Genoa Systems
Genoa Systems was founded in 1984, in San Jose, CA. The company started out in the tape backup market with their Galaxy range, as well as producing 20 MB and 30 MB hard disks for the early PC/XT market. Most will remember them for their enhanced graphics cards on the ISA bus, though they continued to create cards based on other chipsets from Trident, S3 and Rendition until around 1998.
Their graphics cards were popular up to the VESA Super VGA era, but lost traction as the market moved into 3D.
In anticipation of a fast-growing mass-market for Internet services, starting in 1998, the company sought to transform itself from a hardware manufacturer into a provider of consumer software services. However, the hoped-for success did not materialize and the company went bankrupt.
Their "Super EGA" cards were very popular due to the fact they could display higher resolutions than the 640 x 350 standard, and as such their cards had more than the requisite 64 KB of memory. A lot of OEMs adopted Genoa cards for their PC compatibles. Genoa was one of the eight founding members of VESA (the Video Electronics Standards Association), responsible for standardising the Super VGA resolution. It was also the first to introduce "Flicker Free" technology at 72 hz refresh rate.
They also made an audio card called "AudioBlitz", and one called "AudioBahn", in 1993.
Graphics Card and Sound Card Product Lines (click the link to jump down to the cards that used these):
Video Cards
Spectrum / Spectrum CGA (Model 3300)Launched: 1984 The Spectrum Graphics Card combined an MDA, Hercules, CGA and Plantronics ColorPlus card in one. CGA modes were inline with the IBM standard, offering 320 x 200 in 4 colours and 640 x 200 in 2 colours. Text modes supported were the standard 40x25 and 80x25, plus 132x25 (colour and mono) and 132x44 (monochrome only). As was typical on these early graphics adapters, this card also came with a parallel (printer) port on the faceplate. Different graphics and text modes could be switched using the 'SM' (Spectrum Mode) utility - a menu-driven tool, which could also be run in command-line mode. The driver disk included DOS drivers for Lotus 1-2-3, Lotus Symphony, and Supercalc 3. |
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Super Spectrum CGA (Model 4640)Launched: 1984 SW1/2 is on/off for Monochrome, on/on for CGA with a monochrome display, off/on for a multifrequency display, and off/off for an IBM Color Display.
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Super Spectrum EGA (Model 4650)Launched: 1985 The Super Spectrum EGA was an early EGA card with backward-compatibility for MDA, Hercules and CGA graphics standards. It competed with the Orchid TurboEGA, Tseng Labs' EVA, and Everex Evergraphics. It came with an optional onboard parallel port for added convenience, though at the time almost every PC would have had a 'multi I/O card' that provided a combination of serial, parallel and game ports and in some cases a real-time clock. |
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Spectra EGA (Model 4800 / 4850-5)Launched: March 1986 The Spectra EGA was one of the very first clone EGA cards. In late 1985, Chips & Technologies had managed to reverse-engineer the IBM EGA card to produce their own clone EGA chipset, and the Genoa Spectra EGA was one of the first to market. Unlike some other EGA cards at the time, the Spectra EGA did not have any DIP switches to configure the graphics mode or monitor type. Instead, the card shipped with three utilities: EGASM (a mode switching program), EGASW (a reconfiguring program), and a PC ROM dating program. The ROM dating program was actually a customer-service assistance tool to enable a non-technical user to determine whether a PC contained the pre-ROM scan BIOS, without which the EGA cannot be used. The Spectra did soon have some rivals, including STB Systems' EGA Plus ($495), NSI Logic's EPIC Graphics Adapter Card ($495 for 64K, $595 for 256K), and Tecmar's EGA Master ($395). The card came with a parallel port on-board, though a realtime clock was a $29.95 cost option. |
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SuperEGA HiRes (Model 4850/4850-7/4850A/4855)Launched: March 1987 This card was the first ever "Super EGA" graphics chipset/card on the market. It could support resolutions up to 800 x 600. It has a 9-pin D-SUB and two phono (RCA) jacks. There are also a set of 6 DIP switches for configuration. This card was also sold by Prisma as the PEGA 724850. Some cards have "GENOA SYSTEMS" on the silkscreen in the bottom-left, while others do not. Advert (March 1987) |
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SuperEGA HiRes+ (Model 4880-9)Launched: July 1987 This card has a 9-pin D-SUB for connection to a digital monitor, and composite video output via two phono (RCA) jacks for connection to a television. It can display up to 800 x 600 x 16 on a Multisync monitor, and in text mode up to 132 columns and 60 rows. The upper phono jack produces composite video output. J3 on the board is a light pen connector, and the large block on the top is an EGA feature connector. "Boasting improved graphics compatibility as a result of a new video BIOS, the Super EGA Hi-Res+ board now supports most of IBM's new VGA modes at the BIOS level, according to maker Genoa Systems Corp.
