Subject: Re: How many of each II model produced?
From: supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
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Date: 28 Aug 1999 06:11:36 GMT
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Message-ID: <19990828021136.22356.00000380@ng-bj1.aol.com>



sheercon@earthlink.net wrote:

>The Apple II was and is a fine computer but IMHO the C64
>was a better game machine. One noticable difference was the sound, the
>C64 had 3 voices which back in the day was a "big deal".

I agree with the exception of the IIGS, of course (which is
more like a "GS" with a "II" emulator inside than an
Apple II).

By the way, Ensoniq was founded by a group of C64
engineers who developed the SID chip in the C64.  Their
Ensoniq 5503 DOC chip, the heart of the 32-channel IIGS
sound system, is in effect a grandchild of the SID chip!

     See this link for more information:

     http://www.ensoniq.com/multimedia/semi_html/index.htm

There is a story behind this chip that I'm not sure of in
terms of validity, but you be the judge.  The Mirage sampler
was the first big pro-audio product Ensoniq made.  The
sound chip inside it, the Ensoniq 5503, was later used in
the popular ESQ-1 pro synthesizer.  Ensoniq initially
approached the designers of the Amiga offering the chip
(this was before the Amiga's company was gobbled up by
Commodore).  The Amiga folks laughed and thought "what
would anyone want with a chip like that."

Ensoniq then sent a sample to Apple.  It got handed from
one person to another within the company, no one knowing
quite what to make of it.  Even Woz passed it on.  One guy
in the company, Rob Moore, got the chip.  This guy was a
musician by hobby and he went crazy about the chip so
the IIGS engineering team, led by Dan Hillman, went up to
Apple's management and fought for the chip.

"Think of it as enabling technology."  they said.
"Imagine a storybook in which the characters talk back."
"Look up Kennedy's speeches and hear them as well
as read about them."
"People can call up your computer and leave a voice
mail message."

So that's how the Ensoniq chip got into the IIGS.  This
deal also prompted Ensoniq to start its semiconductor
business, making it into the computer peripheral company
it is today, not just a pro-music company.

Interestingly, every prediction made by the IIGS team has
come to pass with regards to sound in computers.