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Commodore 64

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Computing hardware and
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                                  Hardware
                                 Commodore 64
   Type         Home computer
   Released     August, 1982
   Discontinued April, 1994
   Processor    MOS Technology 6510 @ 1.02 MHz (NTSC version) / 0.99MHz (PAL
                version)
   Memory       64KB
   OS           Commodore BASIC 2.0

   The Commodore 64 is the best selling single personal computer model of
   all time. Released in August 1982, the Commodore 64 is commonly
   referred to as the C64 (sometimes written C= 64 to mimic the Commodore
   company logo) and occasionally known as CBM64 (its model designation),
   C-64 or VIC-64 (a label used by some users, magazine writers, third
   party advertisements and also by Commodore in Sweden ). The Commodore
   64 casing has affectionately been nicknamed the "breadbox" and
   "bullnose" due to its shape. Introduced by Commodore Business Machines
   in August 1982 at a price of US$595, it offered 64  kilobytes of RAM
   with sound and graphics performance that compared favourably with
   IBM-compatible computers of that time. During the Commodore 64's
   lifetime (between 1982 and 1994), sales totaled around 17 million
   units.

   Unlike computers that were distributed only through authorized dealers,
   Commodore also targeted department stores and toy stores. The unit
   could be plugged directly into a television set to play games, giving
   it much of the appeal of dedicated video game consoles like the Atari
   2600. Its affordable pricing contributed to the video game market crash
   of 1983.

   Approximately 10,000 commercial software titles were made for the
   Commodore 64 including development tools, office applications, and
   games. The machine is also credited with popularizing the computer demo
   scene. The Commodore 64 is still used today by many computer hobbyists,
   and emulators allow anyone with a modern computer (or even smartphones
   such as the sx1) to run these programs on their desktop (with varying
   degrees of success and functionality).

   The Commodore 64 is commonly seen as an icon of the 1980s. An example
   is the introductory movie of the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice
   City, which features a Commodore 64 screen which later reveals the
   Rockstar North logo.

History

   A close-up of C64.
   Enlarge
   A close-up of C64.

   In January 1981, MOS Technology, Inc., Commodore's integrated circuit
   design subsidiary, initiated a project to design the graphic and audio
   chips for a next generation video game console. Design work for the
   chips, named MOS Technology VIC-II (graphics) and MOS Technology SID
   (audio), was completed in November 1981.

   A game console project was then initiated by Commodore that would use
   the new chips -- called the Ultimax or alternatively the Commodore MAX
   Machine, engineered by Yashi Terakura from Commodore Japan. This
   project was eventually cancelled after just a few machines were
   manufactured for the Japanese market.

   At the same time Robert "Bob" Russell (system programmer and architect
   on the VIC-20) and Robert "Bob" Yannes (engineer of the SID) were
   critical of the current product line-up at Commodore, which was a
   continuation of the Commodore PET line aimed at business users. With
   the support of Al Charpentier (engineer of the VIC-II) and Charles
   Winterble (manager of MOS Technology), they proposed to Commodore CEO
   Jack Tramiel a true low-cost sequel to the VIC-20. Tramiel dictated
   that the machine should have 64KB of RAM. Although 64 kB of DRAM cost
   over US $100 at the time, he knew that DRAM prices were falling, and
   would soon drop to an acceptable level before full production was
   reached. In November, Tramiel set a deadline for the first weekend of
   January, to coincide with the 1982 Consumer Electronics Show.

   The product was codenamed the VIC-40 as the successor to the popular
   VIC-20. The team that constructed it consisted of Robert Russell,
   Robert "Bob" Yannes and David A. Ziembicki. The design, prototypes and
   some sample software was finished in time for the show, after the team
   had worked tirelessly over both Thanksgiving and Christmas weekends.

   When the product was to be presented, the VIC-40 product was renamed
   C64 in order to fit into the current Commodore business products lineup
   which contained the P128 and the B256, both named by a letter and their
   respective memory size.

