X68000

The SN76489 was made by Texas Instruments and was used inside several Game Consoles, Arcade Games and Homecomputers, most prominently the Master System or the Colecovision (see a full list of systems further down). It was originally made for the TI 99/4, where it was called the TMS9919.

Technical Specifications

• Channels: 4
• Channel 1-3: Squarewave synthesis
• Channel 4: White or Periodic Noise synthesis
• Stereo: No
• DAC: build-in
• 16 different Volume Levels
• Datasheet is Available here (Link)

Used in

Homecomputers

• Acorn BBC Micro
• Casio PV-2000
• IBM PCjr.
• Memotech MTX 512 (SN76489A)
• Memotech MTX 500 (SN76489A)
• Memotech RS 128 (SN76489A)
• Myarc Geneve 9640 (SN76496)
• Sega SC-3000
• Sega SG-1000 Mark 1, 2 & 3
• Sharp MZ800
• Sharp MZ1500
• Sord M5
• Tandy 1000 (NCR 7496)

Video Game Consoles

• Colecovision
• Sega Master System
• Sega Mega Drive
• Sega Wondermega
• Video Technology CreatiVision

Handhelds

• Sega Game Gear
• Sega Nomad

Arcade Game Systems

• Exed Exes (SN76496)
• Sega Gigas Hardware (SN76496)
• Sega Mega-Play (Arcade Version of the Mega Drive)
• Sega Mega-Tech (Arcade Version of the Mega Drive / Master System)
• Sega SG-1000 (Arcade Version of the SG-1000)
• Sega System 1 (SN76496)
• Sega System 2 (SN76496)
• Sega System C-2 (SN76496)
• various other single games

Special Applications

• Exed Exes | Uses 2x SN76496 + 2x AY-3-8910
• Sega Game Gear | Sega added an extension to the Chip inside the Game Gear, which made stereo output possible. Any channel could be set to hard left or hard right.
• Sega Master System | The japanese version also had a YM2413 (OPLL) build-in.
• Sega Mega Drive | The SN76489 was used together with an YM2612 (Link). The latter one was responsible for FM Sound creation and is actually the more important chip for this system.
• Sega Mega-Play | Uses 2x SN76489 together with an YM3438
• Sega Mega-Tech| Uses 2x SN76489 together with an YM3438
• Sega Nomad | Same as Mega Drive
• Sega System 1 | Uses 2x the SN76496 (at different speeds, one of them is running at 2 MHz and the other is running at 4 MHz)
• Sega System 2 | Uses 2x the SN76496 (at different speeds, one of them is running at 2 MHz and the other is running at 4 MHz)
• Sega System C-2 | Uses the SN76496 together with an YM3438
• Sega Wondermega | Same as Mega Drive

Variants

SN76489..

• SN76489N | Same as the SN76489, but comes in Narrow DIP Form
• SN76489A | Introduced in 1984, 4 years after the SN76489, and has a different White Noise Pattern (with the pitch being 6.25% lower)
• SN76489AN | Same as the SN76489A, and again in Narrow DIP Form

Others

• NCR 7496 | Another Name for the SN76489, it has a different White Noise Pattern, but is otherwise identical.
• TMS9919 | The original Name of the Chip, used inside the TI 99/4. See TMS9919.
• SN94624 | A later name for the TMS9919, also used in the TI99/4. See TMS9919.
• SN76494 | Same chip but allows an additional external Audio Signal to be mixed in.
• SN76496 | Same as above, more info to come.

Emulation

The VGM Format

• The VGM Format is a logable Format for SN76489 Music that can easily be replayed on modern Computers. Rips are known to exist for the BBC Micro, Colecovision, Game Gear, Master System, SC-3000 and the SG-1000. One of the largest Music Archives is the VGM Archive from SMS Power.

Arcade

• The Music of the Arcade Games are emulated through M1. M1 is a music player which is based on MAME and thus supports a lot of Arcade Games. More about M1 can be found here.

Music Creation

• There is a Tracker available for Windows, see Composing with MOD2PSG2