[vcf-midatlantic] 8-bits and 80 columns

[Bill Degnan]

I get that you said "popular" to mean Apple/Commodore/Tandy appliance
computers for the home.  So the answer is not many, if any, color graphics
home appliance computers had native 80 column mode before 1985.

On Sat, Jun 25, 2022 at 11:07 AM Dean Notarnicola via vcf-midatlantic <
vcf-midatlantic at lists.vcfed.org> wrote:

> 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
> >
> >
> >
>