Up-Scope Arcade Machine

**Harrison** · 29th January 2008, 11:24

Did anyone else know that the Arcade machine Up-Scope was powered by an Amiga A500 motherboard?

I didn't until I got an email recently from the owner of one of these arcade cabinets.

His arcade machine has stopped working and he was trying to find a replacement motherboard for it. But he was unsure of the version and model of motherboard he needed to look for.

He sent me some pictures of the inside of the system along with some information about the board (from my guidance on what to look for to identify it).

The A500 motherboard is a revision 3 board, based on what is written on it, so going by that it is a very early motherboard. These were meant to be a bit buggy.

Not sure of the kickstart version though. The codes on the chip are: 31509-01 2402PH49 7E3. As the Kickstart 1.3 chip normally has 31509-02 on it I am guessing it is a 1.2 kickstart? Is that right?

Here is an image of the insides of this machine.

I've asked the owner if you can do me some photographs of the inside and outside of the system, as well as some screenshots, if he manages to get it working again.

The good news is that he managed to source a replacement motherboard from softhut.com so fingers crossed he can get it up and running again.

There is some information about this arcade machine on Amiga History here. But they state it uses an A1000 motherboard, which it clearly isn't in the image the owner provided above.

An in-game screenshot:

And info about the gameplay reads:

The cabinet is shaped like a submarine periscope. Two buttons are located on each periscope handle - Up, Down and two fire buttons. The aim of the game is to attack the sub hunter while sinking as many ships as possible. If you miss the sub hunter it goes to another level where it drops depth charges while the player waits to fire a torpedo.

**Zetr0** · 29th January 2008, 12:17

Ahhh now there is a bit of history,

I believe that motherboard is infact a Rev 5 A500, although one could use an A1000 in there (with a 256kb memory upgrade)..

I love the custom video board as well as the custom boot board... clearly awesome.... I wonder if when it reboots if the boot-board wasnt in you would see the 1.2 kick logo come up?

I looks great...

**Harrison** · 29th January 2008, 12:41

Maybe earlier versions of the machine did use an A1000 motherboard.

What makes you think it's a Rev 5 board? The owner told me the motherboard said Rev. 3 on it as I couldn't make it out in the image.

It is always great to see such custom uses for an Amiga, or any system for that mater. Funny how they have used custom parts for most things, but left the standard A500 power brick.

I was also wondering about the controls of this machine. It's clearly got a custom controller connected to the joystick 2 port. I wonder if it's using mouse inputs rather than digital joystick? Would make the periscope movement much more precise.

**Zetr0** · 29th January 2008, 13:21

well it could be an earlier version, but i am pretty sure its not later than Rev 5 as Rev 6's use not only different memory chips (large ones so thusly fewer) but also have a differnet board layout (some what similar to the A500 +)

hmmm the joystick interface is interesting...

we have a potentiometer, LS74123: re-triger monostable rectifyer, hmmm i would say its pulsing an analouge to digital converter.... off the top of my head... it would get quite precise too, depending on the inductor on the board...

LOL i could look at board all day.... lol i just love hardware pr0n