awgamer wrote:OK, so only 16 colors, but what about the CGA palette, is that hard wired by the monitor as well?
It's a direct consequence of how the digital RGBI color model works. The only thing hardwired into the monitor is specific circuitry to make color 6 brown, i.e. RGB {2/3, 1/3, 0}. Otherwise it would be "dark yellow", a color also affectionately known as "Ski Free Dog Pee".
An aside, seeing as how composite wasn't widely accepted, it's a shame plantronics didn't catch on and overtake CGA as THE early PC standard in 82, doing 320x200 16 colors it would have been matching competitors.
Plantronics was just one of many 3rd-party "super CGA" extensions at the time and even IBM's own attempt with the PCjr didn't prove enticing enough for the masses. The Tandy 1000 pretty much did what you suggest though.
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