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POKEY
POKEY, an acronym for Pot Keyboard Integrated Circuit, is a digital I/O chip designed by Doug Neubauer at Atari, Inc. for the Atari 8-bit computers. It was first released with the Atari 400 and Atari 800 in 1979 and is included in all later models and the Atari 5200 console. POKEY combines functions for reading paddle controllers ( potentiometers) and computer keyboards as well as sound generation and a source for pseudorandom numbers. It produces four voices of distinctive square wave audio, either as clear tones or modified with distortion settings. Neubauer also developed the Atari 8-bit killer application ''Star Raiders'' which makes use of POKEY features. POKEY chips are used for audio in many arcade video games of the 1980s including ''Centipede'', '' Missile Command'', '' Asteroids Deluxe'', and '' Gauntlet''. Some of Atari's arcade systems use multi-core versions with 2 or 4 POKEYs in a single package for more audio channels. The Atari 7800 console allows a game c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
POKEY Chip On An Atari 130XE Motherboard
POKEY, an acronym for Pot Keyboard Integrated Circuit, is a digital I/O chip designed by Doug Neubauer at Atari, Inc. for the Atari 8-bit computers. It was first released with the Atari 400 and Atari 800 in 1979 and is included in all later models and the Atari 5200 console. POKEY combines functions for reading paddle controllers ( potentiometers) and computer keyboards as well as sound generation and a source for pseudorandom numbers. It produces four voices of distinctive square wave audio, either as clear tones or modified with distortion settings. Neubauer also developed the Atari 8-bit killer application ''Star Raiders'' which makes use of POKEY features. POKEY chips are used for audio in many arcade video games of the 1980s including ''Centipede'', ''Missile Command'', '' Asteroids Deluxe'', and '' Gauntlet''. Some of Atari's arcade systems use multi-core versions with 2 or 4 POKEYs in a single package for more audio channels. The Atari 7800 console allows a game cart ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Atari 8-bit Computers
The Atari 8-bit computers, formally launched as the Atari Home Computer System, are a series of home computers introduced by Atari, Inc., in 1979 with the Atari 400 and Atari 800. The architecture is designed around the 8-bit MOS Technology 6502 CPU and three custom coprocessors which provide support for sprites, smooth multidirectional scrolling, four channels of audio, and other features. The graphics and sound are more advanced than most of its contemporaries, and video games are a key part of the software library. The 1980 first-person space combat simulator ''Star Raiders'' is considered the platform's killer app. The Atari 800 was positioned as a high-end model and the 400 as more affordable. The 400 has a pressure-sensitive, spillproof membrane keyboard and initially shipped with a non-upgradable of RAM. The 800 has a conventional keyboard, a second cartridge slot, and allows easy RAM upgrades to 48K. Both use identical 6502 CPUs at ( for PAL versions) and coprocess ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Atari 7800
The Atari 7800 ProSystem, or simply the Atari 7800, is a home video game console officially released by Atari Corporation in 1986 as the successor to both the Atari 2600 and Atari 5200. It can run almost all Atari 2600 cartridges, making it the first console with backward compatibility. It shipped with a two button controller instead of the 2600-standard CX40 and '' Pole Position II'' as the pack-in game. The European model has a gamepad instead of a joystick. Most of the early releases for the system are ports of 1981–1983 arcade video games. The final wave of 7800 cartridges is closer in style to what was available on other late 1980s consoles, such as '' Scrapyard Dog'' and '' Midnight Mutants''. Designed by General Computer Corporation, the 7800 has graphics hardware similar to early 1980s arcade video games and is a significant improvement over Atari's previous consoles. It uses same Television Interface Adaptor chip that launched with the Atari VCS in 1977 to generate ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Doug Neubauer
