SAM Coupé

ASIC

Built-in
Submitted by Adrian Brown on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 - 09:01.
ASIC
Release Year
1989
Author
Bruce Gordon
Publisher
MGT
Description

The ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) was the equivalent of the ULA (Uncommited Logic Array) in the ZX Spectrum, a multi-purpose logic chip to provide functions that would normally require discrete logic chips and hence extra cost.

The ASIC was also responsible for some Hardware Bugs and limitations due to the amount of available pins on the package.

There also exist 40 prototype Golden ASICs, some framed and signed by Bruce Gordon.

 

Trivia

Originally the SAM ASIC was to be produced by Fujitsu in a 68 pin package. Moving to VLSI and an ASIC design with 84 pins allowed for improvements, such as an increase in the number of colours.

Colin Piggot (Quazar) has the last unused stocks of the ASIC.

According to Dave Park there are two different types of ASIC, the earlier 1989 run and the later 1990 run, the latter being a different fabrication process that meant they ran much hotter in operation, up to 60 degrees celsius.