Re: PC Vector generator card... (and ESB update)

On Mon, 23 Mar 1998 13:57:57 -0800, Clay Cowgill <ClayC@diamondmm.com> wrote:

>Yeah, I'm still working on this, but now I've found *THE* chip to use.
>:-)
>
>I've decided to use the ADSP2181. (It's a DSP) Turns out it's REALLY
>cool for this application.
>
>Basically the DSP sits more-or-less directly on the ISA bus connected
>through the "Internal DMA" port. This allows the PC to get at the 80K
>bytes of data/program memory in the DSP. The PC can boot-strap the
>DSP's program memory, plus load the data memory (with vector data). The
>DSP is free to run its internal program (draw vectors) completely
>asynchronously from the PC's access to the DSP RAM.

Sounds Cool!!

Can you drive it synchronously? The Cinematronics games do not have a vector
generator, each vector is drawn in software (like the Vectrex), and at least one
game, Space War, uses software timing to redraw the center star vectors to give
it the appearance of variable intensity vectors.

I'm sure a vector generator can be designed to do this, just think of how you
could use this vector generator to run a Vectrex emulator and you'll understand
what I mean.

-Zonn

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Received on Mon Mar 23 14:41:43 1998