Doug Neubauer is an American integrated circuit designer, video game designer, and programmer. Following graduation for Oregon State University and working at National Semiconductor, Neubauer worked at Atari, Inc. where he would develop the logic design on Atari's POKEY chip and designing and programming the video game ''Star Raiders'' (1980) both for the Atari 8-bit computers, Atari 8-bit computer line. ''Star Raiders'' would go on to become one of the best-known games for Atari's 8-bit computers. Neubauer left Atari and worked for several companies such as Hewlett-Packard and developing video games for 20th Century Fox based on popular films for the Atari 2600 video game system. He would make more follow-ups for the system for Atari in the later half of the 1980s such as ''Solaris (video game), Solaris'' (1986). After attempting to work on a Nintendo Entertainment System video game, Neubauer left the video game industry stating that "the days of one programmer doing a complete ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Atari 5200
The Atari 5200 SuperSystem or simply Atari 5200 is a home video game console introduced in 1982 by Atari, Inc. as a higher-end complement for the popular Atari Video Computer System. The VCS was renamed to Atari 2600 at the time of the 5200's launch. Created to compete with Mattel's Intellivision, the 5200 wound up a direct competitor of ColecoVision shortly after its release. While the Coleco system shipped with the first home version of Nintendo's '' Donkey Kong'', the 5200 included the 1978 arcade game '' Super Breakout'', which had already appeared on previous Atari home platforms. The system architecture is almost identical to that of the Atari 8-bit computers, although software is not directly compatible between them. The 5200's controllers have an analog joystick and a numeric keypad along with start, pause, and reset buttons. The 360-degree non-centering joystick was touted as offering more control than the eight-way Atari CX40 joystick of the 2600, but it was a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Star Raiders
''Star Raiders'' is a space combat simulator video game created by Doug Neubauer and published in 1980 by Atari, Inc. Originally released for the Atari 8-bit computers, Atari 400/800 computers, ''Star Raiders'' was later ported to the Atari 2600, Atari 5200, and Atari ST. The player assumes the role of a starship fighter pilot, who must protect starbases from invading forces called Zylons. Piloting and combat are shown in the 3D cockpit view, while a 2D galactic map shows the state of the Zylon invasion. Neubauer made the game in his spare time at Atari, inspired by contemporary media such as ''Battlestar_Galactica_(1978_TV_series), Battlestar Galactica'' and ''Star Wars (film), Star Wars'', as well as the 1971 mainframe game ''Star Trek (1971 video game), Star Trek''. ''Star Raiders'' became one of the most successful games on Atari's 400 and 800 computers, and their first killer app. It influenced space combat games such as ''Elite (video game), Elite'' (1984) and ''Wing Co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Atari System
Atari System refers to two arcade system boards introduced in 1984 for use in various arcade games from Atari Games. Two versions of the board were released, Atari System 1 and Atari System 2. Atari System 1 The ''Atari System 1'' was Atari Games' first upgradeable arcade game hardware platform. Introduced in 1984, the System 1 platform was used for the following games: *''Marble Madness'' (1984) *'' Peter Pack Rat'' (1985) *'' Road Runner'' (1985) *''Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'' (1985) *''RoadBlasters'' (1987) *''Relief Pitcher'' (unreleased prototype) - Atari Games released a different game titled ''Relief Pitcher'' in 1992 which used completely different hardware. The hardware used a large circuit board with a Motorola 68010 main CPU running at 7.159 MHz, a MOS Technology 6502 sound CPU running at 1.789 MHz, a system ROM, text and graphics display hardware, and control interfaces. Two large edge-card connectors allowed a "cartridge board" to be plugged ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ballblazer
''Ballblazer'' is a futuristic sports game created by Lucasfilm Games and published in 1985 by Epyx. Along with ''Rescue on Fractalus!'', it was one of the initial pair of releases from Lucasfilm Games, ''Ballblazer'' was developed and first published for the Atari 8-bit computers. The principal creator and programmer was David Levine. The game was called ''Ballblaster'' during development; some pirated versions bear this name. It was ported to the Apple II, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and MSX. Atari 5200 and Atari 7800 ports were published by Atari Corporation. A version for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Famicom was released by Pony Canyon. Gameplay ''Ballblazer'' is a simple one-on-one sports-style game bearing similarities to basketball and soccer. Each side is represented by a craft called a "rotofoil", which can be controlled by either a human player or a computer-controlled "droid" with ten levels of difficulty. The game allows for human vs. human, human ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Asteroids Deluxe
