A drop-in replacement for the ColecoVision's video chip, built on an FPGA, giving clean VGA output where the original gave a composite signal destined for a television.
What it replaces
- The TMS9918A, the video display processor the ColecoVision shares with the TI-99/4A, the MSX1, the SpectraVideo machines and the Tomy Tutor.
- The F18A is pin-compatible, so it goes in the same socket - the F in the name is for the FPGA that reimplements the chip in logic.
What it adds
- A pixel-perfect digital signal straight to a modern display, rather than a picture built for a 1982 television.
- No sprite flicker. The original hardware can only show four sprites on a line and drops the rest; the F18A does not.
- Enhanced modes new software can use, which is why some homebrew titles now come in F18A-aware versions.