Commodore 64 | 1982

Commodore 64

 The Commodore 64 (C64) is an 8-bit home computer released by Commodore International in January 1982. It was first unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held in Las Vegas from January 7 to 10, 1982, and according to the Guinness World Records, it is recorded as the best-selling single computer model of all time. Independent estimates suggest that between 12.5 million and 17 million units were sold. Mass production began in early 1982, and marketing started in August 1982. The initial price was $595, which is approximately $1,880 in 2023. The C64 was a successor to the VIC-20 and the Commodore PET, with its name based on its 64KB (65,536 bytes) of RAM. The C64 supported multi-color sprites and custom chips for waveform generation, providing superior visuals and audio compared to systems without such custom hardware.

The C64 dominated the low-cost computer market throughout most of the 1980s. From 1983 to 1986, it held a market share of 30% to 40% in the U.S., selling around 2 million units annually. It outsold IBM PC compatibles, Apple II, and Atari 8-bit computers. Sam Tramiel, son of Commodore's founder, stated in a 1989 interview, "When we were at Commodore, we produced 400,000 C64s every month for two years." In the UK market, the C64 competed with the BBC Micro, ZX Spectrum, and later the Amstrad CPC 464, but remained the second most popular computer after the ZX Spectrum. However, it did not make a significant impact in Japan, where the market was dominated by Japanese computers like the NEC PC-8801, Sharp X1, Fujitsu FM-7, and MSX. In France, the ZX Spectrum, Thomson MO5 and TO7, and Amstrad CPC 464 also dominated the market.

Part of the C64's success was due to its availability in general retail stores rather than just electronics or computer hobbyist specialty shops. Commodore produced many components in-house to reduce costs and manufactured custom integrated circuit chips at MOS Technology. In the U.S., the C64 was likened to the Ford Model T, as it played a role in making new technology accessible to middle-class families through creative and economical mass production. Approximately 10,000 commercially developed software titles were available for the C64, including development tools, office productivity applications, and video games. C64 emulators allow these programs to run on modern computers or compatible game consoles. Additionally, the C64 contributed to the popularization of the computer demo scene and is still used by some computer hobbyists today. A study in 2011 found that even 17 years after being discontinued, the brand recognition of the C64 was at 87%.

In January 1981, MOS Technology, Commodore's integrated circuit design subsidiary, began a project to design graphics and audio chips for the next-generation video game console. These chips were named VIC-II (Video Interface Chip) and SID (Sound Interface Device), and the design work was completed in November 1981. Commodore pursued a game console project using these chips, which was named 'Ultimax' or 'MAX Machine.' However, the project was canceled after only a few machines were produced for the Japanese market. Meanwhile, system programmers Robert Russell, designer of the VIC-20, and Robert Yannes, engineer of the SID, felt that the business-oriented Commodore PET line had shortcomings and proposed a new low-cost successor to the VIC-20. Jack Tramiel, CEO of Commodore, instructed that this computer should have 64KB of RAM. Although the price of 64K DRAM was over $100 at the time (approximately $283.29 in 2023), development proceeded with the expectation that the price would drop. The team was able to develop quickly because Commodore had facilities to produce semiconductor chips in-house. Development costs were included in the existing company's operating expenses, and the product was completed by the first weekend of January 1982. The computer was initially codenamed VIC-40, planned as a successor to the VIC-20. Design, prototypes, and sample software were completed by the CES exhibition, resulting in the VIC-40 being renamed to C64 and unveiled at CES.

In July 1983, BYTE magazine evaluated the C64, stating, "The C64 sells for $595 and will be the biggest competitor in the under $1,000 personal computer market." The magazine praised the SID chip as a "true music synthesizer," stating, "The sound is so impressive that you can't help but admire its quality." However, it also criticized the use of BASIC 2.0, slow floppy disk performance, and quality control issues. In December 1984, Creative Computing magazine described the C64 as "the overwhelming winner in the home computer market under $500," noting that "while there are criticisms regarding the slow disk drive, two directional keys, and non-standardized interfaces, a system that offers 64K, color, sprite graphics, and a plethora of software at a price below $200 is incomparable to other systems."