The board supports VGA modes zero through 12, including color text mode 3+ at 720-by-400 resolution and mode 12, with 640-by-480 graphic resolution. The board also supports Mode 12's display of 16 colors from a 64-color palette. The board also has full EGA support and provides 800-by-600 resolution or 132-column text display. It is fully downward compatible with EGA, MDA, and CGA graphics modes. The graphics card allows CGA monitors, typically designed to display 320-by-200 resolution, to display 640 by 480 instead. This resolution is the same as the resolution of one standard VGA mode. The company claims its board is the only one on the market capable of implementing most VGA double-scan modes at the register leve, thus avoiding the need for seperate software drivers. The board has a suggested retail price of $599. It is expected to be available by the end of this month." InfoWorld, July 1987
The jumpers can be configured as follows:
Click here to download the EGA BIOS ROM Dump. More ImagesThe images above, in addition to the ROM BIOS dump, are courtesy of Andrew Wellburn, of Andys Arcade.
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Super VGA (Model 5100)Launched: 1988 The highest resolution of the Super VGA card is 1056 x 480. Because this card fully supports not only VGA but also its predecessors, the card has both a 15-pin DSUB (for VGA and MCGA analogue output) as well as a 9-pin DSUB (for the digital signal output of MDA, Hercules, CGA and EGA). "Green-faced PC-compatible users once envied the fantastic color graphics of computers like the Amiga, the Apple II, and the Atari ST — but no more. IBM's Video Graphics Array (VG.A) graphics standard has brought rollicking color to PCs and compatibles. To capitalize on this capability, the first generation of VGA adapters copied the IBM stand- ard, but fell short of full compatibility. Now comes the new wave, prod- ucts like the Genoa SuperVGA, from Genoa Systems, a VGA board that extends your computer's capabilities beyond IBM's parameters while claiming full compatibility with VGA and other graphics formats.
I tested the Genoa SuperVGA in a 10-MHz AST Premium 286 AT clone equipped with a Magnavox Professional VGA monitor and a Microsoft Mouse. The well-constructed Super-VGA installs snugly in a spare slot of any PC compatible or PS/2 model 25 or 30. To get the card up and running, you must set four DIP switches on the back of the card to match the type of display you plan to use. For analog VGA displays, like that of the Magnavox, all the switches must be set to Off. (To get all the benefits of VGA, you'll have to in- vest in a VGA-compatible color monitor; retail price starts at $500.) Normally, there are no jumpers to set on the card, although you will have to set one if you plan to use any game or communications software that uses IRQ 2 (interrupt 2). The board will co-reside with a monochrome or CGA card, but not with another EGA or VGA card. The SuperVGA is plug-compatible with nearly all TTL, multifrequency, and analog monitors. It sports two plugs, one standard IBM 9-pin DB for TTL displays, and one mini 15-pin DB for VGA and some multifrequency analog displays. You can drive a TTL and an analog display at the same time from the SuperVGA. After you've inserted the card, you must install a VGA software driver for your particular applications. Genoa supplies drivers for several programs; the brief, clearly written manual gives instructions on how to install each. Because many other programs come with their own VGA drivers, most recently updated software will run in VGA mode. Graphics programs really come into their own with VGA. The 640 X 480 pixel mode with 16 colors onscreen is particularly impressive — after you've tried it, you'll never want to go back to EGA, much less to CGA or