Chips › Graphics & video › Console graphics › Sega VDP (315-5124)
Sega VDP (315-5124)
1985
Sega's 315-5124 video display processor, a TMS9918 derivative powering the graphics of the SG-1000 and Master System.
Machines
Emulators
| Emulator | Type | License | Site |
|---|---|---|---|
| BlastEm | downloadable | GPL-3.0 | Website ↗ |
| DGen/SDL | downloadable | BSD-2-Clause | Website ↗ |
| Emulicious | downloadable | Freeware | Website ↗ |
| Exodus | downloadable | MIT | Website ↗ |
| Game Gear (jsSMS) | online | GPL-3.0 | Website ↗ |
| Genesis | online | Non-commercial (Genesis Plus GX) | Website ↗ |
| Genesis Plus GX | downloadable | Non-commercial | Website ↗ |
| Gens | downloadable | GPL-2.0 | Website ↗ |
| Gens KMod | downloadable | GPL-2.0 | Website ↗ |
| Gens/GS | downloadable | GPL-2.0 | Website ↗ |
| Kega Fusion | downloadable | Freeware | Website ↗ |
| MEKA | downloadable | BSD-2-Clause | Website ↗ |
| MasterGear | downloadable | Freeware | Website ↗ |
| Mednafen | downloadable | GPL-2.0 | Website ↗ |
| Miracle | online | GPL-3.0 | Website ↗ |
| Osmose | downloadable | GPL-3.0 | Website ↗ |
| PicoDrive | downloadable | MAME | Website ↗ |
| Regen | downloadable | Freeware | Website ↗ |
| SMS Plus | downloadable | GPL-2.0 | Website ↗ |
| Sega 32X | online | Non-commercial (PicoDrive) | Website ↗ |
| Sega Mega-CD | online | Non-commercial (PicoDrive) | Website ↗ |
| jsSMS | online | GPL-3.0 | Website ↗ |
Reference & documentation
External technical references for programming Sega VDP (315-5124) and for writing emulators.
| Resource | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| TMS9918A/9928A/9929A Video Display Processors Data Manual (TI) ↗ | Datasheet | TI parent chip the 315-5124 derives from |
| TMS9918 Video Display Processor datasheet (Columbia mirror) ↗ | Datasheet | Alternate TI datasheet mirror, registers and timing |
| Sega Master System VDP documentation (Charles MacDonald) ↗ | Interrupt list | Line and frame interrupt behaviour, status flags |
| TMS9918A/9928A/9929A Video Display Processors Data Manual (TI) ↗ | Pinout | Pin assignments, bus signals, electrical timing |
| Sega Master System VDP documentation (Charles MacDonald) ↗ | Programming | How to program registers, colour RAM, sprites |
| Sega Master System Architecture (Copetti) ↗ | Programming | Annotated VDP tile, sprite, interrupt walkthrough |
| Sega Master System VDP documentation (Charles MacDonald) ↗ | Reference | Definitive 315-5124 reference: ports, modes, timing |
| SMS Power! VDP Registers ↗ | Reference | Per-register bitfield reference for the VDP |
| SMS Power! VDP Development Index ↗ | Reference | Hub of all VDP technical articles |
| SMSTestSuite (sverx) ↗ | Source | Assembly source for VDP detection routines |
| SMSTestSuite (sverx) ↗ | Test suite | Conformance ROM; detects 315-5124 vs 315-5246 |
| SMS VDP Test (SMS Power! Homebrew) ↗ | Test suite | VDP behaviour test ROM for emulator validation |