Intel to push controller for IBM on XGA standard

Electronic News, April 27, 1992 by Robert Ristelhueber

CHANDLER, ARIZ. -- IBM has recruited Intel to rush an Extended Graphics Array (XGA) controller into production in an apparent attempt to impose a new graphics standard on the personal computer market.

Intel last week confirmed plans to ship early next year a controller based on IBM's specs (Desk Topics, April 20). In an effort to get the controller on the market quickly, that product will likely be a two-chip set, with work on a single-chip XGA controller to continue at Intel's facility here.

While IBM was able to dictate the adoption of earlier PC graphics standards such as VGA, resistance to XGA apparently compelled the company to turn to its long-time semiconductor partner to overcome resistance to XGA by many designers. "We wanted Intel as a partner to make this a de facto industry standard," said Paul Mugge, vice president of technology for IBM's Entry Systems Technology.

The reason seems apparent. The huge success of Windows as graphical user interface (GUI) has encouraged circuit designers to build devices to enhance Windows instead of worrying about adhering to the XGA specs (EN, Sept. 30, 1991).

A study released last year by International Data Corp. predicted that the fastest growth in graphics controllers over th next few years will come in GUI accelerators and not in the XGA camp being backed by IBM.

Mr. Mugge said he could not remember which company first broached the idea about collaborating on XGA, but dismissed the subject as "not important."

The deal with Intel is IBM's second in the past year designed, to boost XGA's chances. IBM previously signed SGS-Thomson to produce SGA chip-sets for commercial sale. IBM designed its chip-set for the Microchannel (MCA) bus, and SGS-Thomson is working on both MCA and AT-bus chip-sets for SGA.

Intel, by contrast, is focusing on designing XGA controllers for the local bus, meaning they will operate directly from thd 386 and 486 interface. "As long as there is an AT bus version in the market, we see no compelling need to develop one," said Ken Fine, vice president and general manager of Intel's Multimedia & Supercomputing Components group in Chandler.

Besides producing stand-alone XGA controllers, Intel is considering fusing XGA functionaluty on some of its other devices. "We could put it on one of our micro-processor cores or one of our DVI video processors." Mr. Fine said.

He said a future version of the X86 microprocessor could contain XGA capabilities. "Our direction in complex processor development moves along two dimensions," Mr. Fine said. "One is the macimum transistor count the technology will allow, and the other is utilizing those transistors for increased levels of integration."

He was not able to quote a probable price for the initial] product. "It's too early to establish that. Since XGA offers functionality well beyond that of VGA, we expect it will be more costly."

While IBM will have the right to manufacture any XGA implementation developed by Inte, it has no current plans to do so, Mr. Mugge said.

Since Intel is designing XGA parts for the local bus, it will most likely see its offerings used on mother-boards, while SGS-Thomson's AT-bus chip-sets will probably see wider use in add-in cards, analysts suggested last week.