Sega NAOMI
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Naomi
The SEGA NAOMI (New Arcade Operation Machine Idea) is a development of the Sega Dreamcast technology as a basis for an arcade system board. The first Naomi hardware was demonstrated in 1998 at JAMMA as the successor to the Sega Model 3 hardware. The use of mass produced hardware allowed for a sharp reduction in the cost of complete arcade cabinets.
The Naomi and Dreamcast share the same system-architecture. Both systems use the same Hitachi SH-4 CPU, PowerVR Series 2 GPU (PVR2DC), and Yamaha AICA based sound system. Naomi packs twice as much system and graphics memory, and 4X as much sound memory. And although the Naomi and Dreamcast operate at the same speed (clock frequency), multiple Naomi boards can be 'stacked' together to achieve better graphics performance or a multi-monitor setup. The other key difference between Naomi and Dreamcast lies in the game-media. Naomi uses solid-state (ROM PC-board) rather than Dreamcast's GD-ROM optical-storage, as the ROM-media is more suitable for the harsh physical conditions of an acrcade. The Naomi system is capable of storing 168 MB of data.
Naomi boards can be used in special game cabinets (Naomi Universal Cabinet) where a theoretical maximum of sixteen boards can be used in a parallel processing format.
Games that used the first Naomi board included Crazy Taxi, Dead or Alive 2, Ferrari 355 Challenge, House of the Dead 2 and Virtua Tennis. (Although Virtua Fighter 3 was eventually released for the Dreamcast, the arcade version ran on Model 3 hardware, not Naomi). Around fifty games were written for Naomi boards.
Unlike most hardware platforms in the arcade industry, Naomi is widely licensed for use by other manufacturers. Games such as Mazan and Guilty Gear XX are examples of Naomi-based arcade games that are not Sega products.
Naomi 2
In 2000, Sega debuted the Naomi 2 system at JAMMA. Naomi 2 offered improved graphics performance, by substituting Naomi's graphics-assembly with a new assembly composed of two PowerVR CLX2 GPUs and a VideoLogic Elan chip (for geometry transformation and lighting effects.) Naomi 2 also doubled the Naomi's graphics memory from 16MB to 32MB, to enable more detailed graphics. (Each CLX2 has its own 32MB bank, as the CLX2 does not share graphics RAM.) Architecturally, the Naomi 2 is similiar enough to the original Naomi that both can play Naomi games without modification.
With the Naomi 2, Sega brought back the GD-ROM drive. For both Naomi and Naomi 2, the GD-ROM drive was now offered as an optional daughterboard expansion. The GD-ROM drive contained additional memory to allow caching of an entire game, speeding-up load times and reducing drive-wear.
Games specifically for the Naomi 2 include Club Kart, Virtua Fighter 4, and Virtua Striker 3.
Despite the fact that the original Naomi system board is seven years old (as of 2005), games are still being produced for it, making it the second longest-lived arcade system board after the Neo-Geo.
External links
- Hardware specifications and known games (http://www.system16.com/sega/hrdw_naomi.html)
- Dreamcast Technical Pages (http://www.segatech.com)ja:NAOMI