CPU variants

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Revision as of 08:12, 26 September 2022 by Fiskbit (talk | contribs) (Confirmed that later 2A03G's have an additional DMC bug (introduced sometime 1989-1991). (Thanks to Lockster for running dmc_dma_implicit_stop_test on multiple CPUs in the same system.))
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Beyond the well-studied 2A03G, we know of the following CPU revisions, both made by Ricoh and other manufacturers:

RP2A03 M2 duty cycle is 17/24 instead of 15/24 [1]. Lacks tonal noise mode. APU Frame Counter not restarted on reset. Has broken and disabled programmable interval timer on-die. Pin 30 connects to nothing. Other differences?

CPU=RP2A03 3M294.jpg CPU=RP2A03 3L4 27.jpg

RP2A03E Pin 30 may connect to 6502 /RDY input.

CPU=RP2A03E 5K5 26.jpg CPU=RP2A03E VF4109 5H4 8582.jpg

RP2A03G Reference model. Pin 30 enables a CPU test mode. Later runs introduced a DMC DMA bug [2].

CPU=RP2A03G 8K5 81.jpg

RP2A03H No known differences from late RP2A03G.

CPU=RP2A03H 4AM 4F.jpg

RP2A04 Not actually a CPU at all, just a jumper in a 40-pin PDIP

CPU=RP2A04 2J 6C2 01.jpg

RP2A07 input clock divider is 16. M2 duty cycle is 19/32 [3]. Changes to noise, DPCM, frame timer tables. Fixed DPCM RDY address bus glitches. Pin 30 connects to 6502 /RDY input.

CPU=RP2A07 8F3 78.jpg

RP2A07A no known differences relative to 2A07letterless

CPU=RP2A07A 2JM 3L.jpg

MG-N-501 CPU=MG-N-501 8933.jpg Unlike early UA6527, DMC works
MG-P-501 Micro Genius-made clone. Die has the same (UMC) © Ⓜ B6167F marking as a UA6527P.

CPU=MG-P-501 9221S 415521.jpg

UA6527 UMC-made clone of 2A03G. Has swapped pulse channel duty cycles.

CPU=UA6527-8909-BS.jpg CPU=UA6527-9310-CG-C12520.jpg

UA6527P UMC-made clone of 2A03G for compatibility with NTSC software in PAL countries. input clock divider is 15. Otherwise believed same as 6527.

Two revisions exist: before mid-1990 (which has UMC logo on left) and after-mid-1990 (which has UMC logo on top). It is said that old UMC CPU has broken DMC reader function [4]. Additionally it has input clock divider equals to 16 in contrary to the 15 present in newer one, that would explain why some games work differently (for example: CodeMasters' titles)

One revision has (UMC) © Ⓜ B6167F 1989 09 on the die.

CPU=UA6527P 8931S.jpg Runs hot, ÷16 CPU divider
CPU=UA6527P 9019-BS.jpg Runs hot, ÷15 CPU divider
CPU=UA6527P 9214-BS 310551.jpg Runs cooler
UA6540 UMC-made clone of 2A07 [5]. Has swapped pulse duty cycles.

CPU=UA6540-8834S.jpg

UM6557 Believed to be a 100% duplicate of UA6527, for use in SECAM regions.
UM6561xx-1 NES-on-a-chip for NTSC. Revisions "xx" AF, BF, CF, F known. Earlier revisions (which?) CPU half believed identical to UA6527; later revisions correct pulse channel duties.
UM6561xx-2 NES-on-a-chip for PAL-B. Revisions "xx" AF, BF, CF, F known. Earlier revisions (which?) CPU half believed identical to UA6527P; later revisions correct pulse channel duties.

"AF" revision pulse wave duties observed to be same as 2A03.

NOAC=UM6561 AF-2 9440A R81040.jpg

T1818 ??-made NES-on-a-chip, NTSC timing. Believed to exist, but evidence currently scant.
T1818P ??-made NES-on-a-chip[[6]. Requires external 2 KiB RAMs for CPU and PPU. Swapped pulse duty cycles.
TA-03N ??-made clone of 2A03G. Pin 30 selects input clock divider?

CPU=TA-03N 6527 9250.jpg

TA-03NP ??-made clone of 2A03G for NTSC compatibility in PAL countries. Input clock divider is 15?

CPU=TA-03NP EWP0124.jpg But not this one, this input clock divider is 12.

TA-03NP1 ??-made clone of 2A03G for NTSC compatibility in PAL countries. Input clock divider is 15. Fixed DPCM problems?

CPU=TA-03NP1 6527P 9231.jpg

PM03 Gradiente-made clone of 2A03G. [7]

CPU=PM03 HI25.jpg

GS870007 (Goldstar??)-made clone of 2A03 - has functioning decimal mode? [8]

CPU=GS87007 8827.jpg

KC-6005 Found in MT777-DX famiclone, behaves exactly like UA6527P

CPU=KC-6005.jpg

6005B CPU=6005B.jpg
2011 CPU=2011.jpg
“2A03E” Assumed from USC foundry, because found with a USC 2A02E

CPU=2A03E 9122A 422951.jpg

KP2B03E CPU=KP2B03E DHG 44.jpg

If you know of other differences or other revisions, please add them!

See also