   The C64 made an impressive debut, as recalled by Production Engineer
   David A. Ziembicki: "All we saw at our booth were Atari people with
   their mouths dropping open, saying, 'How can you do that for $595?'"
   The answer, as it turned out, was vertical integration; thanks to
   Commodore's ownership of MOS Technology's semiconductor fabrication
   facilities, each C64 had an estimated production cost of only $135.
   However, cheaper manufacturing techniques resulted in manufacturing
   problems; during its launch, one in three Commodore 64s proved
   defective. Many of these early units had video problems causing a
   blurry effect that made alphanumeric characters difficult to read.

Winning the market war

   Commodore BASIC V2.0
   Enlarge
   Commodore BASIC V2.0

   The C64 faced a wide range of competing home computers at its
   introduction in August 1982. With an impressive price point coupled
   with the 64's advanced hardware, it quickly out-classed many of its
   competitors. In the United States the greatest competitors to the C64
   were the Atari 400/800, IBM PC and Apple II. The Atari 400/800 was very
   similar in hardware terms, but it was very expensive to build, which
   forced Atari to redesign their machine to be more cost effective. This
   resulted in the 600XL/800XL line and the transfer of their production
   to the Far East. The IBM PC and the now aging Apple II were no match
   for the C64's graphical and sound abilities, but they were very
   expandable with their internal expansion slots, a feature lacking in
   the 64.

   All three machines had a standard memory configuration of 16K, 48K less
   RAM than the C64. At US$1,500, the IBM PC and Apple II were 3 times as
   expensive, while the Atari 800 cost a mere $899. One key to the C64's
   success was Commodore's aggressive marketing tactics, and they were
   quick to exploit the relative price/performance divisions between its
   competitors with a series of television commercials after the C64's
   launch in late 1982.

   Commodore sold the C64 not only through its network of authorized
   dealers, but also placed it on the shelves of department stores,
   discount stores, and toy stores. Since it had the ability to output
   composite video, the C64 did not require a specialized monitor, but
   could be plugged into a television set. This allowed it (like its
   predecessor, the VIC-20) to compete directly against video game
   consoles such as the Atari 2600.

   Aggressive pricing of the C64 is considered to be a major catalyst in
   the video game crash of 1983. In 1983, Commodore offered a $100 rebate
   in the United States on the purchase of a C64 upon receipt of any video
   game console or computer. To take advantage of the $100 rebate, some
   mail-order dealers and retailers offered a Timex Sinclair 1000 for as
   little as $10 with purchase of a C64 so the consumer could send the
   computer to Commodore, collect the rebate, and pocket the difference.
   Timex Corporation departed the marketplace within a year. The success
   of the VIC-20 and C64 also contributed significantly to the exit of
   Texas Instruments' TI-99/4A and other competitors from the field.

   In 1984, Commodore released the Commodore Plus/4. The Plus/4 offered a
   higher-colour display, a better implementation of BASIC (V3.5), and
   built-in software. However, Commodore committed what was perceived by
   critics and consumers as a major strategic error by making it
   incompatible with the C64. To top it all off, the Plus/4 lacked
   hardware sprite capability and had much poorer sound, thus seriously
   underperforming in two of the areas that had made the C64 a star.

   In the United Kingdom, the primary competitors to the C64 were the
   British-built Sinclair ZX Spectrum and the Amstrad CPC464. Released a
   few months ahead of the C64, and selling for almost half the price, the
   Spectrum quickly became the market leader. Commodore would have an
   uphill struggle against the Spectrum, it could no longer rely on
   undercutting the competition. The C64 debuted at £399 in early 1983,
   while the Spectrum cost £175. The C64 would later rival the Spectrum in
   popularity in the latter half of the 1980s, eventually outliving the
   Spectrum (which was discontinued in 1992).

