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PC Peripherals for Technicians

Chapter 3.1 - Video Subsystem Overview


Systems Manufacturing Training and Employee Development

Copyright 1998 Intel Corp.


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Video Section Overview: Ch 3.1 - 3.3


3.1 - Overview of displaying images in a Graphics System 3.1 - Block diagram of Video Subsystem & port connector 3.2 - Video Display Modes in a Graphics System 3.2 - Text Mode Video Buffer data format & character fonts. 3.2 - The attribute byte & the palette registers 3.2 - Color generation using the Video DAC 3.3 - The Graphics Mode Video Buffer data format.

3.3 - Characteristics of VGA Mode 12 hex & Mode 13 hex


3.3 - Graphics Modes Color generation & Character fonts 3.3 - SVGA, VESA & extended video modes. 3.3 - Video Subsystem initialization & troubleshooting.

Video Subsystem Overview


OBJECTIVES: At the end of this section, the
student will be able to do the following:

Discuss the interactions in a Graphics System


Name the functional elements of a Video Adapter Explain how images are displayed on a CRT

Discuss a block diagram of the Video Subsystem


Describe Video Subsystem port connectors

Video Subsystems
This

section focuses on the VGA standard which was introduced by IBM in 1987 and is commonly used today.

This information is generic in nature and may not apply in some video modes or adapter configurations.
>

Register functions used primarily by programmers and color/ mono differences are beyond the scope of this course.

There

are several standard Graphics Adapters.

MDA (Monochrome Display Adapter)

CGA (Color Graphics Adapter)


EGA (Enhanced Graphics Adapter) VGA (Video Graphics Array) - Focus of this course

SVGA (Super Video Graphics Array)


Limited backward compatibility exists--implies that software for simpler adapters works on the more complex adapters.
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Video Subsystems

The PC Video Graphics Controller is responsible for producing the image that is displayed on the screen.
This

hardware can be located on the System Board or on an add in card called a Graphics Adapter or Display Adapter that plugs into an expansion slot (PCI, ISA, etc). PC Video Subsystem contains a block of dedicated memory called the Video Buffer, Video Memory, Display Memory or Video RAM.

The

This Display Memory holds the text or graphics information to be displayed on the screen.
>

Stores a mirror of the screen picture (digital data).

A primary function of the VGA Controller is to serialize the data in its display memory and to mix this stream of data with synchronizing signals that control the video display.
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Interactions in a Graphics System

An O/S (DOS, Windows, etc.) and/or Application program (word processor, game, etc.) updates information on the screen using the Video BIOS or a Video Device Driver.
An

installable Device Driver is a program that works with the O/S to translate commands that control a piece of hardware, typically for extended functions not supported by standard hardware.
Operating System Applications

SOFTWARE

BIOS / Graphics Drivers

Microprocessor

Video Controller

Graphics Subsystem

Software Interrupt 10h is used for Video BIOS routines

HARDWARE

DISPLAY
PC RAM / ROM

Video Memory

DAC
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Interactions in a Graphics System


A

special section of display memory called the Video Buffer (separate from main system memory) stores data that will appear on the screen.

This memory is accessed via the Video Subsystem by the CPU as well as the Video Controller, permitting a program to change the display screen by updating the contents of the display memory. The video is commonly displayed on a Monitor which converts the synchronizing and video signals from the graphics sub-system into the proper form for display use.

Digital

signals are used internally by the Controller, and VGA and later uses analog signals to drive the Display.

The Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) converts the color information supplied by the VGA chip to analog voltages for the red, green, and blue gun outputs to the monitor. 7

Display Adapter Functional Elements: Text Mode


ASCII ATTR Info Char (colors) Code

Microprocessor

41h

07h BUS Interface

41 07

Attribute Decoder

Color & Intensity Dot Pattern

Video Signal Generator

Dot Stream To Monitor

Alphanumeric Character Generator

Horiz & Vert Timing

CRT Controller

Video RAM

Video Controller

NOTE: The Video Signal Gen & Alphanumeric Char. Gen functions are performed by more than one of the programmable components in the VGA block diagram discussed later in this chapter.
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Display Adapter Functional Elements: Text Mode


The

System or Bus Interface :

Decodes memory addresses to Video Memory or I/O addresses to the VGA registers.

