Difference between revisions of "Sega G80"

From Sega Retro
m
Line 14: Line 14:
 
The G80 was designed to be a more versatile system than those seen in arcade cabinets of the past. Rather than rely on bespoke cabinet designs for each game, Sega opted for a more cost-effective "Convert-a-Game" system (as it was marketed in the US), in which games housed on CPU boards could be easily swapped by arcade operators. The G80 system consisted of a card cage with a 6 slot backplane that could be populated in different game configurations from a selection of 10+ different pluggable boards, allowing it to be configured it as either a raster system if a raster video board was inserted, or a vector system that could display color vector graphics.
 
The G80 was designed to be a more versatile system than those seen in arcade cabinets of the past. Rather than rely on bespoke cabinet designs for each game, Sega opted for a more cost-effective "Convert-a-Game" system (as it was marketed in the US), in which games housed on CPU boards could be easily swapped by arcade operators. The G80 system consisted of a card cage with a 6 slot backplane that could be populated in different game configurations from a selection of 10+ different pluggable boards, allowing it to be configured it as either a raster system if a raster video board was inserted, or a vector system that could display color vector graphics.
  
−
The G80 gets its name from its Z80 CPU which was coupled with a custom security chip to prevent operators from abusing the swappable system.  The security chip would obfuscate the "ld (address),a" instruction (opcode 32h) differently based on the security chip installed — an early form of copy protection. The mangling algorithms are rather complicated, and differ from security chip to security chip.{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/segag80r.cpp}}
+
The G80 gets its name from its Z80 CPU which was coupled with a custom security chip to prevent operators from abusing the swappable system.  The security chip would obfuscate the "ld (address),a" instruction (opcode 32h) differently based on the security chip installed — an early form of copy protection. The mangling algorithms are rather complicated, and differ from security chip to security chip.{{ref|[https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/segag80r.cpp Sega G-80 raster hardware (MAME)]}}
  
 
The Sega G80 platform provided a basis for many reasonably successful vector-based games from the company, some of which, such as ''[[Space Fury]]'', ''[[Tac/Scan]]'', and, perhaps most famously, ''[[Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator]]'', saw home console/computer ports.
 
The Sega G80 platform provided a basis for many reasonably successful vector-based games from the company, some of which, such as ''[[Space Fury]]'', ''[[Tac/Scan]]'', and, perhaps most famously, ''[[Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator]]'', saw home console/computer ports.
  
−
==Technical Specifications==
+
==Technical specifications==
 
{{multicol|
 
{{multicol|
 
* Board composition: One board
 
* Board composition: One board
Line 24: Line 24:
 
** [[wikipedia:Raster graphics|Raster]]: [[Zilog]] [[Z80]] @ 8 MHz (8/16-bit instructions, 1.16 [[wikipedia:Instructions per second|MIPS]])
 
** [[wikipedia:Raster graphics|Raster]]: [[Zilog]] [[Z80]] @ 8 MHz (8/16-bit instructions, 1.16 [[wikipedia:Instructions per second|MIPS]])
 
** [[wikipedia:Vector graphics|Vector]]: [[Zilog Z80]] @ 3.86712 MHz (8/16-bit instructions, 0.561 MIPS)
 
** [[wikipedia:Vector graphics|Vector]]: [[Zilog Z80]] @ 3.86712 MHz (8/16-bit instructions, 0.561 MIPS)
−
* [[wikipedia:Sound card|Sound boards]]:{{intref|Sega G80 Hardware Reference (1997-10-25)}}{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/segag80r.cpp}}
+
* [[wikipedia:Sound card|Sound boards]]:{{intref|Sega G80 Hardware Reference (1997-10-25)}}{{ref|[https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/segag80r.cpp Sega G-80 raster hardware (MAME)]}}
 
