191622291@excalibur.UUCP (Simon Francis E) (03/16/86)
HELP!!!
I have been trying to find a way to set the commodore 64 into 80 column
mode. I have seen it done. <normally half res> . Does anyone know
the routine that is needed to set it in 80 col, using software. If not is there
any Hardware available that will do it?? <if so do you know a approx.
of the cost>
Fran Simon
!ihnp4!psuvax1!vu-vlsi!excalibur!191622291
----------------------------------------
"No one was ever born depraved!!"
----------------------------------------randy@ranhome.UUCP (The Master of the House) (03/19/86)
> > > I have been trying to find a way to set the commodore 64 into 80 column > mode. I have seen it done. <normally half res> . Does anyone know > the routine that is needed to set it in 80 col, using software. If not is there > any Hardware available that will do it?? <if so do you know a approx. > of the cost> > Batteries Included makes an add on card called the BI80. It provides 80 cols, but the only commercial software that I have seen that works with it is the Paper Clip word processor by the same company. Compute magazine once published a program to provide 80 cols in software. (Randy Horton) allegra| hplabs | topaz |-!pyramid!ranhome!randy decwrl |
stuart@tellab1.UUCP (Rick Stuart) (03/22/86)
(TO: Simon Francis E)
Fran...
You can find a listing of an 80 column program in the September
1984 issue of Compute!'s Gazette. The article is on page 48 and
the program starts on page 158. The program is 3660 bytes long
and is all in machine code (so start typing now!). As you might
know, the characters on a commodore 64 are displaied in a 8x8
grid pattern. In order to double the horz density of displaied
characters, you need to use a 4x8 character format. This, howev-
er, looks like latin on the best of monitors, and is how most
software 80 column programs (like the one in Compute!'s Gazette)
works. The alternative is to get a hardware fix. I really
haven't priced 80 column hardware adapters, but I would think
they would run about $70 to $120. Of course you need a monitor
that can handle the increased band-width. Band-width roughly
represents the number of dots displayable during a given amount
of time. Color TV's have a band-width of about 3.5 MHz, B&W's
are around 4.0 MHz and good monitors run about 12.0 MHz. A lit-
tle math and you will find you need about 11.3 MHz worth of
band-width to display 80 columns.
15720x80x6x(3/2) = 11.3 MHz
where:
15720 - Horz Freq
80 - column
6 - dots/char
(3/2) - total scan/displayed scan
So in the end you need the hardware fix (about $100) and at least
a 11.3 MHz monitor (about $100 for black & white or $400 for
color). All together that's $200 for the B&W system and $500 for
the color. One other point, I'm not certain but I think that most
of these hardware 80 column adapters aren't in color anyway so
save your money and get the B&W monitor.
Have fun and good luck...
Rick Stuart
Tellabs
Lisle, IL