monochrome. You'll find smooth, sharp curves and text, plus complete freedom from the old EGA 64-color strait jacket. I ran two VGA paint programs. Deluxe Paint // and Splash!, with no compatibility problems. Switching between screen modes was smooth and trouble-free, A utility program supplied with the card allows you to test all the possible screen modes, including a vari- ety of 80-, 90-, and 132-column text modes for spreadsheets and other text- based programs. Before you buy any VGA adapter, of course, test it with the software you plan to use. The acid test of any third-party graphics adapter is hardware compatibility. Genoa claims complete down ward compatibility for its board, and I found this to be true in my tests. SuperVGA provided a steady signal for all the more popular monochrome, CGA, MCGA, EGA, and VGA modes. Support for CGA, MDA, and Hercules modes is at the BIOS level; EGA- and VGA-mode support occurs at the register level. Register-level support means faster performance, coupled with the possibility of some software incompatibility. Hardware zooming, scrolling, and panning are provided for those few applications, such as AutoCAD, that can take advantage of them. Don't assume that all of the Super-VGA's scores of display modes will work with your monitor. The interlaced, 256-color, and very-high-resolution 16-color modes sent my Magnavox monitor into display spasms. Genoa says the SuperVGA supports IBM's Video Feature Connector, an anticipated plug standard for display peripherals. Solid construction, excellent downward compatibility, and planned future compatibility make the Genoa Super-VGA a good choice among VGA boards. It may not be inexfiensive, but it's certainly versatile. — Steven Anzovin" Compute!, January 1989
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Super VGA HiRes (Model 5200-10)Launched: 1988 This card supports resolutions of 1024 x 768 and 800 x 600 in 16 colours, or 640 x 480 and 512 x 512 in 256 colours. It supports both analog and TTL (digital) monitors. For text modes, it also supports 80 columns x 66 rows for word processing, or up to 132 columns x 66 rows for spreadsheets and databases. Image above credited to Daniel Owen - thanks Daniel! |
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SuperVGA (Model 5300/5400 IN)Launched: February 1989
"Genoa Systems Corp., extended its Super VGA product line with two 16-bit VGA graphics adapters that it claims will double the performance of earlier VGA cards.
The 5300 and 5400 VGA adapters include a 16-bit bus and RAM BIOS and offer a resolution of 1,024 by 768 pixels in 16 colors, according to Genoa. The 5300 includes 256K of display RAM, while the 5400 has an additional 256K of memory, bringing its display RAM total to 512K. The Model 5400 is targeted for desktop publishing and presentation as well as other graphics-intensive applications, according to Genoa. It offers a range of resolution and color combinations, including 1,024 by 768 pixels in 16 colors, 800 by 600 in 256 colors, and 640 by 480 in 256 colors. Both models include setup and diagnostic software as well as device drivers for applications such as AutoCAD, Ventura Publisher, Lotus 1-2-3, and Windows, according to the company. Both boards support digital or analog monitors and will automatically detect and configure for 8-bit PC XT bus or 16-bit PC AT bus operation using an on-board auto-sensing capability, the company said. Both the Model 5300 and the Model 5400 are scheduled to begin shipping next month in limited quantities, the company said. The 5300 will list for $499 and the 5400 will be $699. InfoWorld, February 1989
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SuperVGA HiRes (Model 5700)Launched: 1988 |
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SuperVGA (Model 6200)Launched: 1989?
