Technical Info

This page contains links to technical documentation that is useful for emulator writers.

Video Hardware

VGA

• VGADOC - also has register info on many old SVGA chipsets, EGA, CGA, Hercules.
• FreeVGA
• 82C451 Datasheet
• PS/2 Reference Manuals

SVGA

• VGADOC
• The NT4 DDK contains example source of an S3 driver
• TODO Link to S3 Linux driver source
• RBIL\memory.lst, RBIL\PORTS
• ET4000 Alpplication Note
• ET4000-W32 Datasheet

EGA

• VGADOC (small inaccuracies)
• 82C435 Datasheet
• TODO IBM register/mode table scan hidden somewhere on the Vintage Computer Forum

Tandy

• Tandy Technical References (hxtech, tltech, sxtech)

PCJr

• IBM PCJr Technical Reference
• Some Tandy Technical References have register comparisons with PCJr

CGA

• MC6845 datasheet
• IBM PC Technical Reference
• VGADOC
• V6366 CGA compatible display controller

MDA

• Info on the Monochrome Adapter
• IBM PC Technical Reference

Hercules

• VGADOC
• Some notes on Hercules

Sound

Soundblaster

• Creative Soundblaster Programming Guide
• Soundblaster Commands/Register Details

Emu8000

• EMU8000 Programmer's Reference

Gravis Ultrasound

• RBIL\PORTS
• Ultrasound Programming

Adlib

• YMF262 Datasheet
• YAC512 Datasheet (YMF262 DAC)
• YMF3812 Datasheet

MPU401

• MPU-401 Reference Manual

Storage

Floppy

• 37C65 Datasheet
• Programming Floppy Controllers

Ports

• 16C550 Datasheet
• IBM PC Technical Reference

Mainboard

DMA

• 8237 Datasheets
• IBM PC Technical Reference

Interrupt

• 8259 Datasheets

Timer

• 8253 Datasheet
• 8254 Datasheet
• 82C54 Datasheet

Keyboard

• IBM PC Technical Reference
• PS/2 Reference Manuals
• KBD43W13 Keyboard/Mouse Controller Datasheet

PC

• ISA timing (PC104timing.pdf)
• TODO PC AT schematic somewhere on the Vintage Computer Forum
• PC-AT Chipset

PCJr

• IBM PCJr Technical Reference

Tandy

• Tandy Technical References (hxtech, tltech, sxtech)

CPU

• 80386 Manual
• CPU Manuals
• Protected Mode Programming Tutorials
• 486 Datasheet
• 386 DX Datasheet
• TODO same as above for 486, have it on disk but can't find it on the net right now

Software

BIOS

• Ralf Browns Interrupt List
• OEM VGA BIOS Specification
• RBIL\memory.lst - BIOS data area
• BIOS data area
• The various Technical References mentioned above have BIOS info too

DOS

• RBIL
• DOS programming and secrets

Drivers

MSCDEX Interface