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8bit Friendly ISA VGA cards

Erik

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[wiki="File:Oti_01.jpg"]200px|thumb|top|an example of a Video Card, in this case an Oak OTI037C[/wiki]

Here's a place to list and document any 16-bit ISA VGA cards that work in 8-bit ISA slots.
There are a few VGA cards that are manufactured as 16-bit ISA, but will function properly in an 8-bit ISA slot. Some cards may require a jumper change or other modifications to work in an 8-bit ISA slot. Please post any information you may have here.

WARNING: Some 16-bit cards are advertised as being 8-bit compatible, but require a 286 or better CPU, i.e. designed for an 8-bit slot in an AT class computer.

WARNING: Be aware of clone cards. So for example, just because the VGA card's main chip is labelled "Trident TVGA9000i" does not mean that the card is a Trident TVGA9000i. The card could be an ACME 1234, a card not made by Trident, but uses the Trident TVGA9000i chip, and has an on-board BIOS that requires a 286 or better CPU.

[h="1"]ATI[/h]
  • VGA Wonder (autosense)
  • Mach-8 (JU1 to position 2/3)
  • Ultra (JU1 to position 2/3)
[h="1"]Cirrus Logic[/h]
  • CL-GD5320 chipset (JP6 to position 1/2)
  • CL-GD5402 chipset (autosense)
  • CL-GD5401 chipset (autosense)
  • GD5426
[h="1"]IBM[/h]
  • Gotham Pass 4 TV/VGA Output.
[h="1"]Oak Technology[/h]
  • OTI037C
  • OTI067 (autosense)
  • OTI077
[h="1"]Trident[/h]
  • TVGA 8800CS (one or more jumpers have to be changed, Information varies)
  • TVGA 8900C - auto detects 8 bit. Successfully tested on IBM PS/2 Model 30 8086.
  • TVGA 8900D - Manual [here] indicates compatibility with "486, 386, 286 and PC compatibles" and that jumpers need to be changed for 8-bit operation.
  • TVGA 8900CL - Jumper settings that work on a Zenith 4MHz 8088 are: J1=on, J2=off, J6=on, J7=on, J8=on, J10-->J9=off,on,on,on (left to right) Note that the card did not work on a generic turbo 8088 board.
  • TVGA 9000B - From archeocomp: For 8-bit operation, all three jumpers on J9 need to be on. archeocomp verified 8-bit operation in an XT.
  • TVGA 9000C - From Caluser2000: "Connected the jumpers to J9 then had to remove the one off J10(blue) towards the rear ... and it worked in the 8 bit slot on the 286."
  • TVGA 9000C MKII - From modem7: Second version of 9000C - Jumper settings for 8-bit operation in manual [here] - Works in an 8-bit slot in my IBM AT. Does not work in my IBM XT or in my XT clone.
  • TVGA 9000I - Manual [here] indicates compatibility with "486, 386, 286 and PC compatibles" and that jumpers need to be changed for 8-bit operation.
[h="1"]TSENG[/h]
  • ET4000 chipset XVGA based card from Focus Information Systems Inc. (autosense)
  • ET4000 chipset from Diamond Speedstar. (switches 1/3 off)
[h="1"]Western Digital[/h]
  • Paradise VGA Professional Card (autosense, WD PVGA1B chipset)
  • Paradise 4088
  • Paradise 4089
  • Paradise88 VGA
[h="1"]Unknown Manufacter[/h]
  • AVGA1 chipset, FCC NO:EUNLEOVGA-10710 (autosense)
[h="1"]Video Seven[/h]
[wiki]Category:ISA cards[/wiki]
 
In general Cirrus Logic CL-GD542x cards (including CL-GD5426) are not 8-bit ISA compatible. CL-GD522x cards normally use unlatched LA23-LA17 signals and BALE, and while it could be possible that LA19-LA17 can be substituted with latched SA19-SA17 address lines and LA23-LA20 simply grounded I never seen a card that does so.
 
You can add whatever this card is to the list.
h8003-10
35 2383 21
702388b

Has a AMI BIOS. Anyone know what it is?

14353454595_14466a9f2f_b.jpg
 
I have an Octek EVGA-16 REV 2.1 VGA card that works fine in my XT. It uses a Chips & Technologies chipset (82C451) and has a 451 VGA BIOS.
 
