Master System Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #15
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About this ebook
The Master System comes from a long line of succession. What started as a collection of off-the-shelf components, has now gained a new identity thanks to Sega's engineering.
Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis
Looking at the evolution of video game consoles is fascinating. While conventional PCs tend to evolve 'incrementally', new generations of consoles introduce completely new ways of working. What you see here is a series of articles that will hopefully uncover the rationale behind the latest trends in technology. They will also demonstrate why each system can't be summarised by its 'bits', megahertz, amount of RAM and whatnot.
This is not a developer manual, just an in depth introduction to how each system worked internally. Bear in mind that tech has gotten really complicated lately, so if you struggle to follow my latest articles, try reading the early ones first. They introduce many concepts and definitions that are constantly revisited. Basic knowledge of computing is preferable, however, I try really hard to adapt my content for wider audiences, so please don't be afraid to give it a try!
About this edition
This edition originates from the article initially published on my personal website, it's been re-styled to take advantage of the capabilities of eBook documents.
While identical content-wise, interactive widgets have been simplified to work with a static environment - in other words, anything that physical pages allow us :), though these will offer a link to the original article in case the reader wants to try the 'full version'. Please keep this in mind when you see references to interactivity throughout the writings.
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Titles in the series (22)
NES Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #1 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Game Boy / Color Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #2 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSNES Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #4 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMega Drive Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #3 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWii Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #11 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDreamcast Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #9 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNintendo 64 Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #8 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPlayStation Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #6 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGameCube Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #10 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSega Saturn Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #5 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGame Boy Advance Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #7 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNintendo DS Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #14 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPlayStation 2 Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #12 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsXbox Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #13 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPSP Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #18 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMaster System Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #15 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPC Engine / TurboGrafx-16 Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #16 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWii U Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #21 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPlayStation 3 Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #19 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsVirtual Boy Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #17 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsXbox 360 Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #20 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNintendo 3DS Architecture: Architecture of Consoles: A Practical Analysis, #22 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
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Book preview
Master System Architecture - Rodrigo Copetti
1 About this edition
This edition originates from the article initially published on my personal website, it’s been re-styled to take advantage of the capabilities of PDF/eBook documents.
While identical content-wise, interactive widgets have been simplified to work with a static environment - in other words, anything that physical pages allow us, though these will offer a link to the original article in case the reader wants to try the ‘full version’. Please keep this in mind when you see references to interactivity throughout the writings.
As always, the original manuscript of the articles is available on Github to enable readers to report mistakes or propose changes. There’s also a supporting reading list available to help understand the series. The author also accepts donations to help improve the quality of current articles and upcoming ones.
1.1 Open to feedback
Last but not least, for any comments and/or issues regarding this edition of the article, please get in touch using the links provided on the About page.
2 A quick introduction
The Master System comes from a long line of succession. What started as a collection of off-the-shelf components, has now gained a new identity thanks to Sega’s engineering.
3 Models and variants
I was a bit confused at first while reading about the different models that Sega ended up shipping, so here is a summary of the main models discussed to avoid further confusion:
Sega Mark III: The first console featuring this architecture, only released in Japan.
Sega Master System (Europe and America): A rebranded Mark III with a new case, a BIOS ROM chip and a different cartridge slot.
Sega Master System (Japan): An European/American Master system with the Mark III’s cartridge slot, a new FM chip and a jack port for ‘3D glasses’. However, it lacks the