Jim Butterfield Commodore 64 Training Tape - FULL Length C64
Syd Bolton・2 minutes read
Jim Butterfield is an authority on the Commodore 64, detailing its features, setup, upgrading, and usage, including programming basics, file management, computer-assisted learning, communication, and language options like CP/M and Logo. The Commodore 64 is a versatile computer offering various educational and entertainment opportunities, from word processing and music production to game playing and system simulation, providing a comprehensive understanding of computer science beyond basic functions.
Insights
- The Commodore 64, known for its affordability and robust features like color graphics and sound, comes with a variety of ports and components, making it accessible and versatile for users.
- Programming on the Commodore 64 involves understanding variables, commands, and file organization, allowing for the creation and storage of programs through different media like cassette tapes and disks.
- The CP/M system on the Commodore 64 offers a unique interface with specific commands like "dir" and programs like DDT, showcasing a different language and functionality compared to regular programs, expanding the system's capabilities for users.
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Recent questions
What components are included in the Commodore 64 box?
The Commodore 64 box contains the computer itself, a user guide, cables, a transformer regulator for power, and an antenna switch box.
How can the Commodore 64 be set up for use?
To set up the Commodore 64, connect the power cable, TV cable, and antenna switch box to the TV set.
What are the key features of the Commodore 64 keyboard?
The Commodore 64 keyboard resembles a typewriter layout with numeric characters, punctuation, and a return key that executes typed commands.
How can programs be loaded and run on the Commodore 64?
Programs for the Commodore 64 can be accessed through ROM packs, cassette tapes, or disks, each requiring specific commands for loading and running.
What is the purpose of the CP/M system on the Commodore 64?
The CP/M system on the Commodore 64 is a unique program transfer system used by various computers, displaying a different message on the screen and requiring different commands like "dir" for directory.
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Summary
00:00
"Commodore 64: Features, Setup, and Upgrades"
- Jim Butterfield is the foremost authority on the Commodore 64, offering 14 training sessions on this popular home computer.
- The Commodore 64 boasts features like color, sound, graphics, a large memory, and an affordable price.
- Inside the Commodore 64 box, you find the computer itself, a user guide, cables, a transformer regulator for power, and an antenna switch box.
- The computer has control ports for joysticks, an on/off switch, a power connector, a cartridge connector, a channel selector, a TV connector, a monitor connector, a serial bus connector, a cassette tape connector, and a user port.
- To set up the Commodore 64, connect the power cable, TV cable, and antenna switch box to the TV set.
- Upgrading the Commodore 64 includes adding a monitor for better picture quality, a data set for storing programs, a floppy disk drive for quick data recall, and a printer for permanent records.
- Internally, the Commodore 64 contains a microprocessor, ROM chips, input/output chips, memory chips, a PLA chip, a sound interface device chip, and video circuitry.
- Upon starting the Commodore 64, the screen displays system information and a flashing cursor indicating where typed characters will appear.
- The keyboard resembles a typewriter layout with numeric characters, punctuation, and a return key that executes typed commands.
- Additional keys like function keys and shift keys offer further functionality on the Commodore 64 keyboard.
15:14
"Commodore 64 Keyboard Functions and Features"
- Commodore 64 keys are not currently functional, reserved for program recognition.
- Cursor movement controlled by cursor keys, allowing for directional shifts.
- Cursor can be homed to upper left screen position using a specific key combination.
- Shift key enables typing of special graphics characters, distinct from alphabetical letters.
- Commodore key, when held down, allows access to additional graphics on keys.
- Shift key, when held down with Commodore key, alters screen display to lowercase characters.
- Control key, when held down with number keys, changes cursor color on screen.
- Commodore key, when held down with number keys, expands color options for cursor.
- Memory address 53280 used to change border and background colors on screen.
- Programs for Commodore 64 can be accessed through ROM packs, cassette tapes, or disks, each requiring specific commands for loading and running.
29:46
Loading, Running, and Saving Programs: A Guide
- To load a program, use the load command and then run it to execute the instructions.
- Programs can be obtained from various sources like books, magazines, and clubs.
- Typing in programs from books or magazines can be time-consuming but rewarding.
- After typing in a program, it can be saved onto cassette tape or floppy disk for future use.
- Writing your own program involves understanding how programs work and using variables for flexibility.
- Basic commands in a program can include actions, repetitions, and decisions.
- Variables in a program allow for storing and manipulating values like numbers or names.
- String variables are used for non-numeric data like names or addresses.
