When it comes to vintage PC graphics hardware, most cards did one job: they implemented a standard (CGA, Hercules, EGA, VGA, etc.) and stuck to it. But every so often, a manufacturer came up with something a little different.
The ATI Graphics Solution SR is one of those cards. Released in 1987, it was ATI’s enhanced take on the IBM CGA and Hercules standards — offering flexibility, compatibility, and a unique trick that made it stand out.
Features and Capabilities
- CGA compatibility – Full support for IBM CGA graphics and text modes.
- Hercules compatibility – Monochrome high-resolution graphics (720×348) for productivity apps.
- MDA emulation – Works with standard IBM Monochrome Display Adapters.
- CGA-on-MDA emulation – The standout feature: it can take colour CGA graphics and display them on an MDA/Hercules monitor in grayscale, making games playable on systems that otherwise had no colour display option.
- Switchable via DIP switches – Users can configure the card for their monitor type and desired graphics mode.
Unique Selling Point – CGA on an MDA Monitor
The killer feature of the Graphics Solution SR is its ability to emulate CGA output on a monochrome display.
Back in the day, many business PCs were shipped with MDA or Hercules monitors — perfect for word processors and spreadsheets, but useless for colour games. ATI’s approach was to generate an interlaced grayscale output that mapped CGA’s colour palette into shades of gray, allowing games to run on hardware that was never meant for them.
The result wasn’t perfect — interlacing introduced some visible flicker — but for owners of monochrome systems, it was a revelation.
Technical Details
The card is configured using DIP switches:
- CGA emulation mode: SW1, SW2 = Off, Off
- Monochrome monitor selection: SW3, SW4, SW5 = On, Off, Off
- Hercules/Mono mode: SW1, SW2 = On, Off
Documentation and DIP switch tables:
👉 ATI Graphics Solution SR Manual (The Retro Web)
Comparison to Other Cards
Most CGA-compatible cards of the era were straight clones. ATI, however, added real value:
- Compared to a standard CGA card, the GS-SR could also do Hercules.
- Compared to a Hercules card, the GS-SR could also do CGA.
- Compared to hybrid cards like Paradise’s solutions, ATI’s key differentiator was CGA-on-MDA emulation.
This made the GS-SR especially appealing for machines like the Amstrad PC1512 and PC1640, which shipped with monochrome monitors but had owners eager to run games.
Legacy
While the Graphics Solution SR isn’t as famous as ATI’s later VGA Wonder line, it represents a fascinating snapshot of the transitional era of PC graphics.
ATI was already showing its hallmark design philosophy: not just cloning standards, but extending them in useful ways. For retro enthusiasts today, the GS-SR is an interesting and collectible card — especially for those who enjoy exploring the quirks of early PC gaming.
Final Thoughts
The ATI Graphics Solution SR may not have had the raw appeal of VGA or the widespread adoption of Hercules, but its clever engineering made it a standout. It gave monochrome users a window into the world of CGA gaming and demonstrated ATI’s knack for innovative solutions.
In many ways, this card laid the groundwork for ATI’s reputation in the graphics market — a company that would go on to challenge (and eventually merge with) giants like AMD.
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