Low Resolution Graphics for Commodore

Commodore systems come with a graphical character set that can be used for low resolution graphics.

PETSCII low resolution 80x50 example

All the Commodores include block patterned graphics that can be used to display 2x2 pattern blocks, to double both the horizontal and vertical text resolution, for example from 40x25 to 80x50.  Like 4K for the day!  

PETSCII block characters including inverted

In the back of our high school math classroom was an original PET 2001.   This system had a chicklet keyboard, built-in cassette drive, and 40 column white on black monochrome screen.  This system has no graphics modes beyond the PETSCII capabilities.

One of the exercises in my Algebra 2 class was to graph mathematically functions.  I successfully challenged myself back then to plot the graph on the PET using this block graphics method.

Using 8 PETSCII characters, and the inverse of those characters, all 16 combinations of the patterns can be achieved by setting (POKE) the correct value onto the screen (see the A array in the source).  Also achieved is reading (PEEK) the current PETSCII value, converting that into pixel data, and combining existing plotted pixels with a new pixel (see the B array in the source).

LORES PET 40COL listing

My handwritten PET listing from 1982

I found my handwritten program listing that dates back to 1982.  It's beautiful to see that graphics could be achieved with PETSCII with only a few lines of code.  From my positive experiences with the PET, I purchased a Commodore Vic-20, and the Super Expander later in 1983 and switched to high resolution graphics at that point.

A disk image (D64) of samples for PET/Vic-20/C64 is available.  Screen memory locations for PEEK/POKE are different for all the systems, and sizes are adjusted with variables for the 80 column PET, and 22 column Vic-20.  The Vic-20 and C64 also have color memory, so an additional POKE is included to match the current text foreground color (PEEK(646)).  

Update [5/13/2022] there are ports for both Commodore 128 40 column screen, Commodore 128 80 column screen (including SYS calls to read/write VDC 8563), and a port to the TED (C16, Plus/4) series systems showing a color gradient possible with those systems.

Disk Listing for different Commodore Models

Vic-20 low resolution 44x46 plot

Contrast with 320x200 high resolution from C64

PET 80 column screen 160x50 sample

[Change:] 80 P=COS(I)*SIN(I)*2

Commodore 16, Plus/4 screen 80x50 sample (TED)