Jazz (computer)
Encyclopedia
The Jazz computer architecture was a motherboard and chipset design originally developed by Microsoft
for use in developing Windows NT
. The design was eventually used as the basis for most MIPS
-based Windows NT systems.
In part because Microsoft intended NT to be portable between various microprocessor
architectures, the MIPS
RISC architecture was chosen for one of the first development platforms for the NT project in the late 1980s/early 1990s. However, around 1990, the existing MIPS-based systems (such as the TURBOchannel
-equipped DECstation
or the SGI
Indigo
) varied drastically from standard Intel personal computer
s such as the IBM AT—for example, neither used the ISA
bus so common in Intel 386-class machines.
For those and other reasons, Microsoft decided to design their own MIPS-based hardware platform on which to develop NT, which resulted in the Jazz architecture. Later, Microsoft sold this architecture design to the MIPS Computer Systems, Inc.
where it became the MIPS Magnum
.
The Jazz architecture includes:
This design was simple enough and powerful enough that a majority of Windows NT-capable MIPS systems were based on modified versions of the Jazz architecture. A list of systems which more or less were based on Jazz includes:
The Jazz systems were designed to partially comply with the Advanced RISC Computing
(ARC) standard, and each used the ARC firmware to boot Windows NT. Other operating systems were also ported to various Jazz implementations, such as RISC/os
to the MIPS Magnum.
There were also some MIPS systems designed to run Windows NT and comply with the ARC standard, but nevertheless were not based on the Jazz platform:
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
for use in developing Windows NT
Windows NT
Windows NT is a family of operating systems produced by Microsoft, the first version of which was released in July 1993. It was a powerful high-level-language-based, processor-independent, multiprocessing, multiuser operating system with features comparable to Unix. It was intended to complement...
. The design was eventually used as the basis for most MIPS
MIPS architecture
MIPS is a reduced instruction set computer instruction set architecture developed by MIPS Technologies . The early MIPS architectures were 32-bit, and later versions were 64-bit...
-based Windows NT systems.
In part because Microsoft intended NT to be portable between various microprocessor
Microprocessor
A microprocessor incorporates the functions of a computer's central processing unit on a single integrated circuit, or at most a few integrated circuits. It is a multipurpose, programmable device that accepts digital data as input, processes it according to instructions stored in its memory, and...
architectures, the MIPS
MIPS architecture
MIPS is a reduced instruction set computer instruction set architecture developed by MIPS Technologies . The early MIPS architectures were 32-bit, and later versions were 64-bit...
RISC architecture was chosen for one of the first development platforms for the NT project in the late 1980s/early 1990s. However, around 1990, the existing MIPS-based systems (such as the TURBOchannel
TURBOchannel
TURBOchannel is an open computer bus developed by DEC by during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Although it was open for any vendor to implement in their own systems, it was mostly used in Digital's own systems such as the MIPS-based DECstation and DECsystem systems, in the VAXstation 4000, and in...
-equipped DECstation
DECstation
The DECstation was a brand of computers used by DEC, and refers to three distinct lines of computer systems—the first released in 1978 as a word processing system, and the latter two both released in 1989. These comprised a range of computer workstations based on the MIPS architecture and a...
or the SGI
Silicon Graphics
Silicon Graphics, Inc. was a manufacturer of high-performance computing solutions, including computer hardware and software, founded in 1981 by Jim Clark...
Indigo
SGI Indigo
The Indigo, introduced as the IRIS Indigo, was a line of workstation computers developed and manufactured by Silicon Graphics, Inc. . The first Indigo, code-named "Hollywood", was introduced on 22 July 1991...
) varied drastically from standard Intel personal computer
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
s such as the IBM AT—for example, neither used the ISA
Industry Standard Architecture
Industry Standard Architecture is a computer bus standard for IBM PC compatible computers introduced with the IBM Personal Computer to support its Intel 8088 microprocessor's 8-bit external data bus and extended to 16 bits for the IBM Personal Computer/AT's Intel 80286 processor...
bus so common in Intel 386-class machines.
For those and other reasons, Microsoft decided to design their own MIPS-based hardware platform on which to develop NT, which resulted in the Jazz architecture. Later, Microsoft sold this architecture design to the MIPS Computer Systems, Inc.
MIPS Technologies
MIPS Technologies, Inc. , formerly MIPS Computer Systems, Inc., is most widely known for developing the MIPS architecture and a series of pioneering RISC chips. MIPS provides processor architectures and cores for digital home, networking and mobile applications.MIPS Computer Systems Inc. was...
where it became the MIPS Magnum
MIPS Magnum
The MIPS Magnum was a line of computer workstations designed by MIPS Computer Systems, Inc. and based on the MIPS series of RISC microprocessors. The first Magnum was released in March, 1990, and production of various models continued until 1993 when SGI bought MIPS Technologies. SGI cancelled the...
.
The Jazz architecture includes:
- a MIPS R4000R4000The R4000 is a microprocessor developed by MIPS Computer Systems that implemented the MIPS III instruction set architecture . Officially announced on 1 October 1991, it was one of the first 64-bit microprocessors and the first MIPS III implementation...
/R4400 or compatible microprocessor - an EISAExtended Industry Standard ArchitectureThe Extended Industry Standard Architecture is a bus standard for IBM PC compatible computers...
bus - a framebufferFramebufferA framebuffer is a video output device that drives a video display from a memory buffer containing a complete frame of data.The information in the memory buffer typically consists of color values for every pixel on the screen...
for video output (the G364 framebufferG364 framebufferThe G364 framebuffer was a line of graphics adapters using the SGS Thomson INMOS G364 chipset, produced by INMOS in the early 1990s...