The

Cathode Ray Tube Controller (CRTC):

Generates the horizontal and vertical timing signals that control the path and duration of the electron beam sweeping the inner surface of the CRT.

Display

memory

The Video Buffer contains the information to be displayed on the screen & is effectively a large shift register sending a serial data stream to the monitor.

Alphanumeric

Character Generation circuitry:


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Translates the ASCII value of a character stored in the video buffer into a matrix of dots to display on the screen.

Display Adapter Functional Elements: Text Mode


The

Attribute Decoder:

Controls the color and brightness of the signals sent to the monitor.

Video

Signal Generator:

Outputs the signals that control what appears on the screen.


> > >

Horiz sync (to 90 KHz) Vert sync (50 - 120Hz) Three possible kinds of video signals are: Digital (CGA, EGA) - Digital RGB monitors accept TTL level signals for red, green, or blue on separate lines. Analog (VGA) - Analog RGB monitors accept 0-0.7V analog signals for red, green and blue on separate lines. Composite (also used for TV) - The red, green, and blue are combined by the video subsystem and separated by the monitor.
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Displaying Images: The CRT


Interior metallic coating at high positive voltage

Focusing system

Vertical deflection coils/plates

Heating filament

Phosphor Coating Electron beam

Cathode

Control grid (Intensity)

Horizontal deflection coils/plates

Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)


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Displaying Images: The CRT


The

rear part of the CRT contains a cathode that emits an electron beam when heated.

A color monitor has three adjacent electron beams (Red, Green, & Blue) which can be regarded as a single beam.

The

front surface of a computer monitor is actually the end of a large CRT.

In a color monitor, there are three adjacent phosphor dots (a triad) called a PEL or PIXEL (Picture Element) laid out in horizontal scan lines.
>

Dot Pitch indicates the distance between triads (e.g.-0.28 mm) and is a measure of the resolution of the monitor. Typical ranges is 0.15 mm to 0.40 mm

When the intensity modulated electron beam strikes the phosphor coated inner surface of the CRT, it changes the brightness of the CRTs glow. 12

Displaying Images: The CRT


The

CRTs electron beam sweeps across the screen in a fixed path from left to right (Horizontal) and top to bottom (Vertical).

These lines are continually scanned many times a second producing a uniform pattern of closely spaced horizontal lines (called a raster) which covers the entire screen.
>

This is fundamentally the same way that a TV operates.

The CRT image must be redrawn continuously because it will remain visible for only a few milliseconds depending on the persistence of the phosphor.

With

additive mixing of the 3 primary colors, all known colors can be generated

Mixing equal parts of red, green & blue produces shades of white light.
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Non-Interlaced and Interlaced Displays

Displays are either interlaced or non-interlaced.


In

an interlaced graphics system, it takes 2 fields (1 odd, 1 even) to display one complete screen (called a frame)

Interlaced mode is used when the monitor cannot keep up with the data rates required by the video system--used for the first 1024x768 displays.

non-interlaced display has an entire frame displayed each screen refresh--every line is updated every frame.

Non-interlaced displays produce a more pleasing screen image (less flicker) than interlaced displays.

Quality monitors feature non-interlacing at all resolutions.