''Asteroids Deluxe'' is a multidirectional shooter arcade video game with monochrome vector graphics released in April 1981 by Atari, Inc. It is the sequel to ''Asteroids'' and was designed to combat the saucer-hunting strategy of the original allowing experts to play for extended periods. These modifications made it significantly more difficult and less accessible to players. Ports of ''Asteroids Deluxe'' were released for the BBC Micro in 1984 and the Atari ST in 1987. The game was followed-up with ''Space Duel'' in 1982 and the more direct sequel '' Blasteroids'' in 1987. Gameplay Like in the original ''Asteroids'', the objective is to score points by destroying asteroids and flying saucers. The player controls a ship that can rotate left and right, fire shots straight forward, and thrust forward. When shot, larger asteroids break apart into smaller pieces and fly in random directions, while the smallest asteroids are destroyed when hit. ''Deluxe'' replaces the hyperspace fe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Computer Keyboard
A computer keyboard is a built-in or peripheral input device modeled after the typewriter keyboard which uses an arrangement of buttons or Push-button, keys to act as Mechanical keyboard, mechanical levers or Electronic switching system, electronic switches. Replacing early punched cards and paper tape technology, interaction via teleprinter-style keyboards have been the main input device, input method for computers since the 1970s, supplemented by the computer mouse since the 1980s, and the touchscreen since the 2000s. Keyboard keys (buttons) typically have a set of characters Engraving, engraved or Printing, printed on them, and each press of a key typically corresponds to a single written symbol. However, producing some symbols may require pressing and holding several keys simultaneously or in sequence. While most keys produce character (computing), characters (Letter (alphabet), letters, Numerical digit, numbers or symbols), other keys (such as the escape key) can prompt the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Commando (video Game)
''Commando'', released as in Japan, is a 1985 vertically scrolling run and gun video game developed and published by Capcom for arcades. The game was designed by Tokuro Fujiwara. It was distributed in North America by Data East, and in Europe by several companies including Capcom, Deith Leisure and Sega, S.A. SONIC. Versions were released for various home computers and video game consoles. It is unrelated to the 1985 film of the same name, which was released six months after the game. ''Commando'' was a critical and commercial success, becoming one of the highest-grossing arcade video games of 1985 and one of the bestselling home video games of 1986. Though not the first miitary-themed run and gun video game, it spawned numerous clones following its release while popularizing the genre. Its influence can be seen in many shooter games during the late 1980s to early 1990s. The game later appeared on ''Capcom Classics Collection'', '' Activision Anthology'', and on the Wii Virt ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
High-pass Filter
A high-pass filter (HPF) is an electronic filter that passes signals with a frequency higher than a certain cutoff frequency and attenuates signals with frequencies lower than the cutoff frequency. The amount of attenuation for each frequency depends on the filter design. A high-pass filter is usually modeled as a linear time-invariant system. It is sometimes called a low-cut filter or bass-cut filter in the context of audio engineering. High-pass filters have many uses, such as blocking DC from circuitry sensitive to non-zero average voltages or radio frequency devices. They can also be used in conjunction with a low-pass filter to produce a band-pass filter. In the optical domain filters are often characterised by wavelength rather than frequency. High-pass and low-pass have the opposite meanings, with a "high-pass" filter (more commonly "short-pass") passing only ''shorter'' wavelengths (higher frequencies), and vice versa for "low-pass" (more commonly "long-pass"). De ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