   Despite a few attempts by Commodore to discontinue the C64 in favour of
   other, higher priced machines, constant demand made its discontinuation
   a hard task. By 1988, Commodore were selling 1.5 million C64s
   worldwide. Although demand for the C64 dropped off in the US by 1990,
   it continued to be popular in the UK and other European countries. In
   the end, economics, not obsolescence sealed the C64's fate. In March
   1994 at CeBIT in Hanover Germany, Commodore announced that the C64
   would be finally discontinued in 1995. Commodore claimed that the C64's
   disk drive was more expensive to manufacture than the C64 itself.
   Although Commodore had planned to discontinue the C64 by 1995, the
   company filed for bankruptcy a month later, in April 1994.

The C64 family

   1982: Commodore releases the Commodore MAX Machine in Japan. It is
   called the Ultimax in the US, and VC-10 in Germany. The MAX was
   intended to be a game console with limited computing capability. It was
   discontinued months after its introduction, because of poor sales in
   Japan.

   In 1984 Commodore released the SX-64, a portable version of the C64.
   The SX-64 has the distinction of being the first full-colour portable
   computer. The base unit featured a 5 inch (127 mm) CRT and an integral
   1541 floppy disk drive.

   Commodore 64C system with 1541-II floppy drive and 1084S RGB monitor
   (1986).
   Enlarge
   Commodore 64C system with 1541-II floppy drive and 1084S RGB monitor
   (1986).

   Commodore was determined to avoid the problems of the Plus/4, making
   sure that the eventual successors to the C64—the Commodore 128 and 128D
   computers (1985)—were as good as, and fully compatible with the
   original, as well as offering a host of improvements (such as a
   structured BASIC with graphics and sound commands, 80-column display
   capability, and full CP/M compatibility).

   In 1986, Commodore released the Commodore 64C (C64C) computer, which
   was functionally identical to the original, but whose exterior design
   was remodelled in the sleeker style of the C128 and other contemporary
   design trends. In the U.S., the C64C was often bundled with the
   third-party GEOS GUI-based operating system. The Commodore 1541 disk
   drive was also remodelled resulting in the 1541-II.

   In 1990, the C64 was re-released in the form of a game console, called
   the C64 Games System (C64GS). A simple modification to the C64C's
   motherboard was made to orient the cartridge connector to a vertical
   position. This allowed cartridges to be inserted from above. A modified
   ROM replaced the BASIC interpreter with a boot screen to inform the
   user to insert a cartridge. The C64GS was another commercial failure
   for Commodore, and it was never released outside of Europe.

   In 1990, an advanced successor to the C64, the Commodore 65 (also known
   as the "C64DX"), was prototyped, but the project was cancelled by
   Commodore's chairman Irving Gould in 1991. The C65's specifications
   were very good for an 8-bit computer. For example, it could display 256
   colours on screen, while OCS based Amigas could only display 64.
   Although no specific reason was given for the C65's cancellation, it
   seemed that it was a conflict of interest with lower end Amigas. The
   Amiga 600 was released in mid 1992, eventually taking the C65's place
   as an advanced C64 upgrade.

C64 clones

   In the summer of 2004, after an absence from the marketplace of more
   than 10 years, PC manufacturer Tulip Computers BV (owners of the
   Commodore brand since 1997) announced the C64 Direct-to-TV (C64DTV), a
   joystick-based TV game based on the C64 with 30 games built into ROM.
   Designed by Jeri Ellsworth, a self-taught computer designer who had
   earlier designed the modern C-One C64 implementation, the C64DTV was
   similar in concept to other mini-consoles based on the Atari 2600 and
   Intellivision which had gained modest success earlier in the decade.
   The product was advertised on QVC in the United States for the 2004
   holiday season. Some users have installed 1541 floppy disk drives, hard
   drives, second joysticks and keyboards to these units, which give the
   DTV devices nearly all of the capabilities of a full Commodore 64. The
   DTV hardware is also used in the mini-console/game Hummer, sold at
   Radio Shack mid-2005.

