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(Update 24. May 2018)





Asterock (Sidam 1979)


[ Game Info | Pictures | Manuals/Datasheets | Repair/Restore | ROMs | Reproductions/Spares | Mixed Stuff ]

NEW (1. Jan. 2006):  Asterock Schematics (scanned by Simon Hanlon)
                               Asterock Manual (scanned by Marco Vernillo)
Information missing: Flyer, production numbers, size/weight


Game Info

Overview - Asterock is a copy of Atari's Asteroids. The italian company Sidam manufactured/developed an own CPU PCB for their upright cab while still using many parts of the original Asteroids code. The cabinet was also different in some aspects. Although the color scheme was very similar to Asteroids and the bezel around the monitor was black, the game had a completely different control panel layout and -graphics. The sideart is also completely different. Sidam used the Electrohome G05-802, 19 inch XY b/w monitor.

Description - Same gameplay as Asteroids from Atari.You find your spaceship suddenly to appear in the middle of an asteroid field. To get relief for yourself from the dangerous situation you need to blast away the slow-moving asteroids that drift randomly through space and are blocking the way to further levels. When hit, the large asteroids will break in two smaller pieces that need to be shot at again making two more fragments that need a last shot to be dust eventually and dissappear. You control your ship by rotating it left or right and you can accelerate with the "Thrust" button. Take care, you are in space, so no braking via air friction. To stop your ship from travelling endlessly int the sam direction you need to turn 180° and press the "Thrust" button again until you stop. From time to time saucers will appear and shoot around, randomly in the beginning, but then more and more precisely into the player's spaceship direction. The smaller kind of saucer is deadly with the 3rd or 4th shot if the player doesn't react. As a last resort you have the ability to use the "Hyperspace" button to suddenly dissappear from your current place in space and reappear at another random location on the screen. However you don't know where you will reenter the universe, it may happen just right into an asteroid! Once all asteroids have been shot away the next level starts with more asteroids and saucers appearing earlier and more often.

Cabinet Types Upright, Released 1979   

PCB(s)
- The CPU is a 6502A running at 1.5Mhz with 6k of ROM (six 2708 EPROMs) for the actual game. The PCB was also sold by Sidam to at least one other manufacturer.

Monitor
-
G05-802 B/W xy Monitor from Electrohome

Original Game
- Asteroids by Atari

Prototypes - not known

Other  Info Sources
»Asterock on K.L.O.V. ( The "Killer" List of Video Games) - http://www.klov.com/...game_id=6937
»Asterock on Arcade-Historyhttp://www.arcade-history.com/...id=125
»Asterock on www.tilt.it (Italian coin-op site), collection of A. Minotti, who sent me all the pictures - http://www.tilt.it/saletta2.htm
»Asterock on vernimark.com (Italian Arcade Collector) - http://www.vernimark.com/...GameID=394




Pictures

» Asterock Cabinet [ link ]
» PCB [ link ]
» Monitor Electrohome G05-802 [ link ]



Manuals/Datasheets/Technical Info

Asterock Upright
» Schematics ( scanned in by Simon Hanlon www.hanlon.info ) - sidam_asterock_schematics.pdf
» Operator's Manual ( scanned in by Marco Vernillo www.vernimark.com ) - asterock_manual.pdf
» G05-802 Electrohome Monitor Manual incl. Schematics - EH G05-802
» Theory of Vector Generators & Vector Monitors - The secret life of Vector Generators  -  The secret life of of Vector MonitorsProgramming the Vector GeneratorTheory of Vector Generators - AVG Description (Atari Internal) 5.2 MByte
» "A Hitchhikers Guide to the Atari Digital Vector Generator" ( Philip Pemberton, Dec. 2005) - [ PDF ]
» Datasheets for electronic components - CPU 6502A - EPROM2708 - PROM 82S129 - Static RAM 2114 - D/A Converter AD561J - TTL Logic 74LSxx 


Repair/Restore/Improve

Repair Tips   (Note: This is meant for the Atari Asteroids machine, but it may help although the SIDAM PCB is different in some areas.)
» Asteroids Troubleshooting Encyclopedia - http://www.ionpool.net/arcade/asteroidtech/asteroidsrepair.html
» Asteroids troubleshooting Tips from Star Tech Journal - debug_ast.gif
 
Restore Pages - Nothing yet known specifically for this machine. Maybe you want to lookup the Asteroids Page

Improvements/Add-ons  - Nothing yet known specifically for this machine. Maybe you want to lookup the Asteroids Page.




ROMs (EPROM/PROM
)

» Asterock ROMS as .zip file.  Eight 2708 EPROMs needed - asterock_roms.zip



Reproductions/Spares

Spares - have a look at the "Link Collection" section to find sources. I can help out with electronic components, if you don't find them elsewhere. A non conclusive list is in the "Electronics / Parts" section.
Reproductions - Nothing yet known specifically for this machine.







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