Chromatic Research
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Semiconductor, Computer hardware |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Founder | Professionals from Kubota, Showgraphics, Convex, and RAMBUS |
| Defunct | 1998 |
| Fate | Acquired by ATI Technologies |
| Headquarters | Mountain View, California , United States |
| Products | MPACT! multimedia device (media processor) |
Number of employees | 350 |
| Parent | ATI Technologies |
Chromatic Research Inc. was a company located in Mountain View, California, recognized for creating the MPACT!, a versatile multimedia device designed for personal computers. Initially named Xenon Microsystems Corporation, it was established in 1993 by seasoned professionals with backgrounds at Kubota, Showgraphics, Convex, and RAMBUS. The MPACT! product incorporated a programmable VLIW and SIMD media processor that combined video, audio, and modem functionalities into a single chip or expansion card, removing the need for multiple separate components. For a short period, it was marketed as a comprehensive add-in card and DVD decoding solution.
The MPACT!
The architecture of the MPACT! media processor stood out by utilizing a large addressable SRAM instead of conventional register sets, supplemented by four specialized registers used to indirectly access its 72-bit wide SRAM entries—a concept also employed in Intel’s Itanium CPU. Its use of 9-bit bytes rather than the standard 8-bit format effectively introduced an additional sign bit per byte, which enhanced MPEG decoding efficiency. Drawing on RDRAM technology—reflecting the founders’ ties to RAMBUS—the chip could perform direct memory access (DMA) transfers into SRAM asynchronously while simultaneously executing ALU operations, maintaining high data throughput despite the inherent latency of RDRAM.
In contrast to fixed-function hardware designs, the MPACT! provided only essential hardware elements such as DACs and the processor core itself; all advanced functions were implemented through software. This approach enabled support for emerging standards like DVD decoding and 56K modem protocols after the hardware was finalized, without requiring physical modifications.
Chromatic Research asserted that the MPACT! was the first device capable of sustaining one billion operations per second ("BOP") at a clock speed of 120 MHz, largely attributable to its specialized SIMD instructions tailored for MPEG processing—technologies that preceded Intel’s MMX instruction set extensions.
Miscellaneous
The company also explored development of a media-enhanced x86-compatible CPU, but this project never reached commercialization. Although its product range was limited, Chromatic Research employed approximately 350 staff members during its peak operational period.
The Demise
The company’s eventual failure was primarily due to insufficient interest from PC manufacturers, which made ongoing operational costs unsustainable. While MPACT was under development, the PC industry shifted focus toward 3D graphics capabilities. However, MPACT’s design prioritized superior 2D graphics performance, advanced audio features, and accelerated video playback—attributes valuable when CPUs struggled with DVD playback—but its relatively poor 3D performance limited its appeal in the evolving market.
Negotiations took place between Chromatic Research and 3dfx Interactive because Chromatic lacked competitive 3D technology while 3dfx did not have an established 2D graphics solution. These talks ultimately collapsed as Chromatic underestimated the critical importance of 3D graphics, and 3dfx opted to incorporate 2D functionality into its Voodoo GPU lineup.
Another significant obstacle was that Chromatic assumed full responsibility for creating diverse software libraries across various market segments without customer backing or adequate revenue streams to support these investments.
Throughout its existence from approximately 1994 to 1998, the company completed more than five rounds of funding. In 1998, following layoffs that reduced its workforce by half, Chromatic Research was acquired by ATI Technologies.