Thomson EF936x

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).

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

There are various versions of the chip (EF9364,[2][3][4][5][6][7] EF9365,[8][9][10] EF9366,[11][12][10] EF9367,[13][14][15] SFF96364,[16][17][18] EF9369[19][20][21]),[22] 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 512 x 512 or 512 x 256 resolution graphics.[23][24][25] 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.[26]

Version EF9369 was used on computers such as the Thomson MO5NR[27], MO6[28], TO8,[29] TO9[30] and TO9+,[31] and from 1985 to 1989 on the DAI Personal Computer.

Versions

Based on the 1989 data book published by the company, the EF936x series was split into Graphics Controllers and Color Palette models.[32]

Graphics Controllers

  • EF9364 CRT Processor introduced in 1981
  • EF9365 512×512 (interlaced), 256×256, 128×128, 64×64; 50 Hz[33][34]
  • EF9366 512×256 (noninterlaced); 50/60 Hz[33]
  • EF9367 1024×512 (interlaced), 1024x416 (interlaced); 50/60 Hz (capable of SECAM system output for the French market).[35]
  • SFF96364[36][37][38]

Color Palette

  • EF9369 - 4-bit DACs (16 out of 4096 colors - 12-bit RGB), generating gamma corrected (gamma 2.8) voltages.[21]
  • TS9370 - 4-bit DACs (16 out of 4096 colors)[39]

Capabilities
  • Integrated DRAM controller
  • Line drawing, with delta-x and delta-y limited to 255 each. Support for solid, dotted, dashed and dotted/dashed lines.[9]
  • Built-in 5×8 pixel ASCII font.[40] Support for rendering tilted characters, and scaling by integer factors (no antialiasing)[33]
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. Clements, Alan (1982). Microcomputer Design and Construction: Building Your Own System with the Motorola 6800. Prentice-Hall International. ISBN 978-0-13-580738-5.
  3. Electronic Engineering. Morgan-Grampian. 1981.
  4. "Mikrocomputerfibel, Vieweg, 1983" (PDF).
  5. "IC Master". Hearst Business Communications. February 21, 1990 – via Google Books.
  6. "Thomson EF9364 - MAME machine". adb.arcadeitalia.net.
  7. "THOMSON SEMICONDUCTORS MICROPROCESSORS & PERIPHERALS Data Book 1984 reprint of 1st Edition 1981". matthieu.benoit.free.fr.
  8. Ferguson, John D. (1985). Microprocessor Systems Engineering. Addison-Wesley. ISBN 978-0-201-14657-8.
  9. Money, S. A. (2014-05-10). Microprocessor Data Book. Academic Press. ISBN 978-1-4832-6870-5.
  10. "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.
  11. Electronics Industry. 1986.
  12. Electronic Design. Hayden Publishing Company. 1986.
  13. Maréchal, Guy (1987). EUROGRAPHICS '87: Proceedings of the European Computer Graphics Conference and Exhibition, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 24-28, August, 1987. North-Holland. ISBN 978-0-444-70291-3.
  14. Electronic Engineering. Morgan-Grampian. 1987.
  15. "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.
  16. EDN, Electrical Design News. Rogers Publishing Company. 1980.
  17. Wireless World and Radio Review. Dorset House. 1979.
  18. Computer Design. Computer Design Publishing Corporation. 1978.
  19. ElectronicsWeek. McGraw-Hill. 1984.
  20. Electronics Industry. February 1985.
  21. "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.
  22. "IC Master". Hearst Business Communications. February 21, 1990 – via Google Books.
  23. "Commodore High Speed Graphik Card for CBM 4000/8000 Series". 6502.org.
  24. "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.
  25. Purcaru, Bogdan Ion (March 13, 2014). "Games vs. Hardware. The History of PC video games: The 80's". Purcaru Ion Bogdan – via Google Books.
  26. Plate, Jurgen (October 1984). "Mikrocomputer: Zur Fernsehserie" (PDF). ELO: 46.
  27. "Thomson MO5 NR". www.silicium.org. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  28. "Thomson MO6 Guide, 1986" (PDF). musee-des-jeux-video.com.
  29. "TO8 Circuit Diagram".
  30. "TO 9 Thomson". www.old-computers.com. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  31. "TO 9 PLUS Thomson". www.old-computers.com. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  32. "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.
  33. "EF9365 - EF9366, Thomson Semiconducteurs" (PDF).
  34. "Datasheet Archive EF9365 datasheet download". www.datasheetarchive.com.
  35. "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.
  36. "SFF 96364, Tube SFF96364; Röhre SFF 96364 ID52104, Solid-Sta". www.radiomuseum.org. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  37. Display circuit and interface module SFF96364 (PDF). SESCOSEM.
  38. "Micro Systèmes n°6 jui/aoû 1979 - Page 50 - 51 - Micro Systèmes n°6 jui/aoû 1979 - Micro Systèmes - informatique grand public - informatique et réseaux - Sciences et Techniques - 1001mags - Magazines en PDF à 1 € et GRATUITS !". fr.1001mags.com. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  39. "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.
  40. "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.


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