TMS34010
Encyclopedia
The TMS34010 was the first programmable graphics processor integrated circuit
(IC). First silicon
was working at Texas Instruments
(TI) in Houston in December 1985, and first shipment (a development board) was to IBM
's workstation facility in Kingston, New York
, in January 1986. Design took place at TI facilities in Bedford
, UK and Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
The TMS34010 was a bit
addressable, 32-bit processor, with two fifteen register files sharing a sixteenth stack pointer register. Its distinguishing characteristics from all other microprocessor
s up to that time included special instructions for two-dimensional graphics primitives, arbitrary variable-width data, and arithmetic operations on pixel
data. It was distinguished from graphics chips that preceded it (such as the NEC
µPD7220 or the Hitachi
HD63484 (ACRTC - Advanced CRT Controller)) by being truly programmable, instead of being limited to executing hardwired primitives. The cache was particularly useful for code fragments that implemented complex bit-level graphics operations. The TMS34010 was supported by a full ANSI
compliant C compiler
, and was capable of executing any general-purpose program in addition to graphics programs.
The successor to the TMS34010, the TMS34020 (1988), provided several enhancements including an interface for a special graphics floating point
coprocessor, the TMS34082 (1989). The primary function of the TMS34082 was to allow the TMS340 architecture to generate high quality three dimensional
(3D) graphics. The performance level of 60 million vertices
per second was quite advanced at the time it appeared.
TI made an unsuccessful effort in 1987 and 1988 to convince games makers such as Nintendo
and Sega
to write 3D games and create a new console market. In 1987 TI provided the first demonstration of true real-time 3D games with stereo sound effects on a personal computer
(PC), using a small TMS34010 adapter card (called "The Flippy"). The Flippy was designed as the basis of a game development system for consoles and as a PC gaming card in its own right. TI's effort foreshadowed the creation of 3D game consoles by both companies as well as Sony
in the early 1990s, and the creation of the 3D game and graphics adapter markets in PCs.
The TMS34010 was used in a number of arcade games, such as NARC
(1988) and Hard Drivin'
(1989).
MAME
emulates TMS34010.
This chip was also used on a video card for an Apollo/Domain
workstations. It was an Appian Graphics Rendition IV.
The TMS34010 was used in the first commercially successful Windows
accelerators in 1990 and 1991, usually referred to as "TIGA" products (Texas Instruments Graphics Architecture
).
Integrated circuit
An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit is an electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned diffusion of trace elements into the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material...
(IC). First silicon
Silicon
Silicon is a chemical element with the symbol Si and atomic number 14. A tetravalent metalloid, it is less reactive than its chemical analog carbon, the nonmetal directly above it in the periodic table, but more reactive than germanium, the metalloid directly below it in the table...
was working at Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology...
(TI) in Houston in December 1985, and first shipment (a development board) was to IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
's workstation facility in Kingston, New York
Kingston, New York
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...
, in January 1986. Design took place at TI facilities in Bedford
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
, UK and Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
The TMS34010 was a bit
Bit
A bit is the basic unit of information in computing and telecommunications; it is the amount of information stored by a digital device or other physical system that exists in one of two possible distinct states...
addressable, 32-bit processor, with two fifteen register files sharing a sixteenth stack pointer register. Its distinguishing characteristics from all other 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...
s up to that time included special instructions for two-dimensional graphics primitives, arbitrary variable-width data, and arithmetic operations on pixel
Pixel
In digital imaging, a pixel, or pel, is a single point in a raster image, or the smallest addressable screen element in a display device; it is the smallest unit of picture that can be represented or controlled....
data. It was distinguished from graphics chips that preceded it (such as the NEC
NEC
, a Japanese multinational IT company, has its headquarters in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. NEC, part of the Sumitomo Group, provides information technology and network solutions to business enterprises, communications services providers and government....
µPD7220 or the Hitachi
Hitachi, Ltd.
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Marunouchi 1-chome, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The company is the parent of the Hitachi Group as part of the larger DKB Group companies...
HD63484 (ACRTC - Advanced CRT Controller)) by being truly programmable, instead of being limited to executing hardwired primitives. The cache was particularly useful for code fragments that implemented complex bit-level graphics operations. The TMS34010 was supported by a full ANSI
Ansi
Ansi is a village in Kaarma Parish, Saare County, on the island of Saaremaa, Estonia....
compliant C compiler
C (programming language)
C is a general-purpose computer programming language developed between 1969 and 1973 by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for use with the Unix operating system....
, and was capable of executing any general-purpose program in addition to graphics programs.
The successor to the TMS34010, the TMS34020 (1988), provided several enhancements including an interface for a special graphics floating point
Floating point
In computing, floating point describes a method of representing real numbers in a way that can support a wide range of values. Numbers are, in general, represented approximately to a fixed number of significant digits and scaled using an exponent. The base for the scaling is normally 2, 10 or 16...
coprocessor, the TMS34082 (1989). The primary function of the TMS34082 was to allow the TMS340 architecture to generate high quality three dimensional
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
(3D) graphics. The performance level of 60 million vertices
Vertex (geometry)
In geometry, a vertex is a special kind of point that describes the corners or intersections of geometric shapes.-Of an angle:...
per second was quite advanced at the time it appeared.
TI made an unsuccessful effort in 1987 and 1988 to convince games makers such as Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
and Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
to write 3D games and create a new console market. In 1987 TI provided the first demonstration of true real-time 3D games with stereo sound effects on a 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...
(PC), using a small TMS34010 adapter card (called "The Flippy"). The Flippy was designed as the basis of a game development system for consoles and as a PC gaming card in its own right. TI's effort foreshadowed the creation of 3D game consoles by both companies as well as Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
in the early 1990s, and the creation of the 3D game and graphics adapter markets in PCs.
The TMS34010 was used in a number of arcade games, such as NARC
NARC (video game)
NARC is originally a 1988 arcade game designed by Eugene Jarvis for Williams Electronics and programmed by George Petro. It was one of the first ultra-violent video games and a frequent target of parental criticism of the arcade game industry. The object is to arrest and kill drug offenders,...
(1988) and Hard Drivin'
Hard Drivin'
Hard Drivin is an arcade game that invites players to test drive a high-powered sports car on stunt and speed courses. The game featured the first 3D polygon driving environment via a simulator cabinet, rendered with a custom architecture...
(1989).
MAME
MAME
MAME is an emulator application designed to recreate the hardware of arcade game systems in software on modern personal computers and other platforms. The intention is to preserve gaming history by preventing vintage games from being lost or forgotten...
emulates TMS34010.
This chip was also used on a video card for an Apollo/Domain
Apollo/Domain
Apollo/Domain was a range of workstations developed and produced by Apollo Computer from circa 1980 to 1989. The machines were built around the Motorola 68k family of processors, except for the DN10000, which had from one to four of Apollo's RISC processors, named PRISM.-Operating system:The...
workstations. It was an Appian Graphics Rendition IV.
The TMS34010 was used in the first commercially successful Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
accelerators in 1990 and 1991, usually referred to as "TIGA" products (Texas Instruments Graphics Architecture
Texas Instruments Graphics Architecture
Texas Instruments Graphics Architecture was a graphics interface standard created by Texas Instruments that defined the software interface to graphics processors...
).
Further reading
- "TI's TMS34020 Graphics System Processor". (31 October 1990). Microprocessor Report.