The Coleco's ADAM F18A Video Display Processor with VGA Cable kit—historically distributed by Arcade Shopper—is a highly celebrated, FPGA-based hardware mod designed to replace the original analog video processing chips found in the Coleco ADAM and standard ColecoVision.
Clarifying Production Status
Contrary to early rumors of permanent discontinuation, the F18A MK1 is actively produced and sold by Arcade Shopper. While parts availability fluctuates due to low-volume boutique manufacturing, the project was successfully revived as a streamlined hardware revision.
The MK1 Design Upgrades
The revised MK1 module features major structural redesigns that make it much easier to install inside a Coleco ADAM compared to Matthew Hagerty's bulky 2012 original design:
- Smaller Form Factor: The original F18A was twice as wide as a standard chip, creating tight clearance issues against internal shielding. The modern version features a narrow footprint that drops neatly into the console's VDP socket.
- FPC Ribbon Cable: It passes digital video out using a flat flexible printed circuit (FPC) ribbon cable instead of stiff, heavy wiring harnesses.
- Integrated Audio Jack: The companion VGA Breakout Header includes a built-in 3.5mm audio tap. This allows users to completely bypass the ADAM's native, noisy internal audio traces, permanently eliminating the high-pitched background buzzing caused by the data tape drives.
What it Does for the ADAM:
- Pixel-Perfect 480p: It bypasses the system's noisy RF and composite analog mixing paths, synthesizing graphics entirely in the digital domain to output a pristine 640x480 VGA signal.
- Removes Sprite Flickering: It expands the original video hardware limitations, allowing the system to display up to 32 sprites on a single horizontal line simultaneously without causing retro screen flicker.
- The Power & Heat Perk: Installing the F18A allows you to permanently pull the old 16K video DRAM chips out of your ADAM motherboard. Because vintage DRAM generates extreme heat and relies on the finicky negative 5-volt (-5V) power rail, deleting them drastically lowers case temperatures and extends the life of your power supply.
How to Install & Buy:
- Solder Requirement: To install it, you must desolder the ADAM's original 40-pin Texas Instruments TMS9928A video chip and solder a clean retention socket in its place. The F18A then plugs straight into that socket.
- Purchase Directly: You can buy the full assembly or grab standalone spares (like the F18A MK1 VGA Header) directly from the Arcade Shopper Store for roughly $95.00 to $110.00 depending on active production batches.
