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Last change on this file since f7d1bc3 was f7d1bc3, checked in by Adrien Destugues <pulkomandy@…>, 8 years ago

Add slides for my talk done at Forever 2016.

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1\documentclass{beamer}
2\usepackage{graphicx}
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4\mode<presentation> {
5% \usetheme{Montpellier}
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8 \useoutertheme{tree}
9 \useinnertheme{rounded}
10
11 \setbeamercovered{transparent}
12 % ou autre chose (il est également possible de supprimer cette ligne)
13}
14
15% Large and black subsection header at the top of the page
16\setbeamerfont*{subsection in head/foot}{size=\large}
17\setbeamercolor{subsection in head/foot}{fg=black}
18
19\setlength{\parskip}{.3\baselineskip}
20
21%\usepackage[french]{babel}
22\usepackage[latin1]{inputenc}
23%\usepackage{times}
24%\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
25% Or autre. Notez que le codage et la fonte doivent être assortis. Si T1
26% ne paraît pas très esthétique, essayer d'effacer la ligne contenant fontenc.
27
28\title % (facultatif, à utiliser uniquement si le titre de l'article est trop long)
29{Thomson computers}
30
31\subtitle {The history of Thomson 8-bit computers in France}
32
33\author[] % (facultatif, à utiliser seulement avec plusieurs auteurs)
34{Adrien Destugues - PulkoMandy}
35% - Composez les noms dans l'ordre dans lequel ils apparaîtrons dans l'article
36% - Utilisez la commande \inst{?} uniquement si les auteurs ont des affiliations
37% différentes.
38
39\institute[Forever 2016] % (facultatif mais généralement nécessaire)
40{
41 Forever Party 2015 - Defender of the 8-bits
42}
43% - Utilisez la commande \inst uniquement s'il y a plusieurs affectations
44% - Faîtes quelque chose de simple, personne ne s'intéresse à votre adresse.
45
46%\date % (facultatif)
47%{6 juin 2009}
48
49%\pgfdeclareimage[height=0.5cm]{le-logo}{haiku.pdf}
50%\logo{\pgfuseimage{le-logo}}
51
52% ne pas afficher les sous-sections dans la table des matières
53\setcounter{tocdepth}{1}
54
55% À supprimer si vous ne voulez pas que la table des matières apparaisse
56% au début de chaque sous-section :
57\AtBeginSection[] {
58 \begin{frame}<beamer>{Plan}
59 \tableofcontents[currentsection]
60 \end{frame}
61}
62
63% Si vous souhaitez recouvrir vos transparents un à un,
64% utilisez la commande suivante (pour plus d'info, voir la page 74 du manuel
65% d'utilisation de Beamer (version 3.06) par Till Tantau) :
66%\beamerdefaultoverlayspecification{<+->}
67
68% Redéfinir la page de titre (sans date dessus)
69\defbeamertemplate*{title page}{progressbar theme}{
70 \makeatletter
71 \begin{center}
72 \textbf{\textcolor{structure.fg}\large\inserttitle}
73
74 \insertsubtitle
75
76 \vskip\baselineskip
77 \footnotesize\insertauthor\\[\baselineskip]
78 \ifx\insertinstitute\@empty \else\tiny\insertinstitute\\[\baselineskip]\fi
79 \end{center}
80 \makeatother
81}
82
83\begin{document}
84
85% Remove stupid "Figure:" label on picture captions
86\setbeamertemplate{caption}{\raggedright\insertcaption\par}
87
88\begin{frame}
89 \titlepage
90\end{frame}
91
92\frame{
93 \frametitle{Plan}
94 \tableofcontents
95}
96 % Vous pouvez, si vous le souhaiter ajouter l'option [pausesections]