Some monitors can only work in non-interlaced mode up to a maximum pixel addressability (e.g. 800x600) above which they revert to interlaced mode.
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Displaying Images: Non-Interlaced mode


Horizontal Retrace: Repositions the beam back to the start of the next horizontal scan line. Vertical Retrace: Repositions the beam back to the top left corner Scan Line
Vertical: Approx 70 cycles/sec for Text Mode 3

Note:
Angle of scan line is exaggerated

Time Horiz: Approx 31.5K cycles/sec for Text Mode 3

Horizontal Deflection

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Displaying Images: Interlaced mode


Odd Scan Line Vertical Retrace Even Scan Line

Horizontal Retrace

Note:
Angle of scan line is exaggerated

Time

Horizontal Deflection

The first field consists of only the odd numbered line. The next field consists of only the even numbered lines.
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Displaying Images: Interlaced mode


Interlacing

is the way that a television operates.

The TV rate is 2:1 interlace - 60 fields/sec; 30 frames/sec A 30 frame-per-second rate would noticeably flicker, while the effective 60 frame-per-second rate does not. The human eye recognizes the the alternate scanlines as one image because it cant resolve the flickering of images refreshed more than 50 time per second.

The

advantage of interlacing is that the frame rate (and the video B/W) is half of what would be required to display this same resolution in non-interlaced mode.

Interlacing results in the ability to display a resolution that would be impossible for hardware in non-interlaced mode. Interlacing enables a monitor to provide more resolution inexpensively.
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Video Data Format Overview

Video Display Modes: Video subsystems operate in multiple display modes which control certain aspects of the video operation.
Text

OR Graphics:

Text modes display alphanumeric characters only. Graphics modes are bit-mapped (All Points Addressable)

Screen

Resolution: # of pixels vertically & horizontally.

e.g. 720 x 400; 640 x 480; 1024 x 768; 1280 x 1024


>

Level of sharpness of image.

Number Note:

of colors available: Typically 16 to 16 million

The initial video mode is an 80-column Text mode (03h) set by the ROM BIOS during POST.
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Video Data Format Overview

The information written to the video buffer by the microprocessor is represented on the screen as a pattern of illuminated dots called pixels.
The

microprocessor writes information to the video hardwares display buffer in either alphanumeric or graphics format.

Each location on the video screen maps to a location in the display RAM.
>

Discussed in more detail in a subsequent chapter.

The

first location of the display buffer maps to the top, leftmost point on the screen. memory addresses increase, the screen location move from left to right & top to bottom.
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As

Video Data Format Overview

Alphanumeric format: (Text Mode)


>

Discussed in more detail in a subsequent chapter.

The

microprocessor writes each symbol (letter, number, etc) as a series of 2 bytes (character & attribute) into the Video Memory.

The first byte represents the characters ASCII value The second byte represents the characters attribute (i.e. color, foreground/background, blinking, intensity)

Video

hardware translates the character & attribute bytes to the necessary series of dots.

Characters

are painted on the screen in a matrix of dots called a character box or character cell.
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Video Data Format Overview


Alphanumeric format (Text Mode)
41h 07h Seg:Offset B800:0 ASCII B800:1 Attrib. B800:2 B800:3 B800:4 B800:5 B800:6 B800:7

42h 07h
43h 07h

SCREEN
Mapping from the display memory to the screen. Segment B800 - Text Mode

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Video Data Format Overview

Graphics Mode format:


>

Discussed in more detail in a subsequent chapter.

Also

known as All Points Addressable (A.P.A.)

The

microprocessor writes the individual color value of each pixel to be painted on the screen.

All pixels can be controlled independently to draw graphics objects (as opposed to Text Mode, in which only a pre-defined set of characters can be displayed.

The

microprocessor must address the display buffer as a memory map of a series of bits (bytes for Text mode).

The

Video hardware generates the color & control signals necessary to illuminate the dot at the correct location on the screen.
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Video Subsystem Block Diagram

The following block diagram will introduce the typical functions of a VGA Video Controller. The following is a generic description to show the relationship between components of the VGA Video Controller. Note that many of the components of the video controller interact and this can be represented with different interconnect configurations.
You

may see the following blocks grouped and/or connected in different ways, depending on the vendor and the level of detail shown.

