Atari Glossary 'a...f'

ANTIC

Microprocessor dedicated to the television display. It retrieves the diplay list and displays data from RAM using DMA (direct memory access). It processes the higher level instructions in the display list and translates these instructions into a real-time stream of simple instructions to 'CTIA' / 'GTIA'.

ATARI

A word from the japanese game 'GO', meaning something like 'check' in chess - and of course the name of the company itself.

ATARI CORPORATION

Atari's name under the Tramiels from 1984 to 1996. All Coin-Op activities were handed over to 'Atari Games Corporation'.

ATARI GAMES CORPORATION

Atari's name in the Coin-Op business under Warner, Inc. (Namco, Inc. 1984 - 1996) and under Midway / Williams from 1996 to 2000!

ATARI INCORPORATED

Atari's original name from 1972 - 1984 under Nolan Bushnell (1972 - 1976) and under Warner Brothers, Inc. (1976 - 1984).

BRAINRUSH.COM

Nolan Bushnell's current company. 'BRAINRUSH.COM' is a company that uses video game technology in educational software.

CANDY

The nickname for the Atari '400' in its development-stage.

CO-JAG

Name for a modified 'Jaguar' hardware (additional memory, HDD and a faster CPU) used in some coin-op machines by Atari Games Corp.

COLLEEN

The nickname for the Atari '800' in its development-stage.

COMMODORE

Atari's hardest competitor in the early home-computer business ('VIC20', 'C64' and later the 'Amiga'). Commodore's founder Jack Tramiel and his family-clan took over Atari from Warner Communications Inc. in 1984 and changed its name into 'Atari Corp.'.

CTIA

A television interface chip. Converts the digital commands from 'ANTIC' (or the 6502 directly) into the signal that goes to the television. 'GTIA' also adds color values, player-missle graphics, and collision detection. This is an earlier version of the 'GTIA'.

DIP

The british company 'DIP' developed the Atari 'Portfolio'. Atari just bought 'DIP' and released their product under the Atari-label, as they did with the 'Lynx' (by Epyx) and somehow with the 'Jaguar' (by Flare).

ECI

The 'ECI' (Enhanced Cartridge Interface) was functionally equivalent to the previous Atari XL 'PBI' and allowed different devices to be attached to the 'XE' system, e.g. SCSI hard drive controllers, parallel / serial controllers and many other. Atari itself never sold any 'ECI' devices...

EPYX

A third-party software developer ('Summer Games', 'Winter Games', etc.). They also started development of the 'Handy', better known as the Atari 'Lynx'. When 'Epyx' ran dry on money Atari bought all knowledge to the system and finished development.

FLARE / FLARE II

The company that originally started development of the 'Jaguar'.

FREDDY

A RAM address multiplexer. It takes the address and clock from the CPU and multiplexes it with the appropriate timings and signals to use dynamic memory. 'FREDDY' also buffers the system clock crystal and divides it down then feeds that to GTIA.

FUJI

Japan's highest mountain (Fujijama) and, of course, Atari's world famous logo!

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