97
98\section{History}
99 \subsection{Thomson company}
100 \begin{frame}
101 The birth of Thomson
102 \begin{itemize}
103 \item 1879: Thomson-Houston company created in the USA
104 \item 1892: Companie Française Thomson-Houston
105 \item 1892: Merges with General Electric
106 \end{itemize}
107 The French company (CFTH) turns out to be not so useful to General
108 Electric. It gradually becomes independant.
109
110 \includegraphics[width=.3\textwidth]{thomson-logo.jpg}
111 \includegraphics[width=.3\textwidth]{logo.png}
112 \includegraphics[width=.3\textwidth]{stmicro.jpg}
113
114 \includegraphics[width=.3\textwidth]{thomson-logo-0.jpg}
115 \includegraphics[width=.3\textwidth]{thmicro.jpg}
116
117 \end{frame}
118
119 \begin{frame}
120 During the XXth century,
121 Thomson buys other companies, gets too big, is split into several
122 sub companies, some of which merge again.
123 \begin{itemize}
124 \item 1966: Thomson is split in Thomson-Brandt and Thomson-CSF
125 \item 1981: Thomson-Brandt and Thomson-CSF are nationalized and merged again.
126 \end{itemize}
127
128 The nationalization happens because Thomson is a major supplier of
129 weapons and high-tech devices for the French army (including
130 semiconductors and other electronics related products). The French
131 government doesn't want to rely on supplies of those coming from
132 other countries, and wants to secure the local production.
133 \end{frame}
134
135 \begin{frame}
136 Activities in various sectors over the XXth century:
137 \begin{itemize}
138 \item Electricity transport and production
139 \item Tramways and Railways (will become ALSTOM)
140 \item Batteries and Lightbulbs (Mazda)
141 \item Weapons (Hotchkiss)
142 \item Home appliances (Brandt)
143 \item Semiconductors (EFCIS, will become ST microelectronics)
144 \item Cathodic ray tubes and monitors
145 \item ... and more (Technicolor, Thales, ...)
146 \end{itemize}
147
148 Thomson is involved in research about Radars, Magnetron, Videodiscs,
149 the first "Eurovision" TV transmission, and much more.
150 \end{frame}
151 \subsection{Economics in France}
152 \begin{frame}
153 France is worried that the USA will take over the country
154 \begin{itemize}
155 \item This dates from WWII, mostly
156 \item Politics and Economics are designed to avoid this
157 \item Avoiding the use of English as much as possible
158 \end{itemize}
159 \end{frame}
160
161 \begin{frame}
162 The big US companies (Commodore, Apple, Atari and others) don't get to
163 the French market as easily as elsewhere in Europe.
164 \begin{itemize}
165 \item High import taxes
166 \item No easy way to setup a French subcompany (like Commodore Germany)
167 \item French specific standards: SECAM, AZERTY, SCART (computers have to be modified to work with this)
168 \end{itemize}
169 \end{frame}
170 \subsection{Computers in France}
171 \begin{frame}
172 This makes it easier for French companies to do their own computers
173 \begin{itemize}
174 \item Matra licences the MC10 design from Tandy and makes a French version of it
175 \item Exelvision designs a computer using TI hardware
176 \item Thomson builds theirs using Motorola 68xx family
177 \item And much more (SMT, Léanord, LogAbax, Bull, ...)
178 \end{itemize}
179 \end{frame}
180
181 \subsection{Plan Informatique Pour Tous}
182 \begin{frame}
183 "Informatique Pour Tous" - Computers for everyone!
184
185 \begin{columns}[T]
186 \begin{column}{.4\textwidth}
187 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{nanoreseau.jpg}
188 \end{column}
189
190 \begin{column}{.6\textwidth}
191 \begin{itemize}
192 \item French government plan to install computers in classrooms (6-15 year old children)
193 \item Technical constraints enforcing a French manufacturer (SCART connector, LSEG language)
194 \item Thomson will make most of the machines for this
195 \end{itemize}
196 \end{column}
197 \end{columns}
198 \end{frame}
199
200
201 \begin{frame}
202 Thomson solution
203 \includegraphics[width=.8\textwidth]{nanoreseau_01.jpg}
204
205 \begin{itemize}
206 \item "Student" computers: MO5 with RAM expansion and network interface
207 \item The network is Léanord's Nanoréseau (RS485 based)
208 \item "Teacher" computer (file server): Bull, LogAbax or SMT machines.
