Tandy/PCjr

IBM PCjr or Tandy 1000 video with RGB monitor

Overview
Games

There are 530 games documented on PixelatedArcade supporting Tandy/PCjr for IBM PC/Compatibles.
(View for All Systems)
Tandy/PCjr is part of the category Display Hardware Supported.

The IBM PCjr and Tandy 1000 series of computers featured built in video that was an enhanced version of CGA which allowed all 16 colors to be displayed at once in both text and graphics modes on an RGB monitor. Unlike with CGA, however, the PCjr/Tandy graphics system did not have their own dedicated memory; instead, they used memory from the main system. For this reason it was very common for games supporting PCjr/Tandy graphics to require more system memory in that mode than in CGA or EGA mode.

While the PCjr predates the Tandy 1000, it was not successful while the Tandy 1000 series was; as a result these video modes are often referred to in games as Tandy 16-color graphics or TGA even if it did also happen to work on the PCjr. While many games displayed the 16 color graphics on both the Tandy 1000 series and IBM PCjr, some games only worked in this mode on one or the other due to some minor differences between the systems or because the game detects the presence of a particular system rather than the presence of the graphics capability.

resolution	colors	notes
40x25 Text	16 colors
80x25 Text	16 colors
160x200 graphics	16 colors
320x200 graphics	4 colors	Unlike CGA, each of the 4 colors could be freely chosen from the full 16 color palette.
320x200 graphics	16 colors
640x200 graphics	2 colors
640x200 graphics	4 colors
640x200 graphics	16 colors	Only available on the Tandy 1000 RL/SL/TL series.

Like CGA, both the IBM PCjr and early Tandy 1000 computers could also be connected to a composite monitor or TV. With a composite monitor color artifacting limited the resolution that could be displayed but allowed the possibility of additional colors. Since the PCjr and Tandy 1000 were more commonly used with RGB displays, not many games offered specific support for composite graphics on these systems; A small number of games, however, did offer support for either PCjr composite or Tandy composite graphics.

Pictures

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IBM PCjr computer

IBM PCjr Adapter Cable for the IBM Color Display

The IBM PCjr Adapter Cable for the IBM Color Display allowed PCjr owners to use an IBM PC or compatible CGA color display instead of the IBM PCjr display. When not using the IBM PCjr display external speakers were needed in order to hear the PCjr's 3-voice sound.

Tandy 1000 HX computer