Color/Graphics Adapter I/O Ports

 This describes the I/O control ports for the Color/Graphics Adapter.  The
 CGA is built around the Motorolla 6845 CRT controller chip.

   ■ The CGA decodes ports 3d0H through 3dfH (actually using 3d2H-3dcH)

    Note: These ports overlap the EGA I/O Ports for upward compatibility.
          With some exceptions, the CGA information applies to the EGA.

 An early Tech Ref indicated that the CGA could force hardware interrupt
 level 2 (IRQ 2) upon vertical retrace.  However, the CGA has never had
 this ability (but EGA/VGA supports this feature).

    Note: BIOS stores "mirrors" of the current CRTC port values in the
          BIOS Data Area.  To change a single bit, you should read the
          appropriate variable, set the bit, perform the OUT, and store the
          new value in the variable.

Port  Description
▀▀▀▀  ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
3d4H  Write: CRT Controller register select.  Use this port to select any of
      the 18 CRTC registers.  Do an OUT 3d4H,reg_no followed by a read from
      or write to port 3d5H.
──── ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
3d5H  CRT Controller registers.  After selecting via port 3d4H, output or
      input here to access the CRTC internal registers.

      Write: See Video Initialization Table for a summary of the CRTC
             registers and a way to look up standard BIOS settings for the
             display modes.

      Read:  Registers R12 through R17 can be read to determine the current
             video page address, cursor address, and light pen information.
──── ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
3d8H  Write: Mode Select Register (BIOS keeps current value at 40:0065)
      ╓7┬6┬5┬4┬3┬2┬1┬0╖
      ║   │b│r│v│c│g│w║
      ╙─┴─┴╥┴╥┴╥┴╥┴╥┴╥╜ bit
           ║ ║ ║ ║ ║ ╚═► 0: width (text modes): 0=40 clms; 1=80 clms
           ║ ║ ║ ║ ╚═══► 1: 1=enable graphics modes; 0=text modes
           ║ ║ ║ ╚═════► 2: 1=disable color burst on composite monitor
           ║ ║ ╚═══════► 3: 1=enable video signal; 0=disable (all black)
           ║ ╚═════════► 4: dot resolutn: 0=320 2-bit dots; 1=640 1-bit dots
           ╚═══════════► 5: enable blink: 1=text attribute bit 7 blinks fgnd
                                          0=attr bit 7 is bkgd intensity
──── ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
3d8H  Write: Color Select Register
      ╓7┬6┬5┬4┬3┬2┬1┬0╖
      ║   │b│i│I│R│G│B║
      ╙─┴─┴╥┴╥┴─┴─┴─┴─╜ bit
           ║ ║ ╚═════╩═► 0-3: color. Text modes: IRGB of border
           ║ ║                       Graphics modes: IRGB of background
           ║ ╚═════════► 4: intensity. Text: bkgd intensity
           ║                           Mid-res graphics: pixel intensity
           ╚═══════════► 5: blue. Select grafx palette 0 or 1 (1 adds blue)
──── ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
3daH  Read: Status Register
      ╓7┬6┬5┬4┬3┬2┬1┬0╖
      ║       │ │ │ │ ║
      ╙─┴─┴─┴─┴╥┴╥┴╥┴╥╜ bit
               ║ ║ ║ ╚═► 0: retrace.  1=display in vert or horiz retrace.
               ║ ║ ╚═══► 1: 1=light pen trigger is triggered; 0=armed
               ║ ╚═════► 2: 1=light pen switch is open; 0=closed
               ╚═══════► 3: 1=vertical sync pulse is occurring.  Display is
                              in vertical retrace--access won't cause "snow"
──── ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
3dbH  Read/Write: Light Pen Latch Reset.  Any OUT clears light pen latch.
3dcH  Read/Write: Light Pen Latch Set.  Any OUT sets the light pen latch.
──── ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
See Also: EGA I/O Ports
          VGA I/O Ports
          BIOS Data Area
          Video Initialization Table
          INT 10H (BIOS video services)
          I/O Port Map
          Cables and Pin Outs
                                    -♦-