from : http://edu.codepub.com/2010/0714/24229.php
mysql> CREATE TABLE test(id int,a bit(8));
mysql> INSERT INTO test VALUES(1,b‘00111010′);
mysql> INSERT INTO test VALUES(2,b‘00111000′);
mysql> INSERT INTO test VALUES(3,’00111010′); ??
mysql> INSERT INTO test VALUES(4,’1′);
mysql> SELECT id,a, a + 0 FROM test order by id;
+——+——-+——+
| id | a | a + 0 |
+——+——-+——+
| 1 | : | 58 |
| 2 | 8 | 56 |
| 3 | ? | 255 |
| 4 | 1 | 49 |
+——+——-+——+