Professional Graphics Controller (PGC, often called Professional Graphics Adapter and sometimes Professional Graphics Array) is a graphics card manufactured by IBM for PCs.[1] It consists of three interconnected PCBs, and contains its own processor and memory. The PGC was, at the time of its release, the most advanced graphics card for the IBM XT and aimed for tasks such as CAD.[2]
Introduced in 1984,[3] the Professional Graphics Controller offered a maximum resolution of 640×480 with 256 colors on an analogRGBmonitor, at a refresh rate of 60 hertz—a higher resolution and color depth than CGA and EGA supported. This mode is not BIOS-supported. It was intended for the computer-aided design market and included 320 KB of display RAM and an on-board Intel 8088 microprocessor. The 8088 ran software routines such as "draw polygon" and "fill area" from an on-board 64 KB ROM so that the host CPU didn't need to load and run these routines itself.[3] While never widespread in consumer-class personal computers, its US$2,995 (equivalent to $7,800 in 2021) list price, plus $1,295 display, compared favorably to US$50,000 dedicated CAD workstations of the time (even when the $4,995 price of a PC XT Model 87[4] was included). It was discontinued in 1987 with the arrival of VGA and 8514.
The board was targeted at the CAD market, therefore limited software support is to be expected. The only software known to support the PGC are IBM's Graphical Kernel System, P-CAD 4.5, Canyon State Systems CompuShow[5][6] and AutoCAD 2.5.[7]
Color Graphics Adapter text and graphics modes. Text modes use a font with 8×16-pixel character cells[1] and have 400 rows of pixels.[3]
Operation
The display adapter was composed of three physical circuit boards (one with the on-board microprocessor, firmware ROMs and video output connector, one providing CGA emulation, and the third mostly carrying RAM) and occupied two adjacent expansion slots on the XT or AT motherboard or the Expansion Unit;[8] the third card was located in between the two slots. The PGC could not be used in the original IBM PC without the 5161 Expansion Unit due to the different spacing of its slots.
In addition to its native 640×480 mode, the PGC optionally supported the documented text and graphics modes of the Color Graphics Adapter, which could be enabled using an onboard jumper. However, it was only partly register-compatible with CGA.
Related monitor
The PGC's matching display was the IBM 5175, an analog RGB monitor that is unique to it and not compatible with any other video card without modification. With hardware modification, the 5175 can be used with VGA, Macintosh, and various other analog RGB video sources.[9] Some surplus 5175s in VGA-converted form were still sold by catalog retailers such as COMB (Close Out Merchant Buyers) as late as the early 1990s.[citation needed]
^ abc"IBM 5175 PERSONAL COMPUTER PROFESSIONAL GRAPHICS DISPLAY AND PERSONAL COMPUTER PROFESSIONAL GRAPHICS". 01.ibm.com. Retrieved 2016-08-08.
^IBM PERSONAL COMPUTER AND IBM PERSONAL COMPUTER XT ENHANCED WITH ANNOUNCEMENT OF MATH CO-PROCESSOR OPTION // Announcement Letter Number 183-082 dated June 7, 1983. Full PC line price list at bottom of document.
