Difference between revisions of "Sega LaserDisc hardware"

From Sega Retro

Line 4: Line 4:
  
 
==Hardware==
 
==Hardware==
It was the first system dedicated to producing [[laserdisc video game]]s. The first game to use it was ''[[Astron Belt]]'' (1983) and the last to use it was the [[holography|holographic]] game ''[[Time Traveler (video game)|Time Traveler]]'' (1991).
+
It was the first system dedicated to producing [http://gaming.wikia.com/wiki/Laserdisc_video_game laserdisc video games]. The first game to use it was ''[[Astron Belt]]'' (1983) and the last to use it was the [[wikipedia:Holography|holographic]] game ''[[Time Traveler]]'' (1991).
  
It used one of four laserdisc players, either a [[Pioneer (company)|Pioneer]] LD-V1000 or LD-V1001, or a [[Hitachi, Ltd.|Hitachi]] VIP-9500SG or VIP-9550. Two different versions of the laser disc itself were also pressed, a single-sided version by Pioneer and a double-sided version by Sega. However, both discs have the same information and may be used in any of the four players.
+
It used one of four laserdisc players, either a [[Pioneer]] LD-V1000 or LD-V1001, or a [[Hitachi]] VIP-9500SG or VIP-9550. Two different versions of the laser disc itself were also pressed, a single-sided version by Pioneer and a double-sided version by Sega. However, both discs have the same information and may be used in any of the four players.
  
The hardware combines [[LaserDisc|laserdisc]] footage with a [[Real-time computer graphics|real-time]] [[2D computer graphics]] plane. The real-time graphics plane was overlaid by imitating a [[Matte (filmmaking)|matting]] technique. As the [[Cathode ray tube|CRT]] monitor [[Scan line|scans]] horizontally across the screen, it is fed information from the laserdisc up until the point where it is fed information from the [[computer graphics]] system, after which information coming from the laserdisc stops, creating a black mask into which a [[Sprite (computer graphics)|sprite]] is inserted. It uses a [[collision detection]] system where both the laderdisc and sprite planes can interact with each other. Each frame of the laserdisc footage is coded with a hit detection spot stored in [[Read-only memory|ROM]] [[Computer memory|memory]]. The [[Zilog Z80]] [[Central processing unit|CPU]] [[microprocessor]] reads the number of the laserdisc frame, and checks the laserdisc hit spots with the shots fired by the player, and if the coordinates correspond, it instructs the laserdisc player to display an explosion sequence. For sections where the player must navigate between walls, the walls in the laserdisc footage are also coded and use collision detection.{{ref|http://www.dragons-lair-project.com/community/related/articles/allgames/pic4.gif}}
+
The hardware combines [http://gaming.wikia.com/wiki/Laserdisc laserdisc] footage with a [[wikipedia:Real-time computer graphics|real-time]] [[wikipedia:2D computer graphics|2D computer graphics]] plane. The real-time graphics plane was overlaid by imitating a [[wikipedia:Matte (filmmaking)|matting]] technique. As the [[wikipedia:Cathode ray tube|CRT]] monitor [[wikipedia:Scan line|scans]] horizontally across the screen, it is fed information from the laserdisc up until the point where it is fed information from the [[wikipedia:Computer graphics|computer graphics]] system, after which information coming from the laserdisc stops, creating a black mask into which a [http://graphics.wikia.com/wiki/Sprite sprite] is inserted. It uses a [[wikipedia:Collision detection|collision detection]] system where both the laserdisc and sprite planes can interact with each other. Each frame of the laserdisc footage is coded with a hit detection spot stored in [[wikipedia:Read-only memory|ROM]] [[wikipedia:Computer memory|memory]]. The [[Zilog Z80]] [[wikipedia:Central processing unit|CPU]] [[wikipedia:Microprocessor|microprocessor]] reads the number of the laserdisc frame, and checks the laserdisc hit spots with the shots fired by the player, and if the coordinates correspond, it instructs the laserdisc player to display an explosion sequence. For sections where the player must navigate between walls, the walls in the laserdisc footage are also coded and use collision detection.{{ref|http://www.dragons-lair-project.com/community/related/articles/allgames/pic4.gif}}
  
 
==Technical Specifications==
 
==Technical Specifications==

Revision as of 18:57, 21 February 2015

Sega Laserdisc hardware is an arcade system produced by Sega in 1983. In addition to having a PCB and ROMs, the games made use of Laserdiscs for full-motion video. Additional graphics and an HUD could be placed on top of the video sequences.

GP World and Time Traveler, two other Sega-produced Laserdisc games, run on different hardware from this. A third game, Albegas/Cybernaut (1983), is known to exist, but not much information is known about it.

Hardware

It was the first system dedicated to producing laserdisc video games. The first game to use it was Astron Belt (1983) and the last to use it was the holographic game Time Traveler (1991).

It used one of four laserdisc players, either a Pioneer LD-V1000 or LD-V1001, or a Hitachi VIP-9500SG or VIP-9550. Two different versions of the laser disc itself were also pressed, a single-sided version by Pioneer and a double-sided version by Sega. However, both discs have the same information and may be used in any of the four players.

The hardware combines laserdisc footage with a real-time 2D computer graphics plane. The real-time graphics plane was overlaid by imitating a matting technique. As the CRT monitor scans horizontally across the screen, it is fed information from the laserdisc up until the point where it is fed information from the computer graphics system, after which information coming from the laserdisc stops, creating a black mask into which a sprite is inserted. It uses a collision detection system where both the laserdisc and sprite planes can interact with each other. Each frame of the laserdisc footage is coded with a hit detection spot stored in ROM memory. The Zilog Z80 CPU microprocessor reads the number of the laserdisc frame, and checks the laserdisc hit spots with the shots fired by the player, and if the coordinates correspond, it instructs the laserdisc player to display an explosion sequence. For sections where the player must navigate between walls, the walls in the laserdisc footage are also coded and use collision detection.[1]

Technical Specifications

List of Games


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