Super VGA
{{short description|Graphics display resolution}}
{{Infobox GPU
| name = Super VGA
| image = File:Vlb svga.jpg
| codename =
| created = {{Start date and age|1987|08|31}}
| transistors =
| architecture = Chips and Technologies 82c441, ET3000
| entry =
| midrange =
| highend =
| enthusiast =
| openglversion =
| d3dversion =
| predecessor = Video Graphics Array
| successor = XGA
| caption = Typical VLB SVGA card}}
Super VGA (SVGA) or Extended VGA is a broad term that covers a wide range of computer display standards that extended IBM's VGA specification.
{{cite book
| last = Ferraro
| first = Richard F.
| title = Programmer's Guide to the EGA and VGA Cards
| publisher = Addison-Wesley
| edition = 2nd
| date = 1990
| pages = 596
| language = English
| isbn = 0-201-57025-4
| quote="Nearly all VGA cards manufactured today exceed the VGA standard [...] in some significant way. These new and improved VGAs have been labeled Super VGAs, Extended VGAs or Advanced VGAs."}}
When used as shorthand for a resolution, as VGA and XGA often are, SVGA refers to a resolution of 800 × 600.{{Cite web|title=Projector Guide - Resolution {{!}} Epson US|url=https://epson.com/projector-guide-how-to-buy-a-projector-resolution|access-date=2020-08-17|website=epson.com}}
History
File:Vector_Video_Standards2.svg]]
In the late 1980s, after the release of IBM's VGA, third-party manufacturers began making graphics cards based on its specifications with extended capabilities. As these cards grew in popularity, they began to be referred to as "Super VGA".
This term was not an official standard, but a shorthand for enhanced VGA cards which had become common by 1988.{{Cite journal |last=Richter |first=Jake |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KjwEAAAAMBAJ&q=super%20VGA&pg=PA55 |title=High-Resolution Video Boards |journal=InfoWorld |volume=12 | number=29 |date=1990-07-16 |publisher=InfoWorld Media Group, Inc. |page=55 |issn=0199-6649}} The first cards that explicitly used the term were Genoa Systems's SuperVGA and SuperVGA HiRes in 1987.{{cite journal | last=Gabel | first=David | date=December 1, 1987 | url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A6108894/GPS?sid=wikipedia | title=Plug-compatible vendors take aim at VGA card | journal=PC Week | publisher=Ziff-Davis | volume=4 | issue=48 | page=148 | via=Gale}}
Super VGA cards broke compatibility with the IBM VGA standard, requiring software developers to provide specific display drivers and implementations for each card their software could operate on. Initially, the heavy restrictions this placed on software developers slowed the uptake of Super VGA cards, which motivated VESA to produce a unifying standard, the VESA BIOS Extensions (VBE), first introduced in 1989,{{Cite web |date=2013-12-11 |title=SUPER VGA BIOS EXTENSION Standard # VS891001 › Gemixtes |url=http://www.gemixtes.de/super-vga-bios-extension-standard-vs891001/ |access-date=2022-12-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211151957/http://www.gemixtes.de/super-vga-bios-extension-standard-vs891001/ |archive-date=2013-12-11 }} to provide a common software interface to all cards implementing the VBE specification.{{Cite book |url=https://cs.nyu.edu/~mwalfish/classes/14fa/ref/hardware/vbe3.pdf |title=VESA BIOS Extension (VBE) Core Functions Standard 3.0 |publisher=Video Electronics Standards Association |location=Milpitas, CA |date=16 September 1998 |pages=3}}
Eventually, Super VGA graphics adapters supported innumerable modes.
Specifications
File:640x400x256 ar corrected.png
The Super VGA standardized the following resolutions:
- 640 × 400 or 640 × 480 with 256 colors
- 800 × 600 with 24-bit color depth
- 1024 × 768 with 24-bit color depth
- 1280 × 1024 with 24-bit color depth
SVGA uses the same DE-15 VGA connector as the original standard, and otherwise operates over the same cabling and interfaces as VGA.
