ECS

Enhanced Chip Set (ECS, Enhanced Chipset) is the name used for the extended version of the original Commodore Amiga chipset (OCS). It was launched in 1990 with the Amiga 3000. Amiga computers sold in that year featured a mix of OCS and ECS chips, and even a full Enhanced Chipset. In 1991 it was officially introduced in the low range with the launch of the Amiga 500+. The last Amiga to use it was the Amiga 600. It was replaced by the AGA (Advanced Graphics Architecture) chipset.

The complete list of Amiga computer models that incorporated it is:

• Amiga 3000
• Amiga 3000T
• Amiga 3000UX
• Friend 2000 rev. C
• Friend 1500
• Amiga 500+
• Amiga 600

The ECS consists of 3 components: Super Agnus, Super Denise and Paula. Super Agnus and Super Denise are improvements over the original Agnus and Denise chips.

Super Agnus

The name Agnus comes from the English address generator. It is the chip responsible for controlling the RAM chip. It also processes the different video synchronization signals and contains the two Blitter and Copper graphics coprocessors. Compared to the OCS Agnus, it doubles the capacity of Chip RAM to 2MB.

Super Denise

The name comes from Display encoder, and is the chip that handles resolutions. Compared to the OCS Denise, it maintains the same number of colors (4096) but also provides:

• Productivity Mode 640 x 480 pixels and 4 colors
• SuperHires of 1280 × 200 or 1280 × 256 pixels and 4 colors
• Possibility of the Blitter cope regions greater than 1024 × 1024 in one operation.
• Show sprites on the edge, outside the bit plans area

Paula

The name comes from Peripheral and audiodio. It does not undergo changes with respect to the OCS. This chip is responsible for:

• Reading and writing of floppy disks
• Sound management
• VGA monitor support
• Analog/digital conversion.

Support and compatibility issues

ECS support starts with the AmigaOS 2.0 operating system. The new features are mainly used by productivity software, rather than by games. Kickstart 2 features are occasionally used by later games, and as both technologies overlap widely, some users overestimate the role of the ECS chipset.

Due to the changes some games no longer work correctly. If we add the fact that programmers are not notified of new features and changes sufficiently in advance, the production of software adapted to the new chipset is scarce.