The Yamaha V9938 is a

video display processor A graphics processing unit (GPU) is a specialized electronic circuit designed to manipulate and alter memory to accelerate the creation of images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display device. GPUs are used in embedded systems, mob ...

(VDP) used on the

MSX2 MSX is a standardized home computer architecture, announced by Microsoft and ASCII Corporation on June 16, 1983. It was initially conceived by Microsoft as a product for the Eastern sector, and jointly marketed by Kazuhiko Nishi, then vice-p ...

home computer, as well as on the

Geneve 9640 The Geneve 9640 is an enhanced TI-99/4A clone. It was sold by the company Myarc as a card to fit into the Texas Instruments TI Peripheral Expansion System. Released in 1987, it is in many ways similar to the earlier TI-99/8, which was in prototype ...

enhanced TI-99/4A clone and the Tatung Einstein 256. It was also used in a few

MSX1 Homeobox protein MSX-1, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''MSX1'' gene. MSX1 transcripts are not only found in thyrotrope-derived TSH cells, but also in the TtT97 thyrotropic tumor, which is a well differentiated hyperplastic tissue ...

computers, in a configuration with 16kB VRAM. The Yamaha V9938, also known as MSX-Video or VDP (Video Display Processor), is the successor of the Texas Instruments

TMS9918 IMAGE:TMS9918A 01.jpg, VDP TMS9918A IMAGE:TMS9918A 02.jpg, VDP TMS9918A IMAGE:TMS9928A 01.jpg, VDP TMS9928A The TMS9918 is a video display controller (VDC) manufactured by Texas Instruments, in manuals referenced as 'Video Display Processor' (VDP ...

used in the

and other systems. The V9938 was in turn succeeded by the

Yamaha V9958 The Yamaha V9958 is a Video Display Processor used in the MSX2+ and MSX turbo R series of home computers, as the successor to the Yamaha V9938 used in the MSX2. The main new features are three graphical YJK modes with up to 19268 colors and ...

Specifications

Video RAM Dual-ported video RAM, or VRAM, is a dual-ported variant of dynamic RAM (DRAM), which was once commonly used to store the framebuffer in graphics adapters. Note that most computers and game consoles do not use this form of memory, and dual-porte ...

: 16–192 KB * Text modes: 80 × 24, 40 × 24 and 32 × 24 *

Resolution Resolution(s) may refer to: Common meanings * Resolution (debate), the statement which is debated in policy debate * Resolution (law), a written motion adopted by a deliberative body * New Year's resolution, a commitment that an individual mak ...

: 512 × 212 (16 colors from 512), 256 × 212 (16 colors from 512) and 256 × 212 (256 colors) * Sprites: 32, 16 colors, max 8 per horizontal line *

Hardware acceleration Hardware acceleration is the use of computer hardware designed to perform specific functions more efficiently when compared to software running on a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU). Any transformation of data that can be calcula ...

for copy, line, fill and logical operations available * Interlacing to double vertical resolution * Vertical scroll register

Detailed specifications

: 4 possible configurations ** 16 KB (modes G4 up to G7 will not be available) ** 64 KB (modes G6 and G7 will not be available) ** 128 KB: most common configuration ** 192 KB, where 64 KB is extended-VRAM (only available as back-buffer for G4 and G5 modes) *

Clock A clock or a timepiece is a device used to measure and indicate time. The clock is one of the oldest human inventions, meeting the need to measure intervals of time shorter than the natural units such as the day, the lunar month and the ...

: 21 MHz * Video output frequency: 15 kHz * Sprites: 32, 16 colors (1 per line. 3, 7 or 15 colors/line by using the CC attribute), max 8 per horizontal line *

, with copy, line, fill etc. With or without logical operations. * Vertical scroll register * Capable of

superimposition Superimposition is the placement of one thing over another, typically so that both are still evident. Graphics In graphics, superimposition is the placement of an image or video on top of an already-existing image or video, usually to add to t ...

and

digitization DigitizationTech Target. (2011, April). Definition: digitization. ''WhatIs.com''. Retrieved December 15, 2021, from https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/digitization is the process of converting information into a Digital data, digital (i ...

* Support for connecting a

lightpen A light pen is a computer input device in the form of a light-sensitive wand used in conjunction with a computer's cathode-ray tube (CRT) display. It allows the user to point to displayed objects or draw on the screen in a similar way to a tou ...

and a

mouse A mouse ( : mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus' ...

: ** Horizontal: 256 or 512 ** Vertical: 192p, 212p, 384i or 424i * Color modes: ** Paletted RGB: 16 colors out of 512 ** Fixed RGB: 256 colors * Screen modes ** Text modes: *** T1: 40 × 24 with 2 colors (out of 512) *** T2: 80 × 24 with 4 colors (out of 512) *** All text modes can have 26.5 rows as well. ** Pattern modes *** G1: 256 × 192 with 16 paletted colors and 1 table of 8×8 patterns *** G2: 256 × 192 with 16 paletted colors and 3 tables of 8×8 patterns *** G3: 256 × 192 with 16 paletted colors and 3 tables of 8×8 patterns *** MC: 64 × 48 with 16 paletted colors and 8×2 patterns *** All modes with 192 lines can have 212 lines as well (similarly 48 → 53 in MC) ** Bitmap modes: *** G4: 256 × 212 with 16 paletted colors *** G5: 512 × 212 with 4 paletted colors *** G6: 512 × 212 with 16 paletted colors *** G7: 256 × 212 with 256 fixed-colors *** All modes with 212 lines can have 192 lines as well (similarly 48 → 53 in MC) *** All vertical resolutions can be doubled by interlacing

MSX-specific terminology

On MSX, the screen modes are often referred to by their assigned number in MSX-Basic. This mapping is as follows: {, class="wikitable" border="1" width=50% !Basic mode , , VDP mode , , MSX system , - , Screen 0 (width 40) , , T1 , , MSX 1 , - , Screen 0 (width 80) , , T2 , , MSX 2 , - , Screen 1 , , G1 , , MSX 1 , - , Screen 2 , , G2 , , MSX 1 , - , Screen 3 , , MC , , MSX 1 , - , Screen 4 , , G3 , , MSX 2 , - , Screen 5 , , G4 , , MSX 2 , - , Screen 6 , , G5 , , MSX 2 , - , Screen 7 , , G6 , , MSX 2 , - , Screen 8 , , G7 , , MSX 2

External links

MSX-Video Technical Data Book, for Yamaha V9938 (August 1985
bitsavers.org
V9938 programmer guide http://rs.gr8bit.ru/Documentation/V9938-programmers-guide.pdf Graphics chips MSX

Specifications

Detailed specifications

MSX-specific terminology

See also

External links