PA-RISC information - since 1999

Artist PA-RISC Graphics

Overview

When developing the HP 9000 712 workstation, HP integrated as much functionality in VLSI circuits as possible. This included re-developing an onboard version of the CRX adapter into the Artist graphics chip.

HP Artist
HP Artist diagram © 1995 HP

Artist graphics adapters were found in LASI-based workstations such as HP 9000 712, HP 9000 715 and were technically (almost) identical to CRX devices with much more supported resolutions and refresh rates. HP Artist had 1 MB VRAM as standard which could be extended to 2 MB.

HP aggressively integrated as much as circuitry possible with Artist to reduce manufacturing, manufacturing of the HP 712 graphics subsystem was a third of the CRX system, the entry level Artist itself only a fifth of CRX. Artist integrated almost everything but the VRAM into a single single CMOS26B VLSI at 80 MHz, while the internal DACs and color tables run at 135 MHz.

Device Resolution
max		 Color
max		 Double
buffer		 3D Output Bus and formfactor
Part number
Artist 1024×768 8-bit Hardware - VGA GSC (integrated)
Artist
ext. mem		 1280×1024 8-bit Hardware - VGA GSC (integrated)

Color Recovery

HP Color Recovery
HP Color Recovery © 1995 HP

For Artist, HP developed HP Color Recovery Technology, a system to display millions of colors within the cost constraints of an 8-bit (8-plane) graphics system. At the time, users often chose 8-bit adapters due to the high cost of systems with 24 planes.

With HP Color Recovery, the HP video system takes 24-bit data from an application an dithers it down to 8-bit for the frame buffer, from where it is scanned through a DSP to the display, wherex millions of colors can be viewed. Besides Artist, Color Recovery was also part of the HCRX-8 adapter.

Color Recovery was used in HP integrated Artist video systems on various 32-bit workstations such as HP 9000 712 workstation and some HP 9000 715 workstations (LASI-based).

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Documentation

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