   As of 2006, C64 enthusiasts still develop new hardware, including
   Ethernet cards, specially adapted hard disks and Flash Card interfaces.

Software

   At the time of its introduction, the C64's graphics and sound
   capabilities were rivalled only by the Atari 8-bit family. This was at
   a time when most IBM PCs and compatibles had text-only graphics cards,
   green screen monitors, and sound consisting of squeaks and beeps from
   the built-in tiny, low-quality speaker.

   Due to its advanced graphics and sound, the C64 is often credited with
   starting the computer subculture known as the demoscene (see Commodore
   64 demos). The C64 lost its top position among demo coders when the
   16-bit Atari ST and Commodore Amiga were released in 1985, however it
   still remained a very popular platform for demo coding upto the early
   90s.

   By the turn of the millennium, it is still being actively used as a
   demo machine, especially for music (its sound chip even being used in
   special sound cards for PCs, and the Elektron SidStation synthesizer).
   Unfortunately, the differences between PAL and NTSC C64s caused
   compatibility problems between US/Canadian C64s and those from most
   other countries. The vast majority of demos run only on PAL machines.

Hardware

Graphics and sound

   The C64 used an 8-bit MOS Technology 6510 microprocessor (a close
   derivative of the 6502 with an added 6-bit internal I/O port that in
   the C64 is used for two purposes: to bank-switch the machine's ROM in
   and out of the processor's address space, and to operate the datasette
   tape recorder) and had 64 kilobytes of RAM, of which 38 kB were
   available to built-in Commodore BASIC 2.0.

   The graphics chip, VIC-II, featured 16 colors, eight sprites, scrolling
   capabilities, and two bitmap graphics modes. The standard text mode
   featured 40 columns, like most Commodore PET models; the built in font
   was not standard ASCII but PETSCII, an extended form of ASCII-1963.
   Computer/video game and demo programmers quickly learned how to exploit
   the more esoteric features of the VIC-II to gain additional
   capabilities, like making more than 8 sprites appear, and move,
   simultaneously.

   The sound chip, SID, had three channels, each with its own ADSR
   envelope generator, and with several different waveforms, ring
   modulation and filter capabilities. It too, was very advanced for its
   time. It was designed by Bob Yannes, who would later co-found
   synthesizer company Ensoniq. Yannes criticized other contemporary
   computer sound chips as "primitive, obviously (...) designed by people
   who knew nothing about music." Often the game music became a hit of its
   own among C64 users. Well-known composers and programmers of game music
   on the C64 were Rob Hubbard, David Whittaker, Ben Daglish and Martin
   Galway, among many others. Due to the chip's limitation to three
   channels, chords were played as arpeggios typically, coining the C64's
   characteristic lively sound.

   There are two versions of the SID chip, the first version was the MOS
   Technology 6581, which is to be found in all of the original "breadbox"
   C64s, and early versions of the C64C and the Commodore 128. It was
   later replaced with the MOS Technology 8580 in 1987. The sound quality
   was a little more crisp on the 6581 and many Commodore 64 fans still
   prefer its sound. The main difference between the 6581 and the 8580 was
   the voltage supply: the 6581 uses a 12 volt supply, while the 8580
   required only 9 volts. A voltage modification can be made to use a 6581
   in a C64C board (which uses 9V).

   The SID chip has a distinctive sound which retained a following of
   devotees. In 1999, Swedish company Elektron produced a SidStation synth
   module, built around the SID chip, using remaining stocks of the chip.
   Several bands use these devices in their music.

Hardware revisions

   Cost reduction was the driving force for hardware revisions to the
   C64's motherboard. Reducing manufacturing costs was vitally important
   to Commodore's survival during the price war and leaner years of the
   16-bit era. The C64's original ( NMOS based) motherboard would go
   through two major redesigns, (and numerous sub-revisions) exchanging
   positions of the VIC-II, SID and PLA chips. Initially, a large
   proportion of the cost was lowered by reducing the number of discrete
   components used, such as diodes and resistors.
   An early C64 motherboard (Rev A PAL 1982).
   Enlarge
   An early C64 motherboard (Rev A PAL 1982).
   A C64C motherboard ("C64E" Rev B PAL 1992).
   Enlarge
   A C64C motherboard ("C64E" Rev B PAL 1992).

