Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!iuvax!mailrus!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!eecg.toronto.edu!leblanc
From: leblanc@eecg.toronto.edu (Marcel LeBlanc)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.cbm
Subject: Re: 80 columns Card for the C64
Summary: try using an 8563, over 1 million installed base
Keywords: 8563, C128, 80 columns
Message-ID: <1989Aug30.184224.12444@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu>
Date: 30 Aug 89 22:42:24 GMT
References: <7522@microsoft.UUCP> <6210@max.acs.washington.edu>
Organization: EECG, University of Toronto
Lines: 36

In article <6210@max.acs.washington.edu> scott@max.acs.washington.edu writes:
>In article <7522@microsoft.UUCP>, kentsu@microsoft.UUCP (Kent Sullivan) writes:
 ...
>> As to the need for an 80-column display for the C-64: there really is none.
>> I believe Ray Moody could confirm that maybe six of the hundreds of people
>> that have asked for Kermit from Dr. Evil Labs were doing so for use with a
>> BI-80.
> 
>The Kermit terminal program was introduce well after the BI-80
>card was discontinued. Moreover, in the documentation that
>accompanies the Kermit program, it states that finding a BI-80
>card today is very difficult even used ones, which is true.
>With such drawback, it is obious to think that people didn't
>inquired about the BI-80 card not because they were disinterested,
>but because they lost all hope of finding one.
>Moreover, not everyone who has a BI-80 card knows that there are
>programs like Kermit. I found out about the Kermit terminal
>program only this year, almost a year after version 2.1 was
>released. And I am sure there are alot more people who hasn't
>hear of Kermit yet.

A better solution for crisp 80 columns may be to get Kermit to use the VDC
that is normally only found in the C128 (since Kermit already has this
capability).  Naturally, C128 owners don't have to worry about the quality
of 80 column in C64 mode because they can just switch to C128 mode.  An
interesting project for C64 owners would be to install an 8563 (C128 VDC) in
the C64 at the same address as in a C128.  This internal upgrade would leave
the expansion port free for other important peripherals.

Unfortunately the 8563 needs an RGBI monitor.  Also, I don't know how much
Commodore wants for 8563s these days.

Marcel A. LeBlanc	  | University of Toronto -- Toronto, Canada
leblanc@eecg.toronto.edu  | also: LMS Technologies Ltd, Fredericton, NB, Canada
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