[vcf-midatlantic] 8-bits and 80 columns

[John Heritage]

Nice re Coco 3 - did not realize that !  Makes sense it is a "later" 8bit
computer, 1986 iirc.

The C64 soft80 idea I think also made it to the Atari 8bit but I don't
recall any vintage software with it.  Neat that it sounds like C64 at least
had terminal programs using it.



On Sat, Jun 25, 2022, 3:46 PM RETRO Innovations via vcf-midatlantic <
vcf-midatlantic at lists.vcfed.org> wrote:

> On 6/25/2022 8:31 AM, John Heritage via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
> > Hey all --
> >
> > Which (popular) 8-bit computers gained "easy" or even "standard" 80
> column
> > support?
>
> Just in case it comes up, I can confirm the VIC-20 and C64 did *NOT*
> gain an easy or standard 80 column option.  Commodore never did release
> anything (not that we expected them to for the home computers), though a
> few firms made entries for the VIC-20:
>
>
> http://sleepingelephant.com/denial/wiki/index.php?title=40_and_80_column_boards
>
> and I know Batteries Included did make a BI-80 card for the 64:
>
> http://mikenaberezny.com/hardware/c64-128/bi-80-display-adapter/
>
> All that said, C64 owners did have an "easy" and "standard" 80 column
> option, in the form of "Soft-80" functionality:
>
> https://www.pagetable.com/?p=901
>
> Many of us spent quite a bit of time using this functionality (I used it
> in VIP Terminal and Novaterm) to enjoy BBS access in 80x25 goodness!
> While a 1702 monitor was required, it was very functional.
>
> Here's an "hardware example" of the Soft-80 functionality:
>
> http://biosrhythm.com/?p=1860
>
> The most widely used Soft-80 implementation was Screen-80 from Compute's
> Gazette:
>
> TO keep the post on topic, the CoCo-3 did indeed have standard 80 column
> support (required VGA monitor) and The 80XX and B Series PETs had it.
>
>
>