) - PS/2 connectorPS/2 connectorThe PS/2 connector is a 6-pin Mini-DIN connector used for connecting some keyboards and mice to a PC compatible computer system. Its name comes from the IBM Personal System/2 series of personal computers, with which it was introduced in 1987...
s for mouse and keyboard - a Floppy-disk controller
- onboard 16-bit sound system
- onboard National SemiconductorNational SemiconductorNational Semiconductor was an American semiconductor manufacturer, that specialized in analog devices and subsystems,formerly headquartered in Santa Clara, California, USA. The products of National Semiconductor included power management circuits, display drivers, audio and operational amplifiers,...
SONICSONICSONIC DP83932 is a National Semiconductor 10 Mbit/s Ethernet controller. In the early 1990s, integrated ethernet subsystems based on the SONIC controller were used in computer workstations such as the MIPS Magnum family and the Olivetti M700, inter alia....
Ethernet - onboard NCR 53C9xNCR 53C9xThe NCR 53C9x is a family of application-specific integrated circuits produced by the former NCR Corporation for implementing the SCSI protocol in hardware. The 53C9x is a low-cost solution and was therefore widely adopted by OEMs in various motherboard and peripheral device designs...
SCSI chipset for hard diskHard diskA hard disk drive is a non-volatile, random access digital magnetic data storage device. It features rotating rigid platters on a motor-driven spindle within a protective enclosure. Data is magnetically read from and written to the platter by read/write heads that float on a film of air above the...
and CD-ROMCD-ROMA CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
interface - standard IBM AT serial and parallel ports
- IBM AT-style time-of-year clock
This design was simple enough and powerful enough that a majority of Windows NT-capable MIPS systems were based on modified versions of the Jazz architecture. A list of systems which more or less were based on Jazz includes:
- MIPS MagnumMIPS MagnumThe MIPS Magnum was a line of computer workstations designed by MIPS Computer Systems, Inc. and based on the MIPS series of RISC microprocessors. The first Magnum was released in March, 1990, and production of various models continued until 1993 when SGI bought MIPS Technologies. SGI cancelled the...
(R4000 PC-50 and SC-50 versions) - AcerAcer (company)Acer Incorporated is a multinational information technology and electronics corporation headquartered in Xizhi, New Taipei City, Taiwan. Acer's products include desktop and laptop PCs, tablet computers, servers, storage devices, displays, smartphones and peripherals...
PICAAcer PICAThe M6100 PICA is a system logic chipset designed by Acer Laboratories introduced in 1993. PICA stands for Performance-enhanced Input-output and CPU Architecture. It was based on the Jazz architecture developed by Microsoft and supported the MIPS Technologies R4000 or R4400 microprocessors...
- uses S3S3 GraphicsS3 Graphics, Ltd is an American company specializing in graphics chipsets. Although they do not have the large market share that they once had, they still produce graphics accelerators for home computers under the "S3 Chrome" brand name.-History:...
videocard - OlivettiOlivettiOlivetti S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of computers, printers and other business machines.- Founding :The company was founded as a typewriter manufacturer in 1908 in Ivrea, near Turin, by Camillo Olivetti. The firm was mainly developed by his son Adriano Olivetti...
M700 - has different video and sound system - NEC RISCstationNEC RISCstationThe NEC RISCstation was a line of computer workstations made by NEC in the mid-1990s, based on MIPS RISC microprocessors and designed to run Microsoft Windows NT...
- Jazz with PCIPeripheral Component InterconnectConventional PCI is a computer bus for attaching hardware devices in a computer...
The Jazz systems were designed to partially comply with the Advanced RISC Computing
Advanced RISC Computing
Advanced RISC Computing is a specification promulgated by a defunct consortium of computer manufacturers , setting forth a standard MIPS RISC-based computer hardware and firmware environment....
(ARC) standard, and each used the ARC firmware to boot Windows NT. Other operating systems were also ported to various Jazz implementations, such as RISC/os
RISC/os
RISC/os was a UNIX operating system developed by MIPS Computer Systems, Inc. from 1985 to 1992 for their computer workstations and servers, such as the MIPS M/120 server or MIPS Magnum workstation. It was also known as UMIPS or MIPS OS....
to the MIPS Magnum.
There were also some MIPS systems designed to run Windows NT and comply with the ARC standard, but nevertheless were not based on the Jazz platform:
- DeskStationDeskStation TechnologyDeskStation Technology was a manufacturer of RISC-based computer workstations intended to run Windows NT. DeskStation was based in Lenexa, Kansas.-MIPS-based systems:...
TyneDeskStation TyneThe DeskStation Tyne was a line of computer workstations made by DeskStation Technology and based on the MIPS R4000 and R4400 RISC microprocessors... - NeTpower FASTseries Falcon
- ShaBLAMM! NiTro-VLBShaBLAMM! NiTro-VLBThe ShaBLAMM! NiTro-VLB was a computer system that used a QED R4600 microprocessor implemented on a VESA Local Bus peripheral card and designed to function when connected to a host computer system using an Intel i486...
- Siemens-Nixdorf RM-200, RM-300 and RM-400
External links
- Linux-MIPS Jazz article
- NetBSD/arc