Difference between revisions of "VCO Object"

From Sega Retro
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==Technical Specifications==
 
==Technical Specifications==
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* [[Central processing unit|CPU]]:{{ref|http://www.system16.com}}
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* [[wikipedia:Central processing unit|CPU]]:{{ref|http://www.system16.com}}
 
** ''Turbo'' & ''SubRoc-3D'': [[Zilog Z80|Z80]] @ 5 MHz (8-bit & 16-bit instructions @ 0.725 MIPS{{ref|http://www.drolez.com/retro/}})
 
** ''Turbo'' & ''SubRoc-3D'': [[Zilog Z80|Z80]] @ 5 MHz (8-bit & 16-bit instructions @ 0.725 MIPS{{ref|http://www.drolez.com/retro/}})
 
** ''Buck Rogers'': 2× Z80 @ 5 MHz (8-bit & 16-bit instructions @ 1.45 MIPS{{ref|http://www.drolez.com/retro/}})
 
** ''Buck Rogers'': 2× Z80 @ 5 MHz (8-bit & 16-bit instructions @ 1.45 MIPS{{ref|http://www.drolez.com/retro/}})
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* [[Sound card|Sound board]]: Sega Sound Board{{ref|http://www.system16.com/files/manuals/subroc3d.pdf}}
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* [[wikipedia:Sound card|Sound board]]: Sega Sound Board{{ref|http://www.system16.com/files/manuals/subroc3d.pdf}}
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** [[Sound chip]]: Custom
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** [[wikipedia:Sound chip|Sound chip]]: Custom
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** Audio output: [[Stereophonic sound|Stereo]]{{ref|http://www.solvalou.com/subpage/arcade_reviews/173/479/subroc-3d_review.html}}
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** Audio output: [[wikipedia:Stereophonic sound|Stereo]]{{ref|http://www.solvalou.com/subpage/arcade_reviews/173/479/subroc-3d_review.html}}
 
* Video resolution:{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/turbo.c}}{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/includes/turbo.h}}
 
* Video resolution:{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/turbo.c}}{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/includes/turbo.h}}
 
** Standard resolution:
 
** Standard resolution:
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** Analog scaling resolution:
 
** Analog scaling resolution:
 
*** Horizontal: 512×224 (display), 640×264 (overscan)
 
*** Horizontal: 512×224 (display), 640×264 (overscan)
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*** Vertical: [[480p|224×512]] (display), [[576p|264×640]] (overscan)
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*** Vertical: [[wikipedia:480p|224×512]] (display), [[wikipedia:576p|264×640]] (overscan)
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* [[Refresh rate]]: 60 Hz ([[V-sync]]){{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/turbo.c}}
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* [[wikipedia:Refresh rate|Refresh rate]]: 60 Hz ([[wikipedia:V-sync|V-sync]]){{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/turbo.c}}
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* [[Frame rate]]: 30 frames per second (''SubRoc-3D''),{{ref|http://flyers.arcade-museum.com}} or 60 frames per second (''Turbo'', ''Buck Rogers''){{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/turbo.c}}
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* [[wikipedia:Frame rate|Frame rate]]: 30 frames per second (''SubRoc-3D''),{{ref|http://flyers.arcade-museum.com}} or 60 frames per second (''Turbo'', ''Buck Rogers''){{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/turbo.c}}
 
* [[List of color palettes|Color palette]]: 832 (''Turbo''), or 768 (''SubRoc-3D''), or 1536 (''Buck Rogers''){{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/turbo.c}}
 
* [[List of color palettes|Color palette]]: 832 (''Turbo''), or 768 (''SubRoc-3D''), or 1536 (''Buck Rogers''){{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/turbo.c}}
 
* [[Color depth|Colors on screen]]: 256 (''Turbo'', ''SubRoc-3D''), or 1024 (''Buck Rogers''){{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/turbo.c}}
 
* [[Color depth|Colors on screen]]: 256 (''Turbo'', ''SubRoc-3D''), or 1024 (''Buck Rogers''){{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/turbo.c}}
 
* Background planes:
 
* Background planes:
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** [[Tile engine|Tilemap]] layer: 8×8 [[pixel]] tiles, 4 colors per tile, [[scrolling]], tile flipping{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/turbo.c}}
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** [[Tile engine|Tilemap]] layer: 8×8 [[pixel]] tiles, 4 colors per tile, [[Scrolling|scrolling]], tile flipping{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/turbo.c}}
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** [[Bitmap]] layer{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/video/turbo.c}}
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** [[Bitmap|Bitmap]] layer{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/video/turbo.c}}
 
* [[Sprite (computer graphics)|Sprite]] capabilities: [[2.5D|Pseudo-3D]] sprite-scaling (analog scaling), [[Framebuffer|line buffer]],{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/video/turbo.c}} 64 sprites on screen,{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/turbo.c}} 16 sprites per [[Scan line|scanline]],{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/video/turbo.c}} 4{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/turbo.c}} to 8{{ref|http://www.system16.com}} colors per sprite
 
* [[Sprite (computer graphics)|Sprite]] capabilities: [[2.5D|Pseudo-3D]] sprite-scaling (analog scaling), [[Framebuffer|line buffer]],{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/video/turbo.c}} 64 sprites on screen,{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/turbo.c}} 16 sprites per [[Scan line|scanline]],{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/video/turbo.c}} 4{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/turbo.c}} to 8{{ref|http://www.system16.com}} colors per sprite
 
** [[Texel (graphics)|Sprite pixels/texels]]: 4.992 MHz (standard) to 9.984 MHz (scaling) pixel clock,{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/turbo.c}}{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/includes/turbo.h}} 83,200 (standard) to 166,400 (scaling) pixels/texels per frame, 315 (standard) to 630 (scaling) sprite pixels/texels per scanline
 
** [[Texel (graphics)|Sprite pixels/texels]]: 4.992 MHz (standard) to 9.984 MHz (scaling) pixel clock,{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/drivers/turbo.c}}{{ref|https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/includes/turbo.h}} 83,200 (standard) to 166,400 (scaling) pixels/texels per frame, 315 (standard) to 630 (scaling) sprite pixels/texels per scanline

Revision as of 16:51, 21 February 2015

VCO Object arcade hardware was used by Sega for a brief period between 1981 and 1983. It was Sega's earliest attempt at creating hardware specifically designed for sprite scaling, something that would be widely used in the Super Scaler series of arcade hardware (Sega Hang-On, Sega OutRun, Sega X Board, Sega Y Board, Sega System 32), and a handful of Sega System boards in between.

The hardware debuted with the release of Turbo, and is often known as "Turbo Hardware" because of this. It is also known as "Sega Z80-3D" system.[1]

All VCO Object games rely on external LED displays for parts of the HUD. This means extra precautions must be taken when attempting to emulate VCO Object games.

Hardware

It was the first system specifically designed for pseudo-3D sprite-scaling graphics, using an analog scaling technique, with Voltage Controlled Oscillators (VCOs) generating clock signals controlling the data fetched from the sprite/object ROM; the slower the clock signal, the larger the sprite on screen.[2] In 1982, SubRoc-3D also introduced an active shutter 3D system, jointly developed by Sega with Matsushita (now Panasonic).[3]

Technical Specifications

List of VCO Object Games

Only three games make use of VCO Object hardware:


Sega arcade boards
Originating in arcades









Console-based hardware








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