VIC-20 | 1980

VIC-20

 VIC-20 is an 8-bit home computer sold by Commodore Business Machines. The VIC-20 was introduced in 1980, about three years after the release of Commodore's first personal computer, the PET. It became the first computer to sell over a million units, with a total of more than 2.5 million units sold. It was seen as a computer for the future, moving beyond the idea of "computers being used only by hobbyists or those with money."

The VIC-20’s composite output allowed it to connect to standard TVs of the time, making it easy for many households to use. As the Apple II grew in popularity after the release of VisiCalc in 1979, Jack Tramiel wanted to create a product that could compete in the same market. In January 1980 at the CES, he began work with Chuck Peddle and Bill Seiler on a computer called TOI (The Other Intellect). However, TOI required expensive static RAM for a high-speed 80-column display, making it unaffordable.

With the start of the 1980s, the cost of computer hardware dropped, and Tramiel saw the opportunity to target the low-cost computer market for average consumers, not just professionals or those with backgrounds in electronics and programming. RadioShack had released successful low-cost computers like the TRS-80 Model I, and similar products, like the color-supporting Coco (Color Computer), were introduced.

During this time, Robert Yannes, an engineer at MOS Technology, designed a prototype of a computer called the "Micro PET" at home. Seeing this, Tramiel immediately decided to mass-produce it. Yannes' prototype had many limitations for practical use, so Robert Russell at Commodore completed the design. It included porting the PET’s operating system and BASIC interpreter, incorporating the PETSCII character set, Atari CX40 joystick compatibility, and a ROM cartridge port.

The development of the VIC-20 was carried out by a team of five, known as the "VIC Commandos." The product manager, Michael Tomczyk, requested a full-size typewriter-style keyboard, programmable function keys, and a built-in RS-232 interface. He also designed the VICModem, which was the first modem to sell over a million units. One team member, Neil Harris, recalled, "We couldn't collaborate with other departments, so we had to work late into the night. We would steal any equipment we needed and then order new ones when they disappeared from the lab."

At the time, Commodore had excess production of 1Kbit×4 SRAM chips, and Tramiel wanted to use them in the new computer. As a result, the VIC-20 was released in a similar form to the PET or TOI, using the 22-column VIC chip and minimal memory, but the low power consumption and heat dissipation of SRAM allowed for its use in a computer. The early model, Revision A, used 2114 SRAM chips to provide 5KB of system RAM, and later models, Revision B, used 2048-byte SRAM to reduce the number of memory chips.

In April 1980, at a general management meeting held near London, Tramiel announced his desire to create an affordable color computer. Although most GM members opposed the idea, Tramiel argued, "The Japanese are coming; we need to be like Japan." This referred to the threat of low-cost systems emerging from Japan. His philosophy was summed up with the statement, "A computer for the masses, not the classes." This idea was supported by marketing strategist Tomczyk, Tokai (Japan's branch), and UK marketing manager Kit Spencer. Peddle opposed this and left the company, and instead, a Japanese engineering team completed the design. In Japan, the VIC-20 was marketed as the VIC-1001.

The initial release price of the VIC-20 was $299.95, and it emphasized user-friendly design. The packaging, game manuals, and marketing were created in collaboration with teams in Japan and the UK. Additionally, to offer text adventure games, Scott Adams was contracted, and to address the VIC-20's limited memory, the games were stored on 16KB ROM cartridges. The first five game cartridges generated over $1.5 million in sales for Commodore.

Evolution

The VIC-20 went through several changes during its three-and-a-half years of production. The initial model from 1980 had a PET-style keyboard with a blocky font, while most VIC-20 models made in 1981 featured a slightly different keyboard, which was also shared with early C64s. A rainbow logo version of the VIC-20 was introduced in early 1983, which used the new C64 keyboard, gray function keys, and the Revision B motherboard. The power supply of the VIC-20 was similar to that of the C64, although with slightly lower amperage. A Revision B VIC-20 can use the C64's "black brick" PSU, but the VIC-20's PSU is not recommended for the C64 if external devices such as cartridges or accessories are installed, as it could overdraw the available power. Older Revision A VIC-20s cannot use a C64 PSU, and vice versa, due to their differing power requirements.

Decline

The VIC-20 became a bestseller, selling over 2.5 million units and making history as the first computer to sell over a million units. However, in the summer of 1982, Commodore introduced the Commodore 64, a more advanced model with 64KB of RAM and improved sound and graphics. Initial sales of the C64 were slow but began to rise sharply in mid-1983. By then, the VIC-20 was available for under $90. Commodore discontinued the VIC-20 in January 1985.

Perhaps the last commercially available VIC-20 accessory was the VIC-Talker, a speech synthesizer. Ahoy! magazine reported in January 1986, "Believe it or not, a new VIC accessory... We were as surprised as you."

Design

The VIC-20 was designed to be more economical than the PET computer. It featured 5KB of static RAM and used the same MOS 6502 CPU as the PET. The VIC-20's video chip, the MOS Technology VIC, was a general-purpose color video chip designed by Al Charpentier in 1977 for inexpensive display terminals and game consoles, but Commodore could not find a suitable market for it.

The VIC-20 used the 8KB BASIC 2.0 instead of the newer BASIC 4.0, which was used on later PETs. It did not have dedicated sound or graphics features.

The VIC-20 had composite video output, which provided a clearer and sharper picture when connected to a dedicated monitor. The TRS-80 Color Computer and Atari 400 only supported RF video output, requiring an external RF modulator to connect to a TV.

The "20" in the name was widely assumed to refer to the screen's text width, but in fact, the VIC-20 displayed 22 columns of text. Bob Yannes, one of the developers, claimed that the "20" had no particular meaning and was chosen because it seemed like a friendly number, aligning with the marketing slogan "The Friendly Computer."

Graphics

The graphics capabilities of the VIC chip (6560/6561) were limited but flexible. Upon startup, the screen displayed 176×184 pixels, with fixed-color borders around the edges. The screen usually displayed 22 columns and 23 rows of 8x8-pixel characters, though this could be increased to 27 columns. The VIC-20 operated in a high-resolution mode, where each character was 8x8 pixels with one color, but a lower-resolution multicolor mode could also be used.

Sound

The VIC chip had three pulse wave generators and a white noise generator, providing mono output and overall volume control. Each pulse wave generator supported three octaves, giving a total range of about five octaves.

Memory

The VIC-20 came with 5KB of RAM, of which 1.5KB was used for video display and dynamic parts of the system ROMs. Only 3,583 bytes were available for BASIC program memory.

RAM could be expanded via cartridge ports, with available RAM expansion cartridges being 3KB, 8KB, and 16KB, allowing up to 24KB of additional memory.