> So what IC would you suggest for use with the pic 16F84A to write to
> the television screen using a "putpixel" type of scheme ?

You may find something in the SGS-Thomson STV range (www.st.com)
The STV5730A is popular as an On-Screen-Display driver, and some
of the other families (eg STV9410) have graphic modes. Don't know
if any include bit-mapping though. Philips are also big in digital TV, but
what you're looking for may be a bit "down market" in these whizz-bang
days of VLSI and chip sets

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