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Video Subsystem Block Diagram

A video display adapter contains the following basic elements (usually implemented in an ASIC):
Host

Interface

Clock CRT

Generator (Frequency Synthesizer)


Sequencer: [Ports 3C4, 3C5] Controller: [Ports 3CE, 3CF] Controller (Palette) : [Ports 3C0, 3C1]

Controller (CRTC): [Ports 3D4, 3D5] Memory (Video Buffer) [A000:0 - B000:FFFF]

Memory Display

Graphics Attribute DAC: Video

[3C7 (PEL Addr Rd); 3C8 (PEL Addr Wr); 3C9 (Pixel Data)] BIOS (Not implemented in ASIC)

Note: Point & Shoot is used to access registers.

Sometimes shown as 3?4 (i.e. 3D4=color, 3B4= mono).


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Video Subsystem Block Diagram


Horizontal Timing

Mem Clock

CRT Ctlr & Memory Sequencer


Addr

Vertical Timing

CRT

Addr Ctrl

Video Memory
Dot Stream To Monitor R G
Optional

Data Dot Clock

Clock

S Y N T H

Graphics Controller

FIFO

Feature Connector

Control Addr Data

System Bus Interface

Attribute Controller (Palette)

DAC (Lookup Table)


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Block Diagram: Sys I/F & Clock Gen.


The

System Interface:

Decodes memory addresses to the Video Memory OR I/O addresses to the Video Controller registers.

Generates handshake signals to the system CPU.


An Optional Write Buffer isolates the CPU from the display memory (If Write Buffer is full, wait states are inserted)

The

Frequency Synthesizer:

Generates frequencies from a fixed source (e.g. 14.3 MHz). Programmed to generate the VCLK & MCLK.
>

>

Video (Pixel, Dot) Clock: VCLK range (25-135MHz) This determines the Video Bandwidth MCLK (Memory Clock): MCLK range (35-80 MHz) Used by the Memory Sequencer
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Block Diagram: CRTC

The Cathode Ray Tube Controller maintains screen refresh functions for the various display modes.
Generates

Horiz. & Vert. timing signals for the monitor.

These control the path and duration of the electron beam sweeping the inner surface of the CRT.

Generates

addresses for the DRAM Display Buffer.

The CRTC selects the portion of the video buffer to be displayed on the screen.
>

Addresses are sent to the Memory Sequencer.

The CRTC synchronizes the Video Buffer address counter with the Horizontal and Vertical timing signals.

Controls

the size & location of the text mode cursor & generates the Cursor & underline timing signals
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Block Diagram: Sequencer

The Memory Sequencer consists of a Memory Controller & Memory Arbitrator.


The

Memory Controller:

Generates the signals & addresses for accessing display memory and provides mapping of the Video Memory.

The

Memory Arbitrator:

Ensures that the necessary screen refresh & DRAM refresh cycles are executed.
The Video Buffer may be accessed by 3 resources:
>

>

>

The Video Output Circuitry: Stream of data to redraw display (~ 80% of mem accesses) The Host computer: Accesses the memory to update the screen. The DRAM Refresh circuitry
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Block Diagram: Display Memory

The Video Buffer is a block of RAM that exists on the adapter but is mapped into the microprocessors address space.
The

Video Buffer contains the information to be displayed on the screen.

The video circuitry refreshes the screen by continually and repeatedly reading the data in the video RAM.

Address The

map range: A000:0000 - B000:FFFF for VGA

actual size of the Video Buffer varies with video subsystem: 64KB to 4 MB (or more).

Most PC subsystems have enough DRAM to hold more than one screen of displayable data, so only part of the Video Buffer is visible on the screen.
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Block Diagram: Display Memory

Types of memory chips commonly used:


DRAM VRAM

is the most popular - (Fast Page or EDO) (Video RAM) - Dual-ported RAM

The adapter can fetch the contents of memory for display at the same time that new data is being put into memory.
> >

The CPU use the parallel port for random reads & writes The adapter updates the display by reading the serial port.

Typically costs twice as much as DRAM.