209 \end{itemize}
210 \end{frame}
211
212
213\section{Timeline of Thomson computers}
214 \subsection{General information}
215 \begin{frame}
216 \begin{itemize}
217 \item All machines built around the 6809E CPU at 1MHz
218 \item Video memory is made of two 8K pages
219 \item No compatibility with anything else!
220
221 The 6809E (and other Motorola chips) was already manufactured by Thomson-EFCIS
222 for the French army, under license from Motorola. The 68xx chipset will be
223 a popular one for French computers because of this (including Matra Alice,
224 Tavernier, Apollo 7 Squale shown below).
225 \end{itemize}
226
227 \begin{columns}[T]
228 \begin{column}{.3\textwidth}
229 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{alice.jpg}
230 \end{column}
231 \begin{column}{.3\textwidth}
232 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{Tavernier.jpg}
233 \end{column}
234 \begin{column}{.3\textwidth}
235 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{squale.jpg}
236 \end{column}
237 \end{columns}
238 \end{frame}
239
240 \subsection{Early design: the T9000 prototype}
241 \begin{frame}
242 Most of the design for the first machine is the work of José Henrard.
243 Researcher in sociology and economy, he built his own computer in his spare time and was then hired by Thomson to get the company started with computers.
244
245 \begin{columns}[T]
246 \begin{column}{.5\textwidth}
247 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{SiHenrard.jpg}
248 \end{column}
249 \begin{column}{.5\textwidth}
250 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{title-t9000.png}
251 \end{column}
252 \end{columns}
253
254
255 This leads to the prototype T9000 computer demonstrated in 1979, a design
256 very close to the TO7. Works then begin on industrializing the design.
257 \end{frame}
258
259 \subsection{TO7}
260 \begin{frame}
261 The TO7 is introduced in 1982. It competes against the Apple II and the zx81.
262
263 "TO" means "Télévision Ordinateur", or "TV Computer", as it plugs to a standard TV.
264
265 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{F_TO7.jpg}
266 \end{frame}
267
268 \begin{frame}
269 Almost 24K of RAM:
270 \begin{itemize}
271 \item 8K system RAM (8 bits wide, expansion available to add 32K more),
272 \item 8K video RAM (14 bits wide)
273 \end{itemize}
274
275 6K of ROM (built into the 6846 PIA):
276 \begin{itemize}
277 \item monitor code and "welcome" boot screen
278 \item (BASIC comes in a cartridge, sold separately)
279 \end{itemize}
280
281 Static RAM is used, allowing a simple video generation system using standard 74LS logic chips.
282
283 The computer is designed to be used mostly with the integrated lightpen.
284 The keyboard is considered secondary and made flat in an attempt to make it less visible.
285 \end{frame}
286
287 \begin{frame}
288 320x200, 8 color, with 8x1 color blocks, 2 colors per block.
289 \begin{columns}[T]
290 \begin{column}{.5\textwidth}
291 \begin{figure}
292 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{03.png}
293 \caption{Atomium, 1982}
294 \end{figure}
295 \end{column}
296 \begin{column}{.5\textwidth}
297 \begin{figure}
298 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{24.png}
299 \caption{Elvis Lives! Slideshow, 2014}
300 \end{figure}
301 \end{column}
302 \end{columns}
303 Sound: 1-bit buzzer.
304 \end{frame}
305
306 \subsection{TO7/70}
307 \begin{frame}
308 Introduced in 1984, this competes against the Amstrad CPC 464 and Commodore 64.
309 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{F_to770-2.jpg}
310
311 64K RAM (48K system + 16K video), extensible to 128K.
312
313 Dynamic RAM and integrated Gate Array for video logic.
314
315 Slightly better "chicklet" keyboard.
316 \end{frame}
317 \begin{frame}
318 The color palette has the 8 base colors, and brighter versions (not darker as on Spectrum).
319
320 "bright white" is replaced with orange.
