Atari Punk Console

mr.adambeck · May 04, 2008, 02:29:07 AM

Hi, I've been trying and trying and trying to make one of these and I keep failing. As a total noobie to the world of DIY electronics, I was wondering if anyone knew of any kits for the Atari Punk Console that I could buy (IE all the parts and a PCB). I'm guessing that might help me... I still can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.

oldrocker · May 04, 2008, 08:36:28 AM

The APC can be tricky even though the circuit is super simple. I breadboarded one using two 555 IC's and when I soldered them to perf I couldn't get it working. Later I found I had a non-working 555. I already went and got a 556 IC and installed it and it worked. I don't know of any kits for it but if you give it some more time I'm sure you'll succeed. Try the link below for the 556 IC layout and PCB if you want to try that. Here's a picture of my build I used from that site.

http://geocities.com/worthekik/atari.html

mr.adambeck · May 04, 2008, 01:30:58 PM

Yeah that's the one layout I've been using. I think I might just buy a new chip and start all over. Maybe that's the problem.

oldrocker · May 04, 2008, 02:02:49 PM

It's a fun circuit. I put mine in a plastic cigarette case. The red LED is behind the "A"tari.

Mugshot · March 25, 2009, 02:50:38 AM

im raising the dead here. im interested in buildin an APC. how do you exactly use that as an addition for your effects pedals? i mean, since it generates a signal on its own, can you run it along with your regular effects pedals? im thinking of putting it in an enclosure and when engaged it generates a signal of its own and mixes with the guitar signal, am i right?

Taylor · March 25, 2009, 03:39:27 AM

Stock, there is no facility for combining your guitar signal with the APC internally. It is a tone generator, so it really has nothing to do with guitar stompboxes on its own. You could plug it into the carrier input of a ring modulator and your guitar into the other input, and you'd get some crazy noises. You could also use a simple mixer if you just wanted to hear your guitar and the APC simultaneously.

Mugshot · March 25, 2009, 03:50:24 AM

Quote from: Taylor on March 25, 2009, 03:39:27 AM
Stock, there is no facility for combining your guitar signal with the APC internally. It is a tone generator, so it really has nothing to do with guitar stompboxes on its own. You could plug it into the carrier input of a ring modulator and your guitar into the other input, and you'd get some crazy noises. You could also use a simple mixer if you just wanted to hear your guitar and the APC simultaneously.

exactly. i mean i will make one. but the guitar signal passes through the enclosure, not into circuit. yes i also consider a simple mixer to run my dry signal ALONG with the signal generated out of this circuit. a mix knob for the APC i think will be very necessary.

Ben N · March 25, 2009, 09:07:50 AM

If you happened to catch Liam Finn's solo act (I saw him opening for his dad's band

), he does some stuff with a looper where he puts down a rhythm track and then layers stuff over it. In one song that includes some weird noisemaker that could definitely be an APC. He ends by playing some frenetic drums over the loop. I can't give you links right now, but I believe there are a couple of clips on Youtube.

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Atari Punk Console