3 ms·

What does ULA stand for?

0x0 4y ago
Apparently it was a custom chip for the various sinclair (zx/spectrum) computers. * http://www.retroisle.com/sinclair/zx81/Technical/Hardware/custom_ula.php http://www.retroisle.com/sinclair/zx81/Technical/Hardware/cu... * https://www.bytedelight.com/?page_id=2678 https://www.bytedelight.com/?page_id=2678 * https://spectrumforeveryone.com/technical/zx-spectrum-ula-types/ https://spectrumforeveryone.com/technical/zx-spectrum-ula-ty...
sveiss 4y ago
Uncommitted Logic Array. It was a semi-custom chip type, where the silicon layer was standardised but the metal layers varied by customer. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gate_array https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gate_array
- rwmj 4y ago
  Just want to add that they're very common on 1980s computers in Britain. Sinclairs and Amstrads have them. And that they often fail and are very hard to replace. Essentially you end up taking one from another machine, so the stock of working machines declines over time.
  - aeaa3 4y ago
    Would it be possible to recreate the ULA logic in a modern FPGA? And if so, to use it as a direct replacement in an original Sinclair/Amstrad?
    - johnklos 4y ago
      Not only possible, but doable. Not only doable, but already done :) https://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/details/vla81-%3A-a-replacement-for-the-sinclair-zx81-ula-38492 https://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/details/vla81-%3A-a-replac... https://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/details/vla82-%3A-a-replacement-for-the-sinclair-spectrum-48k-6c001e-_7-%28or-earlier%29-ula-38493 https://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/details/vla82-%3A-a-replac...
    - krallja 4y ago
      Yes, but at that point, couldn't you put the rest of the device in the FPGA too?
      - rwmj 4y ago
        Yup! https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/ZX81_MiSTer https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/ZX81_MiSTer
dboreham 4y ago
Product name for gate array at Ferrari semiconductor.
- predictsoft 4y ago
  Ferranti.
- christkv 4y ago
  Now that is a company that had a wild ride. It could have become the Xilinx instead it ended up with a wild story involving illegal arms exports and other insane stuff.

0x0 4y ago

Apparently it was a custom chip for the various sinclair (zx/spectrum) computers. * http://www.retroisle.com/sinclair/zx81/Technical/Hardware/custom_ula.php http://www.retroisle.com/sinclair/zx81/Technical/Hardware/cu... * https://www.bytedelight.com/?page_id=2678 https://www.bytedelight.com/?page_id=2678 * https://spectrumforeveryone.com/technical/zx-spectrum-ula-types/ https://spectrumforeveryone.com/technical/zx-spectrum-ula-ty...

sveiss 4y ago

Uncommitted Logic Array. It was a semi-custom chip type, where the silicon layer was standardised but the metal layers varied by customer. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gate_array https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gate_array

rwmj 4y ago
Just want to add that they're very common on 1980s computers in Britain. Sinclairs and Amstrads have them. And that they often fail and are very hard to replace. Essentially you end up taking one from another machine, so the stock of working machines declines over time.
- aeaa3 4y ago
  Would it be possible to recreate the ULA logic in a modern FPGA? And if so, to use it as a direct replacement in an original Sinclair/Amstrad?
  - johnklos 4y ago
    Not only possible, but doable. Not only doable, but already done :) https://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/details/vla81-%3A-a-replacement-for-the-sinclair-zx81-ula-38492 https://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/details/vla81-%3A-a-replac... https://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/details/vla82-%3A-a-replacement-for-the-sinclair-spectrum-48k-6c001e-_7-%28or-earlier%29-ula-38493 https://www.sellmyretro.com/offer/details/vla82-%3A-a-replac...
  - krallja 4y ago
    Yes, but at that point, couldn't you put the rest of the device in the FPGA too?
    - rwmj 4y ago
      Yup! https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/ZX81_MiSTer https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/ZX81_MiSTer

dboreham 4y ago

Product name for gate array at Ferrari semiconductor.

predictsoft 4y ago
Ferranti.
christkv 4y ago
Now that is a company that had a wild ride. It could have become the Xilinx instead it ended up with a wild story involving illegal arms exports and other insane stuff.