3Dlabs was a fabless semiconductor company. It was founded in 1994 with headquarters by Yavuz Ahıska and Osman Kent in San Jose, California. It originally developed the GLINT and PERMEDIA high-end graphics chip technology, that was used on many of the world's leading computer graphics cards in the CAD and DCC markets, including its own Wildcat and Oxygen cards.

In 2006 the company focused development efforts on its emerging media processing business, and in 2009 became the Singapore-based ZiiLABS.

History 

3Dlabs was formed from a management buy-out of Dupont Pixel Systems in the UK in April 1994 and went public on Nasdaq in October 1996.  3Dlabs acquired Dynamic Pictures in July 1998 and the Intense3D division of Intergraph in July 2000. It was itself acquired by Creative Labs in June 2002. In February 2006, 3Dlabs announced that it would stop developing professional 3D graphic chips and focus on embedded and mobile media processors.

3Dlabs was an early pioneer in bringing 3D graphics to the PC. Its GLINT 300SX graphics processor was the industry's first single chip, 3D-capable graphics device that was shipped on graphics boards from multiple vendors. Gamma was the first single chip graphics geometry processor for the PC. Permedia was the first low-cost OpenGL accelerator chip.  3Dlabs was a member of the OpenGL Architecture Review Board and played an important role in the development of OpenGL 2.0 and ongoing evolution of the OpenGL API.

The new media processor business was developed out of the original UK R&D center with most of the workstation graphics teams that came from Intense3D and Dynamic Pictures having been hired by Intel and NVIDIA.

In November 2006 3Dlabs introduced the DMS-02, its first media processor capable of 720P HD Video for portable devices. In January 2009 the SoC team merged with a Creative product division and rebranded as ZiiLABS, It claimed the new company was to offer processors and complete market-ready hardware and software platforms to consumer OEMs and ODMs.

Media processors 
The ZMS processors are based on a low-power multicore architecture including dual ARM cores for handling traditional CPU tasks plus a closely coupled, fully programmable SIMD array processor to do the heavy lifting for intensive media processing tasks such as; 2D graphics, 3D graphics, video decode/encode, image processing and floating point (32-bit IEEE).  The processors integrate on-chip peripherals and interfaces suitable for a broad range of handheld and embedded devices.

Originally developed under the 3Dlabs name, the processor-related products are now sold and supported by ZiiLABS.

Graphics card listing 

These are cards which were supplied by 3DLABS. Drivers and limited support for these products can be found at: https://web.archive.org/web/20080227235127/http://www.3dlabs.com/content/legacy/

Chips:
 3Dlabs Permedia 2
 3Dlabs Permedia NT (Permedia + GLINT Delta)
 3Dlabs Permedia
 3Dlabs GLINT GMX - GMX 1000 (Gamma + MX), GMX 2000 (Gamma + 2xMX)
 3Dlabs GLINT Gamma (geometry processor)
 3Dlabs GLINT DMX - DMX 1000 (Delta + MX), DMX 2000 (Delta + 2xMX)
 3Dlabs GLINT Delta (triangle setup processor)
 3Dlabs GLINT MX
 3Dlabs GLINT 500TX
 3Dlabs GLINT 300SX

