Thomson EF936x

The Thomson EF936x series is a type of Graphic Display Processor (GDP).[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.

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

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 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 1986 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[7]
  • EF9365 512×512 (interlaced), 256×256, 128×128, 64×64; 50 Hz[8]
  • EF9366 512×256 (noninterlaced); 50/60 Hz[8]
  • EF9367 1024×512 (interlaced), 1024x416 (interlaced); 50/60 Hz [8][9]
    • Thomson-EFCIS marketed a competing part, the EF 9367, that offered different features for the French market (which used the SECAM video format).[10]
  • SFF96364

Color Palette

  • EF9369 - 4-bit DACs (16 out of 4096 colors), generated gamma corrected (gamma 2.8) voltages.[11]
  • TS9370 - 4-bit DACs (16 out of 4096 colors)[12]

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.[13] Support for rendering tilted characters, and scaling by integer factors (no antialiasing)
  • Clear screen
  • Light Pen support

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. "Archived copy". www.cbmhardware.de. Archived from the original on 11 September 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  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. "IC Master". Hearst Business Communications. February 21, 1990 – via Google Books.
  8. "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.
  9. "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.
  10. "West Europe Report: Science and Technology" (PDF). Foreign Broadcast Information Service. August 23, 1983. p. 7. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  11. "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.
  12. "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.
  13. "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.


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