Commodore MAX

In 1982, Commodore released the MAX Machine in Japan. This device was known as Ultimax in the U.S. and VC-10 in Germany. The MAX was designed as a game console and was based on a scaled-down version of the hardware used in the C64. However, due to poor sales in Japan, it was discontinued just a few months after its release.

Commodore Educator 64

In 1983, Commodore launched the Educator 64 to compete in the U.S. education market, which was dominated by the Apple II. This device was essentially a C64 housed in a PET case with a 'green' monochrome monitor. Schools preferred the all-in-one metal structure of the PET, as the separate components of the C64 could be easily damaged or stolen. However, the Educator 64 was not as attractive compared to the vast software and hardware options of the Apple IIe, and only a limited quantity was produced.

SX-64

In 1983, Commodore released the SX-64, a portable version of the C64. The SX-64 was the first commercially available color portable computer, featuring a 5-inch color CRT monitor and a 1541 floppy disk drive. Advertisements claimed it had two 1541 drives, but it actually only had one, with the other slot used for disk storage. Additionally, unlike other C64 models, the SX-64 did not have an external cassette connection port, preventing the use of external cassettes.

Commodore 128

The successor to the C64, the Commodore 128 and 128D, were released in 1985. These two models addressed the shortcomings of the C64, offering a new BASIC with added graphics and sound commands, support for an 80-column display, and CP/M compatibility. Commodore's marketing department announced that the C128 was fully compatible with the C64, but the initial design had to include a '64 mode' to ensure compatibility with the C64.

Commodore 64C

The C64 was originally planned to be redesigned with a new wedge-shaped case within a year, but that plan was delayed. In 1986, Commodore released the 64C, which maintained the same functionality as the C64 but featured a more refined exterior design. The C64C updated the SID, VIC-II, and I/O chips and used two RAM chips to configure 64KB of memory. The new design included modifications not only to the exterior but also to some internal hardware, and the 64C was often sold with the GEOS graphical user interface (GUI) operating system.

Commodore 64 Games System

In 1990, the C64 was repackaged as a game console and released as the C64 Games System (C64GS). This device was designed to compete with the NES and Sega's Master System but had poor sales. The C64GS lacked a keyboard, making it incompatible with software that required one.

Commodore 65

In 1990, a prototype of the Commodore 65 (C64DX), the successor to the C64, was developed, but the project was canceled in 1991 by Commodore's chairman, Irving Gould. The C65 boasted impressive specifications for an 8-bit computer, supporting 256 colors and offering performance similar to the 16-bit Apple IIGS. However, the C65 was never released to the market.

Software

In 1982, the C64's graphics and sound capabilities could only be compared to the Atari 8-bit computers, and it outperformed the Apple II significantly. The C64 is often regarded as the starting point of the computer demo scene, which continues to use it today. Notably, the SID sound chip has been utilized in PC sound cards and the Elektron SidStation synthesizer. The C64 was competitive against game consoles like the NES and Master System, particularly selling well outside North America, even surpassing the NES in some regions.

In the UK, the ZX Spectrum was dominant, so most software for the C64 was distributed via cassette tape, while in North America, floppy disks were the primary distribution method. Initially, the C64 used a cartridge slot, but over time, as the price and reliability of the 1541 drive improved, the cartridge slot became less common.

BASIC

Like other early home computers of the early 1980s, the C64 included a basic BASIC interpreter. It used Commodore BASIC 2.0, requiring users to control hardware directly through "PEEK" and "POKE" commands to handle graphics and sound. Commodore provided BASIC expansion cartridges like Simons' BASIC and Super Expander 64 to facilitate easier handling of graphics and sound.

