The Pico9918 PRO v2.0 VDP by Troy Schrapel (Visrealm), distributed by Arcade Shopper, is an open-source, drop-in hardware replacement for the aging, failure-prone analog video display processors found in vintage 1980s computers and game consoles—including the ColecoVision and Coleco ADAM.
Hardware Architecture & Upgrades (v2.0 PRO):
- The Microcontroller: While original iterations of the Pico9918 relied on the Raspberry Pi Pico's RP2040 chip, the upgraded v2.0 PRO model is powered by the high-performance RP2350 microcontroller of Raspberry Pi Pico 2 fame. This provides a massive boost in processing headroom and RAM capacity.
- True HDMI & VGA Output: The chip handles video signal generation entirely in the digital domain. It bridges out to an included 300mm flat flexible cable (FFC) connected to an interchangeable external output dongle. You can explicitly select either a crisp VGA dongle or a modern Digital A/V HDMI dongle upon ordering.
- Legacy IC Replacement: It acts as a universal clone for the entire Texas Instruments video family, seamlessly standing in for the original TMS9918, TMS9918A, TMS9928A, TMS9929A, and TMS9118 chips.
Performance Benefits for the Coleco ADAM:
Installing the Pico9918 PRO v2.0 delivers major secondary benefits to the ADAM console's delicate internal environment:
- Bypasses Bad Circuitry: The module contains its own internal memory architecture and timing control loops. It completely ignores the host machine's original video RAM (VRAM) field and external crystal clock circuit. If your ADAM has dead, overheating vintage DRAM chips causing a black screen or graphical corruption, this card fixes it instantly without requiring you to replace those old chips.
- Thermal & Power Relief: By removing or ignoring the load of the 16K motherboard video RAM, the modification drops internal operating temperatures significantly and reduces strain on the ADAM's notoriously sensitive power rail lines.
- Software Backwards Compatibility: The module replicates the exact register logic of the stock video controller, meaning 100% of classic game cartridges, SmartWriter software, and homebrew projects execute perfectly.
Installation Notice
Unlike computers like the TI-99/4A which feature socketed chips from the factory, the video processors inside the standard ColecoVision and Coleco ADAM motherboards were soldered directly to the main board. Installing the Pico9918 PRO inside an ADAM requires cleanly desoldering the original 40-pin chip and soldering a new low-profile IC retention socket in its place for the new board to press into.
