[comp.sys.ibm.pc] 8-bit color registers in VGA

roskos@IDA.ORG (Eric Roskos) (02/08/90)

Until recently, I used a JDR Microdevices (really Deico) VGA card in my
PC.  It only had 256K, but it had a jumper on it which enabled 8-bit (as
opposed to 6-bit) color registers.  It was based on the Cirrus Logic
chipset. 

Recently I "upgraded" to a Paradise VGA in order to get 512K, but it
doesn't seem to have such a jumper.  

Does anyone know (a) whether the Paradise VGAs have a similar (undocumented)
function, or (b) what other VGA boards support that option?  It was useful
on a monochrome monitor because you could get 256 shades of grey instead
of only 64.

It would be especially useful if the option could be set in software, since
then you could write nonstandard applications that used 8-bit color registers,
while still retaining compatibility with regular applications without having
to change the jumper.

Please mail to me and I'll summarize.  Thanks.
-- 
Eric Roskos (roskos@IDA.ORG or Roskos@DOCKMASTER.NCSC.MIL)