** Sega USB (Universal Sound Board)
 
** Sega USB (Universal Sound Board)
 
*** [[wikipedia:Microcontroller|MCU]]: [[wikipedia:Intel MCS-48|Intel i8035]] @ 3.12 MHz (8-bit instructions, 3.12 MIPS, 1 [[wikipedia:Instructions per cycle|instruction per cycle]])
 
*** [[wikipedia:Microcontroller|MCU]]: [[wikipedia:Intel MCS-48|Intel i8035]] @ 3.12 MHz (8-bit instructions, 3.12 MIPS, 1 [[wikipedia:Instructions per cycle|instruction per cycle]])
Line 33: Line 33:
 
** [[Sega System 1]] sound board (optional, used for ''Sindbad Mystery'' in 1983)  
 
** [[Sega System 1]] sound board (optional, used for ''Sindbad Mystery'' in 1983)  
 
*** Sound chips: [[wikipedia:Texas Instruments SN76496|Sega SN76496]] @ 4 MHz, Sega SN76496 @ 2 MHz
 
*** Sound chips: [[wikipedia:Texas Instruments SN76496|Sega SN76496]] @ 4 MHz, Sega SN76496 @ 2 MHz
−
* [[wikipedia:Raster graphics|Raster]] [[wikipedia:Graphics card|graphics board]]: Sega Video I{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/segag80r.cpp}}
+
* [[wikipedia:Raster graphics|Raster]] [[wikipedia:Graphics card|graphics board]]: Sega Video I{{ref|[https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/segag80r.cpp Sega G-80 raster hardware (MAME)]}}
 
** Raster [[wikipedia:Video display controller|display controller]]: Sega Raster Display Controller @ 15.468 MHz
 
** Raster [[wikipedia:Video display controller|display controller]]: Sega Raster Display Controller @ 15.468 MHz
 
** Video resolution:
 
** Video resolution:
 
*** Horizontal: 256×224 (display), 328×262 (overscan)
 
*** Horizontal: 256×224 (display), 328×262 (overscan)
−
*** Vertical: 224×256 (display), 262×328 (overscan){{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/video/segag80r.cpp}}
+
*** Vertical: 224×256 (display), 262×328 (overscan){{ref|[https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/video/segag80r.cpp Sega G-80 raster video hardware (MAME)]}}
 
** [[Palette|Color palette]] [[wikipedia:Colour look-up table|table]]: 256 ([[wikipedia:8-bit color|8-bit RGB]] [[wikipedia:Programmable read-only memory|PROM]])
 
** [[Palette|Color palette]] [[wikipedia:Colour look-up table|table]]: 256 ([[wikipedia:8-bit color|8-bit RGB]] [[wikipedia:Programmable read-only memory|PROM]])
 
** [[wikipedia:Color depth|Colors on screen]]: 64 to 128 ([[wikipedia:Video memory|palette RAM]])
 
** [[wikipedia:Color depth|Colors on screen]]: 64 to 128 ([[wikipedia:Video memory|palette RAM]])
−
** [[wikipedia:Tile engine|Tilemap]] planes: 2 layers, horizontal and vertical [[wikipedia:Scrolling|scrolling]],{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/video/segag80r.cpp}} 8×8 tiles, 4 colors per tile
+
** [[wikipedia:Tile engine|Tilemap]] planes: 2 layers, horizontal and vertical [[wikipedia:Scrolling|scrolling]],{{ref|[https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/video/segag80r.cpp Sega G-80 raster video hardware (MAME)]}} 8×8 tiles, 4 colors per tile
 
** [[Sprite]] capabilities: 28 to 32 sprites per [[wikipedia:Scan line|scanline]], 224 to 256 [[wikipedia:Texel (graphics)|sprite pixels/texels]] per scanline, 4 colors per sprite, 8×8 to 16×16 sizes{{intref|Sega G80 Hardware Reference (1997-10-25)}}
 
