[vcf-midatlantic] 8-bits and 80 columns

Dean Notarnicola dnotarnicola at gmail.com
Sat Jun 25 15:06:24 UTC 2022


The TRS-80 Model 4 had a native 80 column mode.

On Sat, Jun 25, 2022 at 10:09 AM Wil via vcf-midatlantic <
vcf-midatlantic at lists.vcfed.org> wrote:

> The ace-80 from 1985 or so for the Atari 800.
>
> http://www.atarimania.com/mags/pdf/analog_no_42.pdf
>
> Reviewed in here.
>
> On Jun 25, 2022 09:31, John Heritage via vcf-midatlantic <
> vcf-midatlantic at lists.vcfed.org> wrote:
>
> Hey all --
>
> Which (popular) 8-bit computers gained "easy" or even "standard" 80 column
> support?
>
> I know there are a ton more 8bits than I'll list below, but my
> understanding is:
>
> Atari 8bit -- XEP80 official accessory but almost no one bought it;  used
> joystick ports.. slow and limited 80 column (black and white?).  Atari did
> have a 60 column graphics/text mode IIRC.   there is a software hack that
> uses narrow characters for '80 columns' but hard to read, and came out
> after the machine was no longer commerically sold.
>
> Apple II - supported via cards.  If 80 column support became common, when
> did it become common?  what was normal for color count, etc?
>
> C64 - C128 mode natively offered 80 column support;  millions of these
> sold.  So maybe common later on?   16 colors.
>
> PET - no 80 column?
>
> C Plus/4 - software hack?
>
> ZX Spectrum --  available via some clones only, not common?
>
> BBC Micro -  Looks like a native mode for 80 column support?
>
> TRS-80 - no native 80 column support?
>
> Thanks!
> John
>
>
>


More information about the vcf-midatlantic mailing list