WRAM

(Short for Window RAM) (Synchronous Graphic Random Access Memory

Similar to VRAM, but has faster performance at less cost. Can synchronize itself with the CPU bus clock and can open 2 memory pages at once which simulates dual-port 30 RAM.

SGRAM

Block Diagram: GCTLR & Pallette

The Graphics Controller manipulates data flow between the CPU and the Video Buffer.
Provides

CPU with an access path to Display Memory.

Controls

the data flow between the Display Memory and the Attribute Controller--video to monitor.
>

The optional video FIFO supplies data to the Attribute Ctlr as required, allowing memory accesses at maximum memory speed rather than the screen refresh rate.

The Attribute Controller: (Contains Palette Regs)


Receives

video memory data from the graphics controller & formats the data for display on the CRT. palette controls the color and brightness of the signals sent to the monitor.
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The

Block Diagram: DAC

The Digital to Analog Converter (DAC):


Contains

three (RGB) DACs (or RAMDACs) which interface directly to the monitor connector via RFI filters.

Converts

the color palette information supplied by the VGA chip to the correct analog voltages to be placed on the red, green, and blue gun outputs to the monitor.
Video DAC uses the 8-bit input to select one of its 256 color registers (256 different colors at one time). of DACs 256 color registers contains an 18-bit RGB specification (6-bits for each color)

The

Each

Standard VGA uses 6 bits per color (18 bits / pixel)


>

218 bits provides any of 256K possible colors in each register.


32

Note: SVGA DACs can use 8 bits per color (24 bits / pixel)

Block Diagram: Video Feature Conn.

The optional Feature Connector provides support for synchronizing graphics output with external devices.
Permits

third party add-on accessories to share signals and control of the VGA circuitry.

Permits direct transfer of video information between the video card and other video devices (3D accelerators, video capture cards, etc), without having to use the system bus. Also can be used to send signals to a 2nd higher resolution video card that has its own high-performance RAMDAC.

Pixel

data, Horizontal & Vertical Sync, and Dot Clock signals are available on the feature connector.

Different feature connector standards are available:


>

Video Feature Connector (VFC), VESA Advanced Feature Connector (VAFC), and VESA Media Channel (VMC) .
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The Video BIOS


The

Video BIOS contains a set of well-documented, easy to use routines that provide a low-level programming interface for accessing the hardware and provides compatibility across different hardware platforms.

Applications should make requests through BIOS calls rather than communicating directly with hardware. Software Interrupt 10 hex is used for Video BIOS routines (e.g. - Set Mode, Write character, Move Cursor, etc.)

The

Video BIOS on adapter cards is found during the POST expansion ROM detection (at address C000:0)

The C000 Segment Video BIOS routines usually augment or replace any System BIOS (F000 Seg) video routines.
> >

The INT 10h IVT is re-routed to the Video adapter (C000:xxxx) INT 42h replaces the default INT 10h IVT (F000:xxxx).
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VGA Video Port Connector Pinout


6 7

1. Red Video (analog 0-0.7v) 2. Green Video (analog 0-0.7v)


11 12 13 14 15

1 2 3 4 5

3. Blue Video (analog 0-0.7v)


4. Monitor ID Bit 2 5. Ground (DDC Return) 6. Red Return (ground) 7. Green Return (ground) 8. Blue Return (ground) 9. Key (no pin) 10. Sync Return (ground) 11. Monitor ID Bit 0 12. Monitor ID Bit 1 (DDC Data) 13. Horiz. Sync - TTL (to 90 KHz) 14. Vert. Sync - TTL (50-120Hz) 15. Monitor ID Bit 3 (DDC Clk)
35

10

Video Signal Levels: Black = 0v, Full Intensity = +0.7V Monitor ID bits are used to automatically sense the type of monitor installed on power up.

VGA Video Port Connectors

The VGA uses a 15 pin D-Shell connector to interface with the monitor.
The

analog & digital signals are meant to drive an analog color or analog monochrome monitor.

