Thomson EF936x

NDR-Klein-Computer graphics card using EF9366.

Siemens SMP-E353 ECB Bus video board using EF9366.

The Thomson EF936x series is a type of Graphic Display Processor (GDP) by Thomson-EFCIS.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The chip could draw at 1 million pixels per second, which was relatively advanced for the time of its release (1982 or earlier). There are various versions of the chip with slightly different capabilities.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The first version, EF9364 CRT Processor, was introduced in 1981.<ref name=":2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 1982 Commodore released a "High Resolution Graphics" board for the PET based on the EF9365 and EF9366 chips, allowing it to display Template:Resx or Template:Resx resolution graphics.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The EF9366 was also used on the SMP-E353 graphic card for the Siemens Template:Ill computer series and on the NDR-Klein-Computer introduced in 1984.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Version EF9369, introduced in 1984, was used on computers such as the Thomson MO5NR<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>, MO6<ref name="auto12">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>, TO8,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> TO9<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and TO9+,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and from 1985 to 1989 on the DAI Personal Computer.

Versions

Based on the 1989 data book published by the company, the EF936x series was split into Graphics Controllers and Color Palette models:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Graphics Controllers

• EF9364 CRT Processor introduced in 1981<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":2" />

• EF9365 Template:Resx (interlaced), Template:Resx, Template:Resx, Template:Resx; 50 Hz<ref name="auto1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="auto">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• 

  EF9666 on the NDR-Klein-Computer

  

  EF9366 on the SMP-E353 graphic card

  EF9366 Template:Resx (non-interlaced); 50/60 Hz<ref name="auto1" /><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="auto" />
• EF9367 Template:Resx (interlaced), Template:Resx (interlaced); 50/60 Hz (capable of SECAM system output for the French market).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• SFF96364<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Color Palette

• EF9369 - 4-bit DACs (16 out of 4096 colors - 12-bit RGB), generating gamma corrected (gamma 2.8) voltages.<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

• TS9370 - 4-bit DACs (16 out of 4096 colors)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Capabilities

• Integrated DRAM controller
• Line drawing, with delta-x and delta-y limited to 255 each. Support for solid, dotted, dashed and dotted/dashed lines.<ref name=":0" />
• Built-in Template:Resx pixel ASCII font.<ref name=":3">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Support for rendering tilted characters, and scaling by integer factors (no antialiasing)<ref name="auto1"/>

• Clear screen
• Light Pen support

The GPUs did not support direct access to the graphics memory, although a special command was provided to aid in implementing access to individual memory words.

Character Set

The Thomson EF9365/6 used the following character, displayed with a Template:Resx pixel font:<ref name=":3" /><ref name="auto1" />

EF9365/6 Character Set
	2x	3x	4x	5x	6x	7x
0	SP	0	@	P	‘	p
1	!	1	A	Q	a	q
2	"	2	B	R	b	r
3	#	3	C	S	c	s
4	$	4	D	T	d	t
5	%	5	E	U	e	u
6	&	6	F	V	f	v
7	’	7	G	W	g	w
8	(	8	H	X	h	x
9	)	9	I	Y	i	y
A	*	:	J	Z	j	z
B	+	;	K	[	k	{
C	,	<	L	\	l	|
D	-	=	M	]	m	}
E	.	>	N	↑	n	¬
F	/	?	O	←	o	▒

See also

• Thomson EF934x
• Thomson MO5NR
• Thomson MO6
• Thomson TO8
• Thomson TO9
• Thomson TO9+
• NDR-Klein-Computer
• Commodore PET
• DAI Personal Computer
• List of home computers by video hardware

External links

• Full schematics
• PCB