The ATI Wonder series represents some of the first video card add-on products for IBM Personal Computers and compatibles introduced by ATI Technologies in the mid to late 1980s. These cards were unique at the time as they offered the end user a considerable amount of value by combining support for multiple graphics standards (and monitors) into a single card. The VGA Wonder series added additional value with the inclusion of a bus mouse port, which normally required the installation of a dedicated Microsoft Mouse adapter.
The VGA Wonder series later merged with the ATI Mach series of cards in 1990. The ATI Graphics Ultra (VRAM) and ATI Graphics Vantage (DRAM) cards both featured independent VGA Wonder ASICs in addition to their Mach8 8514 compatible graphics processor. The Graphics Ultra was later renamed the VGA Wonder GT. In 1992, their following product line, the Mach32, integrated the VGA wonder core and coprocessor into a single IC. At this point the VGA Wonder line was cancelled and replaced with a cost reduced DRAM based version of Mach32 known as the "ATI Graphics Wonder".
MDA/CGA cards
One of the early graphics cards from ATI Technologies: a Graphics Solution Rev 3Hercules graphics card from 1986. As can be seen from the PCB the layout was done in 1985, whereas the marking on the central chip CW16800-A says "8639" meaning that chip was manufactured week 39, 1986.
Supports: All CGA modes on both CGA/EGA and TTL monochrome monitors
Switching between CGA and Hercules compatibility is done via supplied utility (VSET.EXE) and doesn't require a reboot
Composite video output is available on an internal 3-pin connector (no support for colors, works only in the 40×25 text-mode or 320×200 graphics modes)
Port: 8-bit PC/XT bus
ATI Color Emulation Card
Did at least support CGA graphics output to a TTL monochrome monitor