The DAC outputs analog Red, Green, & Blue Video signals to the monitor guns (RS-170).

Black = 0v
Full Intensity = +0.7V Monochrome monitors use the Green Video for all input.

The

RGB lines are terminated in a 75 ohm load at the Graphics Controller and a 75 ohm load at the monitor.

The nominal DC load is 37.5 ohms


36

VGA Video Port Connectors

Sync signals are TTL level and polarity were used by the older monitors to determine the video mode for screen sizing (Monitor uses to adjust vertical gain).
e.g.

- Display Mode for VGA 350 lines - Mode 10h


- Display Mode for VGA 600 lines - Mode 11h

Horiz = 31.5 KHz +, Vert = 62.3 Hz -

e.g.

Horiz = 35.2 KHz -, Vert = 56.2 Hz +

Some

newer monitors analyze the sync signals to determine the video mode or use the Plug & Play VESA DDC standard.

37

VGA Video Port Connectors

Monitor ID bits [MID3:0] are used to sense the type of monitor installed by the BIOS on power up.
Pulled

up by Video Card. Monitor grounds 1 or more.

Not

fully standardized & not supported on some systems.

DDC2B-Compliant Monitors
Monitor

pins MID1 & MID 3 become DDC Data & DDC Clock lines for this serial communications protocol. DDC (Display Data Channel) spec defines a serial communications channel between a computer display and a host system.

The

Allows the monitor, video card, & the O/S to communicate. Windows 95's Plug and Play architecture supports DDC.
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DPMS Power Saving

VESA has defined a standard method for the computer to tell the monitor when to go to power saving mode.
This

shuts off the deflection & high voltage in the monitor, but the CRT filament remains lit.

When system activity resumes, the display returns almost instantaneously.

The power saving mode is controlled by changing the sync signals according to the list below:
H-sync ON; V-sync ON: Normal (Power Level 100%)

H-sync Off; V-sync ON: Standby (Power Level 80%)


H-sync ON; V-sync Off : Suspend (Power Level <30W) H-sync Off; V-sync Off : OFF (Power Level <8W)
39

REVIEW & SUMMARY


WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE FOLLOWING:

The interactions in a Graphics System


The

PC Video Graphics Controller is responsible for producing the image that is displayed on the screen. O/S and/or Application updates screen information the using the Video BIOS and/or a Video Device Driver.

An

The

PC Video Subsystem contains a block of dedicated Display Memory that holds the text or graphics information to be displayed on the screen.
VGA Controller serializes the data in its display memory and mixes this stream of data with synchronizing signals that control the video display.
40

The

REVIEW & SUMMARY

How images are displayed on a CRT


The

rear part of the CRT contains a cathode that emits an electron beam when heated and the front surface of a computer monitor is actually the end of a large CRT. CRTs electron beam sweeps across the screen in a fixed path from left to right and top to bottom.

The

The CRT image must be redrawn continuously because it will remain visible for only a few milliseconds depending on the persistence of the phosphor.

In

an interlaced graphics system, it takes 2 fields (1 odd, 1 even) to display one complete screen (called a frame). non-interlaced display has an entire frame displayed each screen refresh--every line is updated every frame.
41

REVIEW & SUMMARY

A block diagram of the Video Subsystem


Horizontal Timing

Basic elements usually implemented in an ASIC. Point & Shoot is used to access registers.

Mem Clock

CRT Ctlr & Memory Sequencer


Addr

Vertical Timing

CRT

Addr
Ctrl

Video Memory
Dot Stream To Monitor
R G
Optional

Data

Clock

S Y N T H

Dot Clock

Graphics Controller

FIFO

Feature Connector

Control Addr Data

System Bus Interface

Attribute Controller (Palette)

DAC (Lookup Table)

Video Subsystem port connectors (15 pin connector )


Sync

signals are TTL level

The

DAC outputs analog Red, Green, & Blue Video signals to the monitor guns. 42 End of Chapter 3-1

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