Boards:
 Wildcat Realizm series - consists of Vertex/Scalability Units (VSU), Visual Processing Units (VPU)
 (2005) 3Dlabs Wildcat Realizm 800 - 1 VSU, 2 VPU, 512 + 128 MB GDDR3, 512-bit memory interface, x16 PCIe
 (2005) 3Dlabs Wildcat Realizm 500 - 1 VPU, 256 MB GDDR3, 256-bit memory interface, x16 PCIe,
 (2004) 3Dlabs Wildcat Realizm 200 - 1 VPU, 512 MB GDDR3, 256-bit memory interface, AGP x8
 (2004) 3Dlabs Wildcat Realizm 100 - 1 VPU, 256 MB GDDR3, 256-bit memory interface, AGP x8
 Wildcat VP (Visual Processing) Series - based on P10 and P9 chips:
 (2003) 3Dlabs Wildcat VP990 Pro - P10, 512 MB RAM, AGP x8
 (2003) 3Dlabs Wildcat VP880 Pro - P10, 256 MB RAM, AGP x8
 (2002) 3Dlabs Wildcat VP970 - P10, 128 MB RAM, AGP x8
 (2002) 3Dlabs Wildcat VP870 - P10, 128 MB RAM, AGP x8
 (2002) 3Dlabs Wildcat VP760 - P10, 64 MB RAM, AGP x8
 (2003) 3Dlabs Wildcat VP560 - P9, 64 MB RAM, AGP x8
 Wildcat4 Series:
 (2003) 3Dlabs Wildcat4 7210 - 256 MB texture memory and 128 MB frame buffer, AGP Pro 50 x8
 (2003) 3Dlabs Wildcat4 7110 - 128 MB texture memory and 128 MB frame buffer, AGP Pro 50 x8
 Wildcat III Series:
 (2002) 3Dlabs Wildcat III 6210 - 256 MB texture memory and 128 MB frame buffer, AGP Pro 50
 (2002) 3Dlabs Wildcat III 6110 - 128 MB texture memory and 64 MB frame buffer, AGP Pro 50
 Wildcat II Series:
 (2001) 3Dlabs Wildcat II 5110 - 64 MB texture memory and 64 MB frame buffer, AGP Pro 50 x4
 (2001) 3Dlabs Wildcat II 5000 - 32 MB texture memory and 32 MB frame buffer
 3Dlabs Oxygen GVX420 - 2xGLINT R4 + GLINT Gamma G2 + 128 MB SGRAM
 3Dlabs Oxygen GVX1 Pro - GLINT R4 + GLINT Gamma G2 + 64 MB SDRAM + DVI-I
 (2000) 3Dlabs Oxygen GVX210 - 2xGLINT R3 + GLINT Gamma G2 + 64 MB SGRAM
 3Dlabs Oxygen GVX1 - GLINT R3 + GLINT Gamma G1 + 32 MB SDRAM, PCI and AGP version available
 3Dlabs Oxygen VX1 - GLINT R3 + 32 MB SDRAM
 3Dlabs Oxygen VX1-16 - GLINT R3 + 16 MB SDRAM
 3Dlabs Oxygen VX1 Stereo - GLINT R3 + 32 MB SDRAM + CrystalEyes
 3Dlabs Oxygen VX1 1600SW - GLINT R3 + 32 MB SDRAM + LVDS connector (for use with the SGI 1600SW flat panel)
 3Dlabs Permedia3 Create! - Permedia3
 3Dlabs Oxygen GMX - a GMX 2000 based card
 3Dlabs Oxygen RPM - dual RPM based card
 3Dlabs Oxygen ACX - a Permedia 2 based card

Acquired with Intense3D:
 Intense3D Wildcat 4210
 Intense3D Wildcat 4110
 Intense3D Wildcat 4105
 Intense3D Wildcat 4000
 Intense3D Wildcat 3510
 Intense 3D Pro 3600
 Intense 3D Pro 3400
 Intense 3D Pro 2200S
 Intense 3D Pro 2200
 Intense 3D Pro 1000

Acquired with Dynamic Pictures Inc.:
 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 102, 202, 402
 Dynamic Pictures V192

Before ATI acquired the FireGL team in 2001, Diamond Multimedia used 3Dlabs chipsets for some of their FireGL cards. Newer Technology sold the RenderPix cards based on the 500TX + Glint Delta for the Macintosh. Formac also made a number of Macintosh graphics cards using Permedia 1, 2, and 3 chipsets.

See also 
Multimedia
Graphics card
Graphics processing unit

References

External links 

 3Dlabs homepage support legacy graphics cards

Graphics hardware companies
Fabless semiconductor companies
Intel graphics
Defunct semiconductor companies of the United States
Companies formed by management buyout
2002 mergers and acquisitions
1994 establishments in California
2009 disestablishments in California
American companies established in 1994
American companies disestablished in 2009
Computer companies established in 1994
Computer companies disestablished in 2009
Electronics companies established in 1994
Electronics companies disestablished in 2009
Manufacturing companies based in San Jose, California
Companies formerly listed on the Nasdaq
Creative Technology acquisitions
Defunct computer companies of the United States
3D랩스(3DLabs)사는 휴대용 및 임베디드 시장을 대상으로, 완전한 프로그래머블 미디어리치 응용 프로세서의 DMS 레인지를 개발하는 팹리스 반도체 기업이다. 미국 캘리포니아 서니베일에 본사를 두고 있다. "Pioneering Media Processors"가 이 회사의 슬로건이다.

3D랩스는 이전에는 고성능 그래픽 칩 기술을 개발했던 그래픽 카드 제조업체였으며, CAD, DCC 시장에서 와일드캣(Wildcat), 옥시전(Oxygen) 컴퓨터 그래픽스를 판매하였다.

레거시 그래픽 카드 

아래는 3D랩스가 공급한 레거시 그래픽 카드들이다. 이 제품들의 드라이버 및 제한된 지원은 아래에서 확인할 수 있다:
https://web.archive.org/web/20080227235127/http://www.3dlabs.com/content/legacy/

칩:
 3Dlabs Permedia 2
 3Dlabs Permedia NT (Permedia + GLINT Delta)
 3Dlabs Permedia
 3Dlabs GLINT GMX - GMX 1000 (Gamma + MX), GMX 2000 (Gamma + 2xMX)
 3Dlabs GLINT Gamma (geometry processor)
 3Dlabs GLINT DMX - DMX 1000 (Delta + MX), DMX 2000 (Delta + 2xMX)
 3Dlabs GLINT Delta (geometry processor)
 3Dlabs GLINT MX
 3Dlabs GLINT 500TX
 3Dlabs GLINT 300SX

