6.10) What graphics enhancements are there for the Atari?

Full-View 80, by Bit 3 Computer Corporation (1982)
- Plugs into RAM slot 3 (rear slot) of the Atari 800
- Composite video output;
   Recommended: Display monitor having a minimum bandwidth of 10MHz
- 80 x 24 character display (no graphics modes)
- Characters are in a 8 x 10 matrix with full lowercase descenders
- Total screen resolution: 640 x 240 pixels

Austin 80, by Austin Franklin Associates (1983)
- Video Processor Board plugs into RAM slot 3 (rear slot) of the Atari 800;
   Console Software cartridge plugs into right cartridge slot of the Atari 800
- Composite video output;
   Recommended: Display monitor having a minimum bandwidth of 10MHz
- 4 RGBI color output bits
- Optional: RGBI Adapter Board for use with (color) RGB monitor
- 80 x 25 character screen (no graphics modes)
- 7 x 9 character size in a 8 x 10 block, with full descenders

XEP80 Interface Module, by Atari (1986)
- Plugs into joystick port 1 or 2
- Composite video output (high resolution monochrome recommended)
- Software driver on diskette
- 80 x 25 character screen (internal 256 x 25 character storage area)
- 7 x 10 character cells
- 320 x 200 Pixel Graphics mode
- See XEP80 section of this FAQ list for additional details

VBXE - VideoBoard XE
- First release: Version 1.2 by Tomasz Piorek (Electron/TQA) (2008)
- Versions 2.0 (2009) and 2.1 (2013) by Sebastian Bartkowicz (Candle)
- For Atari XL/XE
- Board mounts in the Atari in place of the ANTIC chip, which is moved to
   the VBXE board.  Additional connections must be made between the VBXE board
   and the Atari motherboard as well.
- Functions like GTIA, though GTIA remains functional as well
- Provides RGB output (DE-9 or SCART connector options)
- Up to 1024 colors on screen from 21 bit palette
- Graphics resolution up to:
    - 640x480i (640x240p) in 64 colors
    - 320x240p in 1024 colors
    - 160x240p in 1024
- True 80 character mode for text display
- Blitter with 7 modes of operations capable of zooming displayed data,
   transparency, collision detection and many other features
- Fully downward compatible with GTIA chip
- Developer website: http://spiflash.org/block/15.html
- VBXE 2.1 for XE available: http://lotharek.pl/product.php?pid=82
- VBXE 2.1 for XL available: http://lotharek.pl/product.php?pid=106
- VBXE software production list: http://gury.atari8.info/vbxe_prod.php
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