Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

1980–1995 the Progenitors: Graphics Controller on PCs

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The History of the GPU - Steps to Invention

  • 729 Accesses

Abstract

The previous chapters laid the necessary groundwork for understanding how the modern GPU works. This chapter will introduce the creative, groundbreaking work done by engineers, mathematicians, researchers, electronics experts, and software programmers to solve the problems of getting computer graphics to the screen faster and with more complexity. In these stories, you’ll meet visionaries, geniuses, and very hard workers.

“Many people in the industry now say if you look at the insides of graphics processing units, many of the ideas started out with the Pixel Planes series of machines.”—Henry Fuchs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 44.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Peddie, J. Famous Graphics Chips: IBM’s XGA, IEEE Computer Society, https://www.computer.org/publications/tech-news/chasing-pixels/famous-graphics-chips-ibms-xga.

  2. 2.

    Necasek, M. The XGA Graphics Chip, OS/2 Museum, (March 19, 2013), http://www.os2museum.com/wp/the-xga-graphics-chip/.

  3. 3.

    Hypercube, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypercube.

References

  1. Nico, K. Big Blue Reneges on Plan to Sell XGA Chips, Infoworld, pp5, (April 1, 1991), https://tinyurl.com/twec7m7s.

  2. Corcoran, C. IBM XGA Standard Flounders as Users Buy GUI Accelerators, Infoworld, 8, (December 28, 1992).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Peddie, J. Famous Graphics Chips: The Integrated Graphics Controller, IEEE Computer Society, https://www.computer.org/publications/tech-news/chasing-pixels/the-integrated-graphics-controller.

  4. Peddie, J. TriTech Pyramid3D 250x 3D controllers, PC Graphics Report, Volume IX, Number 44, pp 1434, (October 29,1996).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Eerola, V. Pyramid3DTM Real-time Graphics Processor, IEEE Hotchips, (August 26, 1997), https://old.hotchips.org/wp-content/uploads/hc_archives/hc09/3_Tue/HC9.S10/HC9.10.3.pdf.

  6. Briz, B. Microsoft to License TriTech Microelectronics 3-D Graphics Technology, (March 25, 1998), https://news.microsoft.com/1998/03/25/microsoft-to-license-tritech-microelectronics-3-d-graphics-technology/.

  7. CBR Staff Writer, Tritech Withdraws from 3D Graphics Chip Race, Tech Monitor, (May 17, 1998), https://techmonitor.ai/technology/tritech_withdraws_from_3d_graphics_chip_race.

  8. Crystal Semicond. v. Tritech Microelec, https://casetext.com/case/crystal-semicond-v-tritech-microelec.

  9. Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing 1999 Annual Report, http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/irol/93/93866/reports/CHRT_1999_AR.pdf.

  10. Peddie, J. Famous Graphics Chips: Artist Graphics GPX, IEEE Computer Society, https://www.computer.org/publications/tech-news/chasing-pixels/artist-graphics-gpx.

  11. Peddie, J. Famous Graphics Chips: Number Nine’s Imagine 128, IEEE Computer Society, https://www.computer.org/publications/tech-news/chasing-pixels/famous-graphics-chips-number-nines-imagine-128.

  12. Number Nine Visual Technology Company History, Number Nine Visual Technology, (1999), https://web.archive.org/web/19990117083724/http://www.nine.com/about.html.

  13. Bruno, F. Open Source Graphics Processor (GPU), Kickstarter, https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/725991125/open-Source:-graphics-processor-gpu.

  14. Radius Inc. Company-Histories.com, https://www.company-histories.com/Radius-Inc-Company-History.html.

  15. Borrel, J. Verbatum: An interview with Mike Boich, president Radius Corporation, Macworld, Vol. 5 no. 3. p. 81–03, (March, 1988), https://archive.org/details/MacWorld_8803_March_1988/page/n83/mode/2up?q=boich.

  16. Gengo, L. Rapidly Rising Radius Moving into Its Second Mansion, Business Journal-San Jose, p. 9, (September 5, 1988).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Carmack, J. The rendition 3d accelerated version of Quake looks very good. (Aug 22, 1996), John Carmack Archive - plan (1996), (March 18, 2007), https://fabiensanglard.net/fd_proxy/doom3/pdfs/johnc-plan_1996.pdf.

  18. Podell, S. VQuake, BSS post (October 30, 1997), https://www.vogonswiki.com/index.php/VQuake#Details.

  19. Peddie, J. Rendition introduces Verité 2000 family, The Peddie Report, (August 16, 1997).

    Google Scholar 

  20. Foremski, T. (June 25, 1990) Micron Technology to acquire Rendition, https://tinyurl.com/ca35na7s.

  21. Peddie, J. Famous Graphics Chips: Stellar—RSSI (1993 – 2000), IEEE Computer Society, https://www.computer.org/publications/tech-news/chasing-pixels/stellar-rssi-1993-2000.

