Super VGA (SVGA) or Extended VGA is a broad term that covers a wide range of

computer display standard Computer display standards are a combination of aspect ratio, display size, display resolution, color depth, and refresh rate. They are associated with specific expansion cards, video connectors, and monitors. History Various computer dis ...

s that extended IBM's VGA specification. When used as shorthand for a resolution, as VGA and

XGA The eXtended Graphics Array (usually called XGA) is a graphics card manufactured by IBM and introduced for the IBM PS/2 line of personal computers in 1990 as a successor to the IBM 8514, 8514/A. It supports, among other modes, a display resol ...

often are, SVGA refers to a resolution of 800 × 600.

History

In the late 1980s, after the release of

IBM International Business Machines Corporation (using the trademark IBM), nicknamed Big Blue, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational technology company headquartered in Armonk, New York, and present in over 175 countries. It is ...

'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. The first cards that explicitly used the term were Genoa Systems's SuperVGA and SuperVGA HiRes in 1987. 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 VESA (), formally known as Video Electronics Standards Association, is an American standards organization, technical standards organization for computer display standards. The organization was incorporated in California in July 1989To retrieve ...

to produce a unifying standard, the VESA BIOS Extensions (VBE), first introduced in 1989, to provide a common software interface to all cards implementing the VBE specification. Eventually, Super VGA graphics adapters supported innumerable modes.

Specifications

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 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 ...

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) * AST Research, Inc.: VGA Plus (rebranded

Paradise In religion and folklore, paradise is a place of everlasting happiness, delight, and bliss. Paradisiacal notions are often laden with pastoral imagery, and may be cosmogonical, eschatological, or both, often contrasted with the miseries of human ...

) *

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 ...

: VIP (82C451), VGA Wonder * Chips and Technologies: 82C451 *

Cirrus Logic Cirrus Logic Inc. is an American fabless semiconductor company, fabless semiconductor supplier that specializes in analog, mixed-signal, and audio Digital signal processor, DSP integrated circuits (ICs). Since 1998, the company's headquarters have ...

: CL-GD410/420 *

Compaq Compaq Computer Corporation was an American information technology, information technology company founded in 1982 that developed, sold, and supported computers and related products and services. Compaq produced some of the first IBM PC compati ...

: VGC Board (Paradise chipset) * Everex * Genoa Systems: Genoa VGA 5100-5400 (ET3000) * Orchid Technology: Designer VGA (ET3000), Pro Designer Plus *

Western Digital Western Digital Corporation is an American data storage company headquartered in San Jose, California. Established in 1970, the company is one of the world's largest manufacturers of hard disk drives (HDDs). History 1970s Western Digital ...

's Paradise Inc.: VGA Plus (PVGA1), VGA Plus 16, VGA Pro * Sigma Designs: SigmaVGA (ET3000) * STB Systems: VGA Extra/EM (ET3000), * Video Seven: V-RAM VGA * Willow Peripherals: VGA-TV/Publisher's, VGA-TV + Genlock * Trident Microsystems: TVGA8800, TVGA8900, and TVGA9000 series

Gallery

File:ALiCat MV3147V.JPG, ALiCat M3147V SVGA video card File:Cirrus Logic GD5429 VLB.jpg,

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

{{DEFAULTSORT:Super Video Graphics Array Computer display standards VESA