Thomson EF936x

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NDR-Klein-Computer graphics card using EF9366
Siemens SMP-E353 ECB Bus video board using EF9366

The Thomson EF936x series is a type of Graphic Display Processor (GDP) by Thomson-EFCIS.[1] The chip could draw at 1 million pixels per second, which was relatively advanced for the time of its release (1982 or earlier). There are various versions of the chip (EF9364, EF9365, etc.),[2] with slightly different capabilities.

In 1982 Commodore released a "High Resolution Graphics" board for the PET based on the EF9365 and EF9366 chips, allowing it to display 512x512 or 512x256 resolution graphics.[3][4][5] The EF9366 was also used on the SMP-E353 graphic card for the Siemens SICOMP [de] computer series and on the NDR-Klein-Computer introduced in 1984.

Version EF9369 was used on computers such as the Thomson TO8, Thomson TO9 and Thomson TO9+, from 1985 to 1989.

Versions

Based on the 1989 data book published by the company, the EF936x series was split into Graphics Controllers and Color Palette models.[6]

Graphics Controllers

  • EF9364 CRT Processor introduced in 1981[7][8][9][10]
  • EF9365 512×512 (interlaced), 256×256, 128×128, 64×64; 50 Hz[11][12][13]
  • EF9366 512×256 (noninterlaced); 50/60 Hz[11][12]
  • EF9367 1024×512 (interlaced), 1024x416 (interlaced); 50/60 Hz [11][14](capable of SECAM system output for the French market).[15]
  • SFF96364

Color Palette

  • EF9369 - 4-bit DACs (16 out of 4096 colors - 12-bit RGB), generating gamma corrected (gamma 2.8) voltages.[16]
  • TS9370 - 4-bit DACs (16 out of 4096 colors)[17]

Capabilities

  • Integrated DRAM controller
  • Linedrawing, with delta-x and delta-y limited to 255 each. Support for solid, dotted, dashed and dotted/dashed lines.
  • Built-in 5×8 pixel ASCII font.[18] Support for rendering tilted characters, and scaling by integer factors (no antialiasing)[12]
EF9365/6 Character Set
2x 3x 4x 5x 6x 7x
0 SP 0 @ P ‘ p
1 ! 1 A Q a q
2 " 2 B R b r
3 # 3 C S c s
4 $ 4 D T d t
5 % 5 E U e u
6 & 6 F V f v
7 ’ 7 G W g w
8 ( 8 H X h x
9 ) 9 I Y i y
A * : J Z j z
B + ; K [ k {
C , < L \ l |
D - = M ] m }
E . > N ↑ n ¬
F / ? O ← o ▒

The GPUs did not support direct access to the graphics memory, although a special command was provided to aid in implementing access to individual memory words.


See also

References

  1. ^ "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.
  2. ^ "IC Master". Hearst Business Communications. February 21, 1990 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ "Commodore High Speed Graphik Card for CBM 4000/8000 Series". 6502.org.
  4. ^ "PET-Grafikkarte Commodore ASSY No. 324402-01 für CBM 8296 - CBMPET.DE". www.cbmhardware.de. Archived from the original on 11 September 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  5. ^ Purcaru, Bogdan Ion (March 13, 2014). "Games vs. Hardware. The History of PC video games: The 80's". Purcaru Ion Bogdan – via Google Books.
  6. ^ "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.
  7. ^ "Mikrocomputerfibel, Vieweg, 1983" (PDF).
  8. ^ "IC Master". Hearst Business Communications. February 21, 1990 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ "Thomson EF9364 - MAME machine". adb.arcadeitalia.net.
  10. ^ "THOMSON SEMICONDUCTORS MICROPROCESSORS & PERIPHERALS Data Book 1984 reprint of 1st Edition 1981". matthieu.benoit.free.fr.
  11. ^ a b c "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.
  12. ^ a b c "EF9365 - EF9366, Thomson Semiconducteurs" (PDF).
  13. ^ "Datasheet Archive EF9365 datasheet download". www.datasheetarchive.com.
  14. ^ "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.
  15. ^ "West Europe Report: Science and Technology" (PDF). Foreign Broadcast Information Service. August 23, 1983. p. 7. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  16. ^ "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.
  17. ^ "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.
  18. ^ "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.

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