The ATI Wonder is a series of

video card A graphics card (also called a video card, display card, graphics accelerator, graphics adapter, VGA card/VGA, video adapter, display adapter, or colloquially GPU) is a computer expansion card that generates a feed of graphics output to a displa ...

s for the

IBM Personal Computer The IBM Personal Computer (model 5150, commonly known as the IBM PC) is the first microcomputer released in the IBM PC model line and the basis for the IBM PC compatible ''de facto'' standard. Released on August 12, 1981, it was created by a ...

and compatibles, introduced by

ATI Technologies ATI Technologies Inc. was a Canadian semiconductor industry, semiconductor technology corporation based in Markham, Ontario, that specialized in the development of graphics processing units and chipsets. Founded in 1985, the company listed pub ...

in the mid to late 1980s. These cards were unique at the time as they offered the end user a considerable amount of value by combining support for multiple graphics standards (and monitors) into a single card. The ''VGA Wonder'' series added additional value with the inclusion of a bus mouse port, which normally required the installation of a dedicated

Microsoft Mouse The Microsoft Mouse is a computer mouse released by Microsoft in 1983. It is the first mouse released by the company, and it was bundled with the first versions of Microsoft Word, and/or Notepad (inclusion of these two programs varied in the in ...

adapter. The ''VGA Wonder'' series later merged with the ATI Mach series of cards in 1990. The '' ATI Graphics Ultra'' (

VRAM Video random-access memory (VRAM) is dedicated computer memory used to store the pixels and other graphics data as a framebuffer to be rendered on a computer monitor. It often uses a different technology than other computer memory, in order to ...

) and '' ATI Graphics Vantage'' (

DRAM Dram, DRAM, or drams may refer to: Technology and engineering * Dram (unit), a unit of mass and volume, and an informal name for a small amount of liquor, especially whisky or whiskey * Dynamic random-access memory, a type of electronic semicondu ...

) cards both featured independent ''VGA Wonder'' ASICs in addition to their ''Mach8'' 8514 compatible graphics processor. The ''Graphics Ultra'' was later renamed the ''VGA Wonder GT''. In 1992, their following

product line In marketing jargon, product lining refers to the offering of several related product (business), products for individual sale. Unlike product bundling, where several products are combined into one group, which is then offered for sale as a uni ...

, the ''Mach32'', integrated the VGA wonder core and coprocessor into a single IC. At this point the ''VGA Wonder'' line was cancelled and replaced with a cost reduced DRAM based version of ''Mach32'' known as the ''ATI Graphics Wonder''.

MDA/CGA cards

ATI Graphics Solution Rev 3 (1986)

Chipset In a computer system, a chipset is a set of electronic components on one or more integrated circuits that manages the data flow between the processor, memory and peripherals. The chipset is usually found on the motherboard of computers. Chips ...

: ATI CW16800-A * Supports:

Hercules Graphics Card The Hercules Graphics Card (HGC) is a computer graphics controller formerly made by Hercules Computer Technology, Inc. that combines IBM's text-only MDA display standard with a bitmapped graphics mode, also offering a parallel printer port. ...

mode and extended / text-modes on TTL monochrome monitors * Supports: All CGA modes on both CGA/EGA and TTL monochrome monitors * Switching between CGA and Hercules compatibility is done via supplied utility (VSET.EXE) and doesn't require a reboot *

Composite video Composite video, also known as CVBS (composite video baseband signal or color, video, blanking and sync), is an analog video format that combines image information—such as brightness (luminance), color (chrominance), and synchronization, int ...

output is available on an internal 3-pin connector (no support for colors, works only in the text-mode or graphics modes) * Port: 8-bit PC/XT bus ; Source:

ATI Color Emulation Card (1986)

* Did at least support CGA graphics output to a TTL monochrome monitor

ATI Graphics Solution Plus (1987)

: ATI CW16800-B * Supports CGA, Plantronics Colorplus CGA &

graphics modes * Compatible with MDA, CGA (and therefore also EGA displays),

DIP switch A DIP switch is a manual electric switch that is packaged with others in a group in a standard dual in-line package (DIP). The term may refer to each individual switch, or to the unit as a whole. This type of switch is designed to be used on a p ...

selectable * 64kb of DRAM * Port: 8-bit PC/XT bus ; Source:

Graphics Solution Plus SP

* Chipset: ATI CW16800-B * Adds Serial/ Parallel Ports

Graphics Solution SR

* Chipset: ATI CW16800-B * Uses Static RAM

ATI Small Wonder Graphics Solution (1988)

* Chipset: ATI 18700 * Also known as Graphics Solution Single Chip or just GS-SC * Single-chip version of the Graphics Solution plus * 64kb of static RAM * Composite output

Graphics Solution Single Chip or GS-SC with Game (1988)

* Includes a

game port The game port is a device port that was found on IBM PC compatible and other computer systems throughout the 1980s and 1990s. It was the traditional connector for joystick input, and occasionally MIDI devices, until made obsolete by USB in the ...

* Lacks external composite video connector

EGA cards

ATI EGA Wonder (1987)

* Chipset: ATI16899-0 + CHIPS P86C435 * Supports CGA, Hercules mono & EGA graphics modes * Removes support for plantronics mode/Single-page Hercules mode/composite output * Compatible with MDA, CGA and EGA displays (DIP switch selectable) * Internal composite video port for machines such as IBM 5155 Portable * 256kb DRAM * Port: 8-bit PC/XT bus * Original MSRP: $399 ; Source:

ATI EGA Wonder 480 (1988)

* Cost reduced EGA Wonder 800, lacking

jumpers Jumper or Jumpers may refer to: Clothing *Jumper (sweater), is a long-sleeve article of clothing; also called a top, pullover, or sweater **A waist-length top garment of dense wool, part of the Royal Navy uniform and the Uniforms of the United St ...

