks about his SID chip projects, Amiga trackers, and how these vintage techs still inspire him today.

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🎧 Also available as a podcast!

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to Thomas Jansson & DW8000 Firmware
01:00 - Why update a 1986 synth?
02:00 - Thomas' background in music & software
05:00 - First synth: Korg Poly 800 and early inspirations
06:00 - Getting into computers: Commodore 64, Amiga, and trackers
07:40 - How music tech shaped a generation
08:30 - Reverse engineering vintage synths
10:00 - Reverse engineering the DW8000 OS
12:00 - Tools and disassemblers used for reverse engineering
14:00 - The puzzle of mapping ROM addresses
17:00 - Adding new DW8000 features
18:00 - Unison detune control added
19:30 - Increased filter resolution & modulation destinations
22:00 - Live demo of firmware features on DW8000
30:00 - Modulating wavetables like a PPG
33:00 - Programming philosophy: limitations foster creativity
34:00 - Plans for future firmware additions
36:00 - DW8000 as a classic synth with growing value
38:00 - SID chips, Commodore 64 & ASID protocol explained
42:00 - SID chip design and historical context
43:00 - Amiga sound capabilities & trackers explained
45:00 - Mod files and legacy of Amiga trackers
47:00 - Thomas’ YouTube channel and chip tune recreations
48:00 - Synth regrets & desert island picks
50:00 - CR-78 vs RD-78 recreations & recreating Genesis drum patterns
52:00 - The fun of limitations in vintage gear
53:00 - Home Assistant, EV charging & automation integration
56:00 - AI-generated music: opportunities & controversy
58:00 - Wrapping up and final thoughts

🔗 Links:
Thomas Jansson's YouTube:    / tubesockor  


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