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SuperVGA (Model 6400)Launched: 1991 "PROS: Flicker-free operation in all modes
CONS: No 1MB version, one-year warranty The Genoa SuperVGA 6400A goes for a moderate $248 on the street and offers flicker-free 70-Hz screen refresh all the way up to 1024 by 768. With a RAM limit of 512K, however, you can enjoy that resolution with only 16 colors. A growing number of Windows applications use 256 colors, allowing you to preview color slides and run monitor-based presentations. You can get 256 colors from this board - but only if you never go beyond 800 by 600. As for performance, the board fell well below the mean in both the AutoCAD and PowerPoint tests. At 70 Hz, the SuperVGA 6400A displays two screens fewer per second than 72-Hz boards. But unless you have oscilloscopes for eyes, you won't notice the difference. Genoa's warranty expires after one year, and the SuperVGA 6400A's speed won't thrill you. Flicker-free performance across all modes is this board's main selling point. If you want a flickerless 1024 by 768 image from a 16-inch monitor such as NEC's MultiSync 4D, this board and the ATI VGA Wonder XL are your only choices." PC World, August 1991
A Model 6600 was also released - this was the same as the 6400 but had a Micro-Channel Architecture (MCA) interface. A 6600A variant supported 70 Hz refresh rate. |
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Multimedia VGA (Model 7900)Launched: ? This card used the Tseng Labs ET4000AX chipset with 1 MB RAM. It supported a range of RAMDACs including normal (256 colours), HiColor (32,000 colours) and a Special (16.7 million colours). "Under Windows, at a resolution of 640 by 480 pixels by 24 bits, Image-In-Color displayed beautifully clean, clear, and crisp 24-bit images. Genoa trademarks its non-interlaced technology as FlickerFree, and, indeed, all resolutions (even 1280 by 1024 pixels by 4 bits at 87 Hz) are absolutely rock steady. The 7900 is a fine bargain, especially with its extensive driver bundle. Although it's not an accelerated board, it performed well. I liked the 7900 and would recommend it as today's most inexpensive 24-bit Windows solution." Byte's Essential Guide to Windows, 1992
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Windows VGALaunched: Early 1992 "Like most companies that offered S3-based accelerators at this writing, Genoa Systems seems to have focused on getting a solid, no-frills offering to market as soon as possible. The $495 Genoa Windows VGA evaluation unit offered few surprises during testing, as well as good performance on our Windows tests, and a feature or two that help make it an accelerator worth considering.
Available only in one memory configuration - with 1MB of 80-nanosecond VRAM - the WindowsVGA comes standard with a DAC at a retail price of $495 or, as with our evaluation unit, with the Sierra HiColor RAMDAC. Genoa reports early street prices of about $375 for the Sierra-equipped version. The Genoa offering gives you the strain-saving 72-Hz vertical refresh rate at 640 by 480 with 256 colors and at all 800-by-600 resolutions. Genoa uses Version 1.5 of the S3-equipped BIOS, which does not fully implement VBE compatibility. Proprietary drivers allow users access to VESA-compliant refresh rates in both 800-by-600 and 1,024-by-768 modes. Available display modes go all the way up to 1,280 by 1,024 with 16 colors (though not under Windows). Performance on our VGA tests hovered around the low-middle range, but in 16-color mode on our text-intensive applications Windows tests, the Genoa ran a fast second to the Diamond [Stealth VRAM] card. In 256-color mode on all our Windows tests, its performance was also impressive. Driver support is extensive. Our evaluation unit came with S3-written drivers for AutoCAD, CADvance, Generic CADD, Lotus 1-2-3 2.x, Microsoft Windows 3.0, Microsoft Word 5.0, Microstation, and WordPerfect 5.1. Unlike the Orchid offering [Fahrenheit 1280], the Genoa Windows-VGA currently offers no separate access via the Windows driver to 16 and 256-color modes at Super VGA and 1,024-by-768 resolution. To force the board to 16 colors, you'll have to execute the included 4PLANE utility manually or insert it in a batch file. Genoa runs a 24-hour BBS to make future drivers and update information available to users. The Genoa offering also lacks the generous documentation and automatic driver installation routine of its slickest competition. Admittedly, Genoa has done a better job with only a 4-page manual than some vendors do with ten times as much information, and READ.ME files help fill in some of the gaps, but one tends to expect more for a list price of close to $500. Particular strengths of the FCC Class B-certified WindowsVGA include its pass-through edge connector and the Sync utility that allows you to override the scan frequencies set by the board's DIP switches, which are mercifully location along the board's back bracket. Another plus of Genoa's card is its Safescan within Windows. If your monitor has an overscan feature, for instance, this will allow you to eliminate the black border of the screen in Windows by adjusting overscan to extend just past the screen's visible edges. Genoa's video accelerator ran smoothly throughout testing and seems to be a solid S3-based offering. As with Orchid and other well-established vendors, you also buy with the assurance that free driver updates will be available via the company's 24-hour BBS. Though it comes at a premium when compared with some of the competition's prices, the Genoa WindowsVGA is worth a closer look." PC Magazine, March 1992
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Windows VGA 24 (Model 8500)Launched: 1991 This was the first graphics accelerator card designed specifically for Windows and AutoCAD. Thanks to Charles Hudson for the VLB card image below! Additional Images |
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Windows VGA 24+Launched: Early 1993 |
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Windows VGA 64Launched: 1992?
