C64

From C64-Wiki

This articel can only show you a small overview about the potential of the home computer Commodore 64. More details and other tricks and hints have their own article in this wiki.

The Commodore 64 (short: C64; alternative CBM64, C=64, VIC-64, in Germany VC-64) is the most favored and best-selling home computer of the 80's, which was built from 1982 until 1993. The C64 is the successor of the first colour video home computer VIC20. The successor of the C64 is the C128, which was sold as an office-computer. The C64 was voted the computer of the year twice in the catagory home computer by an international committee of journalists from computer magazines.

The statements of the sales figures are very different. The declaration of 30 million sold C64s is way too high. The realistic statement is something about 17 millions and in Germany, Commodore has sold about 3 million C64. The fall of the Berlin wall, in 1989, was a lucky chance for the C64. Commodore sold the C64 in eastern Europe until Commodore collapsed through financial trouble.

Contents 1 Advantage 2 Construction 2.1 Right Side 2.2 Flipside 2.3 Mainboard 3 Technical Details 4 Accessories 5 Variants 6 Using 7 Compatible to VIC 20, C64 and C128 or CBMs 8 Links

[edit] Advantage

The advantage of the C64 is, that the technology concept uses the whole 8-bit-memory-map (64 KByte). It contains several sound and graphic potentials (like sprites, HiRes, multicolor). The existing VC20-peripherals can be used after a little remodelling, and easy Commodore-BASIC-programs until version 2.0 can be used. The C64 can be operated with CP/M, when a Z80 CPU Cartridge (very rare!) is used. There are other program cartridges for programming languages like Logo or Pascal.

Especially in Germany, the computer market reacted very fast in favor of the C64. Several C64 related books and magazines were available soon after the release. The publishers Markt & Technik, Data Becker or Heise Verlag used their experience from the VC20, PET and PC-CBM for the new C64. The most popular C64-magazine in Germany was the 64'er, but these other home computer-magazines might be interesting, too:

• Computer Persönlich
• P.M. Computerheft
• Homecomputer
• Computer Kontakt
• Happy Computer
• HC
• Commodore Welt
• Datawelt
• Computronic
• RUN

These magazines usually contained program-listings which were essential before floppy discs became widely used. Users could achieve a wide range of interesting software for small money. Other global computermagazines couldn't elude the home computer trend and had program-listings for C64 and other computers, as well: MC, CHIP, C'T

Software on data storages (disc, cassette or cartridge) was much more expensive. The middle course were specialized diskmags like INPUT 64, Magic Disk 64, Game On or Golden Disk 64, which contained software on a tape or disc and articles relating to the included software.

[edit] Construction

right|C64 - C64 without the keyboard

C64 - Motherboard 1982

C64 - Motherboard 1992

The C64 was built in several variants. The prototype of the C64 had the same case like the forerunner VIC20, which looks like a brown bread box, with black keys and brighter function-keys. The first production run differs in case and keyboard colors. Commodore used several different parts from other computers. This procedure was very common at Commodore, therefore there are several different versions of the same model, even with later models. The following models and variants were brighter, modern designed or more flat, but the concept as a keyboard-computer (exception: SX64, C64 Game System, C64 WebIt, C64DTV) was essential. The ports and interfaces are (i - input / o - output for datas):

[edit] Right Side

• Two gameports (Controlports, 9-pins, i) to connect a joystick, lightpen, mouse or a few paddles
• Power Switch
• Power Connector (Power; 7-pins) to connect for the power supply (4-pins)

[edit] Flipside

• Expansionsport (44-pins; i/o) to connect for cartridges
• TV-connector (HF-Modulator-Output; o) to connect a television (in the versions NTSC or PAL)
• Audio-/Video (5-pins; o) to connect a monitor or a stereosystem
• Serial Bus (IEEE-488, 6 polig, i/o) to connect a diskdrive VC-1541/70/71/81 or printer MPS 801/802/803, VC-1515/1525/1526
• Cassette-/Datasetten-Connector (Cassettenport 12 polig; i/o) to connect a cassette recorder (Datasette) VC-1530 bzw. CN2
• Userport (RS-232 or Centroncis; 24-pins; i/o) to connect cartridges, resetbutton or modems.

