Re: VGC Chip

["Henry" <apl2research(.a.t.)comcast.net>]

Hello Bryan.

I too have often wondered what was in some of the Apple IIgs IC's.  A buddy 
of mine recommended the DigiView Logic Analyzer ($500).  It's an 18 input 
analyzer that is PC based.  Although it won't produce a schematic like 
you're looking for, it will let you logically 'see' what the signals are 
going to and from the IC.

Other possibility would be to send a few of the IC's to a company I found 
based in China.  They have some pretty good equipment over there.  They can 
hook up your IC, analyze it and should be able to recover enough code to 
produce a suitable replacement.  The drawback?  The price!  The service 
starts around $4000.  I looked in to it for the Sandwich II and SWIM IC's 
for my projects.  I may also post a message on some freelance sites.  Seems 
you can get really good guys working in third-world countries for just about 
nothing an hour.

Probably in the future the machines that are used to 'brute force analyze' 
these types of controllers and customs IC's will come down in price.  Since 
we're dealing with 20 year old IC's most basic analyzers will work just 
fine.  Now we just need to wait about 7-10 years and pick one up one on eBay 
for cheap!  Once that happens then most if not all the 'secrets' of the IIgs 
will be unlocked and anyone will be able to use the info.  Sooner or later 
I'll probably start sending stuff off to be cracked anyway.

I know that doesn't help much, but I hope it helps some.

-- 
Henry S. Courbis
www.GSE-Reactive.com
Apple II Series Legacy Hardware - Come take a look at what we have to offer!

"Bryan Parkoff" <nospam@nospam.com> wrote in message 
news:fL5ug.4804$2v.2309@newssvr25.news.prodigy.net...
>    Do you have idea what is inside video graphic controller chip of Apple 
> IIgs?  Is there a way that you can build schematic inside VGC chip?
>
> Bryan Parkoff
>
>