Cathode Ray

Cathode Ray turns the Workshop Computer into a 1-bit composite video synthesiser. Wire a two-resistor DAC from Pulse Out 1 (1kΩ) and Pulse Out 2 (220Ω) into an RCA centre pin (grounds common) and connect to any composite-input TV/monitor. PAL by default; flash cathode_ray_ntsc.uf2 for NTSC (US) displays.

The Main knob picks the mode across three zones: lower = etch-a-sketch (draw with CV In 1/2 as X/Y), middle = oscilloscope (Audio In 1 traces, sweep speed slow→fast), upper = spectrum analyser (24-band, Audio In 1). Greyscale (5 levels) is produced by a 2×2 spatial dither into the 1-bit picture.

Switch MIDDLE = phosphor fade / persistence, UP = static / clean. Knob X/Y are multi-function (CV scale / position offset / scope gain & baseline / spectrum gain & rotate) with pickup hysteresis.

Three independent performance-trigger sources — Switch DOWN, Pulse In 1, Pulse In 2 — each runs a configurable behaviour (invert, clear, cycle/random effect, or one fixed effect: strobe / fade / fade-to-white / snow / swap / corrupt / roll). Hold Switch DOWN and twist Main/X/Y to open the on-screen config menu and assign each source.

Hold Switch DOWN at power-on for ALT-BOOT mode: a selector of screensaver / performance hybrids that also protect a CRT from burn-in. Switch UP shows the selector (Main knob scrolls through the modes, with on-screen input/output help); Switch MIDDLE or DOWN plays the shown mode. Modes: • COMET — a round comet with a phosphor tail (Main/CV1 = speed, Y/CV2 = tail length). • PATCHTEROIDS — patch-controlled Asteroids. Main (+ CV In 1) steers, PU1 / Switch DOWN fire. CV Out 1 = pitch (+1 semitone per hit, arpeggiates down on a crash), CV Out 2 = gate per hit. • BOING — Amiga-style tilted rotating checkered ball. Knob X / CV1 = spin & kick impulse, Main / CV2 = bounce efficiency, Knob Y = horizontal speed, PU1 / DOWN = kick. CV Out 1 = height, CV Out 2 = trigger on each floor bounce. • STARFIELD — fly through space. Main = speed, X/CV1 = horizontal turn, Y/CV2 = vertical. • RADAR — a radar scope. Main aims a turret, PU1 / DOWN fires a ballistic missile (hold = range); PU2 (CV1 sets radius) drops fading target blocks. CV Out 2 = pulse on a hit. • LUNAR — Lunar Lander. Main / CV1 rotate, PU1 / DOWN thrust; land gently on the pad (narrows each stage) avoiding drifting UFOs. CV Out 1 = altitude, CV Out 2 = crash. • 3DMAZE — first-person wireframe maze. Main turns, PU1 / DOWN walks; Knob X / CV1 = hands-free auto-run. Find the glowing white EXIT panel on a wall (reaching it flashes and generates a new maze). CV Out 2 = pulse when you reach the exit. • FOURTRIG — a trigger-driven visual drum machine. Audio In 1, Audio In 2, Pulse In 1 and Pulse In 2 are all triggers; each stamps a decaying "thing" (thick 2×2 strokes) into one screen quadrant. Knob X = bank (icons first, words last: shapes / music-hits / symbols / words / emphasis), Knob Y (+ CV In 2) = the set of four, Main (+ CV In 1) = CHAOS (jitter/ swap placement, grow + vary size, and past ~50% a rising chance of a per-hit random VFX from the full set incl. flip-180). Hold Switch DOWN for a momentary held VFX. CV Out 2 = pulse on every trigger.