Genoa Systems
| Genoa Systems
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|---|---|
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| legal form | Corporation |
| founding | 1984 |
| resolution | 1999/2000 (?) |
| Reason for dissolution | insolvency |
| Seat | San Jose , California |
| Branch | Computer, hardware |
| Website |
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The Genoa Systems Corporation was a manufacturer of computer hardware based in San Jose , California , United States . In the 1980s and 1990s, the company was primarily a well-known provider of graphics adapters .
In anticipation of a rapidly growing mass market for Internet services, the company tried in 1998 to transform itself from a hardware manufacturer into a provider of software services for end users. However, the hoped-for success did not materialize and the company went bankrupt.
history
The company was founded in California in 1984. For the 8-bit ISA bus in the EGA standard, the products, along with the adapters from the market leader IBM, quickly became one of the most widespread on the market. Because of this and because the Genoa cards were able to provide a higher resolution than the 640 × 350 pixels laid down in the IBM standard and more than 64 kB of graphics memory, they became a quasi-standard for OEM manufacturers. Numerous software manufacturers provided driver adaptations so that higher resolutions for "Genoa map" or "Genoa-compatible" could be selected and used within programs such as AutoCAD or WordStar .
In 1987 Genoa Systems developed and sold the SuperEGA chip, which was able to display a screen resolution of 800 × 600 pixels. The following year, the company was one of the eight founding members of the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) , whose first goal was to standardize this resolution under the name Super Video Graphics Array (SVGA) . In addition, Genoa Systems was a pioneer for flicker-free screen display with its FlickerFree technology, which allowed a refresh rate of 72 Hz.
From 1991 the company concentrated with its "WindowsVGA" cards on developments for the Microsoft operating system and in 1993 launched its first 24-bit true color combination solutions of graphics card and mainboard based on the VESA local bus as "TurboBahn". Sound cards followed under the name "AudioBahn".
As part of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in 1995, the company also approached end customers directly as a retailer for the first time. Previously, the products were only available through OEMs and suppliers.
For the then still young market of 3D accelerators , Genoa Systems brought out a new model under the name Phantom 3D , in addition to the Phantom 64 , which appeared in 1995 for the PCI bus . At the same time, video capture cards and VGA2TV converters were produced and the TurboExpress mainboard series was further expanded.
In 1998 Genoa announced its change from a pure hardware manufacturer to a solution provider for Internet applications (banking, surfing, education, shopping, e-mail and gaming). Genoa Info Appliance (GIA) solutions should soon be comprehensively available for network-compatible PCs, mobile computers, multimedia-compatible set-top boxes or even embedded systems with infrared keyboard for living rooms or children's rooms. It was assumed that a new generation of devices in the "under $ 500" class and the convergence of PC and TV technology would very quickly create a mass market.
However, the company soon went bankrupt and was wound up around 2000.
Corporate structure
In addition to the headquarters in the USA, there were various international subsidiaries, including a.
Products
Graphics cards
- Spectrum CGA / SuperSpectrum CGA
- Spectra EGA CARD
- SuperEGA / SuperEGA Hires + / SuperVGA
- WindowsVGA 24 / WindowsVGA 64
- WinVGA 32 / WinVGA 64
- Phantom 32 / Phantom 64 and Phantom 3D / 3DX
- V-Raptor 3D
TV and video capture cards
- Digital Video Wizard 1000
- Video flash
- VideoMotion Capture / VideoMotion MPEG-TV
- VideoMotion Conferencing (Bundle)
- VGA2TV (NTSC / PAL / Sound) and VGA2TV Remote (bundle with remote control)
Sound cards
- AudioBlitz
- AudioBahn / AudioBahn 16 / AudioBahn 16+
Modem / fax
- High Speed FAX / MODEM (ISA) and (PCMCIA)
Mainboards
- TurboExpress 486VL / 486PCI
- TurboExpress 586TX / 586HX / 586FX / 586VX / 586VX PRO
- TurboExpress 686SP / 686DP
- TurboExpress PII AGP-LX
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b About Genoa. (No longer available online.) In: Homepage www.genoasys.com. Genoa Systems Corporation, archived from the original on June 15, 1998 ; accessed on August 2, 2013 .
- ^ Mark Brownstein: NEC Forms Video Standards Group . In: InfoWorld . tape 10 , no. 46 . InfoWorld Media Group, November 14, 1988, ISSN 0199-6649 ( full text article in Google Book Search).
- ↑ Rachelle Arcayena: Genoa Systems Enters the retail distribution channel at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Press release. In: The Free Library. Genoa Systems Corporation, January 6, 1995, accessed August 2, 2013 .
- ↑ Genoa Systems Corporation Releases First Model in a Line of Internet Applications - The Genoa Info Appliance (GIA). Press release. In: APA-OTS original text service. Genoa Systems Corporation, March 18, 1998, accessed August 2, 2013 .
- ↑ Contact us. (No longer available online.) In: Homepage www.genoa.de. Genoa Computer Systems GmbH, archived from the original on October 20, 2000 ; Retrieved August 2, 2013 .