> I'd love to hear more about this, especially what it did for the text.
I'd
> be surprised if it could somehow hack any _real_ graphics capabilities
into
> it since there is no real way to route video through the cart port. But
it
> might have some Supercharger-like functionality in it.
The CompuMate BASIC only allows you to do text mode programs. For
graphics ans sound it has two extra editors. The graphics mode allows
you to draw up to six pictures with a resolution of, I think, 40x40 pixels
in two colours. You can then have a little slideshow which, at the fastest
display speed, is almost like a little animation.
The sound editor allows you to edit a two voice song with about
two octaves. You can select between piano mode and organ mode.
The only difference between the two modes is that in organ mode
a tone is held until the end of the note duration, while in
piano mode a tone gets released much quicker.
The text mode is pretty much the same as in Stellar Track. This
is basically a variation on the venetian blinds effect used in
Video Chess. Only this time the start position for the character
shifting gets alternated on each frame. This way you display
the even lines of a character in one frame and the odd lines
in the next, which gets you a more 'solid' look than in Video
Chess.
The CompuMate had 4 4K ROM banks and 2K of RAM. Of the RAM
about 256 bytes get used for the text display etc., so you
only have 1.75K for your programs, graphics or songs.
> I have found very little Compumate info online.
I think Andrew Davie once had scans of the CompuMate manual
online. Maybe he can put them back up?
Ciao, Eckhard Stolberg
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