Plantronics Colorplus

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Plantronics Colorplus
Plantronics Colorplus video card.
Release date1982; 40 years ago (1982)
Cards
Entry-levelPlantronics Colorplus
High-endATI Graphics Solution, Paradise AutoSwitch EGA 480
History
PredecessorCGA
SuccessorEGA

The Plantronics Colorplus is a graphics card for IBM PC computers,[1] first sold in 1982. It is a superset of the then-current CGA standard, using the same monitor standard and providing the same pixel resolutions.[2] It was produced by , of Frederick, Maryland.

The Colorplus has twice the memory of a standard CGA board (32k, compared to 16k). The additional memory can be used in graphics modes to double the color depth, giving two additional graphics modes—16 colors at 320×200 resolution, or 4 colors at 640×200 resolution.

It uses the same Motorola MC6845 display controller as the previous MDA and CGA adapters.[2]

The original card also includes a parallel printer port.

Output capabilities[]

CGA compatible modes:

  • 160×100 16 color mode
  • 320×200 in 4 colors from a 16 color hardware palette. Pixel aspect ratio of 1:1.2.
  • 640×200 in 2 colors. Pixel aspect ratio of 1:2.4
  • 40×25 with 8×8 pixel font text mode (effective resolution of 320×200)
  • 80×25 with 8×8 pixel font text mode (effective resolution of 640×200)

In addition to the CGA modes, it offers:

  • 320×200 with 16 colors
  • 640×200 with 4 colors
  • "New high-resolution" text font, selectable by hardware jumper

The "new" font was actually the unused "thin" font already present in the IBM CGA ROMs, with 1-pixel wide vertical strokes. This offered greater clarity on RGB monitors, versus the default "thick" / 2-pixel font more suitable for output to composite monitors and over RF to televisions but, contrary to Plantronics' advertising claims, was drawn at the same 8x8 pixel resolution.

Software support[]

Few programs made use of these modes, for which there was no BIOS support.

A 1984 advertisement[3] listed the following software as compatible:

  • UCSD P-system
  • [4]
  • Videogram
  • GSX
  • (320×200 mode)[5]

Planet X3, released by American YouTuber David "The 8-Bit Guy" Murray in 2019, is the only video game known to have Colorplus support (320x200x16). This support was added by Planet X3 enthusiast Benedikt Freisen.[6]

Hardware clones[]

Some third-party CGA and EGA clones, such as the ATI Graphics Solution and the Paradise AutoSwitch EGA 480,[7] could emulate the extra modes (usually describing them simply as 'Plantronics mode').

The Thomson TO16 (a PC-XT compatible) and the Olivetti M19 supported Plantronics modes, along with CGA.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Colorplus High Resolution Color Graphics Adapter from Plantronics (1984)". Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  2. ^ a b PC Mag Jul 1983, p. 435, at Google Books
  3. ^ "Colorplus High Resolution Color Graphics Adapter from Plantronics (1984)". Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  4. ^ PC Mag, p. 203, at Google Books
  5. ^ http://cd.textfiles.com/clipart1996/UTILS/CSHOW860/ABOUT860.TXT
  6. ^ Murray, David. "Planet X3 is Here! And with new video modes!". The 8-Bit Guy. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  7. ^ PC Mag, p. 218, at Google Books

External links[]

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