Editing TMS9918 (section)

{{short description|Video display controller}}
{{more citations needed|date=April 2015}}
[[IMAGE:TMS9918A 01.jpg|thumb|VDP TMS9918A]]
[[IMAGE:TMS9918A 02.jpg|thumb|VDP TMS9918A]]
The '''TMS9918''' is a [[video display controller]] (VDC) manufactured by [[Texas Instruments]], in manuals referenced as "Video Display Processor" (VDP) and introduced in 1979.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.smspower.org/Development/TMS9918ArizonaTechnicalSymposiumDraft|title=TMS9918 Arizona Technical Symposium Draft - Development - SMS Power!|website=www.smspower.org}}</ref> The TMS9918 and its variants were used in the [[PV-2000|Casio PV-2000]], [[Coleco Adam]], [[ColecoVision]], [[VTech CreatiVision|CreatiVision]], [[Hanimex|Hanimex Pencil II]], [[MSX]], [[Memotech MTX]], [[NABU Network#Hardware|NABU Personal Computer]], [[Programa Educativo de Colegios Secundarios|PECOS]], [[SG-1000]], [[SC-3000]], [[SV-318]], [[SV-328]], [[Sord M5]], [[TI-99/4A|TI-99/4]], [[Tatung Einstein]], and [[Tomy Tutor]].

The TMS9918 generates both grid-based character graphics (used to display text or background images) and [[sprite (computer graphics)|sprite]]s used for moving foreground objects.

The key features of this chip are, as highlighted in a 1980 presentation by Karl Guttag (one of the designers):<ref name="auto"/>

*256 by 192 full color pixels per screen
*15 different colors and/or shades
*[[Progressive scan|Non-interlaced]] color [[composite video]] output
*Direct wiring to RAS/CAS type [[Dynamic random-access memory|dynamic RAMs]]
*Automatic refresh of dynamic RAMs
*General [[8-bit computing|8-bit]] memory mapped type CPU interface
*CPU accesses RAM via VDP (no need for [[Direct memory access|DMA]])
*32 dynamic characters per screen
*Thirty-two 8×8 patterns per row, 24 rows per screen
*Text mode with forty 6×8 patterns per row
*Multicolor mode with 64 by 48 memory mappable color squares
*External video input and control
*Single supply +5 volt operation
*Standard N-Channel [[Silicon-gate|silicon gate]] technology