From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!floyd!vax135!ariel!houti!pegasus!brs
Newsgroups: net.micro,net.graphics
Title: home computer graphics
Article-I.D.: pegasus.292
Posted: Mon Mar 28 13:28:14 1983
Received: Tue Mar 29 04:26:23 1983

I am trying to compare the graphics support available for different
inexpensive home computers.  The requirements are cost around $500
providing high resolution (full TV) and graphics commands built into Basic.
The desirable graphics commands might be grouped as follows:
(A) point plotting, line drawing
(B) drawing of other shapes such as arcs, circles, squares
(C) transformations: translation, rotation, scaling
(D) transformations on generated objects rather than rectangular regions
(E) object manipulations: selection, handling overlaps
(F) filling of regions with color
(G) animation: small separately moving objects (sprites, player/missiles)
(H) animation: flipping between entire screens or screen sections
"sprites" are a form of E for limited-sized objects.
Note that simulating transformations in Basic (rather than machine language)
can rarely be done in real-time.  In fact, hardware support is preferable.

Preliminary research has produced the following.
Please send corrections and additions to me and I will summarize for the Net.

The first line gives a typical computer store price, RAM size,
 high-resolution points, high-resolution non-background colors.
The second line describes the graphics commands available.

Radio Shack Color Computer with extended Basic:
  $500, 32K, 256*192, 8
  A, B, C, F, H
Atari 800 with Programmer Kit
  $550, 48K, 320*192, 1 (3 by tricks)
  A, F, G
Commodore 64 
  $400, 64K, 256*192, 4 (changable on an 8*8 character basis)
  A, F, G

The above seem to be the only ones selling in quantity today
(Vic 20 and TI 99/4a have character graphics only, Apple II is around $1100).
I have heard rumors that Commodore and Atari may also have "extended Basic"
cartridges (the former called VSP?) but have no details.
Keyboard rankings are: Atari, Commodore, Radio Shack.
All of the prices have just been cut dramatically.

Promising others just available but only read about include:

TI CC-40 (builtin 30 char display like Epson HX-20)
  $350, 48K, 256*192, 16
Timex Sinclair 2000
  $200, 48K, 256*192, 8
Sanyo PHC25
  $250, 48K, 256*192, 8