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TurboBahnLaunched: 1993 The TurboBahn was the first 24-bit true colour local bus graphics and motherboard solution combination.
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Phantom 32 / Phantom 32iLaunched: January 1994 "Genoa Systems Corp. shipped Phantom 32i, a 32-bit Windows/CAD interleaving graphics accelerator based on the Tseng Labs ET4000 W32i chip. This product is designed to be used on 32-bit VESA local bus systems and conforms to all current video standards. Additionally, it uses memory interleaving technology to deliver the highest performance available in 2 MB DRAM-based accelerators. The Phantom 32i is offered in two versions: the Model 8900VL-20 comes with 2 MB on-board; and the Model 8900VL-10 offers 1 MB DRAM and is upgradable. The extra 1 MB provides 65,000 colors at 1,024 x 768 and 256 colors at 1,280 x 1,024, as well as a 40 percent increase in performance. An additional feature of the board is Genoa's proprietary FlickerFree technology, which eliminates screen flash and flicker providing a stable image display. Phantom 32i Model 8900VL-20 costs $349 and the Model 8900VL-10 costs $269." HP Professional, January 1994 |
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Phantom 64 V2001 (Model 8765)Launched: 1996 A 64-bit graphics and video accelerator card. It has an integrated 24-bit RAMDAC that runs at 135 MHz. The card offloads the following functions from the CPU: BITBLT, Rectangular Clipping, Line Draw, Color Expansion, Rectangle Fill, Pattern Fill, Raster Operations. 100% register/BIOS compatible with IBM VGA, VESA, EGA, CGA MDA, and supports VGA, Super VGA and multi-frequency monitors. Genoa stated that "The Phantom 64 V2001 is a high performance 64-bit graphics and video accelerator with an optimum price-performance ratio. The latest in the successful Phantom 64 series, the V2001 offers great graphics acceleration as well as enhanced playback of digital video such as Cinepak©, Indeo© and AVI." Graphic Accelerator Features
Display Modes:-
The 1 MB version of this card supports resolutions up to 1024 x 768 in 256 colours from 43(i) up to 90 hz refresh rate, 800 x 600 in 65,000 colours at 56-90 hz, and 640 x 480 in 16.8 million colours at 60-105 hz. With the 2MB card, 1280 x 1024 resolution is added in 256 colours at 43(i)-90 hz refresh rate, 1024 x 768 in 65,000 colours and 800 x 600 in 16.8 million colours. |
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VideoBlitz IILaunched: 1994 "Genoa Systems' VideoBlitz II graphics accelerator for the PCI bus is based on the Weitek P9100 GUI accelerator chip-series and a new IBM contemporary palette DAC. Equipped with 2 MB of VRAM, the card is capable of running at a maximum resolution of 1,600 x 1,200 with up to 64K colors. It also has the ability to deliver True Color at 1,280 x 1,024 resolution." Microcomputer Journal, November/December 1994 |
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Phantom Pro Video / VideoBlitz III AV (Model 8968)Launched: 1995 The VideoBlitz III AV (also known in Europe as the Phantom Pro Video) was a high performance 64-bit graphics and video accelerator designed for graphics users and multimedia presentation professionals. Using the acceleration as well as enhanced playback of digital video such as Cinepak©, Indeo© and AVI. Graphics/Video AcceleratorS3©Vision968(tm)
Video Playback Features
Memory Configurations
Interfaces and ConnectivityVESA 16-bit Feature Connector (VFC)
VESA Display Power Management Signalling (DPMS)
Compatibility
ProPilot(tm) Software Utilities
Advanced Drivers
Display Modes2 MB VRAM
"Reasonably priced at $629 for the 4MB version, Genoa System Corp.'s VideoBlitz III AV offers average hardware performance combined with an engaging and accessible set of software amenities and exceptionally stable operation. Though clearly not designed for life on the cutting edge, the VideoBlitz is ideal for users seeking reliable acceleration of graphics and video playback.
