mdperry@boulder.colorado.edu (Marc D. Perry) (09/28/90)
I have a Tandy 1000TX which has the standard Tandy Graphics Adaptor. Everything I have read implies (no, states) that the TGA can display up to 16 different colors at simple resolution (is that 320 x 200, or something?, I forget). I have mine plugged into an Amdek RGB monitor (circa 1985), and have only ever seen 8 colors; both in programs that allow you to select the foreground/background colors, and in that basic color program that comes in IBM-DOS. Has anybody else experienced this (colors 9 thru 16 are just a repeat of colors 1 thru 8)? Is it because of the monitor (perhaps it is limited to only 8 colors, or perhaps there is something I need to adjust--no apparent knobs to turn)? Is it because of the TGA? Is there a program I can load on start-up? Thanks, mdp Marc D. Perry (303) 492 8258 MCD Biology, Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0347 internet: mdperry@boulder.colorado.edu
bobb@vice.ICO.TEK.COM (Bob Beauchaine) (09/28/90)
In article <27095@boulder.Colorado.EDU> mdperry@boulder.colorado.edu (Marc D. Perry) writes: >I have a Tandy 1000TX which has the standard Tandy Graphics Adaptor. >Everything I have read implies (no, states) that the TGA can display >up to 16 different colors at simple resolution (is that 320 x 200, or >something?, I forget). I have mine plugged into an Amdek RGB monitor >(circa 1985), and have only ever seen 8 colors; both in programs that >allow you to select the foreground/background colors, and in that >basic color program that comes in IBM-DOS. > I have the same configuration as you, except my monitor is also a Tandy. I don't think your monitor is the problem; the monitor only displays the RGB signals from the graphics card, and I'm pretty sure any standard CGA monitor will suffice. The problem is software. The 320x200,16 color mode is IBM video mode 10 (I think, no reference on my desk). This is a *graphics only* mode, first introduced on the PC Jr. This mode is almost unused in commercial software, with one large exception : games. You will see on most game packages a note claiming that the game supports Tandy graphics. This almost always means the game will display 16 colors. From your post, I think you are trying to get 16 colors in text mode. This is possible on any standard CGA card, but requires you to manipulate the intensity/blink bit in one of the video ports. You could do so from the command line, but any program that resets the video mode will probably only allow 8 colors again. Only one programming platform supports this video mode: BASIC. None of the compilers from Microsoft or Borland have internal support for this mode (or the 640x200x4 colors mode, either). Very discouraging. Bob Beauchaine bobb@vice.ICO.TEK.COM
JRA102@psuvm.psu.edu (Jim Achuff) (09/28/90)
The TGA is actually a takeoff of IBM's PCjr. But anyway, colors 9-16 are simply "high intensity" versions of colors 1-8. The age and condition of your monitor may very well have somthing to do with your problem...I'd suggest a monitor comparable to Tandy's CM-11 for the best results with TGA (or even an EGA monitor would be great!) I upgraded to EGA in my TX about a year ago, and like it, but I still dream of having 1024x768x256 VGA... 8-) Hope this helps... ------- =\ Jim Achuff %% Where is the victory? \==== ==\ JRA102@PSUVM.PSU.EDU %%%%%% Where is the prize? When \=== ===\ Penn State CAC %% the Graverobber comes, and \== ====\ Student Consultant/Operator %% death finally dies? - PETRA \=
JAP131@psuvm.psu.edu (John Pelna) (09/28/90)
The TGA video mode does give you 16 colors, but they are only displayed 8 at a time. At least that's what my old manager told me... :-) John fav shack quote "batteries, batteries, everyone wants free batteries!"
fzsitvay@techbook.com (Frank Zsitvay) (09/30/90)
In article <5899@vice.ICO.TEK.COM> bobb@vice.ICO.TEK.COM (Bob Beauchaine) writes: >In article <27095@boulder.Colorado.EDU> mdperry@boulder.colorado.edu (Marc D. Perry) writes: >>I have a Tandy 1000TX which has the standard Tandy Graphics Adaptor. >>Everything I have read implies (no, states) that the TGA can display >>up to 16 different colors at simple resolution (is that 320 x 200, or >>something?, I forget). I have mine plugged into an Amdek RGB monitor >>(circa 1985), and have only ever seen 8 colors; both in programs that >>allow you to select the foreground/background colors, and in that >>basic color program that comes in IBM-DOS. >> on most cga type systems, the second 8 colors (9-16) are half- intensity versions of the first 8 colors. there is a good chance that the amdek monitor does not support the intensity signal on the card's rgb interface. then again the tga board may not emulate a cga board much, which makes cga information not applicable. > > Only one programming platform supports this video mode: BASIC. None > of the compilers from Microsoft or Borland have internal support for ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > this mode (or the 640x200x4 colors mode, either). Very discouraging. the microsoft basic compiler (version 7.0) supports modes 0 through 13. -- fzsitvay@techbook.COM - one of these days i'll get it right... Version 2 of anything is usually the version that works.