Commodore History Part 3 - The Commodore 64 (complete)
The 8-Bit Guy・31 minutes read
The Commodore VIC-20 evolved into the Commodore Max and eventually the successful Commodore 64, dominating the market in 1984 with superior graphics and sound capabilities, despite drawbacks like slow disk drive access and BASIC limitations. The platform experienced a revival with modernized versions like the Commodore 64 DTV and C64 Mini, with efforts ongoing to build a new Commodore 64 using modern parts.
Insights
- Upgrades to the VIC chip resulted in the creation of separate sound and video chips, the VIC-2 and SID, enhancing the graphics and sound capabilities of the Commodore Max and later the Commodore 64.
- The Commodore 64, despite facing competition from advanced machines, maintained its market dominance due to affordability, extensive software library, and continuous innovations like the Commodore 64c, GEOS, and modem support, ensuring its relevance and popularity.
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Recent questions
What were the upgrades in the Commodore Max?
The new video chip offered higher resolution, bit mapped graphics modes, 8 hardware sprites, 16 colors, Raster Interrupts, smooth scrolling, and D-RAM refresh. The new sound chip had 3 voices, each independently programmable, with 4 waveforms, a programmable ADSR envelope, 8 octave range, filters, a random number generator, and two analog to digital converters.
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Summary
00:00
Commodore 64: Evolution of Gaming Technology
- The Commodore VIC-20 was a successful computer, but the company chose to innovate by upgrading the VIC chip into separate sound and video chips, known as the VIC-2 and SID.
- The new video chip offered higher resolution, bit mapped graphics modes, 8 hardware sprites, 16 colors, Raster Interrupts, smooth scrolling, and D-RAM refresh.
- The new sound chip had 3 voices, each independently programmable, with 4 waveforms, a programmable ADSR envelope, 8 octave range, filters, a random number generator, and two analog to digital converters.
- These upgrades were not for the VIC-20 but for a new gaming system called the Commodore Max, smaller than the VIC-20, with superior graphics and sound but only 2 kilobytes of RAM.
- The Max was canceled soon after release, with most machines sold in Japan, making it highly collectible today.
- The Max was upgraded to become the Commodore 64, with a similar case and keyboard as the VIC-20, integrated BASIC, and 64K of memory.
- The Commodore 64 had various display options, including RF output for television, a dedicated monitor port, and compatibility with monochrome and composite monitors.
- The Commodore 64 supported 16 colors using the Control and Commodore keys, offering more display options than the VIC-20.
- The Commodore 64 utilized Dynamic RAM and the new VIC-II chip for its 64K of RAM, reducing costs and providing refresh circuitry.
- The 6502 processor in the Commodore 64 contributed to its enhanced capabilities, with a larger memory capacity and improved graphics and sound features compared to the VIC-20.
11:48
Commodore 64: Memory, Graphics, Sound, Dominance
- The package contains 40 pins, with 8 pins designated for the data bus in an 8-bit computer, allowing numbers from 0 to 255.
- The 16 pins labeled A0 to A15 form the address bus, enabling the processor to access memory up to 65,535, or 64K in memory terms.
- The CPU in the Commodore 64 can access 64K of memory, despite the presence of 88K due to ROM and other memory allocations.
- Modifications to the 6502 processor led to the creation of the 6510 CPU for the Commodore 64, with 6 new pins for memory control.
- The default memory configuration on bootup provides BASIC with access to 40K of memory, explaining the 38K free on the boot screen.
- The Commodore 64's graphics capabilities include text and bit-mapped graphics modes, with options for hi-res and multi-color displays.
- The hardware-driven sprites in the Commodore 64 allowed for easier movement of objects in games, enhancing graphics quality.
- The SID chip in the Commodore 64 revolutionized computer sound in 1982, surpassing other systems in sound sophistication.
- The Commodore 64 dominated the personal computer market in 1984, outselling competitors like IBM PC, Apple II, and Atari.
- Despite some drawbacks like slow disk drive access and BASIC limitations, third-party products like cartridges addressed these issues effectively.
24:54
"Commodore 64c: Redesigned Classic Computer Revival"
- In 1986, Commodore released the Commodore 64c, a redesigned version of the Commodore 64, featuring a new beige color and design similar to the Commodore 128.
- The Commodore 64c was accompanied by a new matching monitor and disk drive, the 1541c, later replaced by the smaller 1541-II with dip-switches for changing device numbers.
- Cost reduction measures were implemented in the Commodore 64c, including changes like keys with graphics characters printed on top instead of the side, fewer chips inside, and a shift to lower power chips for improved reliability.
- The SID chip in the Commodore 64c produced slightly different sounds, sparking debates on which version sounded better.
- Despite competition from 16-bit machines like the Amiga and Macintosh, the Commodore 64 continued to sell well due to its affordability and extensive software library.
- GEOS, bundled with the Commodore 64c, introduced a graphical user interface and applications like Geowrite and GEODraw, enhancing the machine's capabilities.
- Modems became popular, allowing access to online services like Quantum Link for activities such as gaming, email, and home shopping.
- The Commodore 64 platform saw a revival with products like the Commodore 64 DTV and C64 Mini, offering modernized versions of the classic computer, with efforts to build a new Commodore 64 using modern parts.