I've extensively used a Video 7 VGA 1024i (Headland Technologies based) and an MCT-VGA-16 (Paradise based) in 8-bit slots and with 8088s.
 
I got a Paradise PVGA1A 8-bit ISA card, which works fine in my IBM PC/XT 5160 (and Commodore PC20-III, but that should be less surprising).
 
Last edited:
Hello,

I just tried an ATI MACH32 16 bit on my Tandy 1000 TX and it seems to work fine. In the past, I also had the occasion to try a Realtek RTG 3106 and it was also working fine as far as I can remember.
 
Any 8Bit or 16Bit VGA-Cards known that offer a Serial-, a PS/2 or a Busmouse-Connector?
(thoght about using it in the PC side of an A2000 with a Bridgeboard AA286)
 
Hi,

Today i tested some ISA-16 videocards with Juko ST XT turbo board with NEC V20 and 8088 CPUs. I tried Trident TVGA8900D, Trident TVGA9000C and Realtek RT3105E. Both Trident's card without success. With TVGA9000C i tried to change the video-BIOS from version 4.3 to 4.5 without positive result. Also i tried change "Slow mode address detect"/"Fast mode address detect", "Standart BIOS wait states"/"Extended BIOS wait states" hardware config with help pull-down resistors. No result. Work perfect in 386 board ISA-8 slot and don't working at XT board at all. I don't know which differences...

So, Realtek RT3105E video-card work good in XT isa-8 bit slot. No jumpers on the board, full auto-detect.

9f9f18303f0d4687bee570cd4e2fa4d0.JPG
 
Work perfect in 386 board ISA-8 slot and don't working at XT board at all. I don't know which differences...

Makes you wonder... Perhaps it uses 286+ instructions in its BIOS code?
That's the only logical explanation I can think of, if it works in an 8-bit slot on a 386.
 
Makes you wonder... Perhaps it uses 286+ instructions in its BIOS code?
That's the only logical explanation I can think of, if it works in an 8-bit slot on a 386.

Unfortunately, i don't think so... I tried load trident BIOS on the 8088 emulator (PCEm) and its worked wery well.
 
Unfortunately, i don't think so... I tried load trident BIOS on the 8088 emulator (PCEm) and its worked wery well.

I've seen plenty of code that works fine in emulators, but was completely broken on real hardware :)
PCem doesn't simulate the FPU interface of an 8088/8086 properly, for example.
 
I've seen plenty of code that works fine in emulators, but was completely broken on real hardware :)
PCem doesn't simulate the FPU interface of an 8088/8086 properly, for example.

Yep, i know but it is not suitable for the current situation. I do some experements: i modify Super PC/XT BIOS, part checking ROM-extensions and their checksums. I added sound notification long beep-short beep-long beep if add-rom bios checksum failed:

Code:
	call	checksum_entry			; Find ROM checksum
	;jnz	@@bad_rom			;   bad ROM
jz load_rom
	push bx
	mov	bl, 2				;   long beep
	call	beep
	mov	bl, 1				;   short beep
	call	beep
	mov	bl, 2				;   long beep
	call	beep
	pop bx
           jmp @@bad_rom         ; go away
load_rom:

and... i listen long-short-long beep when Trident card inserted into my XT board.. So, main BIOS found 0x55AAh add-rom signature but other bytes corrupted and checksum failed. Then I have tried dump data from C000 segment over COM-port (because i don't look anything on the screen) with help Int 14h interrupt:
Code:
;	mov ah,00h 
;	mov al,0E3h 	;9600,8N1
;	mov dx,0
;	int 14h    

;	mov ax,0c000h              ;video BIOS seg
;	mov ds,ax
	
;	mov ah,1
;	mov al,'O'
;	mov dx,0
;	int 14h
;	mov ah,1
;	mov al,'K'
;	mov dx,0
;	int 14h                        ;send "OK"
	
;	mov cx,08000h             ;32kb
;	xor si,si                       ;offset = 0
;loop_out:
;	lodsb
;	mov ah,1
;	mov dx,0
;	push cx
;	int 14h
;	pop cx
;	loop loop_out

but failed again - through the terminal i don't see anything. I am using "new" multi-io card based on Winbond W83758 chip with FIFO and other "new" features. I think that's the case.

In any case, the problem seems hardware.
 
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