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The Yamaha V9938 is a video display processor (VDP) used on the MSX2 home computer, as well as on the Geneve 9640 enhanced TI-99/4A clone and the Tatung Einstein 256. It was also used in a few MSX1 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 used in the MSX1 and other systems. The V9938 was in turn succeeded by the Yamaha V9958.
On MSX, the screen modes are often referred to by their assigned number in MSX-Basic. This mapping is as follows:
| 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 |
MSX-Video Technical Data Book, for Yamaha V9938 (August 1985) bitsavers.org
V9938 programmer guide http://rs.gr8bit.ru/Documentation/V9938-programmers-guide.pdf
Video Graphics Array (VGA) is a video display controller and accompanying de facto graphics standard, first introduced with the IBM PS/2 line of computers in 1987, which became ubiquitous in the IBM PC compatible industry within three years. The term can now refer to the computer display standard, the 15-pin D-subminiature VGA connector, or the 640 × 480 resolution characteristic of the VGA hardware.
MSX BASIC is a dialect of the BASIC programming language. It is an extended version of Microsoft's MBASIC Version 4.5, adding support for graphic, music, and various peripherals attached to MSX microcomputers. Generally, MSX BASIC is designed to follow GW-BASIC, released the same year for IBM PCs and clones. During the creation of MSX BASIC, effort was made to make the system flexible and expandable.
The X68000 is a home computer created by Sharp Corporation. It was first released in 1987 and sold only in Japan.
The TMS9918 is a video display controller (VDC) manufactured by Texas Instruments, in manuals referenced as "Video Display Processor" (VDP) and introduced in 1979. The TMS9918 and its variants were used in the ColecoVision, CreatiVision, Memotech MTX, MSX, NABU Personal Computer, SG-1000/SC-3000, Spectravideo SV-318, SV-328, Sord M5, Tatung Einstein, TI-99/4, Casio PV-2000, Coleco Adam, Hanimex Pencil II, PECOS and Tomy Tutor.
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 horizontal scrolling registers. The V9958 was not as widely adopted as the V9938.
The Spectravideo SVI-738 X'Press is an MSX1 compatible home computer manufactured by Spectravideo from 1985. Although compatible with the MSX 1.0 standard, it incorporates several extensions to the standard ; many are hardware-compatible with the MSX 2.0 standard but the system as a whole is not, leading to it being referred to as an "MSX 1.5" computer.
Philips NMS 8250, was a professional MSX2 home computer for the high end market, with a built in floppy disk drive in a "pizza box" configuration, released in 1986. The machine was in fact manufactured by Sanyo and it is basically the MPC-25FS with a different color.
The Panasonic FS-A1WSX released in 1989 was the last MSX2+ made by Panasonic. It was the successor of FS-A1WX and incorporated few changes like S-Video output, no tape support, color printer support and an improved A1 Internal Cockpit software with a Kanji color word processor.
The HB-F9P was a Sony MSX2-computer, launched in 1985. The abbreviation HB stands for Hit Bit.
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YJK is a proprietary color space implemented by the Yamaha V9958 graphic chip on MSX2+ computers. It has the advantage of encoding images by implementing less resolution for color information than for brightness, taking advantage of the human visual systems' lower acuity for color differences. This saves memory, transmission and computing power.
The Philips NMS 8220 is a personal computer released in 1986 and compatible with the MSX2 standard. Developed by the Dutch electronics company Philips, it was aimed at both home users and small businesses. The NMS 8220 was one of the many computers that adhered to the MSX standard, a popular home computing platform in the 1980s that sought to unify hardware specifications across various manufacturers, enabling software compatibility.
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The Philips NMS 8280 was a MSX2 computer from the Dutch company Philips, launched in 1987. The abbreviation NMS stands for New Media System. Its integrated genlock enabled professional video use, and the case allowed installation in a video rack. Intended be a video editing system, the machine was sold with a mouse. The hardware was developed by Sanyo and is based on the Sanyo MPC-27.
The Philips VG-8230 is a MSX2 standard compatible personal computer released in 1986. It was the first MSX2 machine from Philips, aimed at home users with a focus on both gaming and productivity.
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