321 \begin{figure}
322 \begin{columns}[T]
323 \begin{column}{.5\textwidth}
324 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{MOD1.png}
325 \end{column}
326 \begin{column}{.5\textwidth}
327 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{MOD2.png}
328 \end{column}
329 \end{columns}
330 \caption{La mine aux diamants, 1984}
331 \end{figure}
332 \end{frame}
333
334 \subsection{MO5}
335 \begin{frame}
336 The MO5 was launched at the same time as the TO7/70. It is a simpler design and competes against the ZX Spectrum and Oric Atmos.
337
338 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{F_mo5.jpg}
339 \end{frame}
340
341 \begin{frame}
342 \begin{columns}[T]
343 \begin{column}{.04\textwidth}
344 \includegraphics[angle=90,width=\textwidth]{mo5pal.png}
345 \end{column}
346 \begin{column}{.96\textwidth}
347 6846 PIA removed
348
349 Simpler memory map with 16K ROM and 48K RAM
350
351 Better tape data encoding.
352
353 Built-in BASIC, masked by cartridges.
354
355 No memory expansion initially, but fixed later to allow a 64K expansion on the cartridge port.
356
357 \begin{columns}[T]
358 \begin{column}{.5\textwidth}
359 \begin{figure}
360 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{dinos.png}
361 \caption{Life and death of Dinosaurs, 1986}
362 \end{figure}
363 \end{column}
364 \begin{column}{.5\textwidth}
365 \begin{figure}
366 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{poiscmo5.png}
367 \caption{Poiscaïe by Exocet, 2015}
368 \end{figure}
369 \end{column}
370 \end{columns}
371
372
373
374 \end{column}
375 \end{columns}
376 \end{frame}
377
378 \subsection{TO9}
379 \begin{frame}
380
381 \begin{columns}[T]
382 \begin{column}{.6\textwidth}
383 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{TO9.jpg}
384 \end{column}
385
386 \begin{column}{.4\textwidth}
387 Introduced in 1985, the TO9 targets the professional market
388
389 (competing against the Macintosh, according to Thomson marketing dept.)
390 \end{column}
391 \end{columns}
392 \end{frame}
393
394 \begin{frame}
395 128K RAM, 136K ROM with built-in BASIC, Word processor, database, and "icon DOS" file manager.
396
397 Built-in disk drive, PC like desktop case with detached keyboard
398
399 6-bit DAC for sound output, Joystick/mouse ports, parallel port.
400
401 (these are all available as expansion for other models).
402
403 The same year, the TO7/70 and MO5 are upgraded to get a mechanical keyboard.
404
405 \includegraphics[width=.5\textwidth]{screenshot1.png}
406 \end{frame}
407
408 \begin{frame}
409 \begin{columns}[T]
410 \begin{column}{.7\textwidth}
411 New video modes without block constraints
412
413 (320x200 4 colors, 160x200 16 colors,
414
415 640x200 2 colors)
416
417 4096 color configurable palette.
418
419 \begin{figure}
420 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{brink-thedruid.png}
421 \caption{The Druid by Brink, 2014}
422 \end{figure}
423 \end{column}
424 \begin{column}{.4\textwidth}
425 \vspace{-.5cm}
426 \begin{figure}
427 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{bob.png}
428 \caption{Bob Morane Science Fiction}
429
430 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{asterix.png}
431 \caption{Asterix Chez Rahazade}
432 \end{figure}
433 \end{column}
434 \end{columns}
435 \end{frame}
436
437 \subsection{The 1986 machines}
438 \begin{frame}
439 New gate array integrating more of the computer on a single chip to reduce costs.
440
441 All the new features from the TO9 are made available on all machines.
442
443 The ROM is 64K on MO6 and 80K on TO machines. The built-in software is now moved to floppies
444 to allow easier upgrades (the first 10000 TO9 shipped had to be replaced because of software bugs).
