Apple II sprite boards

From: Paul R. Santa-Maria <paulrsm_at_ameritech.net>
Date: Sun Jul 9 10:43:01 2000

----------
> From: Charles P. Hobbs (SoCalTip) <transit_at_lerctr.org>
> On Sat, 8 Jul 2000, Paul R. Santa-Maria wrote:
> > > From: Charles P. Hobbs (SoCalTip) <transit_at_lerctr.org>
> > > Around 1985 or so, a couple of manufacturers developed "sprite
boards"
> > > for the Apple II series (except the IIc, for obvious reasons)
> > Picked one from eBay in November for $5.
> Whoo-hoo. Good catch. (What's the name on the board so I can
> try fishing for one too?)
> > No docs or software, but I think
> > I have the Byte magazine where Ciarcia presented plans and software for
the
> > original. I have not even plugged it in yet.
> Does it have a TMS 9918 chip on it?

It is a "SPRITE 1" by Synetix Systems, Inc., 1983, with a TMS9918A, eight
memory chips (8328GVP AM9016FPC), four 74LS chips, one other chip, video
input and output RCA jacks, and the usual assortment of descrete
components.

I also have a manual called "apple-seed II" which has parts lists,
component layouts, and instructions for assembling Apple II compatible
cards. Page 3-3 lists a Sprite Graphics Card which also uses a TMS9918A
chip but has a different layout and only one chip (74LS00) besides the 9918
and memory (TMS4116) chips. It lists a reference: High-Resolution
Sprite-Oriented Colour Graphics by Steven A. Ciarcia; page 57; August 1982;
BYTE Publications, Inc.

Paul R. Santa-Maria
Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
paulrsm_at_ameritech.net
Received on Sun Jul 09 2000 - 10:43:01 BST