JAMECO RELIAPRO KIT-APC Forrest M. MIMS III Atari Punk Console Kit

The Atari Punk Console Electronics Kit is an intermediate level sound synthesizer or tone generator that has remained a popular project for DIY’ers, electronic musicians and sound effects professionals since its inception back in the 1980’s. A great noise-making project. Originally featured in the 1980 book: “Engineer's Notebook; Integrated Circuit Applications” written by Forest Mims III, it can be deployed as-is or be used as a basis for experimenting with the ubiquitous NE555 timer chip. Based on the 556 dual timer IC, the kit comes complete with quality components including knobs, an enclosure, and even a 9-volt battery. A favorite tweak for this kit is to use joysticks instead of the manual knobs to get even wilder or complex sound output from this box. Others have used this circuit to generate complex tones and subsequently import them into other audio effects units or digital samplers for further exploration into crafting soundscapes or for use in dance clubs. This project enjoys wide appeal from youngsters just starting out in electronics to hardcore sound enthusiasts worldwide.

• The circuit creates a sequence of tones whose frequencies vary in distinct steps as a potentiometer is adjusted
• Some in the electronic music community began experimenting with the circuit, and it is eventually labeled the atari punk console by kaustic machines
• Even older than the atari punk console is the integrated circuit that makes it possible, the venerable 555 timer designed by hans r. Camenzind for signetics
• The 555 was introduced in 1972 and continues to be one of the most popular integrated circuits ever designed