update readme with article links

README.md

@@ -14,6 +14,11 @@ It has the following labels on the PCBs:
 * MD 16101DS-CONT82 06 (the actual framebuffer/drive board)
 * MD-24T-ADT (2) 8201 (the boards on the plasma tube itself)
 
-You can read more about the quest I went through trying to get it to run at [EEVBlog Forums](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/trying-to-figure-out-if-a-vfd-displaydriver-is-broken-(74-series-logic)/).
+Despite using a standard "HDD" Molex 4-pin connector for the drive board power, it expects +160V on the pin where normally +12V would be supplied. Take care not to mix up the power supplies. (Plugging in +12V into the plasma board doesn't seem to damage it. Plugging in +160V into an HDD, on the other hand...)
 
-Despite using a standard "HDD" Molex 4-pin connector for the drive board power, it expects +160V on the pin where normally +12V would be supplied. Take care not to mix up the power supplies. (Plugging in +12V into the plasma board doesn't seem to damage it. Plugging in +160V into an HDD, on the other hand...)
+More detailed info is available in the following articles:
+
+* На русском: https://habr.com/ru/companies/timeweb/articles/808805/
+* 日本語で: https://elchika.com/article/b9f39c29-64aa-42ab-8f73-e6e27a72bd0e/
+
+You can also read the quest I went through trying to get it to run "in real time" at [EEVBlog Forums](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/trying-to-figure-out-if-a-vfd-displaydriver-is-broken-(74-series-logic)/).

helper/midi_to_chime.py

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
+# this is very jank, do not expect it to work as is
+# it worked for some melodies though
+
+from sys import argv
+from mido import MidiFile
+import freq_note_converter
+
+mid = MidiFile(argv[1])
+name = argv[2]
+
+evts = [] # negative: delay in ms, positive: freq in hz
+
+for msg in mid:
+    if msg.type == "note_on" or msg.type == "note_off":
+        print(msg)
+        if msg.time > 0:
+            evts.append(int(-msg.time * 1000))
+        if msg.type == "note_on" and msg.velocity > 0:
+            if len(evts) > 0 and evts[-1] == 0:
+                # remove useless silence
+                evts[-1] = int(freq_note_converter.from_note_index(msg.note).freq)
+            else:
+                evts.append(int(freq_note_converter.from_note_index(msg.note).freq))
+        else:
+            evts.append(0)
+
+
+print(evts)
+
+print("static const melody_item_t "+name+"_data[] = {")
+i = 0
+while i < len(evts) - 1:
+    # assert evts[i] < 0
+    # assert evts[i+1] >= 0
+    print("    {"+str(evts[i])+", "+str(-evts[i+1])+"}, ")
+    i+=2
+print("};")
+
+print("const melody_sequence_t "+name+" = MELODY_OF("+name+"_data);")