Alternative Operating Systems

In addition to GEOS, several third-party operating systems were developed for the C64. Examples include UNIX-like operating systems such as WiNGS OS and LUnix, as well as embedded system operating systems like Contiki OS. Additionally, a commercial operating system called C64 OS is still actively developed today. The C64 could run the CP/M operating system, but it required a Z80 processor and external devices, resulting in lower performance compared to other CP/M systems.

Networking Software

During the 1980s, the C64 was used to operate BBS systems, with various software such as Punter BBS, C-Net, and Color 64. The C64 was also utilized in online services that provided inter-computer connectivity, with Q-Link being one of the major online services available for the C64 and C128.

Online Games

In 1988, LucasArts released 'Habitat,' a graphical interactive environment for Q-Link users. This game was innovative for its time, featuring online graphics and avatars. Habitat allowed Q-Link users to interact, chat, and exchange items. The game had to support a data transfer speed of 300bps, so graphics were stored locally on floppy disks to avoid network transmission.

The CPU and memory of the C64 were among its key features. The C64 used the 8-bit MOS Technology 6510 microprocessor, which was very similar to the 6502 but had a 3-phase bus, different pin configurations, and slightly different clock signals. The 6510 had six I/O lines on unused pins of the 40-pin IC package, which served two purposes in the C64: one for bank switching to map read-only memory (ROM) into the processor's address space, and the other for controlling the data cassette tape recorder. The C64 had 64KB of 8-bit dynamic RAM and 1KB of 4-bit static color RAM for text mode, with 38KB of memory available for use in the built-in Commodore BASIC 2.0 at startup. The ROM was composed of a total of 20KB, divided into BASIC interpreter, KERNAL, and character ROM. Since the processor could only address 64KB at a time, the ROM was mapped into memory, leaving 38,911 bytes of RAM available in the default state. Most C64 models used 4164 DRAM to provide 64K of system RAM, while later models used 41464 DRAM, consisting of two chips of 32KB each.

When powered on, the C64 performed a RAM test, and if errors were found, the available BASIC memory would be reported as less than normal. An error message "Out of memory 0" would appear if RAM was faulty. The C64 used a complex memory banking scheme, with the default mapping at power-on being BASIC ROM in the $A000~$BFFF range and screen editor (KERNAL) ROM in the $E000~$FFFF range. The default configuration allowed writing only to memory areas excluding ROM, making it necessary to perform memory banking to replace ROM.

The C64's ports could connect various devices. It retained the DE-9 Atari joystick port from the VIC-20 and added an additional port for Atari-standard game controllers. Joysticks could be read from registers $DC00 and $DC01. The C64 also supported analog paddle devices and the 1350 and 1351 mice, with each input method processed through the SID's analog-to-digital converter.

The C64's graphics were handled by the MOS Technology VIC-II chip, which could display eight hardware sprites on a single scan line and supported two bitmap graphic modes. The text mode had 40 columns and used a proprietary character encoding called PETSCII. The C64's resolution was 320×200 pixels, arranged in a grid of 40×25 blocks made up of 8×8 character blocks. The bitmap mode, while slower, allowed for individual pixel drawing.

Hardware sprites had the characteristic of obscuring the background and moving across the screen. The C64's VIC-II processed sprites, allowing a maximum of eight sprites to be handled simultaneously on a single scan line. Sprites could be displayed in various color modes and sizes, and their movement could be specified by the program.

The C64's sound was generated through the SID chip, which had three channels, each with independent ADSR (Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release) envelopes and filters. There were two versions of the SID chip, the 6581 used in the original model and the 8580 introduced in 1987. The SID chip played a crucial role in composing game music, utilized by composers such as Rob Hubbard, Tim Follin, and Martin Galway.

The C64 underwent several hardware revisions and cost-cutting measures. The early models featured a 'silver badge' logo, which was later changed to a 'rainbow badge' model. Additionally, there were various motherboard revisions, each aimed at reducing costs and improving production efficiency. The final revision adopted HMOS technology to reduce power consumption and enhance system reliability.

The C64's power supply was external, with early models using a 5-pin connector. The improved power supply was designed to be more stable and efficient, but issues with overheating and failures were common.