Mueller, Scott (1992) Upgrading and Repairing PCs, Second Edition, Que Books, ISBN0-88022-856-3 - which says 3 slots and "adapter"
A Professional Graphics Controller by K. A. Duke and W. A. Wall, IBM Systems Journal
External links
Professional Graphics Controller: Notes - Pictures and programming information
April 04, 2023
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Professional Graphics Controller PGC often called Professional Graphics Adapter and sometimes Professional Graphics Array is a graphics card manufactured by IBM for PCs 1 It consists of three interconnected PCBs and contains its own processor and memory The PGC was at the time of its release the most advanced graphics card for the IBM XT and aimed for tasks such as CAD 2 Professional Graphics ControllerRelease date1984 39 years ago 1984 ArchitectureIntel 8088CardsHigh endIBM 1501 PGCMatrox PG 640 PG 1280 and QG 640Dell NEC MVA 1024Everex EPGAOrchid Technology TurboPGAVermont Microsystems IM 640 and IM 1024HistoryPredecessorColor Graphics AdapterSuccessorVGA 8514Introduced in 1984 3 the Professional Graphics Controller offered a maximum resolution of 640 480 with 256 colors on an analog RGB monitor at a refresh rate of 60 hertz a higher resolution and color depth than CGA and EGA supported This mode is not BIOS supported It was intended for the computer aided design market and included 320 KB of display RAM and an on board Intel 8088 microprocessor The 8088 ran software routines such as draw polygon and fill area from an on board 64 KB ROM so that the host CPU didn t need to load and run these routines itself 3 While never widespread in consumer class personal computers its US 2 995 equivalent to 7 800 in 2021 list price plus 1 295 display compared favorably to US 50 000 dedicated CAD workstations of the time even when the 4 995 price of a PC XT Model 87 4 was included It was discontinued in 1987 with the arrival of VGA and 8514 Contents 1 Software support 2 Output capabilities 3 Operation 4 Related monitor 5 Hardware clones 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksSoftware support EditThe board was targeted at the CAD market therefore limited software support is to be expected The only software known to support the PGC are IBM s Graphical Kernel System P CAD 4 5 Canyon State Systems CompuShow 5 6 and AutoCAD 2 5 7 Output capabilities EditPGC supports 640 480 with 256 colors from a palette of 4 096 2 12 bit RGB palette or 4 bits per color component Color Graphics Adapter text and graphics modes Text modes use a font with 8 16 pixel character cells 1 and have 400 rows of pixels 3 Operation EditThe display adapter was composed of three physical circuit boards one with the on board microprocessor firmware ROMs and video output connector one providing CGA emulation and the third mostly carrying RAM and occupied two adjacent expansion slots on the XT or AT motherboard or the Expansion Unit 8 the third card was located in between the two slots The PGC could not be used in the original IBM PC without the 5161 Expansion Unit due to the different spacing of its slots In addition to its native 640 480 mode the PGC optionally supported the documented text and graphics modes of the Color Graphics Adapter which could be enabled using an onboard jumper However it was only partly register compatible with CGA Related monitor EditThe PGC s matching display was the IBM 5175 an analog RGB monitor that is unique to it and not compatible with any other video card without modification With hardware modification the 5175 can be used with VGA Macintosh and various other analog RGB video sources 9 Some surplus 5175s in VGA converted form were still sold by catalog retailers such as COMB Close Out Merchant Buyers as late as the early 1990s citation needed Hardware clones EditMatrox PG 640 PG 1280 and QG 640 for the DEC MicroVAX 2 Dell NEC MVA 1024 card Everex EPGA Orchid Technology TurboPGA Vermont Microsystems IM 640 IM 1024 10 See also EditPC GX List of defunct graphics chips and card companiesReferences Edit a b IBM Personal Computer Professional Graphics Controller Technical Reference PDF Minuszerodegrees net Retrieved 2016 08 08 a b c Professional Graphics Controller Notes Seasip info 2010 08 11 Retrieved 2014 06 19 a b c IBM 5175 PERSONAL COMPUTER PROFESSIONAL GRAPHICS DISPLAY AND PERSONAL COMPUTER PROFESSIONAL GRAPHICS 01 ibm com Retrieved 2016 08 08 IBM PERSONAL COMPUTER AND IBM PERSONAL COMPUTER XT ENHANCED WITH ANNOUNCEMENT OF MATH CO PROCESSOR OPTION Announcement Letter Number 183 082 dated June 7 1983 Full PC line price list at bottom of document Professional Graphics Controller Notes Seasip info 2010 08 11 Retrieved 2018 08 22 CompuShow History Cshowplace com Retrieved 2016 08 08 InfoWorld 29 Sep 1986 p 49 at Google Books The IBM PGA Graphics Adapter Incolor inebraska com Archived from the original on 2016 08 07 Retrieved 2016 08 08 Google Discussiegroepen Groups google com Retrieved 2014 06 19 InfoWorld Google Books Retrieved 2014 06 19 NotesMueller Scott 1992 Upgrading and Repairing PCs Second Edition Que Books ISBN 0 88022 856 3 which says 3 slots and adapter A Professional Graphics Controller by K A Duke and W A Wall IBM Systems JournalExternal links EditProfessional Graphics Controller Notes Pictures and programming information Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Professional Graphics Controller 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