Orchid Graphics Adapter

{{Short description|Graphics board for IBM PC compatibles, released in 1982 by Orchid Technology}}

{{Infobox GPU

| name = Orchid Graphics Adapter

| image =

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| created = {{Start date and age|1982}}

| transistors =

| entry = Orchid Graphics Adapter

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| predecessor = MDA

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}}

File:Hercules_graphics_simulated_image.png

File:Hercules_graphics_(aspect_ratio_corrected).png]]

The Orchid Graphics Adapter is a graphics board for IBM PC compatible computers, released in 1982 by Orchid Technology.{{Cite news |last=Zussman |first=John |date=October 11, 1982 |title=IBM PC compatibility is focus at PC+1 convention |pages=3,5 |work=InfoWorld |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CzAEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Orchid+Graphics+Adapter+1982+-wiki&pg=PA5}}{{Cite web |last=Elliott |first=John |date=January 2023 |title=Miscellaneous Video Cards - Orchid Graphics Adapter |url=https://www.seasip.info/VintagePC/miscvideo.html#orchid |access-date=2023-04-17 |website=John Elliott's homepage}}

It was intended to provide high resolution (at the time) monochrome graphic abilities to computers limited to text displays. It was aimed at the business market and one of the three first third party graphic boards for PCs (the others being Plantronics Colorplus and Hercules Graphics Card).{{Cite news |last=Machrone |first=Bill |date=July 1983 |title=Three Alternative Graphics Boards |pages=435–438 |work=PC Magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V2588uIxmAQC&dq=%22Orchid+Graphics+Adapter%22+-wiki&pg=PA435}}

It offered a monochrome 720 × 350 pixel resolution (similar to Hercules Graphics Card){{Cite news |last=Pointing |first=Bob |date=June 26, 1989 |title=High-Resolution Standard Is Latest Step in DOS Graphics Evolution |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lTAEAAAAMBAJ&q=infoworld+1982+hercules&pg=PT47 |work=InfoWorld |pages=48}} and required an existing MDA board to function.{{Cite news |date=October 1982 |title=PC owners - don't get left behind... expand your horizons ! (Orchid Graphics Adapter Advert) |pages=203 |work=PC Magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WYnHD9WSWdAC&dq=Orchid+Graphics+Adapter+1982+-wiki&pg=RA2-PA203}} The board also offered an IBM PC joystick adapter.

No software, other than GSX-86{{Cite web |date=2016 |title=CP/M86 1.1 IBM-PC software |url=http://maben.homeip.net/static/S100/software/DRI/code/concurrent%20CPM86%201.1%20IBMPC/GSXDSK1/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808202745/http://maben.homeip.net/static/S100/software/DRI/code/concurrent%20CPM86%201.1%20IBMPC/GSXDSK1/ |archive-date=2016-08-08 |access-date=2016-06-04}} and that supplied with the board (Dr. Halo by Media Cybernetics),{{Cite news |date=August 27, 1984 |title=SOFT - Media Cybernetics Inc. Dr. Halo |pages=63 |work=Computerworld |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xyjys2kz1RQC&dq=HALO+Media+Cybernetics+Orchid&pg=RA1-PA63}}{{Cite news |date=September 1983 |title=A colorful HALO |pages=67 |work=PC Magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mt9tF7XMFX4C&dq=Orchid+Graphics+Adapter+1982+-wiki&pg=PA67}} offered support for the hardware. Graphic routines could be called from FORTRAN, PASCAL or IBM BASIC.