In the late 70s calculator corporation, Commodore International, Ltd., turned their attention to the emerging home computer market. After purchasing the microchip circuit design and manufacturer, MOS Technology, Inc., they released the Commodore PETE in 1977. After a modest run with the PETE, Commodore began realizing the potential of quality graphics and sound for home systems.
Their next computer, the VIC-20, was designed to compete directly with the video game console market. It was an enormous hit and became the first model of computer to ship over a million units.
When the VIC-20 releasd to market, MOS Tech was developing high end chips as the core for an advance gameing console. No stranger to the world of home consoles, MOS once produced the Atari Pong chip. The fruits of their labor ripened to become the VIC-II Graphics and SID Audio chips.
On a mission to fuse consoles with home computers, the new chips were implemented in the Commodore MAX Machine (aka Ultimax), a cartridge based console with light computer capabilities. Although advertised in both the United States and Germany, the MAX only released in Japan, and was quickly squashed by the competitive market.
With the failure of the MAX, Commodore resided to making more business related computers, and began developing the next PET model for corporate industry use, until the minds behind the VIC-20 and SID chip convinced Commodore CEO Jack Tramiel to take a major gamble.
Two of the VIC-20's key team members, Robert Russell and Al Charpentier, the engineer of the SID chip, Robert Yanne and manager of MIS Technology, Charles Winterble, pitched their plan. The strategy was to cease the PET’s development and instead implement the VIC-II and SID chips in a high end, yet affordably priced computer, with an amazing 64 KB of RAM.
At the time, releasing an inexpensive computer with so much power was a major risk. The manufacturing costs alone pushed it into a high price category, but Commodore was in a unique position of owning MOS Technology’s semiconductor fabrication facility. This dropped costs to a fraction of the competition, and the C64 shipped to the retail at $595, the lowest price ever for a home computer with the C64's power and capabilities.
The C64 hit the market with a vengeance, selling for less than half the price of the Apple IIe and IBM’s PC, coupled with an aggressive marketing campaign. Commodore also devised new retail strategies, such as selling through toy, department and discount stores, instead of traditional computer and electronic dealers. Its affordability and accessibility shot the C64 to the bestselling computer of all time.
The Basics:
- Year of Release: 1982
- Manufacturer: Commodore International / MOS Technology, Inc.
- Creators: Robert Russell, Robert Yannes and David A. Ziembicki with help from Al Charpentier and Charles Winterble.
The Tech:
- Processor: MOS Technology 6510, VIC II (Video), SID (Sound)
- Speed: 1.023 MHz
- CPU: 6510
- RAM: 64KB
- ROM: 20KB
- Colors: 16
- Ports: 2 Joystick plugs, Cartridge Slot, Tape interface, Serial Port, User Port, TV/Cable out.
- Power supply port.
Packaged With:
- Computer unit/keyboard
- AC power supply
- Video cable
- TV Switchbox
Peripherals:
- Disk Drive: 5 1/4" floppy drive.
- Datasette/Tape Drive: Tape recorder that saved files to a cassette.
- Dot Matrix Printer
- Joysticks and Paddle Controllers
- Light pen: Wand used to draw digital images and some mouse style functions.
- Vicmodem Cartridge: Telephone interface cartridge to access online content.
The Design:
The main unit is contained within the keyboard, with ports and connectors on the side and back panels.The Keyboard:
- 66 Keys
- 2 Cursor control keys
- 4 Function keys
- Upper/lower case set
- Graphic character set keys.
Side Panel:
- Power Socket for the AC adaptor.
- Power Switch
- Game Ports – Two game controller inputs. A lightpen can connect using the port closest to the front of the unit.
Rear Panel:
- Cartridge Slot – Accepts program and game cartridges.
- Channel Selector Switch –Selects which TV channel the computer will display on (3 or 4).
- TV/Video Switcher Box Connector.
- Audio & Video Output – Allows a sound system or monitor connector.
- Serial Port – Interface to attach a printer or disk drive.
- Cassette Interface – A port to connect the Datassette recorder.
- User Port – Used for various hardware types such as the Vicmodem cartridge.
The Commodore 64’s design gained much of its inspiration from the failed MAX Machine. In addition to having a port for an external tape or disc drives, the C64 used a game console style cartridge slot for video games.
Another borrowed MAX design was the monitor interface. While the other computers on the market required expensive computer monitors, most of which were monotone or offered limited colors, the C64 could be hooked up to a television set just like a gaming console, using a TV/Video switch and featured a range of 16 colors. This made the C64 ideal for family’s buying their first computer on a limited budget.
