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Hardware

Hardware

The hardware contains the Super Famicom hardware, alongside a 32-bit computer, the video output is made of outputs overlaid by one another (officially described as "Super Impose" technology), very similar in idea to the 32X from Sega, where the 32-bit computer side that contains the editor can overlay the Super Famicom video output and show extra information.

It would plug to a consumer TV screen, and has 4 controller ports that can support Super Famicom controllers, a Mouse and a specifically made Keyboard.

There are two known versions of the hardware, a vertical one seen in the patent and flyer, and a horizontal version seen at HAL College and Hudson Soft's Yume Matsuri '95.

Presentation from HAL College of Technology & Design in 1995 Presentation from HAL College of Technology & Design in 1995, from LOGiN Magazine Vol. 23

The hardware was designed by Nintendo and Intelligent Systems, the latter being familiar with development kit hardware and software design such as the Super NES Emulator SE (aka a mashup of IS-DEBUGGER, IS-SOUND and IS-CHARACTER Super Famicom devkits in Japan).

The 32-bit CPU used is a NEC V810 RISC CPU, more known to be the CPU powering the Virtual Boy, but also in some other Nintendo development kits in some cases in the 90s. It was also rumored to be powering the ill-fated Super Famicom CD. This CPU would be tied to its own S-PPU chip from the Super Famicom for graphics display.

Then the hardware would also include the entire Super Famicom hardware inside, where you can play it like a regular console with a game cartridge inserted, or in full editor mode where a modification was made to include a BIOS ROM, a new thing to this hardware that normally just runs off a cartridge's ROM.

A scan of the Game Processor RAM Cassette A scan of the Game Processor RAM Cassette from ozidual.

Inserting a Game Processor RAM Cassette which includes 512 KB (4 Megabits) of RAM (the same ROM size as Super Mario World, for example) would then allow this hardware to be manipulated by the Game Processor's 32-bit counterpart. The model number GPC-RAMC-4M might also suggest that other sizes were maybe considered, but if they were made, there's currently no evidence of it.

It contained a simple lock to prevent accidental rewrites, this was the first Super Famicom cartridge made in mind for hot plugging, which is pretty unusual. These also contained a CIC chip and a battery to keep the RAM data, you were allowed to export your game to its RAM and play it on a regular Super Famicom system.

Specifications

As this is based from patent information, the following may or may not be fully accurate.