[edit] Mainboard

• CPU: MOS 6510 or 8500 ~ 1 MHz
• Memory: 64 KByte RAM, with 38911 Bytes free under BASIC useable
• ROM: 20 KByte, fragmented in:
  • CBM BASIC V2.0 (8 KByte) (40960-49151 ; $A000-$BFFF)
  • KERNAL (8 KByte) (57344-65535 ; $E000-$FFFF)
  • Character Set (4 KByte) (53248-57343 ; $D000-$DFFF ; the same memory-area like VIC)
  • Remark: In new versions is the BASIC- and KERNAL-section together in a 16KByte-chip.
• Graphic: VIC-II
  • NTSC-version: 6566/6567/8562
  • PAL-version: 6569/8565
  • Screen modes: Text mode (big/graphic letters or big/small letters) 40 (rows) * 25 (columns) chars or in graphic mode (HiRes) 320*200 pixel in 16 colours, 16 border-colour und 16 background-colour (colour) or multicolor (4 colours) 160*200 pixel, 8 sprites (HiRes or multicolor) in BASIC
• Sound: SID 6581/8580 are used for soundgeneration with 3 autonomous registers over 8 octaves (~96 notes) or noises with filter.
• Keyboard: 66 keys (QWERTY), with multiple chars
• Others: 2 interface-chips CIA-6526 for I/O-control

[edit] Technical Details

      CPU         : 6510 @ 0.9852486MHz  (PAL)
                           1.0227273MHz  (NTSC)
      RAM         : 64 Kb DRAM
                    .5 Kb SRAM (color RAM $d800-dbff)
      ROM         : 20kB ROM together, in 3 ROMs :
                      - 8k BASIC V2      ($a000-bfff)
                      - 8k Kernal        ($e000-ffff)
                      - 4k Character ROM ($d000-dfff)
                    (In new platines are BASIC und Kernal together in a 16 Kb-ROM)
      Graphic     : VIC-II ($d000-d3ff)
      Sound       : SID ($d400-d7ff)
 Interfaces       : Userport 
                    Expansionsport
                    Audio-/Videopott
                    Cassettenport
                    Joystickport (2x)
                    Serial IEC-Port
                    TV
 Keyboard         : 66 Keys (included Graphic Letters)   
 Power Supply     : Extern (9V AC, +5V DC)

[edit] Accessories

There's a wide range of devices for the C64. Input-Devices: mouse, joystick, lightpen oder paddles, Drives: Commodore-cassette-driver ("Datassette" VC-1530 / CN2), disk drives (VC-1541/70/71/81), harddisks Peripherals: modem, printer, cartridges

Since the bankruptcy of Commodore 1994, the C64-scene is still very active. A lot of projects from the C64-scene are using modern technology for the oldtimer C64. For example: IDE-harddisks and CD/DVD-drives, memory cards, use of MP3-files or the internet.

[edit] Variants

• C64-Prototype: grey bread box with black keys (1982-1984)
• C64-II or C64-C: white colored, flatter design (since 1986)
• C64G: low cost C64-C (since 1987)
• C64CR: low cost C64-II (since 1987)
• C64-Aldi: a special german version of a low cost C64, which was selling in german famous supermarket called ALDI (1988)
• PET64: a special model for schools with integrated monitor (1982/84)
• SX64, also DX64 and SX100: a mobile C64 with integrated diskdrive and monitor (1983/84)
• C64 Games System: constricted version of C64 (1990)
• VC10: slimming version of the C64 only sold in Japan (1982)

[edit] Using

After turning on Basic 2.0, the C64s Operating System, can be used directly. Its possible to run programs from data storages like discs or tapes, or writing own BASIC-programs and save it on data storages or print the program listing on a printer.

Several cartridges have the ability to modify the C64. Cartridges have the bonus that there is no loading time like discs. Some cartridges upgrade the BASIC-system and can be helpful for writing programs. Other programming languages are easier to use with cartridges like Pascal or operation systems CP/M.

[edit] Compatible to VIC 20, C64 and C128 or CBMs

The other Commodore computers like VIC20 and C128 are using the BASIC 2.0, too (whereas the C128 has a better version implemented, see below). That is very helpful to transfer software from one to another data storage. The biggest problem is, that the memory maps differ from the C64. That means that BASIC-programs with BASIC-systemcommands like PEEK, POKE, SYS or USR cannot be used if they have been written for another Commodore Computer. C64-software is almost 100% compatible to a C128, as long as the C128 is operated in the C64-mode.

The VC20 has 20kb of memory (3.583 bytes RAM free in BASIC), far less than the C64 with 64kb (38.911 bytes in BASIC), and cannot use sprites, so you can only transfer simple and short BASIC-programs from a C64 to a VIC20. The C128 has about 128kb of memory and the more sophisticated BASIC 7.0, its therefore possible to transfer a wide range of Basic programms.

Some BASIC-programs (until BASIC 2.0) from a PET or PC-CBM-series (3000/4000/8000) can be used on a C64. There's a trick, how C64 programs can be used on a PET/CBM computer. Before the C64-programm will be loaded, it is required to type and run this command line: POKE 40,1: POKE 41,8: POKE 8*256,0: NEW

Software with higher BASIC-versions than 2.0 cannot be used without software-upgrades or cartridges with the C64.

[edit] Links

Wikipedia: C64