ChipsGraphics & videoVideo display processors › TI TMS9918

TI TMS9918

1979

Texas Instruments' 1979 Video Display Processor, providing sprites and tiled graphics for the TI-99/4A, MSX, ColecoVision and more.

Machines

Emulators

EmulatorTypeLicenseSite
Classic99downloadableFreewareWebsite ↗
ColecoVisiononlineMITWebsite ↗
JS99'eronlineFreewareWebsite ↗
NLMSXdownloadableFreewareWebsite ↗
PC99downloadableCommercialWebsite ↗
RuMSXdownloadableFreewareWebsite ↗
SG-1000onlineMITWebsite ↗
Sord M5onlineMITWebsite ↗
V9t9downloadableFreewareWebsite ↗
WebMSXonlineNo clear licenceWebsite ↗
Win994adownloadableFreewareWebsite ↗
blueMSXdownloadableFreewareWebsite ↗
fMSXdownloadableProprietaryWebsite ↗
meiseidownloadableFreewareWebsite ↗
openMSXdownloadableGPL-2.0Website ↗

Reference & documentation

External technical references for programming TI TMS9918 and for writing emulators.

ResourceTypeNotes
TMS9918A/9928A/9929A Video Display Processors Data Manual (TI) ↗DatasheetTI parent chip the 315-5124 derives from
TMS9918 Video Display Processor datasheet (Columbia mirror) ↗DatasheetAlternate TI datasheet mirror, registers and timing
TMS9918A/9928A/9929A Video Display Processors Data Manual (TI) ↗PinoutPin assignments, bus signals, electrical timing
TI Video Display Processors Programmer's Guide (SPPU004) ↗ProgrammingOfficial guide: init, tables, sprites, all modes
Programming the TMS9918A Video Display Processor ↗ProgrammingModern tutorial: ports, timing, modes, sprites, layouts
Nouspikel: Video Display Processor (TMS9918A) ↗ReferenceRegisters, VRAM tables, sprites, illegal mode combinations
cbmeeks/TMS9918 - VDP document collection ↗ReferenceDatasheets, BiFi notes, BYTE articles, tech manuals
cbmeeks/TMS9918 - schematics and PCB files ↗Schematic9918 schematic, PCB, example circuits, VRAM mods
vrEmuTms9918 - TMS9918A emulator library (C99) ↗SourceClean zero-dependency C99 reference emulator implementation
vrEmuTms9918 - CTest conformance tests ↗Test suitectest suite covering documented modes and bitmap