  22. Peddie, J. (August 13, 1996) S-MOS dates Tseng PC Graphics Report, Volume IX, Number 33 pp 1125.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Fischer, A. S-MOS and Reality Simulation Systems partner for 3D, PC Graphics Report, Volume IX, Number 15. pp 500, (April 9, 1996)..

    Google Scholar 

  24. Brown, P. A Stellar Market Entrance—Stellar Semiconductor, Electronic News, (1998) https://indexarticles.com/business/electronic-news/a-stellar-market-entrance-stellar-semiconductor/.

  25. Stellar Semiconductors - 3D Graphics Processors, Pinestream Consulting Group, (1997), http://www.pinestream.com/demodetail/1184/Stellar-Semiconductors.

  26. Fisher, A. Stellar Semiconductor now open for business, The Peddie Report, Volume XI, Number 11, pp 339, (March 23, 1998).

    Google Scholar 

  27. Peter, C. Stellar and Sican Team Up on Cores, EETimes, (November 3, 1999) http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG19991103S0011.

  28. Thomas, M. Broadcom acquires 3D graphics technology, Electronics Weekly, (March 3, 2000) https://www.electronicsweekly.com/news/archived/resources-archived/broadcom-acquires-3d-graphics-technology-2000-03/.

  29. SBN News Staff, Broadcom Buys Stellar Semiconductor to Expand into 3D, EETimes, (March 3, 2000), https://www.eetimes.com/broadcom-buys-stellar-semiconductor-to-expand-into-3D/.

  30. Broadcom acquires Stellar Semiconductor to expand 3-D offerings EETimes, (March 2, 2000), https://www.eetimes.com/broadcom-acquires-stellar-semiconductor-to-expand-3-d-offerings/.

  31. Lorne Trottier Acquires Full Ownership of Matrox, to Lead New Era of Tech Innovation, Matrox, (September 6, 2019), https://www.matrox.com/en/video/media/press-releases/lorne-trottier-acquires-full-ownership-matrox-to-lead-new-era-tech-innovation.

  32. Peddie, J. Famous Graphics Chips: Matrox MGA, IEEE Computer Society, https://www.computer.org/publications/tech-news/chasing-pixels/matrox-mga.

  33. Arial, T. Lorne Trottier’s Ever-Expanding Universe, The Montrealer, (March 3, 2017), https://themontrealeronline.com/2017/03/lorne-trottier-ever-expanding-universe/.

  34. Tile-Based Deferred Rendering (TBDR), https://docs.imgtec.com/PowerVR_Architecture/topics/powervr_architecture_tile_based_deferred_rendering__tbdr.html.

  35. Introduction to PowerVR for Developers, (December 5, 2021), http://cdn.imgtec.com/sdk-documentation/Introduction_to_PowerVR_for_Developers.pdf.

  36. Warnock, J. A Hidden Surface Algorithm for Computer Generated Halftone Pictures (doctoral thesis, University of Utah, 1969).

    Google Scholar 

  37. Cohen, J. Virtual Worlds, Computer Science 600.460, Johns Hopkins University, (Spring 2000), https://www.cs.jhu.edu/~cohen/VW2000/syllabus.html.

  38. Peddie, J. NEC Introduces 3D Graphics Processor Family, The PC Graphics Report 9, no. 9. (February 27, 1996).

    Google Scholar 

  39. Peddie, J. NEC and Compaq Choose Sides for the 3D Tournament, The PC Graphics Report, 9, no. 20, (May 14, 1996).

    Google Scholar 

  40. Peddie, J. NEC shows PCX2, The PC Graphics Rport, Volume X, Number 12, pp 351, (March 25 1997).

    Google Scholar 

  41. Hill, J. and Jan Ozer, J. 3-D Showdown, PC Mag, (June 24, 1997), https://tinyurl.com/y8535krm.

  42. Mullen, M. NEC Begins Sampling PowerVR 250, Gamspot, (April 28, 2000), https://www.gamespot.com/articles/nec-begins-sampling-powervr-250/1100-2465730/.

  43. Maximum PC, (February 1999), https://tinyurl.com/2uzdzpfh.

  44. Taken, F. PowerVR 250 Details!, Tweakers, (December 2, 1998), https://tweakers.net/nieuws/164/powervr-250-details.html.

  45. Downey, S. Neon Dead on Arrival, Maximum PC, 86, (January 2000), https://tinyurl.com/b7z59d4w.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jon Peddie Research, Tiburon, CA, USA

    Jon Peddie

Authors
  1. Jon Peddie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jon Peddie .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Peddie, J. (2022). 1980–1995 the Progenitors: Graphics Controller on PCs. In: The History of the GPU - Steps to Invention. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10968-3_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10968-3_4

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-10967-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-10968-3

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation