Note: The PICO9918 VDP Display Card is supplied in Kitset form only (assembly required). The base price is for the double-sided silkscreened PICO9918 VDP Display Card PCB ONLY. The Optional Packs provide all of the components for a complete Kitset, excluding the PICO9918 module itself. See BOM below (and photo).

What is Minimalist Europe Card Bus

Europe Card Bus (ECB) is a Retro CPU Bus standard from the late 1970’s / early 1980’s.

The “Minimalist Europe Card Bus” (as I’ve called it), is a Retro 8-bit CPU Bus and PCB design standard that I decided to define & document. The purpose of which is to provide a modular platform for me to re-experience the fun of experimenting with the different 8-bit CPU’s, and the various Video and Peripheral devices, that I grew up with in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s.

My goal is that of a robust and modular Design Platform which allows me to create interchangeable PCB cards, based on time proven reliable bus connectors and modern low-cost prototype PCB manufacturing.

i.e. A robust, flexible, and low cost way for me to re-create some of the early microprocessor circuits, that I’d originally built using Wire-Wrap methods, back in the day.

As evident from the name, the Bus itself is based on a Minimalist implementation of the original Europe Card Bus (ECB) standard.

Standardised Mechanical Specification for a Minimalist ECB “MECB” Board

MECB Standardised Board Design Parameters:

• Satisfy the 100mm square maximum board size, for low-cost prototype PCB manufacturing.
• Utilise the lower cost 64-pin (Row A&C) DIN 41612 type C connectors, for cost saving.
• Ensure the DIN 41612 connector(s) can be easily centred across the board width, grid aligned.
• Provide two standardised corner holes, on the edge opposing the right-angle DIN connector, to allow for attachment of card handles (to ease board insertion & extraction), or for board mounting – refer next point.
• Provide an additional two standardised corner mounting holes on the edge with the right-angle DIN connector, to provide a full set of four corner holes (to allow for stand-alone board mounting).
• Standardise PCB corner rounding, for sharp corner removal consistency across all boards & visual tidiness.

MECB Standardised Board Design Notes:

• PCB layout is designed utilising 0.127mm (5.0 mils) grid setting.
• Board size is 99.822mm, which represents the greatest even multiple of 0.127mm (i.e. multiple of 0.254mm – 10.0 mils), that will fit within the desired maximum 100mm board dimension.
• Standard M3 sized mounting holes were chosen. An additional two mid-edge located mounting holes are specified for Backplane boards only (to provide additional mechanical support).
• For reference, DIN 41612 connectors can utilise standard M2.5 mounting bolts (8mm length for the straight connectors, 10mm length for right angle connectors).
• Implemented as KiCAD Templates, to assist enthusiasts by simplifying the creation of each new MECB board design.

Please refer to the attached photo outlining all dimensions for the MECB Standardised Board Mechanical Specifications.

PICO9918 VDP Video Display Card

Why?

I'd already created a TMS9918/992x VDP Card. I'd also already created a V9938/V9958 MSX VDP Card (both listed separately in my Lectronz Store).

But, I also realise that, at some point in the future, it will become more and more difficult (and more expensive), to find, the reclaimed, out-of-production, original VDP chips!

We are already seeing this happening with the increasingly hard to find V9958.

So, to address this, we are lucky to have dedicated retro enthusiasts, who are busy working on modern solutions for replacing these original VDP chips.

In this case, I’m referring to the now proven, PICO9918 VDP module.

The PICO9918 module directly replaces a TMS9918 family VDP chip, but it also adds more advanced functionality, as well as a beautifully clean and sharp modern display output capability.

I first developed my PICO9918 based VDP Display Card (as v1.0) in 2025, to begin experimenting with.

A year later (2026), I had been following the PICO9918's continuing development over the last 12 months, including the evolution from its earlier v0.4.4 firmware, to the now more mature v1.2 firmware.

In addition, the PICO9918's evolution from being powered by the original Pico, to now the more powerful Pico 2 (as the PICO9918 Pro).

Also, direct HDMI digital display output “dongle”, and RGBS output dongles, now join the original VGA output capability.

