[Coco] [Color Computer] Re: Coco3 256 color mode

[jdaggett at gate.net]

On 6 Jun 2010 at 6:57, jdiffendaffer wrote:

> Even if the mode was left in the chip, the number of bits for DA conversion of the video output was reduced so only 64 colors would be possible even if it's still there.  If the DA conversion hadn't been messed with, a 256 color pallet would have been possible for other modes instead of just 64.  Whether or not Tandy would have supported 256 colors in other modes is anybody's guess.
> 

For 256 color mode you do not need the color palletes as the raw data from memory would 
be fed directly to the D/A. The question still arises "does the GIME D/A convertor have 8 bits 
or is it 6 bits"? No one knows for sure. 


> If I remember right, the color palette info was 1 bit for each color and 5 for intensity.  But that doesn't really make sense to me, I would think it was 2 bits each color and 2 intensity... but that's just my opinion.
> 

In RGB mode it is 2 bits for each color. In Composite mode it is two bits for intensity and 4 
bits for phase. 

james