Early manufacturers
Some early Super VGA manufacturers and some of their models, where available:
- Ahead Technologies (Not related to Nero AG, formerly Ahead Software)
- Amdek: VGA ADAPTER/132 (Tseng Labs chipset){{Cite journal |first1=Robbin |last1=Juris |first2=Catherine |last2=Miller |first3=Salvatore |last3=Ricciardi |first4=Priscilla |last4=Tate-Austin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yFs-_3jT-5kC&dq=Amdek+VGA+ADAPTER%2F132&pg=PA98 |title=Small-Footprint 386 PCs |journal=PC Mag |date=1988-11-15 |publisher=Ziff Davis, Inc. |page=98 |volume=7 |number=2 |issn=0888-8507}}
- AST Research, Inc.: VGA Plus{{Cite web |last=stason.org |first=Stas Bekman: stas (at) |title=AST VGA PLUS (202262-001, 002, 003) video card Settings and Configuration |url=https://stason.org/TULARC/pc/graphics-cards/A-B/AST-RESEARCH-INC-VGA-AST-VGA-PLUS-202262-001-002-0.html |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=stason.org}} (rebranded Paradise)
- ATI Technologies: VIP (82C451),{{citation|publisher=Google Groups|title=Unknown ATI 8-bit videocard |url=http://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.video/browse_thread/thread/9ce1f240ef936bed/d0cdd054a555025a?hl=en&q=ati+vip+vga+1987#d0cdd054a555025a
}} VGA Wonder
- Chips and Technologies: 82C451
- Cirrus Logic: CL-GD410/420{{citation|publisher=Google Groups|title=Need info on old Video Seven VGA card|url=http://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.video/browse_thread/thread/ef80530a2413f6c2/d90301f6ebd1cc5a?hl=en&lnk=gst&q=cl-gd420#d90301f6ebd1cc5a
}}
- Compaq: VGC Board (Paradise chipset)
- Everex
- Genoa Systems: Genoa VGA 5100-5400{{Cite web |last=stason.org |first=Stas Bekman: stas (at) |title=SUPERVGA HIRES-10 5200-10, SUPERVGA 5100 video card Settings and Configuration |url=https://stason.org/TULARC/pc/graphics-cards/E-H/GENOA-SYSTEMS-CORPORATION-Monochrome-CGA-EGA-VGA-X-63.html |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=stason.org}} (ET3000){{Cite web |title=Motherboards/Laptops built-in graphics |url=https://pdos.csail.mit.edu/6.828/2008/readings/hardware/vgadoc/ADAPTERS.TXT}}
- Orchid Technology: Designer VGA{{Cite web |last=stason.org |first=Stas Bekman: stas (at) |title=DESIGNER VGA video card Settings and Configuration |url=https://stason.org/TULARC/pc/graphics-cards/M-O/ORCHID-TECHNOLOGY-Monochrome-CGA-EGA-VGA-DESIGNER.html |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=stason.org}} (ET3000), Pro Designer Plus
- Western Digital's Paradise Inc.: VGA Plus{{Cite web |last=stason.org |first=Stas Bekman: stas (at) |title=PARADISE VGA PLUS 16 video card Settings and Configuration |url=https://stason.org/TULARC/pc/graphics-cards/U-Z/WESTERN-DIGITAL-CORPORATION-VGA-PARADISE-VGA-PLUS.html |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=stason.org}} (PVGA1), VGA Plus 16, VGA Pro
- Sigma Designs: SigmaVGA (ET3000)
- STB Systems: VGA Extra/EM (ET3000),{{citation|publisher=Google Groups|title=VGA, or what to do with my tax return! |url=http://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.ibm.pc/browse_thread/thread/24af0c8ca383895d/6c4674e7630406aa?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&o}}{{citation|publisher=Google Groups|title=VGA monitor and adapter choices|url=http://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.ibm.pc/browse_thread/thread/7119a47881f1514f/387d6dd0d0b54b13?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=video+7+fastwrite+vga+-agp#387d6dd0d0b54b13
}}
- Video Seven: V-RAM VGA{{citation|publisher=Google Groups|title=IBM's EGA and VGA|url=http://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.ibm.pc.classic/browse_thread/thread/3bea22bda75361c9/78d878af189f3f89?hl=en&q=V-RAM+VGA+1988#78d878af189f3f89
}}
- Willow Peripherals: VGA-TV/Publisher's, VGA-TV + Genlock{{Cite journal |last=Poor |first=Alfred |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CbsaONN5y1IC&dq=Willow%3A+VGA-TV%2FPublisher%27s+-wiki&pg=PP160 |title=VGA and NTSC: Putting your Program on TV |journal=PC Mag |date=July 1989 |volume=8 |number=13 |publisher=Ziff Davis, Inc. |pages=158 |issn=0888-8507}}
- Trident Microsystems: TVGA8800, TVGA8900, and TVGA9000 series
Gallery
File:ALiCat MV3147V.JPG|ALiCat M3147V SVGA video card
File:Cirrus Logic GD5429 VLB.jpg|Cirrus Logic GD5429 VLB SVGA video card
File:Igs1682.jpg|Early 1996 IGS IGA1682_A PCI SVGA video card
File:S3 805 VLB.jpg|S3 805 VLB SVGA video card
File:WDC Video ISA.jpg|WDC ISA SVGA video card
References
{{reflist}}
{{Commons category|SVGA}}
{{Computer display standard}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Super Video Graphics Array}}