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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:
All  information included  in  this  file can  be  referenced to  some
document or  picture.  Or at least  should be:-) As a  result of this,
proprietary chip sets, and odd combinations of different chip sets are
not  usually  included.   There  tends  to  be  scant  information  on
proprietary chip sets, i.e.  no  datasheet.  Similarly chip sets built
using some components  from one manufacture and some  from another are
kind of difficult to deal with.

An example  I know of  is a  25 MHz 386  DX motherboard that  uses the
Intel N82230/N82231  (formerly, ZyMOS)  286 chip  set, with  an AUStek
cache Controller.   I know it  existed but there is  no documentation.
So the best I can say you'll have  to take my word that it existed.  I
can't include it because there is no real information there.

Also  not  included  is  anything  that  isn't  a  PC-compatible  chip
set.  I.e.  no Macintosh  info.  Any Information  on PC-incompatibles/
pseudo-compatibles, and  other weirdi-type  stuff I have  a particular
interest in.  See  the section: 'Info needed on'.  Some information on
video  chip  sets  is  included,  occasionally but  the  focus  is  on
motherboard implementation.

**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...
**82495DX/490DX DX CPU-Cache Chip Set                           <Sep91
***Notes:...
***Info:...
***Configurations:...
***Features:...
**82495XP/490XP Cache Controller / Cache RAM (for i860)       06/05/91...
**82496/491     Cache Controller / Cache RAM (for P5 Pentium) 03/22/93...
**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...
**82C601/2       Buffer Devices                                 <Nov94
***Info:...
***Versions:...
***Features:...
**82C822         PCIB (VLB-to-PCI bridge)                         c:94...
**Other:...
*PC CHIPS/Amptron/Atrend/ECS/Elpina/etc...
*SIS...
*Symphony...
*TI (Texas Instruments)...
*UMC...
*Unresearched:...
*VIA...
*VLSI...
*Western Digital...
*Winbond...
*ZyMOS...
*General Sources:...