80-column card?

[commodorejohn]

I'm working on a little project of mine for C= 128 80-column mode, and I'd kind of like to do a version for C= 64 as well. But it absolutely requires 80 columns with individual color addressing, so you can't use the old half-character trick to fake 80 columns. So I'd like to at least support 64s with one of the actual 80-column cartridges out there, but since I don't have any of them, I'd like to pick the brains of anybody who's used them as to how they work. My main criteria are that the device provides 80x25 text mode with either a customizable character set or a Code Page 437-based character set built in, and individually-addressable color settings; bonus points if the background color is also individually addressable.

[airship]

I tried out the Batteries Included card back in the old INFO days, and I notice that one comes up for sale every once in awhile on the eBays. But I don't remember if it supported color at all. I think it was strictly monochrome. Anyone know for sure?

Edit: Well, here's a link to the BI-80 manual, and it doesn't mention color at all. I had forgotten that the cart also added BASIC 4.0 disk commands. Cool.

http://project64.c64.org/hw/BI-80.txt

[Golan Klinger]

Neither of my 80 column cards, the aforementioned Batteries Included BI-80 and a Video Pak 80, support colour. Sorry.

[BigDumbDinosaur]

I'm working on a little project of mine for C= 128 80-column mode, and I'd kind of like to do a version for C= 64...criteria are that the device provides 80x25 text mode with either a customizable character set or a Code Page 437-based character set built in, and individually-addressable color settings...

I have never seen or heard of such an animal.  The 80 column display adapters I recall from the C-64 days were like the BI unit: no color and no customizable fonts.  I'd stick to the C-128, where all of those features are already in place.  BTW, try to avoid reinventing the 80 column wheel.  <Smile>  The VDC was perhaps the most hacked piece of silicon in the 128.

[Mangelore]

This looks interesting...
http://www.floodgap.com/retrobits/ckb/secret/cbm-vdc64.jpg

[RobertB]

This looks interesting...
http://www.floodgap.com/retrobits/ckb/secret/cbm-vdc64.jpg

Now that's extremely interesting.

          Truly,
          Robert Bernardo
          Fresno Commodore User Group
          CommVEx v4 website - http://www.portcommodore.com/commvex

[BigDumbDinosaur]

This looks interesting...
http://www.floodgap.com/retrobits/ckb/secret/cbm-vdc64.jpg

Yes, but where would you get the 8563 that's in it?   

Actually it would be better with an 8568, since that version of the VDC has interrupt logic, unlike its older cousin.  But, of course, that would then beg the question, where would you get the 8568?

[RobertB]

Yes, but where would you get the 8563 that's in it?   

[snip]

But, of course, that would then beg the question, where would you get the 8568?

Ray Carlsen in Washington State, Jim Scabery in Oregon, Ray Allen in Minnesota, Fresno Commodore User Group storage, eBay...

           Truly,
           Robert Bernardo
           Fresno Commodore User Group
           CommVEx v4 website - http://www.portcommodore.com/commvex