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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...
**440 series:
***440FX (Natoma) 05/06/96...
***440LX (Balboa) 08/27/97...
***440BX (Seattle) c:Apr'98...
***440DX (?) c:?...
***440EX (?) c:Apr'98...
***440GX (Marlinespike) 06/29/98...
***440ZX & 440ZX-66 (?) 01/04/99
Chips:
[82443ZX] (PAC) [82371EB] (PIIX4E)
CPUs: Single P-II/Celeron
DRAM Types: EDO SDRAM
Mem Rows: 4
DRAM Density: 16Mbit 64Mbit
Max Mem: 256MB
ECC/Parity: No
AGP speed: 1x 2x
Bus Speed: 66 100 133*1
PCI Clock/Bus: 1/2 1/3 1/4*1 PCI 2.1
440ZX-66 is the same but only has bus speed of 66 MHz and PCI divisor
or 1/2.
>*1 Exists but unofficially. There is no 1/2 divider for AGP,
making AGP unstable in a 133MHz bus system. In this config. the
system is overclocked.
***440ZX-M (?) 05/17/99...
***440MX (Banister) 05/17/99...
**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...
*Symphony...
**SL82C470 'Mozart' 486/386 EISA chipset c:Dec91
***Info:...
***Configurations:
SL82C471 Cache/DRAM Controller
SL82C472 EISA Bus Controller
SL82C473 DMA Controller
***Features:...
**SL82C490 'Wagner' 486? [no datasheet] ?...
**SL82C550 'Rossini' Pentium [no datasheet] c:95...
**
**Support Chips:
**SL82C365 Cache Controller (for 386DX/SX) c:91...
**SL82C465 Cache Controller (for 486/386DX/SX) c:91...
*TI (Texas Instruments)...
*UMC...
*Unresearched:...
*VIA...
*VLSI...
*Western Digital...
*Winbond...
*ZyMOS...
*General Sources:...
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