VESA Sets Sweeping Standards Agenda

The Video Electronic Standards Association announced at COMDEX that it
would update, overhaul or rerelease nearly every one of its existing
specifications over the next six months. The group also announced plans
for a compliance-testing and branding program.

The VESA monitor committee is at work on a video connector that aims
ultimately to replace the 15-pin VGA connector. The next version will
improve video-signal bandwidth and support additional audio and video
functions and signals.

VESA's Advanced Video Interface Committee, which spawned both the VESA
advanced-feature connector and the VESA media channel, has begun
development of a second-generation media channel. A draft of the connector
spec is expected in January and connector proposals are currently under
review.

Other VESA initiatives include Version 2.0 of the VESA BIOS extension core
functions, which was due to be approved in November and released shortly
thereafter. The new functions include a protected-mode interface needed by
game developers. BIOS extensions to support flat-panel systems are
expected in the first quarter and a standard interface to remote
flat-panel monitors is out for general review.

For game developers, the Advanced Functionality Workgroup is developing a
five-to-six function interface that will let them use semiconductor BitBLT
(bit-block line transfer) capabilities, negating the current need to
navigate some 250 raster operations.

The VESA Monitor Committee is also developing an Access.bus monitor command
set that will specify how a host computer controls monitor parameters. The
link itself was defined earlier.

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