XGA208.ZIP Windows 95/98 XGA/XGA-2 Display Driver (Apr 2008)
XGA208NTB.ZIP Windows NT Miniport Driver Rel. B
XGA2UTIL.ZIP XGA Utilities, System info, DOS
Content by Unal Z (original mirrored HERE). Edited by Major Tom.
Introduction
XGA208 is a major improvement of the XGA206
display driver for the IBM XGA and
XGA-2 display adapters. XGA208 enables coprocessor
support for graphics operations at 16 colors and adds several new high
resolution display modes up to 1600x1200 on the XGA-2 display adapter.
Release Notes
The XGA208 driver for Windows 95/98
introduces for the first time the 800x600 and 832x620 screen resolutions with
256 and 64K colors (High Color) on the original IBM XGA display adapter. These
new XGA modes are supported driver-worldwide only by the XGA208, which is a
truly remarkable and unique achievement.
XGA208 successfully passed Microsoft's Display Compatibility Test.
The XGA208NTB Windows NT Video Miniport
Driver for the XGA/XGA-2 display adapters is intended to provide the video
hardware interface services for the Windows NT XGA display driver. The XGA208
miniport supports all display modes as listed above and implemented by the
XGA208 Windows 95/98 driver. However, the Windows NT XGA driver selects only
the 256 color modes, apparently because it is not designed to support and work
with 64K colors (High Color) modes.
The main benefit of using XGA208 on Windows NT are thus the higher refresh
rates. The XGA208 Windows NT display driver is currently under development.
The XGA2UTIL package contains XGA Video and
System Information utilities, indispensable for understanding resource
conflicts and obtaining detailed MCA device information.
Extended Graphics Modes
The IBM XGA and XGA-2 adapters do not contain built-in or BIOS-selectable
Extended Graphics Modes. Such modes must be individually programmed by setting
some 60 hardware registers to computed mode parameters. Under the DMQS (Display
Mode Query and Set) mode of operation on the XGA-2, display mode parameters are
read from a specific monitor definition file which was usually supplied by IBM
or the monitor vendor. XGA208 does not implement or support the DMQS mode of
operation and no monitor definition files are necessary.
The XGA-2 display adapter is a completely programmable device, while the XGA
is limited by the fixed PEL rates. XGA208 uses manually computed monitor
timings, or display mode settings, which require assumed monitor
specifications. EIZO FlexScan T56S was used as a reference monitor. All XGA208
display modes do not require any adjustment on the EIZO FlexScan T56S. Your
monitor, however, may eventually need some adjustment.
The XGA208 mode timings differ from the XGA206 timings, you may experience a
change in the viewing comfort when you upgrade to XGA208. Display modes with
resolutions above 1280x1024 are of course intended for the newer LCD
monitors.
Supported Resolutions and Color Depths
The following table lists the specifications of the supported XGA208 display
modes for the IBM XGA-2 Display Adapter. Video mode numbers above 160 designate
the XGA208 non-VESA display modes. Where a specific monitor type is given, the
mode is optimized for this specific monitor to provide the best viewing results
on it.
