XPost: comp.sys.sinclair, comp.sys.atari.8bit, comp.sys.apple2   
   XPost: comp.sys.cbm   
   From: merkerk@deadspam.com   
      
   Bill H wrote:   
   > ===========================================================   
   > This message has been cross-posted to a number of revalent usenet   
   > groups, so please do not start a "My system is better than your system   
   > flame war".   
   > ===========================================================   
   >   
   > Relying on my memory and a cursory check on a number of websites it   
   > appears that the majority of Z80 cpu based computers had black and   
   > white displays, where as the majority of 65xx computers had a color   
   > display.   
      
   I don't think that is true, at least not for home computers.   
      
   There are plenty of (early) 6502 based system which supported only B/W   
   display, and there are also plenty of Z80 systems which supported color   
   (ZX Spectrum, MSX, Amstrad CPC, Sharp MZ series, Enterprise...etc).   
      
   If we include CP/M computers (which are Z80 based) then what you are   
   saying might be true. However those where intended for business use. In   
   those days color was not deemed to be important for business computers.   
      
   > Now there are exceptions to this, but it makes me wonder, did the CPU   
   > influence the display?   
      
   There is no technical reason for having a correlation between color   
   support and the CPU.   
      
   > Is there an inherent reason why most Z80 computers had b/w displays and   
   > 65xx computers had color?   
      
   I don't think that statement is true, so the answer is no.   
      
   > You may think it would have been cost, b&w would be cheaper than color,   
   > but in the majority Z80 computers where more expensive than 65xx   
   > computers.   
      
   I doubt that is true either. For example the Sinclair ZX Spectrum was   
   significantly cheaper than most 6502 based systems, and did support color.   
      
   > Now it could have been display size, many Z80 computers used 80 columns   
   > which is hard to achieve when using a TV as a monitor. But on the other   
   > hand, with color you need more memory to achieve a good working   
   > resolution.   
      
   See my remark at the beginning.   
      
   > So the question is, did the cpu influence the display?   
      
   No, at least not whether the system supported color or not. Of cource   
   the CPU is one, but not the only, factor that affects how fast a display   
   can be updated, but that is another story.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)