- Screen editing allows for correcting mistakes in program lines without retyping the entire line.
- To manage program lines, use line numbers for organization, insertion, and deletion as needed.
45:45
Managing Program Output and Data Storage
- To divert the program output from the screen to the printer, use the command "list" instead of "listing."
- After printing the program, ensure to disconnect the printer by using the command "print number four."
- To save the program on a cassette tape, use the command "save" followed by the program name in quotation marks.
- When saving the program on a disk, use the command "save program name, 8" where 8 is the device number of the disk.
- Programs stored on disk remain relatively constant, while data files are subject to frequent changes.
- Information stored on disks is organized into files, with each file containing multiple records.
- Each record within a file consists of fixed and variable fields, such as a person's name or age.
- A collection of files that work together is termed a database, allowing for processing of related information.
- Sequential files store data one after the other, while relative files offer more power but are less common.
- A simple example of writing a file involves inputting data, which is then collected in a buffer before being written to the tape.
01:01:03
Computer-assisted learning with interactive test mode.
- Computer-assisted learning involves asking the computer for answers while learning.
- Students can practice and fill in answers until they feel ready for a test.
- Pressing key F7 transitions from exercise mode to test mode with ten questions.
- Students can choose not to answer and ask for help to get the correct answer.
- If students feel unprepared for the test, they can go back to practicing and retake the test later.
- Modems are essential for computers to communicate over telephone lines.
- Modulation converts computer bits into frequencies for transmission.
- Demodulation changes frequencies back into bits at the receiving end.
- ASCII code facilitates communication between different computers.
- Computer bulletin boards, databases, and commercial services like CompuServe offer various communication options.
01:17:20
Unique CP/M System on Commodore 64
- The Commodore CP/M system is a unique program transfer system used by various computers.
- The CP/M system on the Commodore 64 displays a different message on the screen, indicating its distinct language.
- Basic commands like print, catalog, or save do not work on the CP/M system; instead, commands like "dir" for directory are used.
- Programs on the CP/M system are accessed by typing their names, like the Dynamic Debugging Tool (DDT), abbreviated as DDT.
- To bring in a program like DDT, its name is typed, and the program starts loading, operating in a different language than regular programs.
- The CP/M system allows for unique commands like "x" to view computer registers, showcasing a different communication line.
- Exiting programs like DDT is done using a standard command like control c, returning the system to CP/M.
- Various languages like Logo, Pascal, Pilot, and others are available for the Commodore 64, each suited for different tasks.
- Logo, a language used in education, features a turtle graphics system where commands like forward, turn, and draw are used to create shapes.
- Graphics on the Commodore 64 can be created using built-in characters, custom character sets, sprites for independent movement, and high-resolution pixels for detailed drawings.
01:33:32
"Enhancing Text with Word Processing Techniques"
- To insert the word "printer" after "disk," enter insert mode and type "printer," causing the rest of the paragraph to shift to accommodate the new word.
- To move a sentence earlier in the text, select the sentence, pick out the characters one by one, and use the move command to relocate it.
- Utilize the move command to shift the selected sentence to a new location, leaving a copy in the original place.
- Adjust margins by deleting unnecessary characters, such as removing the letter "s" to change "questions" to "question."
- Word processing allows for composing, editing, and refining documents, with various software options like Paperclip, Hess Riser, and Easy Script available.
- The Commodore 64 features a built-in Sound Interface Device (SID) chip for producing music and sound effects during games.
- Different waveforms, like triangular, sawtooth, pulse, and square waves, create distinct instrument sounds in music production.
- Understanding ADSR (Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release) envelopes helps control how quickly sounds start, hold, and fade in musical instruments.
- By combining specific waveforms with ADSR envelopes, various instrument sounds like chimes, guitars, and trumpets can be simulated effectively.
- Computer games, like "Space Rescue," offer entertainment while also providing educational content, such as learning about planets within the solar system during gameplay.
01:50:55
"Cocoa Program: Simulating Microprocessor Systems"
- Simulation programs, like the Cocoa program, aim to replicate systems such as microprocessors, offering educational value and practical insights into complex structures.
- The Cocoa program simulates a fictional microcomputer's internal components, showcasing registers, memory, input-output areas, and commands, providing a visual representation of how a microprocessor operates.
- Through simulations like Cocoa, users can grasp intricate computer processes that are typically unseen, presenting a challenge for students to create programs and enhancing understanding of computer functionality beyond mere gaming entertainment.