The VideoBlitz is designed around the S3 Vision968 integrated graphics controller/video scaler chip, IBM's 170-MHz RGB514 RAMDAC, and either 2MB or 4MB of VRAM. The 4MB card we tested delivered a maximum resolution of 1,600 by 1,200 pixels at 16-bit color with a 72-Hz vertical refresh rate and 1,280 by 1,024 pixels at 24-bit color with a 75-Hz refresh. These are midrange specs only; those spending long hours working on big-screen graphics may want to consider faster cards. Unlike several other cards we tested, the VideoBlitz successfully completed every benchmark test - albeit with less-than-stellar scores. On the Graphics WinMark 95 tests, the VideoBlitz placed respectably in the midrange at 1,600-by-1,200 resolution with 16-bit colors, but it fell closer to the bottom of the pack at 1,200-by-1,024 resolution with 24-bit color. Along with the other Vision 968-based cards, the VideoBlitz was a middling performer. The VideoBlitz ranked fifth from the bottom on our Vector File Open test and second from the bottom on our Raster Rotate test. On both those tests, the VideoBlitz was the slowest S3 Vision968-based card. It also ranked near the bottom on both of our AutoCAD tests. On the plus side, the VideoBlitz was totally unruffled by our driver stability tests, which are designed to bend, fold, spindle, and mutilate graphics drivers - and often do. Anyone who has ever lost a few hours of work due to an ill-timed General Protection Fault will treasure this stability. Make no mistake: VideoBlitz, with its average refresh rates, middling benchmark-test performance, and lack of color controls, is not a card for graphics professionals. But it offers a refreshing combination of useful and accessible features, operational stability, and hardware performance that should prove very attractive to a broad swath of mainstream users." PC Magazine, 27th June 1995
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Phantom 64 2M VLB (Model 8864VL)Launched: 1996 ? |
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Phantom 64 (Model 8864PCI)Launched: 1996 ?
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Phantom 3D (Model 8325) and Phantom 3D/DXLaunched: 1996 The Phatom 3D comes with an integrated RAMDAC which runs at 135 MHz. It has these features: Graphics hardware cursor 64x64x2 or 32x32x2, High performance 2D Windows acceleration, Flat and Gouraud shading for 3D, High quality/performance 3D texture mapping, Perspective correction, Bi-Linear & tri-linear texture filtering, MIP-Mapping, Depth cueing, fogging, and alpha blending, Video Texture mapping, Z-buffering and MUX-buffering, Vertical interpolation for video playback. Genoa stated that "The Phantom 3D delivers powerful 64-bit graphics and the ultimate in high performance. With the Phantom 3D's picture perfect image and unsurpassed speed, it is perfect for all high resolution applications. The Phantom 3D, a new level of high speed performance." Graphics Accelerator Features
Graphics Modes Supported (2 MB)
A Phantom 3D/DX model was also released for $135 MSRP. It was almost identical to the Phantom 3D, but used the S3 ViRGE/DX chipset, and had its RAMDAC running at 170 MHz. Specs for 3D/DX were as follows:
3D/DX 4 MB
"Genoa Systems To Sneak Preview New Generation Of Graphics And Motherboard Technology For Consumer Multimedia MarketTaipei, Taiwan [June 02, 1997] -- Genoa Systems Corporation, a pioneer in delivering high performance multimedia technology to the consumer at breakthrough price points, will preview a new generation of graphics and motherboard product offerings at Computex '97, Booth # B830 and B832 of American Pavilion, June3~7, 1997.3D GRAPHICS ACCELERATORS BRING HOME NEW PERFORMANCE LEVELSAt the show, Genoa Systems will demonstrate two new members of its Phantom line of graphics acceleartors including a new 3D offering boasting high-end features at a consumer price-point.Genoa Systems' Phantom 3D/DX graphics accelerator is ideal for use with today's high-end 3D game as well as other home and business applications. Based on S3's new ViRGE DX chip technology, the Phantom 3D/DX provides true 3D performance including texture mapping, flat and Gourad shaping, depth cueing, fogging, alpha blending and other functional associations normally associated with high-cost 3D accelerators. In addition