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Re: A2 HTML viewer
Jorge ChB wrote:
Michael J. Mahon <mjmahon@aol.com> wrote:
True, and the real reason that a machine with 64KB addressing doesn't
support a higher-resolution display mode. (People should appreciate
that Woz's color HGR design wasn't just a "hack"--it was a breakthrough
that made "pretty good" color graphics affordable on personal computers.)
Sorry but at least the compucolor had at that time much better color
graphics.
Compucolor 8001/8051 found at:
http://www.old-computers.com/MUSEUM/computer.asp?c=565
Date of introduction 1975
Graphics resolution 160x192
Colors 8
Price $2750 (5/77, probably 8KB RAM configuration)
I don't have the details, but 3 bits per pixel means almost 12KB
for the frame buffer, but it also specifies 8KB of RAM dedicated
to frame buffer, so I'm guessing that either there were some tricks
used or, more likely, the actual graphic specs were somewhat
different. (The later Compucolor II had 128x128 8-color graphics,
according to the same source.)
I don't think I would class this as "much better" than Apple graphics,
particularly after the 6-color modification. The 280x192 monochrome
resolution of the Apple II was a big improvement, and did not rule
out the use of color.
The Apple II sold for less than half this price (with margins that
allowed Apple Inc. to grow and prosper).
The Compucolor was an interesting system, but it never grew beyond
a niche player, and apparently was not good enough for both consumers
and manufacturer to spark the revolution.
-michael
Parallel computing for 8-bit Apple II's!
Home page: http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/
"The wastebasket is our most important design
tool--and it is seriously underused."