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From: kiki@uhunix1.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (J. Wine)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st.tech
Subject: STe Internals
Message-ID: <13023@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu>
Date: 15 May 91 03:24:04 GMT
Sender: news@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu
Organization: University of Hawaii
Lines: 70

These interesting chips were found in my STe:

[From motherboard labeled GX-211 VO 4990]

  pins	package		label                            * = soldered
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
a) 144 	quad flat pack  C300589-001, c. 1988, -19, J9030 *

b)  84	  "  plcc	C301712-001, c. 1990, -31 I60608-01, 9029EBB

c)  68	  "  plcc	C101643, c. 1989, -31 I60611-01, 9033ETB

d)  68	  "  plcc       MC68000FN8, 2C91E, QEYX9025

e)  48   dip 		MK68901N-04, D9028 *

f)  40   dip 		C398739-001A, c. 1990, -31 I60511-01, 9031PCA *

g)  40   dip		Yamaha, YM2149F, 9039 GAGG


The chips with a 'C' prefix (a, b, c, and f) are designed by Atari.  Dr. Tsuji
of Waseda Univ. informed me that they were GALs (gate-array logic) and were
fabricated in Japan.  The WD 1772 floppy controller is located under the disk
drive (Sony drive w/ 5V only power input), so there is very little room for
an alternate board to plug into the 28-pin socket.  The Yamaha sound chip is
socketed for some reason, while the 2 TOS ROMs are soldered.  

Information about the many of the Atari STe chips is not available to the gen-
eral public, so I have some questions that might be answered here.

1) The old MMU and GLUE are supposedly integrated into the MLUE.  Since the
   former chips had 68 pins apiece, what, if any, enhancements does the MLUE
   have?  Since the new MLUE has about 12 extra pins (144 - (2*68) + unused
   ROM selects), did the designers create an additional memory multiplex add-
   ress line so that 4 MB SIMMs could be used?  Who has info on the GAL chips? 

2) Reading/writing the area of memory between $400000 (end of 4MB DRAM memory)
   and $CFFFFF causes a bus error, however addressing $D00000 (start of 13MB)
   to $DFFFFF seems to be OK.  Is this memory protection specfic to the STe?
   Although a local dealer claimed the new Mega STe has the same addressing
   scheme, it would seem that it would support the entire 16MB space.  So can
   anyone verify that the Mega STe uses a different MLUE and has an extended
   addressing capability?

3) So far people have informed me that the Atari developer documentation isn't
   a good value, even at $125.  What are the alternatives???  Supposedly TOS
   was developed in Germany and the chips made in Japan, so all the docs lack
   any cohesion.  What will happen when Atari brings out a system designed
   in Britain by an Indian engineer with a floppy chip from Israel, monitors
   from Korea and Netherlands, custom chips from Japan, German TOS, a Unix GUI
   from France and manufactures it in Taiwan.  Then will it be voted number one
   again in Hong Kong?

I received the developer kit registration form and it requires that all infor-
mation received from Atari not be disclosed.  In fact, it prohibits you from
disclosing the fact that you are prohibited from disclosing facts.  If you
disagree with this policy, please send mail to Bob Rehbock, Director of Tech- 
nical Services, c/o Atari Corp, 1196 Borregas Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94088-3427.

I can understand putting a restriction on the divulgence of Atari's prospect-
ive products and plans, but all their current systems should have complete and
open documentation.  If Atari dominated the industry, then their stance might
be understandable, but the trend is toward open systems and I feel it would be
to their benefit if they would disseminate their documentation without excess-  ive restrictions.

 
Jack

P.S. Let's go TEAM Motorola!!!