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| So.. What is a scuzzygraph *exactly* |
Posted by: cb88 on 2013-09-16 00:13:38
So.. What is a scuzzygraph *exactly*
I came across this which gives more detail that I have seen elsewhere.. https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/comp.sys.nsc.32k/scuzzygraph/comp.sys.nsc.32k/FW-BwmFo3BU/ytZR8Eu9PNIJ
In short.. the scuzzygraph is a TMS34010 purportedly the first programmable single chip graphics processor. The TMS34020 being similar with added FPU supporting up to 60million triangles per second. So that processor, at least 512k (up to 2MB) , a DAC, and assorted glue logic.
Knowing that... I wonder what the protocol is it sounds like it wouldn't be too terrible for someone knowledgeable to reverse engineer.
Datasheet: http://www.ti.com/product/tms34010
It may be possible to order this chip new from china.... a bit risky though its not supplied by anyone local.
Gcc 2.5 Compiler on the wayback machine link and info here:
http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/showthread.php?26058-TMS340-dev-tools-and-drivers
Quoted the links incase vintage computer's site goes down.
"I also came across a port of binutils/gcc for the 34010 architecture done by Andrew Morton in 1994. This page has info:
http://www.tux.org/pub/sites/www.zip.com.au/%257Eakpm/
but the links to the gsptools are broken. Fortunately, archive.org to the rescue:
http://web.archive.org/web/200802100.../gsptools.html"
Disassembler:
http://mamedev.org/source/src/emu/cpu/tms34010/34010dsm.c.html
It would seem to me that it would be possible to replicate a scsigraph in fpga.... with this much info on it. MAME also has emulation of it as it was in quite a few arcade machines. As far as the driver goes ask you'll have to ask in the *right places* to get it since I don't really know the copyright status on it. It would be nice to know more about the protocol it uses... apparently according to that usenet post there were people interested at the time in writing an X driver for it.
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Posted by: Classic Mac on 2013-09-16 18:53:28
We have a SG and the software. It gives you much better res w/o need of a nubus slot for a card.
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Posted by: cb88 on 2013-09-16 20:47:41
Yes I believe you said you have a ScuzzyGraph I .. model I and II are quite similar but can't be sure. I think the USENET post I found is refering to model II since the prices are a great deal cheaper than when they orriginally launched I believe.
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Posted by: Trash80toHP_Mini on 2013-09-16 21:15:19
Any one heard of a SCSI graph? |
Posted by: cb88 on 2013-10-25 16:54:16
I posted the datasheet before but apparently there is a userguide also... I am believe there actually quite alot of these left as old stock as I've read of other people attempting to work with them in modern times as well.
http://www.transputer.net/mtw/rg-750/doc/tms34010/t34010ug.pdf
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Posted by: Paralel on 2013-10-25 19:51:44
I'm kinda surprised they weren't more popular.
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Posted by: cb88 on 2013-10-25 21:56:34
too expensive I guess... the TMS34010 is basically a computer in its own right has a 128Mb address space and separate framebuffer and drams... and apparently some of its instructions map directly to quickdraw (that is what thier marketing video says anyway) it does makes sense though.
It could probably even be used as a floating point coprocessor / SIMD unit... sort of like we do GPGPU nowadays.
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Posted by: cb88 on 2013-10-25 21:57:53
too expensive I guess... the TMS34010 is basically a computer in its own right has a 128Mb address space and separate framebuffer and drams... and apparently some of its instructions map directly to quickdraw (that is what thier marketing video says anyway) it does makes sense though.
It could probably even be used as a floating point coprocessor / SIMD unit... sort of like we do GPGPU nowadays. the chip itself was very popular... in basically anything that needed to do any graphics at all even fax machines. Its in alot of familar arcade games as well. |
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