보드:
 Wildcat Realizm 시리즈 - Vertex/Scalability Units (VSU), Visual Processing Units (VPU)로 구성
 (2005) 3Dlabs Wildcat Realizm 800 - 1 VSU, 2 VPU, 512 + 128 MB GDDR3, 512-bit memory interface, x16 PCIe
 (2005) 3Dlabs Wildcat Realizm 500 - 1 VPU, 256 MB GDDR3, 256-bit memory interface, x16 PCIe,
 (2004) 3Dlabs Wildcat Realizm 200 - 1 VPU, 512 MB GDDR3, 256-bit memory interface, AGP x8
 (2004) 3Dlabs Wildcat Realizm 100 - 1 VPU, 256 MB GDDR3, 256-bit memory interface, AGP x8
 Wildcat VP (Visual Processing) 시리즈 - P10, P9 칩 기반:
 (2003) 3Dlabs Wildcat VP990 Pro - P10, 512 MB RAM, AGP x8
 (2003) 3Dlabs Wildcat VP880 Pro - P10, 256 MB RAM, AGP x8
 (2002) 3Dlabs Wildcat VP970 - P10, 128 MB RAM, AGP x8
 (2002) 3Dlabs Wildcat VP870 - P10, 128 MB RAM, AGP x8
 (2002) 3Dlabs Wildcat VP760 - P10, 64 MB RAM, AGP x8
 (2003) 3Dlabs Wildcat VP560 - P9, 64 MB RAM, AGP x8
 Wildcat4 Series:
 (2003) 3Dlabs Wildcat4 7210 - 256 MB texture memory and 128 MB frame buffer, AGP Pro 50 x8
 (2003) 3Dlabs Wildcat4 7110 - 128 MB texture memory and 128 MB frame buffer, AGP Pro 50 x8
 Wildcat III Series:
 (2002) 3Dlabs Wildcat III 6210 - 256 MB texture memory and 128 MB frame buffer, AGP Pro 50
 (2002) 3Dlabs Wildcat III 6110 - 128 MB texture memory and 64 MB frame buffer, AGP Pro 50
 Wildcat II Series:
 (2001) 3Dlabs Wildcat II 5110 - 64 MB texture memory and 64 MB frame buffer, AGP Pro 50 x4
 (2001) 3Dlabs Wildcat II 5000 - 32 MB texture memory and 32 MB frame buffer
 3Dlabs Oxygen GVX420 - 2xGLINT R4 + GLINT Gamma G2 + 128 MB SGRAM
 3Dlabs Oxygen GVX1 Pro - GLINT R4 + GLINT Gamma G2 + 64 MB SDRAM + DVI-I
 (2000) 3Dlabs Oxygen GVX210 - 2xGLINT R3 + GLINT Gamma G2 + 64 MB SGRAM
 3Dlabs Oxygen GVX1 - GLINT R3 + GLINT Gamma G1 + 32 MB SDRAM, PCI and AGP version available
 3Dlabs Oxygen VX1 - GLINT R3 + 32 MB SDRAM
 3Dlabs Oxygen VX1-16 - GLINT R3 + 16 MB SDRAM
 3Dlabs Oxygen VX1 Stereo - GLINT R3 + 32 MB SDRAM + CrystalEyes
 3Dlabs Oxygen VX1 1600SW - GLINT R3 + 32 MB SDRAM + LVDS 단자 (SGI 1600SW 플랫 패널에 사용하기 위해)
 3Dlabs Permedia3 Create! - Permedia3
 3Dlabs Oxygen GMX - GMX 2000 기반 카드
 3Dlabs Oxygen RPM - 듀얼 RPM 기반 카드
 3Dlabs Oxygen ACX - Permedia 2 기반 카드

Intense3D와 함께 인수:
 Intense3D Wildcat 4210
 Intense3D Wildcat 4110
 Intense3D Wildcat 4105
 Intense3D Wildcat 4000
 Intense3D Wildcat 3510
 Intense 3D Pro 3600
 Intense 3D Pro 3400
 Intense 3D Pro 2200S
 Intense 3D Pro 2200
 Intense 3D Pro 1000

Dynamic Pictures Inc.과 함께 인수:
 Dynamic Pictures Oxygen 102, 202, 402
 Dynamic Pictures V192

ATI가 2001년 파이어GL을 인수하기 전에 다이아몬드 멀티미디어는 자사의 파이어GL 카드 중 일부에 3D랜스 칩셋을 사용하였다. 뉴어 테크놀로지는 매킨토시를 대상으로 500TX + Glint Delta 기반의 렌더픽스(RenderPix) 카드들을 판매했다. Formac 또한 Permedia 1, 2, 3 칩셋을 사용하여 수많은 매킨토시 그래픽 카드를 제조하기도 했다.

같이 보기 
 멀티미디어
 그래픽 카드
 그래픽 처리 장치

각주

외부 링크 
 

1983년 설립된 기업
팹리스 반도체 기업
그래픽 하드웨어 기업
인텔 그래픽스