to providing a rich 3D computing experience, the Phantom 3D/DX also provides 2D graphics and enhanced video playback using both horizontal and vertical interpolation for a smoother, faster display of digital video images up to 30 frames per second. MSRP of Phantom 3D/DX with 4MB memory is $135, or $115 with 2MB memory.The company will also demonstrate the Phantom 64/DX based on S3's Trio64 V2/DX graphics/video engine. The new S3 chip combined with an increased RAMDAC speed of 170MHz and DRAM support of up to 4MB deliver crisp images amd graphics performance ideal for the consumer market. The Phantom 64/DX also incorporates the latest S3 Streams Processor enhancements for even smoother playback of digital video standards including CinaPak, Indeo and AVI. MSRP of Phantom 64/DX with 4MB memory is $79."
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Stratos 3DLaunched: ?
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Phantom AGP Blitz / Phantom AGP Blitz ProLaunched: 1997 "Genoa Systems Partners With Trident To Launch First Shipping Accelerated Graphics Port Add-In Board
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V-Raptor 3DLaunched: 1998 The V-Raptor 3D was Genoa's last 3D graphics accelerator card. It had an integrated RAMDAC which ran at 230 MHz, and came with either 4, or 8 MB of SGRAM. The 4MB model ran memory at 80 MHz, whilst the 8 MB model ran memory at 100 MHz. The card supports resolutions up to 1600 x 1600 (8MB model only), and flicker-free refresh rates up to 120 hz. Of the 3D features, it had: Z-Buffering for Texture Mapping, Flat and Gouraud Shading, Perspective Correction, MIP Mapping, Bilinear and Trilinear Texture Filtering, Anti-aliasing, Comprehensive texture mapping support, including video textures, Support for texture animation, morphing and other special effects, Complete set of blending functions (alpha blending, fog, chroma-keying), Complete on-chip triangle set-up, Asynchronous rendering with separate setup, triangle and pixel engines, True per-pixel perspective correction, and Sub-pixel / sub-texel positioning accuracy. The 4 MB model supports resolutions up to 1600 x 1024 in 256 colours, 1280 x 1024 in 65,000 colours, or 1024 x 768 in 16.8 million colours. The 8 MB models supports resolutions up to 1600 x 1600 in 65,000 colours, or 1280 x 1024 in 16.8 million colours. "GENOA SYSTEMS CORPORATION LAUNCHES "V-RAPTOR 3D", A HIGH-END 3-D GRAPHICS ACCELERATOR BOARD WITH VIDEO CAPTURE AND PLAYBACK BASED ON THE RENDITION VERITE 22OO HIGH-PERFORMANCE GRAPHICS PROCESSOR
Fremont, CA [March 12, 1998] -- Genoa Systems Corporation, a pioneer in delivering high performance multimedia technology, announced today the introduction of its V-Raptor 3D graphics accelerator boards. Based on Rendition's Verite 2200 RISC graphics processor, the V-Raptor 3D delivers superior 3D and 2D acceleration and striking image quality for the PC game enthusiast, graphics animators and business professionals.The V-Raptor 3D is available in both PCI and AGP configurations with either 4MB or 8MB of 100MHz SGRAM memory. The V-Raptor 3D supports 3D Goggles, video captures through composite, S-Video, PAL and NTSC interfaces. It includes the award winning Genoa proPilot 95 Plus utility software for easy installation and setup, Xing MPEG player, VREAM WIRL 3D Web Browser, Genoa's VCAM video capture and playback, and Netscape Navigator Web browser. Shipment will begin this week to major distributors and retailers with an estimated retail price of $189.00 for the 4MB version and $233.00 for the 8MB version.The Rendition V2200 V-Raptor board supports software DVD implementation at 60 frames per second of full-motion DVD playback eliminating the need for a separate hardware decoder for DVD-ROM. Other features include video capture and full motion video playback at 30 frames per second. RAMDAC speed of up to 230Mhz enables higher refresh rates for sharp picture quality and comfortable viewing. A stereoscopic connector for 3D goggles add depth, realism, and support for interlaced stereo.V-Raptor 3D supports multiple API's including Microsoft's Direct3D and SGI's Open GL. It also supports Rendition's own API's; Speedy3D and RRedline, which assures compatibility with industry standard operating systems, software applications, and popular game tittles."
