# Intel 8257

> DMA controller

**Wikidata**: [Q1665577](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1665577)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_8257)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/intel-8257

## Summary
The Intel 8257 is an integrated circuit model that functions as a DMA (direct memory access) controller. It is used to provide DMA capability for microcomputers and personal computers.

## Key Facts
- The Intel 8257 is an integrated circuit model described as a DMA controller.
- Primary uses listed: microcomputer, personal computer, and direct memory access.
- Instance of: integrated circuit model.
- Subclass of: integrated circuit, and controller (qualified as direct memory access).
- Parent / part of classes include: controller [class] and video game controller [class].
- Related items include IBM PC compatible (computers similar to the IBM PC) and the Soviet 580 series of integrated circuits for 8-bit computers.
- Wikimedia Commons image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/8257_IMG_0809.JPG
- Wikidata description: "DMA controller".
- Wikipedia title: Intel 8257; available language links include commons, de, en, es.
- Google Knowledge Graph ID: /g/113qbq5n5.
- Sitlink count (Wikidata): 4.

## FAQs
### Q: What is the Intel 8257?
A: The Intel 8257 is an integrated circuit model that implements a DMA (direct memory access) controller. It is intended for use in microcomputers and personal computers.

### Q: What does a DMA controller like the 8257 do?
A: A DMA controller allows peripheral devices to transfer data to or from main memory without continuous CPU intervention, enabling more efficient data movement for microcomputers and personal computers.

### Q: Where can I find an image or media for the Intel 8257?
A: A representative image is available on Wikimedia Commons at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/8257_IMG_0809.JPG and the Commons category is "Intel 8257".

### Q: Is the 8257 classified as a controller?
A: Yes. The 8257 is subclassed under "controller" with the qualifier that it is specifically for direct memory access.

## Why It Matters
DMA controllers like the Intel 8257 are important because they offload bulk data-transfer work from a system's CPU. By allowing peripherals to read and write main memory directly, a DMA controller reduces CPU load, lowers latency for high-throughput operations, and improves overall system efficiency in microcomputers and personal computers. As an integrated circuit model categorized specifically as a DMA controller, the Intel 8257 represents a component-level solution for enabling these direct memory transfers in computing systems. Its classification and usage context place it among the set of hardware parts that made efficient peripheral-to-memory communications practical in early and ongoing microcomputer architectures.

## Notable For
- Being an integrated circuit model explicitly described and classified as a DMA (direct memory access) controller.
- Intended use for microcomputers and personal computers to enable peripheral-to-memory transfers with reduced CPU involvement.
- Explicit subclassing as a controller with the DMA qualifier, distinguishing it from general-purpose controllers.
- Presence in Wikimedia Commons with an available image and cross-language Wikipedia entries (commons, de, en, es).

## Body
### Identity and classification
- Name: Intel 8257.
- Wikidata description: "DMA controller".
- Instance of: integrated circuit model.
- Subclass of:
  - integrated circuit.
  - controller (qualified as direct memory access).

### Primary uses and function
- Listed uses: microcomputer, personal computer, direct memory access.
- Core function: implements DMA capability to permit peripherals to transfer data to/from main memory with reduced CPU intervention.

### Relationships and context
- Parent / part of classes:
  - controller [class] — computing device that interfaces with a more peripheral device.
  - video game controller [class] — device used with games or entertainment systems.
- Related entities:
  - IBM PC compatible — computers similar to the IBM PC and its derivatives.
  - 580 series of integrated circuits — a Soviet set of integrated circuits for 8-bit computers (inception: 1976; country: Soviet Union). This series is listed as a related class of integrated circuits, not as the same product.

### Metadata and resources
- Wikimedia Commons image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/8257_IMG_0809.JPG
- Commons category: Intel 8257.
- Wikipedia title: Intel 8257; language links include commons, de, en, es.
- Sitlink count (Wikidata): 4.
- Google Knowledge Graph ID: /g/113qbq5n5.

### Notes
- Classification highlights the 8257's role specifically in direct memory access within computing devices.
- The provided related items indicate contextual associations (e.g., IBM PC compatibles) but do not by themselves assert specific usage instances beyond the listed uses.