** [[Sprite]] capabilities: 28 to 32 sprites per [[wikipedia:Scan line|scanline]], 224 to 256 [[wikipedia:Texel (graphics)|sprite pixels/texels]] per scanline, 4 colors per sprite, 8×8 to 16×16 sizes{{intref|Sega G80 Hardware Reference (1997-10-25)}}
−
* [[wikipedia:Vector monitor|Vector display]] controller: Sega Display Controller{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/segag80v.cpp}}
+
* [[wikipedia:Vector monitor|Vector display]] controller: Sega Display Controller{{ref|[https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/segag80v.cpp Sega G-80 vector hardware (MAME)]}}
−
** [[wikipedia:Color depth|Color depth]]: 64 ([[wikipedia:List of monochrome and RGB palettes#6-bit RGB|6-bit RGB]]){{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/video/segag80v.cpp}}
+
** [[wikipedia:Color depth|Color depth]]: 64 ([[wikipedia:List of monochrome and RGB palettes#6-bit RGB|6-bit RGB]]){{ref|[https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/video/segag80v.cpp Sega G-80 vector video hardware (MAME)]}}
−
* [[RAM]]:{{intref|Sega G80 Hardware Reference (1997-10-25)}}{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/blob/master/src/mame/drivers/segag80r.cpp}}
+
* [[RAM]]:{{intref|Sega G80 Hardware Reference (1997-10-25)}}{{ref|[https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/segag80r.cpp Sega G-80 raster hardware (MAME)]}}
 
** Raster: 14 [[Byte|KB]] (2 KB main, 8 KB [[VRAM|video]], 4 KB audio)
 
** Raster: 14 [[Byte|KB]] (2 KB main, 8 KB [[VRAM|video]], 4 KB audio)
 
** Vector: 10 KB (2 KB main, 4 KB video, 4 KB audio)
 
** Vector: 10 KB (2 KB main, 4 KB video, 4 KB audio)
Line 50: Line 50:
 
}}
 
}}
  
−
==List of Games==
+
==List of games==
 
===Raster===
 
===Raster===
 
{{multicol|
 
{{multicol|

Revision as of 23:12, 25 July 2017

Notavailable.svg
Sega G80
Manufacturer: Sega
Release Date RRP Code

The Sega G80 is an arcade system produced by Sega in 1981. It can be considered a successor to the Sega VIC Dual system, and was Sega's arcade platform of choice before the release of the Sega System 1.

The G80 was designed to be a more versatile system than those seen in arcade cabinets of the past. Rather than rely on bespoke cabinet designs for each game, Sega opted for a more cost-effective "Convert-a-Game" system (as it was marketed in the US), in which games housed on CPU boards could be easily swapped by arcade operators. The G80 system consisted of a card cage with a 6 slot backplane that could be populated in different game configurations from a selection of 10+ different pluggable boards, allowing it to be configured it as either a raster system if a raster video board was inserted, or a vector system that could display color vector graphics.

The G80 gets its name from its Z80 CPU which was coupled with a custom security chip to prevent operators from abusing the swappable system. The security chip would obfuscate the "ld (address),a" instruction (opcode 32h) differently based on the security chip installed — an early form of copy protection. The mangling algorithms are rather complicated, and differ from security chip to security chip.[1]

The Sega G80 platform provided a basis for many reasonably successful vector-based games from the company, some of which, such as Space Fury, Tac/Scan, and, perhaps most famously, Star Trek: Strategic Operations Simulator, saw home console/computer ports.

Technical specifications

List of games

Raster

Vector

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Sega G-80 raster hardware (MAME)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Sega G80 Hardware Reference (1997-10-25)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Sega G-80 raster video hardware (MAME)
  4. ↑ Sega G-80 vector hardware (MAME)
  5. ↑ Sega G-80 vector video hardware (MAME)


Sega arcade boards
Originating in arcades









Console-based hardware








84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14









































PC-based hardware








05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23





























Retrieved from "https://segaretro.org/index.php?title=Sega_G80&oldid=393232"