445
446 \end{frame}
447
448 \begin{frame}
449 The TO7/70 is replaced with the TO8 (now fighting against Amstrad CPC 6128, Amiga 500 and Atari ST),
450 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{TO8.jpg}
451
452 It gets an internal floppy controller and 256K RAM, but still no built-in floppy drive.
453 \end{frame}
454
455 \begin{frame}
456 The MO5 is replaced with the MO6 (fighting against Amstrad CPC 464),
457 which has 128K RAM and a built-in tape deck.
458
459 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{MO6.jpg}
460 \end{frame}
461
462 \begin{frame}
463 The TO9 with the TO9+, getting 512K of RAM and a built-in modem.
464
465 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{F_to9plus.jpg}
466 \end{frame}
467
468 \subsection{End of the story}
469 \begin{frame}
470 In 1987, the TO8 is replaced with the TO8D and finally gets a built-in floppy drive.
471
472 \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{to8dcote.jpg}
473 \end{frame}
474
475 \begin{frame}
476 Thomson teamed up with Olivetti (Italia) and Acorn (UK) to design an european standard computer.
477 This was based on 68000 CPU and multitasking OS/9. The project is cancelled.
478
479 Thomson will sell a PC compatible machine (the TO16) until 1989, then quit the microcomputer market.
480 \end{frame}
481
482\section{Programming on Thomson}
483\subsection{The 6809E CPU}
484 \begin{frame}
485 \begin{itemize}
486 \item Binary-incompatible redesign of the earlier 680x CPU
487 \item Similar to the 6502, but more powerful
488 \item 2 accumulators (A and B) useable as a 16-bit one (D)
489 \item 2 index registers (X,Y)
490 \item 2 stack pointers (S,U)
491 \item Direct-page allows fast access to a 256-byte memory zone
492 (like Zero-page, but can use any 256-byte memory zone with DP register)
493 \item Hardware mulitply instruction
494 \item advanced addressing modes (indirect with predecrement/postincrement)
495 \item LEA instruction (like on 68000)
496 \end{itemize}
497 \end{frame}
498
499\subsection{Video logic}
500 \begin{frame}
501 Original design (1982-1985)
502 \begin{itemize}
503 \item The video hardware access the memory using a 16-bit bus
504 \item This is split in two "banks", the CPU can only map one at a time
505 \item One bank sets 2 colors for a block (3 or 4bit each)
506 \item The other bank defines the 8 pixels (0=use first color, 1=use second color)
507 \item The resolution is fixed to 320x200, leaving a small free space in each bank
508 \item Video memory is linear.
509 \end{itemize}
510 \end{frame}
511
512 \begin{frame}
513 Starting from the TO9, and in the 1986 gate array, some changes are made:
514 \begin{itemize}
515 \item The 4-bit colors are fed to a programmable lookup palette, allowing 4096 colors
516 \item The pixel clock can be changed to generate 160x200 or 640x200 modes
517 \item The "attribute block" system can be replaced by a planar or semi-planar mode (each pixel is defined using some bits from each bank)
518 \item The system allows for "overprint" modes where one bank masks the other.
519 \end{itemize}
520 \end{frame}
521
522 \begin{frame}
523 In 1986, further changes are made:
524 \begin{itemize}
525 \item The memory access is done using the system 8-bit bus
526 \item The two banks are interleaved in physical memory to allow "same-page" fast access
527 \item This makes it possible to use a single bank of 8 256K chips for the whole memory
528 \item As the Gate Array is also used on the MO6, an extra swapping step is added for compatibility.
529 \end{itemize}
530
531 \end{frame}
532
533\subsection{Sound}
534 \begin{frame}
535 Up to the MO5, only a buzzer is available.
536
537 Starting from the TO9, a 6-bit DAC is used. It has no DMA, so playing sound
538 wastes a lot of CPU time, and some bits are shared with mouse input, which create interferences.
539
540 Additionally, the tape drive has a stereo head. One track is used for data,
541 and the other is sent to the audio amplifier. This can be used for CPU-free
542 high-quality audio.
