[Coco] OS-9 80-column driver is ready

[Retro Canada]

you obviously didn't see my other video running on a coco3 with dual display. you can use the 80 col output as a independent screen on L2. why? because it is fun. Think that if you write a debugger for your next game you can have it running GIME graphics screen one side and the text debugger on the other without messing with it or a tracer, logger you name it.

The crt has a semigraphics mode similar to the non-color trs-80 :)

The msx2+ uses the vdp9958 the same  one Kip is fiddling with and it has 80 columns and true bitmap modes, superimpose, smooth scroll, sprites etc.

there is another vdp in the succession throne the v9990 but this one is not backward compatible with the previous msx vdps.




On 2013-10-08, at 5:50 PM, Nick Marentes <nickma at optusnet.com.au> wrote:

I assume that this is for a CoCo 1/2 or Dragon?

Because on a CoCo3... what's the point?

That definately will improve the OS-9 experience on these older CoCo's... but running Level 1 OS-9 at .89Mhz? Duel video may be a novelty.

Can this chip create a bit mapped display rather than just a text screen?

I can see it being usefull if it could do a bit mapped display even if only monochrome. Otherwise, these old style 70's terminal displays are just so... out-of-date.

Certainly not a head turner I'm afraid.

Maybe interfacing the TMS9928 as used in the MSX systems could be more impressive. 16 colours, sprites and dead easy to interface or mix with the CoCo's video for dual bitplanes.

Only problem is that it is only 40 column unless there is an 80 column variant?

40 columns is still an improvement over the CoCo 1/2 32 column screen though.

Nick

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