Resolution XGA-2 |
Number Colors |
Frame Hz |
Listed Hz** |
Line kHz |
PEL MHz |
Video Mode |
Monitor Description |
640x480 |
256 |
75 |
75 |
39.4 |
— |
101 |
Multisync |
640x480 |
65536 |
75 |
75 |
39.4 |
— |
111 |
Multisync |
640x480 |
256 |
72 |
72 |
37.9 |
— |
101 |
Multisync |
640x480 |
65536 |
72 |
72 |
37.9 |
— |
111 |
Multisync |
640x480 |
256 |
60 |
60 |
31.6 |
— |
101 |
Multisync |
640x480 |
65536 |
60 |
60 |
31.6 |
— |
111 |
Multisync |
|
680x510 |
65536 |
73.7 |
75 |
39.4 |
33.5 |
160 |
IBM 9515 |
|
800x600 |
16 |
98.5 |
100 |
61.4 |
65 |
102 |
Multisync |
800x600 |
256 |
98.5 |
100 |
61.4 |
65 |
103 |
Multisync |
800x600 |
16 |
94.8 |
95 |
59.0 |
62 |
102 |
Multisync |
800x600 |
256 |
94.8 |
95 |
59.0 |
62 |
103 |
Multisync |
800x600 |
16 |
85.1 |
85 |
52.8 |
55.5 |
102 |
Multisync |
800x600 |
256 |
85.1 |
85 |
52.8 |
55.5 |
103 |
Multisync |
800x600 |
16 |
73.6 |
75 |
45.7 |
48* |
102 |
Multisync |
800x600 |
256 |
73.6 |
75 |
45.7 |
48* |
103 |
Multisync |
800x600 |
65536 |
73.6 |
75 |
45.7 |
48* |
114 |
Multisync |
800x600 |
65536 |
72.1 |
72 |
44.7 |
47* |
114 |
Multisync |
800x600 |
65536 |
69.0 |
70 |
42.8 |
45 |
114 |
Multisync |
800x600 |
65536 |
63.5 |
60 |
39.4 |
39.5 |
114 |
Multisync |
|
832x620 |
256 |
99.4 |
100 |
64.2 |
70 |
162 |
Multisync |
832x620 |
256 |
95.2 |
95 |
61.5 |
67 |
162 |
Multisync |
832x620 |
256 |
85.2 |
85 |
55.0 |
60 |
162 |
Multisync |
832x620 |
256 |
75.3 |
75 |
48.6 |
53 |
162 |
Multisync |
832x620 |
65536 |
72.3 |
72 |
46.1 |
48* |
163 |
Multisync |
832x620 |
65536 |
68.2 |
70 |
44.0 |
48* |
163 |
Multisync |
832x620 |
65536 |
61.1 |
60 |
39.4 |
43 |
163 |
Multisync |
|
960x720 |
256 |
95.8 |
95 |
71.5 |
90 |
164 |
Multisync |
960x720 |
256 |
84.6 |
85 |
63.2 |
81 |
164 |
Multisync |
960x720 |
256 |
81.4 |
82 |
60.8 |
78 |
164 |
Multisync |
960x720 |
256 |
79.6 |
80 |
60.9 |
84 |
164 |
IBM 9515 |
|
1024x768 |
16 |
84.6 |
85 |
67.2 |
90 |
104 |
Multisync |
1024x768 |
256 |
84.6 |
85 |
67.2 |
90 |
105 |
Multisync |
1024x768 |
16 |
75.0 |
75 |
61.1 |
86 |
104 |
IBM 9515 |
1024x768 |
256 |
75.0 |
75 |
61.1 |
86 |
105 |
IBM 9515 |
1024x768 |
16 |
70.0 |
70 |
56.5 |
75 |
104 |
Multisync |
1024x768 |
256 |
70.0 |
70 |
56.5 |
75 |
105 |
Multisync |
1024x768 |
16 |
60.0 |
60 |
48.4 |
65 |
104 |
Multisync |
1024x768 |
256 |
60.0 |
60 |
48.4 |
65 |
105 |
Multisync |
|
1040x768 |
256 |
83.1 |
85 |
66.0 |
90 |
165 |
Multisync |
1040x768 |
256 |
75.2 |
75 |
60.6 |
87 |
165 |
IBM 9515 |
|
1104x828 |
256 |
78.1 |
78 |
66.9 |
96* |
166 |
Multisync |
1104x828 |
256 |
75.6 |
75 |
64.8 |
93* |
166 |
Multisync |
1104x828 |
256 |
73.2 |
72 |
62.7 |
90 |
166 |
Multisync |
|
1120x840 |
256 |
74.5 |
75 |
64.8 |
94* |
167 |
Multisync |
1120x840 |
256 |
71.3 |
70 |
62.0 |
90 |
167 |
Multisync |
|
1160x870 |
256 |
69.7 |
70 |
62.7 |
94* |
168 |
Multisync |
1160x870 |
256 |
66.7 |
65 |
60.0 |
90 |
168 |
Multisync |
|
1280x800 |
256 |
75.2 |
75 |
62.1 |
102* |
169 |
WIDE Multisync |
1280x960 |
