3Dlabs
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
3Dlabs is a pioneering developer of fully programmable media processors capable of delivering a mix of accelerated video, imaging, 2D graphics and 3D graphics, audio and floating point capabilities within a low-power environment.
3Dlabs was previously a graphics card vendor that developed high-end graphics chip technology and marketed its Wildcat, Oxygen and Permedia computer graphics solutions to design professionals in the CAD and content creation industries. Formerly independent, it became a subsidiary of Creative Labs in 2002, but announced plans to spin in November 2006.
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 formed from a management buy-out of Dupont Pixel Systems 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 before being acquired by Creative Labs in June 2002.
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.
In February 2006, 3Dlabs announced that it would stop developing professional 3D graphic chips and focus on embedded and mobile graphic technologies.
Most of the 3Dlabs team that came from Intense3D and Dynamic Pictures have been hired by Intel[1] and NVIDIA[2]. Some rumors claim the team at Intel will be responsible for a project to create a discrete graphics chip to compete against nVIDIA and their main rival AMD, whom has acquired ATi.
In November 2006, 3Dlabs announced its plans to spin out from Creative labs and introduce a media processor capable of 720P HD Video for portable devices. This is the DMS-02, the first in the DMS range of products.
