Multi-Color Graphics Array
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Release date | 1986 |
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Cards | |
Entry-level | IBM PS/2 Model 30 & 25 motherboards; Epson Equity Ie motherboard; Delta Computer DG-630 motherboard[1] |
History | |
Predecessor | Color Graphics Adapter |
Successor | Video Graphics Array |
The Multi-Color Graphics Array or MCGA is a
The MCGA supports all CGA display modes plus 640 × 480 monochrome at a refresh rate of 60 Hz, and 320 × 200 with 256 colors (out of an 18-bit RGB palette of 262,144) at 70 Hz. The display adapter uses a DE-15 connector, sometimes referred to as HD-15.
MCGA is similar to VGA in that it had a 256-color mode (the 256-color mode in VGA was sometimes referred to as MCGA) and uses 15-pin analog connectors. The PS/2 chipset's limited abilities prevent EGA compatibility and high-resolution multi-color VGA display modes.
The tenure of MCGA was brief; the PS/2 Model 25 and Model 30 were discontinued by 1992, and the only manufacturer to produce a clone of this display adapter was Epson, in the Equity Ie and PSE-30, since the VGA standard introduced at the same time was considered superior.[9][10]
Software support
The 256-color mode proved most popular for gaming. 256-color VGA games ran fine on MCGA as long as they stuck to the basic 320 × 200 256-color mode and didn't attempt to use VGA-specific features such as multiple screen pages.
Games lacking support for 256-color graphics were forced to fall back to four-color CGA mode (or not run at all) due to the incompatibility with EGA video modes (320 × 200, 640 × 200, or 640 × 350, all in 16 colors). Some games, including point-and-click adventures from
Higher resolution titles were often unsupported unless graphics could be converted into either MCGA low or high (640 × 480 monochrome, which would also support 640 × 400 and 640 × 350 with some letterboxing) resolution mode in an acceptable fashion. An alternative approach used by a small number of (generally earlier) games was to use four-color CGA assets but make use of the adapter's ability to freely change the palette for a slightly enhanced appearance.
Output capabilities
MCGA offered:
- 640 × 480 monochrome (mode 11h)
- 320 × 200 in 256 colors (from a palette of 262,144; mode 13h)
CGA compatible modes:
- 40 × 25 text mode with 8×8 pixel font (effective resolution of 320 × 200; mode 0/1h)
- 80 × 25 text mode with 8×8 pixel font (effective resolution of 640 × 200; mode 2/3h)
- 320 × 200 in four colors from a 16 color hardware palette with a pixel aspect ratio of 1:1.2. (mode 4/5h)
- 640 × 200 in two colors with a pixel aspect ratio of 1:2.4 (mode 6h)
See also
References
- ^ Brownstein, Mark (May 30, 1988). "Delta Announces PC-Compatible Product Line". InfoWorld. 10 (22). IDG Publications: 27 – via Google Books.
- ISBN 9780203010532.
- ^ "MCGA Games (PC/DOS) - LCD vs CRT \ VOGONS".
- ^ "Epson Equity 1e". 20 December 2014.
- ^ "Nerdly Pleasures: Unique PC Hardware & Game Support". 28 April 2012.
- ^ "Epson Equity 1e". YouTube.
- ^ "Epson Equity 1e a second look". YouTube.
- ^ "The secret story of MCGA". 26 December 2020.
- ^ REM (1989). Equity Ie - CGA/EGA/VGA/MCGA Video Mode Compatibility (PDF). Epson. p. 13.
- ^ Farquhar, Dave (May 2022). "MCGA vs VGA". The Silicon Underground.
- Mueller, Scott (1992). Upgrading and Repairing PCs (Second ed.). Que Books. ISBN 0-88022-856-3.