16 |
69.5 |
72 |
68.8 |
113 |
16A |
Multisync |
1280x960 |
16 |
66.9 |
70 |
70.6 |
116 |
16A |
Multisync |
|
1280x1024 |
16 |
67.9 |
75 |
71.6 |
120 |
106 |
Multisync |
1280x1024 |
16 |
67.0 |
70 |
70.6 |
120 |
106 |
IBM 6091 |
1280x1024 |
16 |
63.4 |
65 |
66.9 |
112 |
106 |
Multisync |
1280x1024 |
16 |
53.1 I |
60 |
58.1 |
106 |
106 |
IBM 9517 |
|
1360x1024 |
16 |
64.8 |
65 |
68.4 |
120 |
16B |
Multisync |
1360x1024 |
16 |
60.5 |
60 |
63.8 |
112 |
16B |
Multisync |
|
1440x900 |
16 |
67.0 |
70 |
62.4 |
116 |
16D |
WIDE Multisync |
1440x1080 |
16 |
56.1 |
60 |
62.4 |
116 |
16C |
Multisync |
|
1600x1200 |
16 |
50.5 |
50 |
62.4 |
128 |
16E |
Multisync |
* = Uses high PEL rate. Some XGA-2 adapters may not be
able to function without errors. Do not use the mode if you wish to strictly
comply with the IBM specifications published in 1992.
** = The refresh rate value which is listed in the Display Applet.
I = Interlaced
The following table lists the specifications of the supported XGA208 display
modes for the IBM XGA Display Adapter. Video mode numbers above 160 designate
the XGA208 non-VESA display modes.
Resolution XGA |
Number Colors |
Frame Hz |
Listed Hz** |
Line kHz |
PEL MHz |
Video Mode |
Monitor Description |
640x480 |
256 |
64.7 |
65 |
31.8 |
25.25 |
101 |
Multisync |
640x480 |
65536 |
64.7 |
65 |
31.8 |
25.25 |
111 |
Multisync |
|
800x600* |
16 |
70.0 |
70 |
43.2 |
45 |
102 |
Multisync |
800x600* |
256 |
70.0 |
70 |
43.2 |
45 |
103 |
Multisync |
800x600* |
65536 |
70.0 |
70 |
43.2 |
90 |
114 |
Multisync |
|
832x620* |
256 |
64.4 |
65 |
41.3 |
45 |
162 |
Multisync |
832x620* |
65536 |
64.4 |
65 |
41.3 |
90 |
163 |
Multisync |
960x720* |
256 |
50.0 I |
50 |
37.4 |
45 |
164 |
Multisync |
|
1024x768 |
16 |
44.7 I |
45 |
35.5 |
45 |
104 |
Multisync |
1024x768 |
256 |
44.7 I |
45 |
35.5 |
45 |
105 |
Multisync |
* = Introduced for the first time with the XGA208
display driver. These mode and color depth combinations are totally absent in
the IBM technical specifications. The XGA technical reference specifies 65536
colors only for the 640x480 VGA resolution.
** = The refresh rate value which is listed in the Display Applet.
I = Interlaced
Acknowledgements
I would like to express my best thanks to Jim Shorney and William R. Walsh
for their enthusiastic support and invaluable work in testing the driver and
validating the display modes. Special thanks to all members of
comp.sys.ibm.ps2.hardware who
participated in the discussion with constructive suggestions and opinions
through public postings and private mails.
Very special thanks to Peter Wendt for providing the IBM XGA Technical
Reference without which the XGA206/208 development would have been virtually
impossible.
Authentic user reports and excerpts from the message exchanges are included
in the download package.
Known Problems
The XGA208 Windows NT miniport does not currently support full screen DOS
modes.
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