QBasic and VBDOS Screen Modes

MDPA, CGA, Hercules, Olivetti, EGA, VGA, or MCGA Adapters

SCREEN 0: Text mode only
  • 40 x 25, 40 x 43, 40 x 50, 80 x 25, 80 x 43, or 80 x 50 text format, 8 x 8 character box (8 x 14, 9 x 14, or 9 x 16 with EGA or VGA)
  • 16 colors assigned to any of 16 attributes (with CGA or EGA)
  • 64 colors assigned to any of 16 attributes (with EGA or VGA)
  • Depending on the text resolution and adapter, 8 video memory pages (0-7), 4 pages (0-3), 2 pages (0-1), or 1 page (0)

CGA, EGA, VGA, or MCGA Adapters

SCREEN 1: 320 x 200 graphics
  • 40 x 25 text format, 8 x 8 character box
  • 16 background colors and one of two sets of 3 foreground colors assigned using COLOR statement with CGA
  • 16 colors assigned to 4 attributes with EGA or VGA
  • 1 video memory page (0)
SCREEN 2: 640 x 200 graphics
  • 80 x 25 text format, 8 x 8 character box
  • 16 colors assigned to 2 attributes with EGA or VGA
  • 1 video memory page (0)

Hercules, Olivetti, or AT&T Adapters

SCREEN 3: Hercules adapter required, monochrome monitor only
  • 720 x 348 graphics
  • 80 x 25 text format, 9 x 14 character box
  • Usually 2 video memory pages (0-1); 1 page (0) if a second color display adapter is installed
  • PALETTE statement not supported
  • Invoke the Hercules driver MSHERC.COM before using screen mode 3
SCREEN 4:
  • Supports Olivetti Personal Computers models M24, M240, M28, M280, M380, M380/C, and M380/T and AT&T Personal Computers 6300 series
  • 640 x 400 graphics
  • 80 x 25 text format, 8 x 16 character box
  • 1 of 16 colors assigned as the foreground color (selected by the COLOR statement); background is fixed at black
  • 1 video memory page (0)
  • PALETTE statement not supported

EGA or VGA Adapters

SCREEN 7: 320 x 200 graphics
  • 40 x 25 text format, 8 x 8 character box
  • Assignment of 16 colors to any of 16 attributes
  • If 64K EGA adapter memory, 2 video memory pages (0-1); otherwise, 8 pages (0-7)
SCREEN 8: 640 x 200 graphics
  • 80 x 25 text format, 8 x 8 character box
  • Assignment of 16 colors to any of 16 attributes
  • If 64K EGA adapter memory, 1 video memory page (0); otherwise, 4 pages (0-3)
SCREEN 9: 640 x 350 graphics
  • 80 x 25 or 80 x 43 text format, 8 x 14 or 8 x 8 character box
  • 16 colors assigned to 4 attributes (64K adapter memory), or 64 colors assigned to 16 attributes (more than 64K adapter memory)
  • If 64K EGA adapter memory, 1 video memory page (0); otherwise, 2 pages (0-1)

EGA or VGA Adapters, Monochrome Monitor Only

SCREEN 10: 640 x 350 graphics, monochrome monitor only
  • 80 x 25 or 80 x 43 text format, 8 x 14 or 8 x 8 character box
  • Up to 9 pseudocolors assigned to 4 attributes
  • 2 video memory pages (0-1), 256K adapter memory required

VGA or MCGA Adapters

Screen 11 (VGA or MCGA)
  • 640 x 480 graphics
  • 80 x 30 or 80 x 60 text format, 8 x 16 or 8 x 8 character box
  • Assignment of up to 256K colors to 2 attributes
  • 1 video memory page (0)
Screen 12 (VGA)
  • 640 x 480 graphics
  • 80 x 30 or 80 x 60 text format, 8 x 16 or 8 x 8 character box
  • Assignment of up to 256K colors to 16 attributes
  • 1 video memory page (0)
Screen 13 (VGA or MCGA)
  • 320 x 200 graphics
  • 40 x 25 text format, 8 x 8 character box
  • Assignment of up to 256K colors to 256 attributes
  • 1 video memory page (0)