RCA RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded in 1919 as the Radio Corporation of America. It was initially a patent pool, patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Westinghou ...

and feature connector. Different

BIOS In computing, BIOS (, ; Basic Input/Output System, also known as the System BIOS, ROM BIOS, BIOS ROM or PC BIOS) is a type of firmware used to provide runtime services for operating systems and programs and to perform hardware initialization d ...

ATI EGA Wonder 800 (1987)

* Added support for extended EGA text and graphics modes (requires multisync monitor) * Added support for 16-colour

VGA Video Graphics Array (VGA) is a video display controller and accompanying de facto graphics standard, first introduced with the IBM PS/2 line of computers in 1987, which became ubiquitous in the IBM PC compatible industry within three years. T ...

modes ; Sources:

ATI EGA Wonder 800+ (1988)

* Rebadged VGA Edge lacking the analogue

VGA port The Video Graphics Array (VGA) connector is a standard connector used for computer video output. Originating with the 1987 IBM PS/2 and its VGA graphics system, the 15-pin connector went on to become ubiquitous on PCs, as well as many monitors ...

* Chipset: ATI 18800 * Can auto-detect monitor type connected (DIP switches no longer present) ; Sources:

VGA cards

ATI VIP or VGA Improved Performance (1987)

* Chipset: ATI 16899-0 & Chips P82C441 * Supports CGA, Hercules mono, EGA & VGA graphics with Softsense automatic mode switching * Compatible with MDA, CGA, EGA and VGA displays (DIP switch selectable) * 9-pin TTL and 15-pin analogue connectors * 256kb DRAM * Port: 8-bit PC/XT bus * Original MSRP: $449 ($99 for Compaq expansion module) ; Sources:

ATI VGA Wonder (1988)

* Chipset: ATI 18800 * Adds support for

SVGA Super VGA (SVGA) or Extended VGA is a broad term that covers a wide range of computer display standards that extended IBM's Video Graphics Array, VGA specification. When used as shorthand for a resolution, as VGA and XGA often are, SVGA refers to ...

graphics modes * Adds support for monitor auto-sensing (switchless configuration) * Uses on-board

EEPROM EEPROM or E2PROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory) is a type of non-volatile memory. It is used in computers, usually integrated in microcontrollers such as smart cards and remote keyless systems, or as a separate chip d ...

to store configuration information * 256kb or 512kb DRAM * Port: 8-bit PC/XT bus ; Sources:

ATI VGA Edge 8

* Cost Reduced VGA Wonder * 256kB DRAM ATI VGA Wonder 16

ATI VGA Wonder-16 (1988)

* Speed enhancements due to a wider bus * VGA pass through connector * Bus mouse connector * 256kB or 512kB DRAM * Port:

16-bit 16-bit microcomputers are microcomputers that use 16-bit microprocessors. A 16-bit register can store 216 different values. The range of integer values that can be stored in 16 bits depends on the integer representation used. With the two ...

PC/AT bus (ISA),

8-bit In computer architecture, 8-bit integers or other data units are those that are 8 bits wide (1 octet). Also, 8-bit central processing unit (CPU) and arithmetic logic unit (ALU) architectures are those that are based on registers or data bu ...

compatible * Original MSRP: $499 or $699 respectively ; Source:

ATI VGA Edge-16

* Cost reduced VGA Wonder 16 * Lacks the bus mouse connector and the digital TTL output * 256kb DRAM (not expandable to 512kb)

ATI VGA Wonder+ (1990)

* Chipset: ATI 28800-2, -4, or -5 * Based on a new chipset which claimed to offer speeds rivalling VRAM based cards * Dual page mode memory access * Dynamic CPU/CRT interleaving * 256kB or 512KB DRAM ; Source:

ATI VGA Integra (1990)

* Cost reduced version based on new ATI 28800 ASIC * Lacks bus mouse connector * Uses a much smaller PCB with a surface mount BIOS &

RAMDAC A Brooktree RAMDAC A RAMDAC (random-access memory digital-to-analog converter) is a combination of three fast digital-to-analog converters (DACs) with a small static random-access memory (SRAM) used in computer graphics display controllers or ...

* Supports SVGA Graphics with 72 Hz refresh rates * 512KB DRAM

ATI VGA Basic-16 (1990)

* PCB layout similar to VGA Integra but using cheaper RAMDAC * Only supports the basic 60 Hz VGA modes of the IBM VGA standard from 1987 * 256kB DRAM (not upgradable)

ATI VGA Charger (1991)

* Similar to VGA Basic-16, but can be upgraded to 512KB

ATI VGA Wonder XL (1991)

* Sierra RAMDAC adds support for 15-bit colour in at 72 Hz, at 60 Hz * Supports a flicker-free vertical refresh rate of 72 Hz * 256kB, 512kB or 1MB DRAM * Original MSRP: $229, $349, $399 respectively

ATI VGA Stereo·F/X

* Chipset: ATI 28800 * Combines a VGA Wonder XL with a Sound Blaster 1.5 * Features "fake" stereo sound * 512kB or 1MB DRAM ; Source:

ATI VGA Wonder XL24 (1992)

* Contains a Brooktree Bt481KPJ85 RAMDAC that adds support for hi and true colour graphics modes * 512kB or 1MB DRAM ; Source:

ATI VGA Wonder 1024

* A series of OEM cost reduced versions of several VGA Wonder models * Typically lacks the bus mouse connector and/or the digital TTL output

References

External links

IT Blog: Full ATI TimeLine 1984-2006

techPowerUp! GPU Database
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wonder Computer-related introductions in 1986 Graphics cards ATI Technologies products