So, with the outstanding video output quality and now with modern video output options, and also work completed in migrating to the newer PICO 2 (with the new PICO9918 Pro), I’m now happy to officially announce my PICO9918 based MECB VDP Video Display Card (now v1.2), as the MECB solution for ensuring we have a VDP compatible Display Card for the future.

Of course, I’ll also admit that I am old-school, and I do generally prefer to use original silicon, so I’ll certainly be continuing to offer my original VDP Display Cards (for as long as I can).

Also, it's definately worth noting that original silicon based VDP display cards can come in very handy when developing your own VDP based applications! As noted in my linked video.

So, in summary, you can use the PICO9918 VDP Display Card in place of a TMS9918 family VDP Card, and benefit from both better color and sharp display output (with no need for a TMS-RGB module or an external GBS based video convertor). In addition, you have more display modes, more sprites, and twice the text resolution to play with.

What You Get

To satisfy different people's needs, I've split the PICO9918 VDP Display Card Kitset into Optional add-on Packs.

Firstly, note that the base price is for the double-sided silkscreened PICO9918 VDP Display Card PCB Only.

Then, you can add the Optional Packs that might be helpful to you. Adding All the Optional Packs provides a complete Kitset, with the exception of a PICO9918 module (which is available from the visrealm store).

Optional Hardware Pack includes:

• 1x Right Angle Male DIN41612 364 Keyed Bus Connector
• 2x M2.5 Stainless Steel Bolt 10mm (2 required for Right Angle Connector)
• 2x M2.5 Stainless Steel Hexagonal Nut (for above Bolts)
• 4x M3 Nylon PCB Spacer 12mm
• 8x M3 Nylon Bolt 6mm (for Spacer mounting)

Optional Component Pack includes:

• 1x 220nf Capacitor 5mm (C1)
• 1x 100nf Capacitor 5mm (C2)
• 1x DIP20 IC Socket
• 1x 10 pin - Round pin gold-plated socket strip
• 1x 8 pin - Round pin gold-plated socket strip
• 1x 4 pin - Round pin gold-plated socket strip
• 1x 2 pin - Round pin gold-plated socket strip
• 2x PCB Standoff M3 - 5mm
• 2x Bolt M3 - 5mm
• 2x Nut M3
• 1x FFC Flat Cable 0.5mm pitch 12 pin - 10cm

Optional Programmed ATF16V8 PLD Pack includes:

• An ATF16V8 PLD Chip (U1) Tested and Programmed for the $80-$87 I/O Address.

Optional ** Onboard VGA Connection Pack** includes:

• 1x DB15 Female PCB Mount D-Sub Connector
• 1x FFC Adapter Board 0.5mm to 2.54mm
• 1x 12 pin 0.5mm Pitch Under Clamshell Socket FFC
• 2x 6 pin Round pin gold-plated header strip

Additional (available from the visrealm Store)

• 1x PICO9918 or PICO9918 Pro module (Required)
• 1x Video Output "Dongle" (Optional)

PICO9918 VDP Display Card BOM

The following is a full Bill Of Materials (BOM) to allow fully assembling your PICO9918 VDP Display Card.

Note that the PCB is supplied, and all components are available in the Optional Packs, with the exception of a PICO9918 module (which is available from the visrealm store).

Also, some components are of course optional. For example the regular IC Socket. Also note that parts for only one of the Video Output options is actually required.

Default (PCB Only)

Optional Packs

Additional

Further Information

The Video linked below (to be added on Sat 19 Sept), provides a full presentation of the PICO9918 VDP Display Card, as well as demonstrating the steps I took for assembly, and a walkthrough of it being used with both my CreatiVision re-Creation, and with some 6809 assembly code examples.

Via the Documentation link (below) you'll also find follow-up videos, and other videos presenting different components of the MECB retro 8-bit computing project.

Your PICO9918 VDP Display Card Kitset order is shipped in a robust cardboard carton with packing, for safe delivery via New Zealand International Air Parcel (see example shipping photo).

Note: Please visit the Documentation link (below) for more information on MECB, and for details of the various MECB Cards that have been design so far.

We pride ourselves with our "Next Business Day" Shipping Policy, and robust carton packaging. We also build to order, so if you order items with an "Assemble it for me" option selected, it may slightly delay shipping (while we build it for you).