   The VIC-II was manufactured with 5 micrometre NMOS technology, clocked
   at 8 MHz. At such a high clock rate, it generated a lot of heat,
   forcing MOS Technology to use a ceramic DIL package (called a
   "CERDIP"). The ceramic package was more expensive, but it dissipated
   heat more effectively than plastic.

   After a redesign in 1983, the VIC-II was encased in a plastic DIL
   package, which reduced costs substantially, but it did not eliminate
   the heat problem. Without a ceramic package, the VIC-II required the
   use of a heatsink. To avoid extra cost, the metal RF shielding doubled
   as the heatsink for the VIC, although not all units shipped with this
   type of shielding. Most C64s in Europe shipped with a cardboard RF
   shield, coated with a layer of metal foil. The effectiveness of the
   cardboard was highly questionable, and worse still it acted as an
   insulator, blocking airflow which trapped heat generated by the SID,
   VIC and PLA chips.

   The SID was manufactured using NMOS at 7 and in some areas 6
   micrometres. The prototype SID and some very early production models
   featured a ceramic DIL package, but unlike the VIC-II, these are
   extremely rare as the SID was encased in plastic when production
   started in early 1982.

   In 1986 Commodore released the last revision to the "classic" C64
   motherboard. It was otherwise identical to the 1984 design, except that
   it now used two 64 kbit ×4 DRAM chips rather than the original eight 64
   kbit ×1.

   After the release of the C64C, MOS Technology began to reconfigure the
   C64's chipset to use HMOS technology. The main benefit of using HMOS
   was that it required less voltage to drive the IC, which consequently
   generates less heat. This enhanced the overall reliability of the SID
   and VIC-II. The new chipset was re-numbered to 85xx in order to reflect
   the change to HMOS.

   In 1987 Commodore released C64Cs with a totally redesigned motherboard
   commonly known as a "short board". The new board used the new HMOS
   chipset, featuring new 64-pin PLA chip. The new "SuperPLA" as it was
   dubbed, integrated many discrete components and TTL chips. The 2114
   colour RAM was integrated into the last revision of the PLA.

   The C64 used an external power supply. While this saved valuable space
   within the computer's case, the supply itself was barely adequate for
   the C64's power requirements and occasionally failed from overheating.
   Some users purchased heavier-duty, better-cooled, third-party power
   supplies. Later in the Commodore's lifetime, third-party power supplies
   became increasingly important when used in conjunction with Creative
   Micro Designs' peripherals. Of particular note, a C64 coupled with a
   RAM expansion or CMD SuperCPU required more power than the original
   Commodore power supply could provide.

