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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 with slightly different capabilities.[2]

The first version, EF9364 CRT Processor, was introduced in 1981.[3]

In 1982 Commodore released a "High Resolution Graphics" board for the PET based on the EF9365 and EF9366 chips, allowing it to display 512 × 512 or 512 × 256 resolution graphics.[4][5][6] 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.[7]

Version EF9369, introduced in 1984, was used on computers such as the Thomson MO5NR[8], MO6[9], TO8,[10] TO9[11] and TO9+,[12] and from 1985 to 1989 on the DAI Personal Computer.

Versions

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Based on the 1989 data book published by the company, the EF936x series was split into Graphics Controllers and Color Palette models:[13]

Graphics Controllers

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Color Palette

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Capabilities

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  • Integrated DRAM controller
  • Line drawing, with delta-x and delta-y limited to 255 each. Support for solid, dotted, dashed and dotted/dashed lines.[22]
  • Built-in 5 × 8 pixel ASCII font.[40] Support for rendering tilted characters, and scaling by integer factors (no antialiasing)[19]
  • 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.

Character Set

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The Thomson EF9365/6 used the following character, displayed with a 5 × 8 pixel font:[40][19]

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 ▒

See also

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References

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  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. ^ a b "THOMSON SEMICONDUCTORS MICROPROCESSORS & PERIPHERALS Data Book 1984 reprint of 1st Edition 1981". matthieu.benoit.free.fr.
  4. ^ "Commodore High Speed Graphik Card for CBM 4000/8000 Series". 6502.org.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ Purcaru, Bogdan Ion (March 13, 2014). "Games vs. Hardware. The History of PC video games: The 80's". Purcaru Ion Bogdan – via Google Books.
  7. ^ Plate, Jurgen (October 1984). "Mikrocomputer: Zur Fernsehserie" (PDF). ELO: 46.
  8. ^ "Thomson MO5 NR". www.silicium.org. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  9. ^ "Thomson MO6 Guide, 1986" (PDF). musee-des-jeux-video.com.
  10. ^ "TO8 Circuit Diagram".
  11. ^ "TO 9 Thomson". www.old-computers.com. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  12. ^ "TO 9 PLUS Thomson". www.old-computers.com. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  13. ^ "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.
  14. ^ Clements, Alan (1982). Microcomputer Design and Construction: Building Your Own System with the Motorola 6800. Prentice-Hall International. ISBN 978-0-13-580738-5.
  15. ^ Electronic Engineering. Morgan-Grampian. 1981.
  16. ^ "Mikrocomputerfibel, Vieweg, 1983" (PDF).
  17. ^ "IC Master". Hearst Business Communications. February 21, 1990 – via Google Books.
  18. ^ "Thomson EF9364 - MAME machine". adb.arcadeitalia.net.
  19. ^ a b c d "EF9365 - EF9366, Thomson Semiconducteurs" (PDF).
  20. ^ "Datasheet Archive EF9365 datasheet download". www.datasheetarchive.com.
  21. ^ Ferguson, John D. (1985). Microprocessor Systems Engineering. Addison-Wesley. ISBN 978-0-201-14657-8.
  22. ^ a b Money, S. A. (2014-05-10). Microprocessor Data Book. Academic Press. ISBN 978-1-4832-6870-5.
  23. ^ a b "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.
  24. ^ Electronics Industry. 1986.
  25. ^ Electronic Design. Hayden Publishing Company. 1986.
  26. ^ "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.
  27. ^ 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.
  28. ^ Electronic Engineering. Morgan-Grampian. 1987.
  29. ^ "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.
  30. ^ "SFF 96364, Tube SFF96364; Röhre SFF 96364 ID52104, Solid-Sta". www.radiomuseum.org. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  31. ^ Display circuit and interface module SFF96364 (PDF). SESCOSEM.
  32. ^ "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.
  33. ^ EDN, Electrical Design News. Rogers Publishing Company. 1980.
  34. ^ Wireless World and Radio Review. Dorset House. 1979.
  35. ^ Computer Design. Computer Design Publishing Corporation. 1978.
  36. ^ "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.
  37. ^ ElectronicsWeek. McGraw-Hill. 1984.
  38. ^ Electronics Industry. February 1985.
  39. ^ "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.
  40. ^ a b "SGS-Thomson, Graphic Processors Databook, 1st Edition, March 89" (PDF). bitsavers.org.
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