Does anyone know of a cheap discrete video IC, capable of being interfaced to an MCU?

Like a frame buffer for composite and RGB video. It builds the picture based on bytes that I write to it. Screen is busted up into segments.

Something like this exist?

 

I'm assuming PAL, correct?

I'm also assuming PAL has been phased out much like NTSC has been in the USA?

 

I'm assuming PAL, correct?

That is correct, NTSC and the more accurate and harder to do PAL.

VGA would be good too.

If an MCU were to be the choice -- this cannot be done in C, we would require the services of a professional ASM programmer.

 

Possible yes / no?

Know a top-notch ASM programmer?

I can supply very clear requirement papers for the programmer.

Someone good would have it done in less than a week.

In my opinion.

 

You might find Ronald Dekker's uScope project interesting:
http://www.dos4ever.com/uscope/uscope_e.html
He used an 8-pin PIC12F675 clocked at 27MHz to build PAL frames while sampling data and taking care of a user interface(!) which is quite remarkable for such a low-end uC.

While perhaps or perhaps not particularly useful for your application, it does help to give you an idea of what kind of computing power you would need to generate video in PAL.

 

Thank you very much for that.

I have struggled to do something very crude in C, and concluded that it cannot be easily done without sending myself bananas.

I'm not a bad high-level programmer in languages such as C, but I cannot use ASM at all. My brain is too level minded. I have a qualification with the Z80 CPU too. Only a 65% pass grade, but still a pass.

 

I pay some ASM programmer to do the job.

If I can find a sane one that is.

I cannot afford very much, so I prolly end up with some nutcase.

 

I actually did find the right guy to do this job.

http://www.rickard.gunee.com/projects/video/pic/tetris.php

Is he sane?

I did make an offer to pay him, but he's not interested.

No specific figure was mentioned, he just pretty much told me to rack off.

 

..Know a top-notch ASM programmer?
I can supply very clear requirement papers for the programmer.

Someone good would have it done in less than a week.
In my opinion.

A "good" "top notch" ASM programmer will charge you about $100 an hour. and you are right it might be a solid weeks work, so at 40 hours would run you about $4000.

What is your required screen resolution, mono/colour, and most importantly... Your budget?