> > > The Final Lap schematics suggest C139 is a full-fledged ASIC or else some really > > > offbeat DSP (host data is 13 bits wide). The signal names used there suggest that > > > it's implementing something approximating a token ring protocol. The chip has > > Fujitsu > > > markings, which is not a good sign. > > > > I'm pretty sure it's used for player board comms on Galaxian 3 too btw, which has > *9* > > of them on one of the PCBs. > > > > If we do start to see progress with the Laserdisc stuff that's definitely going to > be > > an issue (although it's not even 100% sure due to the hardware, even without 2 > > laserdiscs running in sync and having to be decoded at the same time) > > Nine C139 controllers? I can't imagine how that is going to work. I honestly didn't > request Galaxian 3 hardware progress because how large of a setup that is. >
(and I'd guess the 'Personal' boards, but I don't have pictures handy so I'm not sure, those might be via the DUART instead)
> Someone should explain how Fujitsu chips are a bad sign in Mame? This looks like to > me these chips are very well designed. It's no surprise Sega used these chips on > their comm boards before Sega Model 3. There is also the GMEN pcb that uses a Fujitsu > firewire controller for cabinet linking as opposed to the C139.