G364 framebuffer
Encyclopedia
The G364 framebuffer was a line of graphics adapters using the SGS Thomson INMOS G364 chipset, produced by INMOS
(known for their transputer and eventually acquired by SGS Thomson and incorporated into STMicroelectronics
) in the early 1990s. The G364 included a RAMDAC
and a 64-bit interface to VRAM graphical memory to implement a framebuffer
, but did not include any hardware-based graphical acceleration other than a hardware cursor function.
The G364 was largely similar in design and functionality to the G300 framebuffer, but had a 64-bit VRAM interface instead of the slower 32-bit interface of the lower-price G300.
The INMOS G364 is quite similar to the G332 found on the Personal DECstation.
Although the G364 was capable of providing comparatively high resolution output (up to 1600×1200 pixels at 8 bits-per-pixel, in many cases) typically achieved only in Unix
workstations such as those of Sun Microsystems
or SGI
, it was not a popular chipset for the personal computer
manufacturers of the early 1990s and was not adopted by any major workstation manufacturers.
The G364 framebuffer found use in an after-market Commodore Amiga graphics card, and as the primary graphics system sold with the MIPS Magnum 4000
series of MIPS-based
Windows NT
workstations.
Amiga cards based on the G364:
INMOS
Inmos Limited was a British semiconductor company, founded by Iann Barron, with both the head office and the design office at Aztec West in Bristol, it was incorporated in November 1978.- Products :...
(known for their transputer and eventually acquired by SGS Thomson and incorporated into STMicroelectronics
STMicroelectronics
STMicroelectronics is an Italian-French electronics and semiconductor manufacturer headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.While STMicroelectronics corporate headquarters and the headquarters for EMEA region are based in Geneva, the holding company, STMicroelectronics N.V. is registered in Amsterdam,...
) in the early 1990s. The G364 included a RAMDAC
RAMDAC
Random Access Memory Digital-to-Analog Converter is a combination of three fast DACs with a small SRAM used in computer graphics display adapters to store the color palette and to generate the analog signals to drive a color monitor...
and a 64-bit interface to VRAM graphical memory to implement a framebuffer
Framebuffer
A framebuffer is a video output device that drives a video display from a memory buffer containing a complete frame of data.The information in the memory buffer typically consists of color values for every pixel on the screen...
, but did not include any hardware-based graphical acceleration other than a hardware cursor function.
The G364 was largely similar in design and functionality to the G300 framebuffer, but had a 64-bit VRAM interface instead of the slower 32-bit interface of the lower-price G300.
The INMOS G364 is quite similar to the G332 found on the Personal DECstation.
Although the G364 was capable of providing comparatively high resolution output (up to 1600×1200 pixels at 8 bits-per-pixel, in many cases) typically achieved only in Unix
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
workstations such as those of Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...
or SGI
Silicon Graphics
Silicon Graphics, Inc. was a manufacturer of high-performance computing solutions, including computer hardware and software, founded in 1981 by Jim Clark...
, it was not a popular chipset for the personal computer
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
manufacturers of the early 1990s and was not adopted by any major workstation manufacturers.
The G364 framebuffer found use in an after-market Commodore Amiga graphics card, and as the primary graphics system sold with the MIPS Magnum 4000
MIPS Magnum
The MIPS Magnum was a line of computer workstations designed by MIPS Computer Systems, Inc. and based on the MIPS series of RISC microprocessors. The first Magnum was released in March, 1990, and production of various models continued until 1993 when SGI bought MIPS Technologies. SGI cancelled the...
series of MIPS-based
MIPS architecture
MIPS is a reduced instruction set computer instruction set architecture developed by MIPS Technologies . The early MIPS architectures were 32-bit, and later versions were 64-bit...
Windows NT
Windows NT
Windows NT is a family of operating systems produced by Microsoft, the first version of which was released in July 1993. It was a powerful high-level-language-based, processor-independent, multiprocessing, multiuser operating system with features comparable to Unix. It was intended to complement...
workstations.
Amiga cards based on the G364:
- EGS SPECTRUM 110/24
- Rainbow III
- Visiona Paint (G300)
See also
- FramebufferFramebufferA framebuffer is a video output device that drives a video display from a memory buffer containing a complete frame of data.The information in the memory buffer typically consists of color values for every pixel on the screen...
- Graphics card
- Graphics processing unitGraphics processing unitA graphics processing unit or GPU is a specialized circuit designed to rapidly manipulate and alter memory in such a way so as to accelerate the building of images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display...