Piano83 v2.0                                                      5 March 1999
============
for Ion on the TI-83/TI-83+

by badja
http://move.to/badja
badja@alphalink.com.au


New features
============
* Access to 70 notes (G#1 to F7)
* Tuning can now be done by octaves
* Quick one-button access to true-pitch octaves
* Ability to play two notes simultaneously through separate channels


About
=====
Piano83 is a progam which turns your TI-83 or TI-83+ into a musical keyboard.
All you need are earphones or amplified speakers that can plug into the link
port, or an AM radio. Standard 3.5mm audio plugs will not fit into the 2.5mm
link port. You will need a 3.5mm-socket to 2.5mm-plug audio adaptor (Cat No.
P6515 at Dick Smith Electronics, Australian residents). If you use the AM
radio though, the sound quality will be awful.


How to Run
==========
Piano83 requires Ion to run.

To run Piano83, make sure Ion is installed on your calculator. Send either
PIANO83.83P or PIANO83.8XP (for the 83 and 83+ respectively) to your
calculator and start Ion. Now you can run Piano83.

If you have a TI-83+, you can run Piano83 by entering Asm(prgmPIANO83
Use the catalog to enter Asm( and the PRGM menu to enter prgmPIANO83.


How to Use
==========
Run Piano83, then plug in your earphones/speakers or hold your calculator near
your AM radio's aerial. Tap the 2nd key a few times. You should hear a tone
whenever the key is pressed. If you cannot hear the tone, please refer to the
troubleshooting section below.

Now we're ready to start playing. Turn your calculator sideways so that the
2nd key is nearest you. The progam begins in C major mode. Use the following
keys to play:

  +----------------- Key to press ----------------+
  |                   |        |                  |
  |                   |        |                  |
  v                   v        v                  v

      +-----------                 +-----------
  2nd | C  _______             DEL | C  _______
      +----####### X,T,0,n         +----####### <-
ALPHA | D  _______            STAT | D  _______
      +----####### MATRX           +----####### VARS
 MATH | E                     PRGM | E
      +-----------                 +-----------
 X^-1 | F  _______             COS | F  _______
      +----####### ,               +----####### )
  X^2 | G  _______               ( | G  _______
      +----####### 7               +----####### 9
  LOG | A  _______               8 | A  _______
      +----####### 4               +----####### 6
   LN | B                        5 | B
      +-----------                 +-----------
STO-> | C  _______               2 | C  _______
      +----####### 0               +----####### (-)
ON(83)| D  _______               . | D  _______
      +----                        +----
         
        ^                            ^
        |                            |
        +------- Note played --------+

Press the right arrow key to toggle between C major and A minor mode. In A
minor mode, the 2nd and DEL keys are equivalent to the note A, rather than C.
These are the keys for A minor mode:

           _______
      +----####### MODE            +----_______
  2nd | A  _______             DEL | A  _______
      +----####### X,T,0,n         +----####### <-
ALPHA | B                     STAT | B
      +-----------                 +-----------
 MATH | C  _______            PRGM | C  _______
      +----####### SIN             +----####### TAN
 X^-1 | D  _______             COS | D  _______
      +----####### ,               +----####### )
  X^2 | E                        ( | E
      +-----------                 +-----------
  LOG | F  _______               8 | F  _______
      +----####### 4               +----####### 6
   LN | G  _______               5 | G  _______
      +----####### 1               +----####### 3
STO-> | A  _______               2 | A  _______
      +----####### 0               +----####### (-)
ON(83)| B                        . | B
      +-----------                 +-----------

Pressing the up and down arrow keys changes the tuning of the keyboard by a
semitone at a time. The plus and minus keys tune by octaves. The Y=, WINDOW,
ZOOM and TRACE keys select different octaves such that the pitches match those
of a real keyboard.

Now try holding down two keys at once. Both tones should play simultaneously.
Pressing the ^ key lets you specify how Piano83 plays simultaneous notes. It
toggles between two chord modes, unison and arpeggio. In arpeggio mode, the
chord is simulated by playing the tones in a fast arpeggio-like fashion. In
unison mode, the tones are actually played simultaneously (in separate
channels), but there is a limit of two notes at a time. If you can't hear both
notes in unison mode, please refer to the troubleshooting section below.


Summary of Keys
===============
See the above two figures for which keys play which notes.

Right                 Toggle between C major and A minor modes
Up/Down               Tune keyboard up or down a semitone
+/-                   Tune keyboard up or down an octave
Y=/WINDOW/ZOOM/TRACE  Set tuning to an octave with true pitch
^                     Toggle chord mode between unison and arpeggio
CLEAR                 Exit Piano83 (unplug earphones/speakers first)


Troubleshooting
===============
Problem:  I'm using a radio, and I can't hear anything.
Solution: Make sure the radio is set to AM. Hold down a note (eg. 2nd) and
          change the tuning until you get a reasonbly clear sound.

Problem:  I've connected speakers through the link port, and I can't hear
          anything.
Try this: The speakers must have an amplifier built in to them (ie. a power
          cord which plugs into a power point or the back of a computer). Make
          sure the power is on and the volume is turned up. If there's still
          no sound, refer to the next paragraph.

Problem:  I'm connecting through the link port, but I can't hear anything.
Solution: The 2.5mm plug may be a bit loose in the link port. Wiggle it around
          a bit or hold it in different positions. If the sound keeps
          disappearing, the plug may not be staying in contact with the line 1
          connector inside the link port. Try changing to arpeggio mode (press
          the ^ key), which plays the tones through both lines 1 and 2.

Problem:  I'm connecting through the link port, but when I press two notes, I
          can only hear one tone.
Solution: The 2.5mm plug is only in contact with one of the connectors inside
          the link port. Wiggle it around a bit or hold it in different
          positions. If this doesn't help, change to arpeggio mode (press the
          ^ key), which simulates chords by rapidly alternating between each 
          note pressed, playing them through both connectors (lines 1 and 2).

Problem:  My calculator's running incredibly slow.
Solution: Unplug the earphones or speakers from the link port.



Send any comments, ideas, or other feedback to badja@alphalink.com.au
