SidTracker
Alternative firmware for the original Polyend Tracker hardware - 2 sids, drum machine, effects
- Custom firmware
- Alpha
- Medium brick risk
- Reversible
This project hasn't been claimed by its maintainer yet, so its details come from the community. Is it yours? Claim it
New features
- SID player: plays C64
.sidfiles (one or two SIDs, subtunes) from anywhere on the SD card, e.g. the HVSC collection. - MIDI: notes and CC from a keyboard, MIDI clock out, sync to an external MIDI clock (DIN and USB).
- ASID output: drives real SID chips (e.g. a USBSID-Pico) over MIDI.
- SIDLink: a Raspberry Pi Pico 2 bridge that connects the Tracker to a USBSID-Pico through a powered USB hub.
- Undo / redo: Shift+Rec undoes, Shift+Sample Recorder redoes, for every song edit.
- Multispeed: x1-x8 per song for faster, smoother arpeggios, vibrato and sweeps.
- Track mixer: a level per track, plus drums and master, with meters; tap to mute, Shift+tap to solo.
- Init patch: every new instrument sounds straight away.
- Envelope editing: ADSR on the instrument's GENERAL page, with an envelope graph.
- Sound designer pages: synth controls on four pages of columns (oscillator / envelope, pulse, filter, vibrato).
- Randomiser: makes a variation of a sound or a completely new random one, to keep or cancel.
- Preset browser: try presets live by turning the jog, then keep or cancel.
- Instrument library on the card: 65 ready instruments, browsable and tried live.
- Saving instruments: save your own instruments to the card's library (GoatTracker
.ins). - Copy / paste instruments.
- Instrument picker: hold Instr on any screen to choose an instrument; the pads play each one.
- Stock-style instrument entry: in the instrument column the pads are instruments 1-48 and write into the step.
- Table tools: insert and delete rows without breaking references, show what uses a row, remove unused rows.
- Mute page: Shift + the buttons below the screen mute tracks on the Pattern screen.
- Confirm dialog: one clear question before anything destructive.
- Pad keyboard: type project, song and instrument names on the pads.
- Title bar info: shows the instrument and track the pads play, and marks unsaved changes.
- Config help: a help line for every Config row.
- One SID on both sides: one-SID songs and tunes play on both stereo sides and on both real chips.
- Display fault counter: the Benchmark page counts lost display frames.
- Manual: a full user manual.
- New example songs: multispeed demos (HYPERARP, SILKSWEEP) and three demoscene tunes (CRACKINTRO, RASTERBARS, ENDSCROLL).
Full Changelog: https://github.com/sandlbn/SidTracker/compare/v0.1...v0.2
Before you start
- How hard is it?
- EasyCopy a file or use a web page. No extra software.
- What you need
- A computer
- An SD card or USB stick
- Can it break my device?
- Small chance of trouble, with a way to recover. It may void your warranty.
- Can I undo it?
- Yes. You can go back to the official software.
Did it work for you?
Did SidTracker v0.2 work on your Polyend Tracker?
No reports yet for v0.2.
One-tap reports from owners. Bricked reports are checked before they count.
Compatibility
Devices: Polyend Tracker.
No compatibility information yet.
Getting started
From the project's README ("Install"):
You need the original Polyend Tracker and its SD card.
- Back up your SD card (copy everything to your computer).
- Unzip SIDTracker-0.9.1.zip onto the root of the SD card. It adds the firmware to /Firmware, and songs and instruments to /SIDTracker. Leave the stock image (PolyendTracker1.9.2.ptf) in /Firmware.
- On the stock firmware: Config > Firmware update, choose PolyendTracSIDTRv091.ptf and confirm. The Tracker restarts into SIDTracker.
Updating SIDTracker
Copy the new .ptf into /Firmware, then in SIDTracker: Config, the FIRMWARE UPDATE row, turn the jog wheel to the new image, press INSTALL twice. Or put a text file /Firmware/otrestore.txt on the card whose first line is the image name: it is installed at the next power-on.
Back to stock
- In SIDTracker: Config, FIRMWARE UPDATE, choose PolyendTracker1.9.2.ptf, INSTALL twice.
- If SIDTracker does not start: create /Firmware/otrestore.txt containing the line PolyendTracker1.9.2.ptf, insert the card and power on.
Image names must be exactly 24 characters and start with PolyendTrac; the Tracker's loader ignores other names.
Risk and recovery
- Brick risk
- Medium
- Reversible
- Yes
- Voids the warranty
- Yes
- Requires opening the device
- No
From the project's README ("Back to stock"):
- In SIDTracker: Config, FIRMWARE UPDATE, choose PolyendTracker1.9.2.ptf, INSTALL twice.
- If SIDTracker does not start: create /Firmware/otrestore.txt containing the line PolyendTracker1.9.2.ptf, insert the card and power on.
Image names must be exactly 24 characters and start with PolyendTrac; the Tracker's loader ignores other names.
Releases
| Version | Name | Released |
|---|---|---|
| v0.2 | 0.2Latest | 25 October 2026 |
| v0.1 | — | 17 October 2026 |
Credits, license and support
- License
- MIT