decimal equvalent of char 8 is 56 since you are asigning a byte to a char it assumes a decimal char value and gives you number 8 . [ April 10, 2005: Message edited by: levani dvalishvili ]
char is UNSIGNED 16 bit integral type where as byte is signed. The main point is that the 16 bits in char are used to represent characters according to UNICODE character set.
Another way of answering is that a char is a 16 bit unsigned number, while a short is a 15 bit number plus a one bit sign on the left. You may want to read up on two's complement binary notation, it is part of the SCJP exam syllabus.