Novaterm 9.6 User's Guide
If you choose to replace your monitor, Commodore-brand color
monitors do an excellent job of displaying 80-column mode.
Monochrome monitors -- like the old "green screens" -- are even
sharper, but you will lose the color.
You may also try changing the text and background color in 80-
column mode (see 4.2.4, 80-column color). The default is light-gray
on black. Your eyes may have an easier time with a different
combination. A black or dark-gray background is needed for proper
color reproduction with ANSI terminal emulation, but if you primarily
use 80-column mode for VT102, VT52, or standard emulation, a
black-on-yellow or black-on-white display may be preferable. Some
people prefer light-green text on a medium-gray background. Another
good combination is black text on medium- or light-gray background.
Turning up the brightness knob on your monitor helps with any color