80-colum expander?

adric22 · Post by **adric22** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 4:41 pm

I've seen a mention of a device for the VIC which gives it 80 columns. I assume it works similar to the one I've seen for the C64. Does anyone know what this is called or where I might see more info on the web somewhere?

gklinger · Post by **gklinger** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 6:20 pm

Eslapion has one as discussed here. Perhaps he could post a picture. I think there might have been another one too but the name escapes me.

6502dude · Post by **6502dude** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:08 pm

gklinger wrote: I think there might have been another one too but the name escapes me.

I'm amazed, Golan missed a trivia question

In addition to "Protecto 80", there was Data 20 Display Manager.

It came either as basic 40/80 column display adapter or version with 8K ram expansion.

I bought one on flea-bay a couple of years ago. It had a bad character rom, so I burned new eprom and all was good again.

ral-clan · Post by **ral-clan** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:12 pm

There were a few.

The Protecto 80 column expander. The Data-20 80 column expander (can't remember the exact product name, but I have one). They were both the same hardware marketed by different companies. Then there was the Data-20 VideoPak which I think also allowed up to 64K of Ram expansion, and was slightly different hardware.

Also someone (Jogi?) has a site with a couple obscure European 40 and 80 column expanders shown on it.

A few years ago we discussed this in depth on Denial. A forum search should reveal the threads.

gklinger · Post by **gklinger** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:17 pm

6502dude wrote:I'm amazed, Golan missed a trivia question

I'm having an off day. I'll be in the corner wearing my funny hat.

P.S. I've been trying to score an 80 column adaptor for years but I gave up when I realized I was never going to remove the MegaCart.

RobertBe · Post by **RobertBe** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 11:01 pm

ral-clan wrote:Then there was the Data-20 VideoPak which I think also allowed up to 64K of Ram expansion, and was slightly different hardware.

I have the Data-20 with 64K, which I bought from the 4Jays storefront in Antioch, California a few years ago.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
The Other Group of Amigoids
http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/

carlsson · Post by **carlsson** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 1:37 am

Golan, are you trying to suggest the MegaCart should involve its own 80 column video generator in addition to everything else?

gklinger · Post by **gklinger** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 7:33 am

carlsson wrote:Golan, are you trying to suggest the MegaCart should involve its own 80 column video generator in addition to everything else?

I think I am! While he's at it it he should integrate a kettle so I don't have to get up to make tea when I'm using my VIC. No point in half measures.

I suppose that if someone were selling an 80 column cartridge for the VIC-20 my interest would be rekindled... (anyone?)

orion70 · Post by **orion70** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 8:32 am

Will any 80- column cart ever be emulated in VICE? Just to know how it looks... Anyone has screenshots?

6502dude · Post by **6502dude** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 11:50 am

The 40/80 column display is ok and perhaps semi useful.

On downside is slows down a fair bit and it is only mono chrome display.

Text scrolling is also a bit more jerky than standard Vic-20 display.

I have not had mine installed in Vic-20 for many months since MegaCart always occuplies the expansion slot.

Boray · Post by **Boray** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 12:21 pm

The speed was "recorded" here: http://user.tninet.se/~pug510w/datormuseum/qbench.html

ral-clan · Post by **ral-clan** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 1:35 pm

The one think I'd love to see is some program that can take a PET BASIC listing and translate all the screen pokes for pokes to the Data-20/Protecto display board range. Then you would be able to run PET games on a VIC-20!

I tried loading a bunch of PET games into my VIC-20 with the 40/80 board attached and a lot of them start and display partially, but a few things are messed up (well, nothing that pokes to the screen shows).

adric22 · Post by **adric22** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 4:31 pm

Will the VIC-20 operate without the VIC chip? I was just thinking, if another video chip could be connected to the VIC-20 that could output 80-column text, possibly graphics, and add some extra RAM, the VIC-20 would be a pretty awesome computer. After all, my only two complaints with the system have always been the lack of RAM and low resolution graphics/text. I guess you could leave the VIC chip in there.. but it would be great to just remove it and have something else in its place. I realize you'd loose compatibility with existing software, but you'd have a nice BASIC 2.0 environment with access to commodore peripherals and a nice screen with lots of RAM.

gklinger · Post by **gklinger** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 5:14 pm

Removing the VIC chip is crossing the line. Without it a VIC-20 is no longer a VIC-20 both figuratively and literally.

6502dude · Post by **6502dude** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 6:10 pm

adric22 wrote:Will the VIC-20 operate without the VIC chip?

No, the exisiting Data 20 cartridge will not operate with Vic chip (6060/6561) removed. I have tested this.

adric22 wrote: I realize you'd loose compatibility with existing software, but you'd have a nice BASIC 2.0 environment with access to commodore peripherals and a nice screen with lots of RAM.

I think this is called a Commodore 64

About 3 years ago I built a 6545 based CRT controller (40/80 col display, ega interface, 16 foreground colours, 16 background colours, & 16k video ram).

http://sleepingelephant.com/ipw-web/bul ... c&start=15

I was thinking of connecting this to Vic-20. All I lack is spare time to pursue this as a project.