543 \end{frame}
544
545\subsection{Memory banking}
546 \begin{frame}
547 The ROM is always mapped in. This is why interrups are hardwired to it.
548
549 On the MO5 and plain TO7, only the video RAM is banked (2 banks). But
550 RAM expansions may add more.
551
552 The TO9 adds even more banking support,
553
554 The 1986 gate array is compatible with all of the above, and has yet another
555 new mode to allow up to 512K of banks. It also allows relocating the video
556 RAM to different memory banks instead of a single fixed one.
557
558 Use of the different modes can be confusing. It's possible to map the same
559 RAM page to the CPU at multiple places at a time.
560 \end{frame}
561
562
563\subsection{Extra features}
564 \begin{frame}
565 On TO machines, the 6846 PIA provides a programmable timer
566
567 Unfortunately, the interrupt routine jumps into ROM, and does a lot of things
568 there.
569
570 You can still use the timer with polling, or the SYNC instruction to wait for
571 timer events without using interrupts (but this of course locks the CPU waiting).
572 \end{frame}
573
574 \begin{frame}
575 The 1986 gate array has 60Hz video support. This was never used, as attempts to export the machines have all failed (to URSS, India, Argentina, Spain, ...).
576
577 This could be used to kill the bottom border of the screen like on Atari ST.
578
579 The video modes are programmed using a 7-bit register. A lot of combinations are marked "useless" in the official documentation. What happens if you use them?
580 \end{frame}
581
582
583\section{Software failure}
584\subsection{Why did it fail?}
585
586\begin{frame}
587As you probably have noticed, Thomson machines were never too popular out of
588France. Why is that?
589\begin{itemize}
590 \item Too high prices: Thomson insisted on building the computers completely
591 in France, and had somewhat complex hardware (lots of RAM and ROM, ...),
592 leading to high prices.
593 \item Too high compatibility: all machines use the same 1MHz CPU in an attempt to make them all compatible. In 1986,
594 this was not acceptable anymore
595 \item Too low compatibility: despite the attempts, there were still a lot of problems and misunderstandings (why keeping both the MO and TO series? Why replacing the Gate Array with a new and slightly different design in the MO5 later revisions?)
596 \item Too many machines: and I only shown the ones with actual hardware differences, ignoring the various recasings (MO5NR, MO5 Platini, mechanical keyboard upgrades)
597\end{itemize}
598\end{frame}
599\begin{frame}
600\begin{itemize}
601 \item Unusual CPU choice: Thomson and Tandy CoCo are the only ones using the 6809, forcing devs to use different tools and rewrite all their code. Z80 and 6502 were a lot more popular.
602 \item Low quality software: most software is adapted from Spectrum or CPC,
603 and not using Thomson machines capabilities to their full potential.
604 Moreover, they kept compatibility with older models, and never used the
605 advanced features of the new ones to the full power.
606 \item "educative" orientation. Thomson is remembered for being the "school
607 computer". It never managed to become a popular game machine, nor
608 a business one.
609\end{itemize}
610\end{frame}
611
612\subsection{Thomson demoscene}
613\begin{frame}
614In the 80s and 90s, there was an active Thomson community in France, but not
615much demomaking activities. People focused mostly on writing "serious" software,
616and some hardware projects.
617
618In the 1990s, the only group was HCL. They did some intros as well as the HCL
619megademo.
620
621In the 2000s, the group PULS finally brings some serious demos to Thomson with
622Chinese Stack and Space Project.
623
624In 2011, for the forst time a Thomson demo enters a democompo (at Forever!)
625\end{frame}
626
627\section{Join us!}
628\begin{frame}
629I hope to see more people have a try at Thomson. You don't have one at home?
630No problem, we have emulators!
631
632Get MESS or TEO, both come with a built-in debugger and other useful features
633for development.
634
635Some of the hardware documentation is only available in French. (have a look at
636the dcmoto website for some). I'm working on a "demomaker guide" to get you
637started.
638
639http://shinra.cpcscene.com
640\end{frame}
641
642\end{document}
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