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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
Yes, I  know there are  spelling errors,  and things are  mistyped. It
seems no matter  how hard I try  my fingers hit 't'  twice when typing
'compatible' rendering it 'compattible' numerous, (thousands actually)
times.  I  don't have the  time or the will  to check the  spelling of
everything. Basic spell checking has been peformed. Please let me know
if  there is  anything that  would lead  to incorrect  information, or
something  is so  mangled  that  it needs  revising.  But  if you  can
basically  understand  what was  intended,  just  cope with  it.  Just
cope:-)

BTW, "110" port is  an "I/O" port that has been OCRed  badly, as is an
"1/0" port.

**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...
**82395SX     Smart Cache                                     12/17/90
***Notes:...
**82396SX     Smart Cache                                     12/17/90...
**82485       Turbo Cache (and 485Turbocache)                      c90...
**82489DX       Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller    10/12/92...
**82495DX/490DX DX CPU-Cache Chip Set                           <Sep91...
**82495XP/490XP Cache Controller / Cache RAM (for i860)       06/05/91
***Notes:...
***Info:...
***Features:...
**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...
*PC CHIPS/Amptron/Atrend/ECS/Elpina/etc...
*SIS...
**85C501/502/503 Pentium/P54C PCI/ISA Chipset                <01/09/95
***Notes:...
***Info:...
***Configurations:...
***Features:...
**5101/5102/5103 Pentium/P54C PCI/ISA Chipset                <04/02/95...
**5120           Pentium PCI/ISA Chipset (Mobile)            <01/28/97...
**5501/5502/5503 Pentium/P54C PCI/ISA Chipset                <04/02/95...
**5511/5512/5513 Pentium PCI/ISA                             <06/14/95...
**5571           (Trinity) Pentium PCI/ISA Chipset (75MHz)   <12/09/96...
**5581/5582      (Jessie)  Pentium PCI/ISA Chipset (75MHz)   <04/15/97...
**5591/5592/5595 (David)   Pentium PCI A.G.P. Chipset        <01/09/98...
**5596/5513      (Genesis) Pentium PCI Chipset               <03/26/96...
**5597/5598      (Jedi)    Pentium PCI/ISA Chipset           <04/15/97...
**530/5595       (Sinbad) Host, PCI, 3D Graphics & Mem. Ctrl.<11/10/98...
**540            (Spartan) Super7 2D/3D Ultra-AGP Single C.S.<11/30/99
***Info:...
***Configurations...
***Features:...
**55x            SoC (System-on-chip)                        <03/14/02...
**
**Support chips:
**85C206     Integrated Peripheral Controller [no datasheet]         ?...
**5595       Pentium PCI System I/O                          <12/24/97...
**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:...