Specifications

Internal hardware

     * Microprocessor CPU:
          + MOS Technology 6510/8500 (the 6510/8500 being a modified 6502
            with an integrated 6-bit I/O port)
          + Clock speed: 1.023 MHz ( NTSC) or 0.985 MHz ( PAL)
     * Video: MOS Technology VIC-II 6567/8567 (NTSC), 6569/8569 (PAL)
          + 16 colors
          + Text mode: 40×25 characters; 256 user-defined chars (8×8
            pixels, or 4×8 in multicolor mode); 4-bit color RAM defines
            foreground colour
          + Bitmap modes: 320×200 (2 colors in each 8×8 block), 160×200 (3
            colors plus background in each 4×8 block)
          + 8 hardware sprites of 24×21 pixels (12×21 in multicolor mode)
          + Smooth scrolling, raster interrupts
     * Sound: MOS Technology 6581/8580 SID
          + 3-channel synthesizer with programmable ADSR envelope
          + 8 octaves
          + 4 waveforms: triangle, sawtooth, variable pulse, noise
          + Oscillator synchronization, ring modulation
          + Programmable filter: high pass, low pass, band pass, notch
            filter
     * RAM:
          + 64 KB (65,536 bytes), of which 38 KB minus 1 byte (38911
            bytes) were available for BASIC programs
          + 512 bytes colour RAM (1 K nybbles)
          + Expandable to 320 KB with Commodore 1764 256 KB RAM Expansion
            Unit (REU); although only 64 KB directly accessible; REU
            mostly intended for GEOS. REUs of 128 KB and 512 KB,
            originally designed for the C128, were also available, but
            required the user to buy a stronger power supply from some
            third party supplier; with the 1764 this was included.
            Creative Micro Designs also produced a 2 MB REU for the C64
            and C128, called the 1750 XL. The technology actually
            supported up to 16 MB, but 2 MB was the biggest one officially
            made. Expansions of up to 16 MB were also possible via the CMD
            SuperCPU.
     * ROM:
          + 20 KB (9 KB BASIC 2.0; 7 KB KERNAL; 4 KB character generator,
            providing two 2 KB character sets)

I/O ports and power supply

     * I/O ports:
          + 8-pin DIN plug containing composite video output, separate Y/C
            outputs, and sound input/output. (Some early C64 units
            utilized a 5-pin DIN connector that omitted the Y/C output.)
          + Integrated RF modulator antenna output via a RCA connector
          + 2 × screwless DE9M game controller ports (compatible with
            Atari 2600 controllers), each supporting five digital inputs
            and two analog inputs. Available peripherals included digital
            joysticks, analog paddles, a light pen, the Commodore 1351
            mouse, and the unique KoalaPad.
          + Cartridge expansion slot (slot for edge connector with 6510
            CPU address/data bus lines and control signals, as well as GND
            and voltage pins; used for program modules and memory
            expansions, among others)
          + PET-type Datassette 300 baud tape interface (edge connector
            with cassette motor/read/write/sense signals and GND and +5 V
            pins; the motor pin is powered to directly supply the motor)
          + User port (edge connector with TTL-level RS-232 signals, for
            modems, etc; and byte-parallel signals which can be used to
            drive third-party parallel printers, among other things; with
            17 logic signals, 7 GND and voltage pins, including 9 V AC
            voltage)
          + Serial bus (serial version of IEEE-488, 6-pin DIN plug) for
            CBM printers and disk drives
     * Power supply:
          + 5 V DC and 9 V AC from external "monolithic power brick",
            attached to computer's 7-pin female DIN-connector
          + A PC power supply has 5 V DC and 12 V DC connections, perfect
            for powering the 1541-II and 1581 disk drives (just make sure
            the connections are correct). Powering the original 1541's off
            of a PC power supply is trickier. Even a decrepit 85 watt
            power supply carried out of the scrapyard for a buck can power
            a Commodore disk drive.

Gallery

   Multiplan
   Microsoft (1983)

   Koala Paint
   Koala/Audio Light (1983)

   GEOS (desktop)
   Berkeley Softworks (1986)

   geoWrite
   Berkeley Softworks (1987)

   Donkey Kong
   Atarisoft (1983)

   Winter Games
   Epyx (1985)

   International Karate+
   System 3 (1987)

   Creatures II
   Thalamus/Apex (1993)


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   List of Commodore microcomputers
   MOS Technology 6502-based ( 8-bit): MOS/CBM KIM-1 • PET/CBM • CBM-II
   (aka B/P series) • VIC-20/VC-20 • C64 • SX-64 • C16 & 116 • Plus/4 •
   C128
   M68K-based ( 16/ 32-bit): Amiga 1000 • Amiga 500 • Amiga 2000 • Amiga
   2500 • Amiga 1500 • Amiga CDTV • Amiga 3000, UX, T • Amiga 500+ • Amiga
   600 • Amiga 1200 • Amiga 4000 • Amiga 4000T

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_64"
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   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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