Commodore Plus/4 Standard Text Mode Resolution

This article provides a definitive answer regarding the display specifications of the Commodore Plus/4 home computer. It outlines the character grid dimensions and the corresponding pixel resolution managed by the TED video chip. Readers will find a concise breakdown of the standard text mode layout used during typical operation and programming tasks.

The Commodore Plus/4 relies on the TED (Text Editing Device) integrated circuit to handle video output. In its default state, the standard text mode presents a screen layout consisting of 40 columns and 25 rows. Each character cell within this grid is constructed from an 8x8 pixel matrix. When calculated together, this results in a total pixel resolution of 320 pixels in width and 200 pixels in height.

This resolution matches the graphical capabilities found in other popular Commodore machines of the era, such as the Commodore 64. However, the Plus/4 distinguishes itself through the TED chip’s ability to display more simultaneous colors without attribute clash. For users writing BASIC programs or developing software, knowing this 40x25 character structure is essential for formatting output correctly on the screen.