[net.micro.atari] ST Hardware

bds@mtgzz.UUCP (b.d.szablak) (08/13/85)

The August issue of Antic has a picture of the ST motherboard and a VERY
brief description of some of the chips on it. Does anyone have any more
information on this? In particular, it mentions the CPU as being an
68000P8, what does the P8 mean? Also, it says there is a screen controller
chip or something like that, which is suppose to off load the 68000. Any
more info on that chip. Finally, there is a DMA chip, but someone stated
in this newsgroup earlier that the floppy used a serial interface, is this
correct info? The biggest shame about the ST is that it didn't get written
up in very good detail even in a magazine devoted to atari computers...

hunter@oakhill.UUCP (Hunter Scales) (08/15/85)

In article <1037@mtgzz.UUCP> bds@mtgzz.UUCP (b.d.szablak) writes:
>The August issue of Antic has a picture of the ST motherboard and a VERY
>brief description of some of the chips on it. Does anyone have any more
>information on this? In particular, it mentions the CPU as being an
>68000P8, what does the P8 mean? Also, it says there is a screen controller
>chip or something like that, which is suppose to off load the 68000. Any
>more info on that chip. Finally, there is a DMA chip, but someone stated
>in this newsgroup earlier that the floppy used a serial interface, is this
>correct info? The biggest shame about the ST is that it didn't get written
>up in very good detail even in a magazine devoted to atari computers...

	MC68000P8 is Motorola's part number for an 8 MHz 68k in a plastic
package, not to be confused with a MC68008P8 which is a 68000 with an
8-bit external bus.

	I, too, would like to see more technical info on the ST.  Can
someone out there oblige?


-- 
Motorola Semiconductor Inc.                Hunter Scales
Austin, Texas           {ihnp4,seismo,ctvax,gatech}!ut-sally!oakhill!hunter

(I am responsible for me and my dog and no-one else)

chrism@iddic.UUCP (Chris Ebaugh) (08/16/85)

In article <1037@mtgzz.UUCP> bds@mtgzz.UUCP (b.d.szablak) writes:
>The August issue of Antic has a picture of the ST motherboard and a VERY
>brief description of some of the chips on it. Does anyone have any more
>information on this? In particular, it mentions the CPU as being an
>68000P8, what does the P8 mean? Also, it says there is a screen controller
>chip or something like that, which is suppose to off load the 68000. Any
>more info on that chip. Finally, there is a DMA chip, but someone stated
>in this newsgroup earlier that the floppy used a serial interface, is this
>correct info? The biggest shame about the ST is that it didn't get written
>up in very good detail even in a magazine devoted to atari computers...


Sorry, I can only help with the 68000P8.  That means that the 68000 processor
is the 8 Mhz version.

It is the same one that is in the Apple Macintosh.

Chris Ebaugh
Tektronix Wilsonville, Or
tektronix!iddic!chrism

davet@oakhill.UUCP (Dave Trissel) (08/16/85)

In article <1037@mtgzz.UUCP> bds@mtgzz.UUCP (b.d.szablak) writes:

>  ....               In particular, it mentions the CPU as being an
>68000P8, what does the P8 mean?         ...

The P8 means plastic package and fully tested for 8 Megahertz operation.

  --  Dave Trissel
      Motorola Semicoductor
      Austin, Texas         {ihnp4,seismo}!ut-sally!oakhill!davet

mroddy@enmasse.UUCP (Mark Roddy) (08/19/85)

Hey, I can help! I just received my software development package from Atari,
and it has just tons of documentation. I'll just look through this stuff for
some neato hardware specs (like the ones that came with the 800 technical
manuals.) Wait right there while I look for the specs.

I'll be just a few minutes.

I know there here someplace.

Uh, maybe I put them over there.

Jeez, I can't seem to find them.

Oh well, :-)

-- 
						Mark Roddy
						Net working,
						Just reading the news.

					(harvard!talcott!panda!enmasse!mroddy)