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**Definition of a chip set:
In short it is a set of  chips that allow a system designer to build a
computer.  If we restrict the term  'chip' to that of a microchip then
technically any microcomputer  contains a chip set, even  one based of
7400-series logic alone.

In the context of this document, a chip set is defined as any group of
chips used to implement  an IBM or IBM-compatible PC/XT/AT/386/486/etc
system.

There are 2 main categories that these chips fall into:
1. Direct copies or re-implementations of Intel chips
2. Chip sets sold as a set of chips to implement an IBM-compatible 
   that differ in some way to those used in an IBM system, e.g. not 
   pin compatible.

An  example of  the former  would be  some early  chips built  by VLSI
Technology (at the time known as VTI, to implement a 286:
o  VL82C37A is a: 82C37A DMA controller
o  VL82C59A is a: 82C59A interrupt controller
o  VL82C54A is a: 82C54 timer
o  VL82C612 is a: 74LS612 memory mapper
o  VL82C84A is a: 82284 clock generator and ready interface
o  VL82C88  is a: 82288 bus controller

These are  all direct replacements  for the parts  used in an  IBM AT.
Many companies had compatible versions of these chips.

An early example of the latter is the Chips & Technology NEAT chip set:
o  82C211 CPU/Bus controller, 
o  82C212 Page/Interleave and EMS Memory controller, 
o  82C215 Data/Address buffer 
o  82C206 Integrated Peripherals Controller (IPC).

The description does not map directly to the parts used in the IBM AT.
Later chip sets are often even more integrated sometimes consisting of
just one chip, although two seems to be the most common.

The latter  is generally considered  the definition of a  chip set, and
the former is not generally  considered a chip set per-se. However when
looking  at   the  early  chip sets   this  distinction  can   be  very
slight. Because of this,  sets of chips  meeting the criteria  for (1.)
have been included where possible. 

**'chip set', 'chip-set' or 'chipset'?...
**What's not included:...
**Who made the first chip set?...
**Spelling errors/mistyped words...
**Info needed on:...
**A note on VESA support of 486 chipsets....
**Datasheets:...
*_IBM...
*ACC Micro...
*ALD...
*ALi...
*AMD . . . . . . . [no datasheets, some info]...
*Chips & Technologies...
*Contaq  . . . . . [no datasheets, some info]...
*Efar Microsystems [no datasheets, some info]...
*ETEQ...
*Faraday...
*Forex . . . . . . [List only, no datasheets found]...
*Intel...
**82496/491     Cache Controller / Cache RAM (for P5 Pentium) 03/22/93
***Notes:...
***Info:...
***Configurations:...
***Features:...
**82497/492   Cache Controller / Cache RAM (for P54 Pentium)    <Nov94...
**82498/493   Cache Controller / Cache RAM (for P54 Pentium)    <Nov94...
**
**Later chipsets (basic spec):
**440 series:...
**450NX  (?)            06/29/98:...
**?????  (Profusion)    c:99...
**800 series...
*Headland/G2...
*HMC (Hulon Microelectronics)...
*Logicstar...
*Motorola...
*OPTi...
*PC CHIPS/Amptron/Atrend/ECS/Elpina/etc...
*SIS...
**5595       Pentium PCI System I/O                          <12/24/97
***Notes:...
***Info:
SiS5595  is a  highly integrated  system I/O  that constitutes  a high
performance, rich featured, yet glueless solution for both Pentium and
Pentium  II  systems.   

The SiS5595 PCI  system I/O integrates the PCI-to-ISA  bridge with the
DDMA and PC/PCI  DMA, Serial IRQ capability, the  ACPI/Legacy PMU, the
Data  Acquisition   Interface,  the  Universal   Serial  Bus  host/hub
interface,  and the  ISA bus  interface,  which contains  the ISA  bus
controller, the  DMA controllers,  the interrupt controllers,  and the
Timers.  It also integrates the Keyboard controller, and the Real Time
Clock (RTC).  The built-in USB controller, which is fully compliant to
OHCI (Open Host Controller  Interface), provides two USB ports capable
of running full/low speed  USB devices. The Data Acquisition Interface
offers  the  ability of  monitoring  and  reporting the  environmental
condition  of the  PC.  It  could monitor  5  positive analog  voltage
inputs, 2  Fan speed inputs,  and one external temperature  inputs. It
also integrates the automatic power control logic to control the power
ON/OFF for ATX power supply.  In addition, SiS5595 also integrates the
thermal  detection and frequency  ratio control  logic for  Pentium II
CPU.

***Versions:...
***Features:...
**950        LPC I/O                                         <07/16/99...
**Other:...
**PII/III/Pro...
**Athlon etc...
*Symphony...
*TI (Texas Instruments)...
*UMC...
*Unresearched:...
*VIA...
*VLSI...
*Western Digital...
*Winbond...
*ZyMOS...
*General Sources:...