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Video Blitz 9200VLLaunched: 199? Drivers |
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Phantom 740Launched: 1998 "The Phantom 740™ 3D/2D graphics accelerator card optimizes the speed and performance of a Pentium™ II processor-based computer with advanced AGP 2X acceleration. Powered by the breakthrough Intel740™ graphics accelerator, the Phantom 740™ outperforms AGP 1X and PCI graphics boards (up to 3 times faster) and provides advanced graphic features that deliver the eye-popping 3D performance and outstanding 2D speed that business users require and gamers demand. The Phantom 740™ includes 8MB of 100MHz SDRAM and supports resolutions as high as 1600 x 1200. This makes the Phantom 740™ an outstanding price/performance value and the perfect choice for today's demanding PC users."
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Resolution | 16/256 colors | 65,000 colors | 16.8 Million colors |
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640x480 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
720x480 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
720x576 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
800x600 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
1024x768 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
1280x1024 | Yes | Yes | |
1600x1200 | Yes |
NOTE: actual display modes available to user will depend on the monitor capability. Specifications subject to change without notice
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Motherboards
TurboExpress 486 VL (1993)This 486 board uses the SiS 85C461 and 85C407 chipset, and has an AMI BIOS. |
Sound Cards
AudioGraphix 8600 VLAIntroduced: 1993 DriversWindows 3.1 version 1.1
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Audio Blitz Classic (Model A3100)Introduced: ? The Audio Blitz is an Ad Lib and Sound Blaster-compatible sound card. It can be configured via jumpers to run on port 220h or 240h, IRQs 2, 3, 5 or 7, and DMA channels 1 or 3. DriversWindows 3.1 version 1.0 |
Audio Blitz Stereo 16+ (Model A3300)Launched: 1994 "Genoa Systems' AudioBlitz Stereo 16+ sound card operates in either eight- or full sixteen-bit stereo, with sample rates ranging up to 44.1 kHz. The card is MPC2-compliant and compatible with Windows Sound System 2.0, AdLib and Sound Blaster. It also supports three different CD-ROM interfaces, which include Sony, Panasonic and Mitsumi. The standard FM synthesizer includes a Yamaha OPL4, 24-voice and 16-bit waveform data. The card also offers a MIDI interface and built-in stereo 4-watt power amplifiers.
Its audio-mixing capabilities include stereo synthesizer, digital audio, CD audio, microphone input and external line-in. Included with the package are two audio-editing application programs, Sound Impression and Recording Session. Available as an option is a Wave Table Synthesizer daughterboard. $139/$99, AudioBlitz card/Daughterboard." Microcomputer Journal, July/August 1994
DriversDOS / Windows 3.1 version 1.2
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Audio Blitz ? (Model A3320)Launched: 1994
DriversDOS / Windows 3.1
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Audio Blitz 3D (Model A3330)Introduced: ? The A3330 came with a real Yamaha YMF262 OPL3 chip in 6addition to the Crystal and OPTi chipsets. DriversWindows 3.1 version 2.0
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Audio Blitz ? (Model A3400)Launched: ? DriversDOS / Windows 3.1
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