Due to limited pins, cartridge/ main memory access and VRAM access are multiplexed over one same bus.
4-cycles are divided as follows:
Diagram:
CT | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
___________ ___
CLK ____| |___________|
_ __ __ __ __ __
CK |__| |__| |__| |__| |__| |
____ _____________________
EALE |_____|
_____
ECS ________________| |_________
________________ _________
WR |_____|
____ _____ _____ _____ _____ ___
ADDR ____X_WR__X_VR1_X_WR__X_VR2_X___
____ _____ _____ _____
DATA ____>-----<_VR1_X_WR__X_VR2_>---
Note that VRAM/WRAM seperation is based on function unit: Only PPU accesses VRAM on cycle 2 and 4. If CPU accesses VRAM, it would still happen on cycle 3.