Hello,

>   To clarify, I meant "my current setup" (with NetBSD) won't do anything
> but 1-bit.  The monitor can.  (Do 1-bit monitors even exist?  How would
> you build something like that?)
Yes, in the early bronze age there were monochrome monitors with TTL input that indeed did only 1 bit.
<hairsplittery> of course the tube could do more than 1 bit but the electronic didn't </hairsplittery>

have fun
Michael