Manufacturer: Commodore International
Designers: Bob Russell, Bob Yannes and David A. Ziembicki
Generation: Second
Bits: 8-bit
Year Released: 1982
Units sold: 17 million
The Commodore 64 was the single best selling personal computer of all time. It was primarily bought because of its gaming capabilities, but it also had business software applications. The C64 saw the rise of the demoscene and chiptunes.
The Commodore 64 began its formation with MOS Technology decided to make sound and video chips for the next big gaming console. These ended up being the VIC II and SID chips. While this was happening, Robert Russel and Robert Yannes, being unhappy with Commodore's current product lineup, proposed an idea for a low-cost sequel to Commodore's popular VIC-20 to Commodore's CEO, Jack Tramiel. He liked the idea, and decided that the computer should have 64 kB of RAM.
The computer had a very successful debut in 1982 at the Consumer Electronics Show. Atari employees were amazed, and they wondered how Commodore was able to make the computer for $595. Commodore's secret was vertical integration with MOS Technology, and the computer only had a $135 production cost in reality.
The Commodore 64 quickly sold very well due to its low price, impressive graphics, and impressive sound. In the quest for market domination, Commodore offered a $100 rebate to anyone who returned their current computer when purchasing a C64. Television commercials featuring William Shatner were also used in winning the market war.
The system finally died out in the early 90s, during the rise of 16 bit machines such as the Amiga series. However, the system remains the best selling personal computer model of all time, totaling 17 million sales.
CPU
64 kilobytes of RAM
38 kilobytes of RAM available for Commodore BASIC 2.0
20 kilobytes of ROM
8-bit MOS Technology 6510 Microprocessor
8-bit general purpose I/O port
Modified version of the very successful 6502
16-bit address bus
40-pin DIP
Graphics
MOS Technology VIC II (Video Interface Chip II)
16 kilobytes address space for screen, character, and sprite memory
320 x 200 resolution
40 x 25 characters text resolution
Three character display modes
Two bitmap modes
16 colors
Handles up to 8 sprites simultaneously
Raster interrupt enables more control
Bus mastering
Smooth scrolling
40-pin DIP
Sound
MOS Technology SID (Sound Interface Device)
Three separately programmable oscillators with an 8-octave range
Four waveforms per oscillator (saw, triangle, pulse, noise)
Multi mode filter with low-pass, high-pass, and band-pass outputs
Three ASDR volume controls, one for each oscillator
Oscillator sync
Three ring modulators
Two 8-bit analog to digital converters
External audio input
Random number generator
28-pin DIP
I/O Ports
Cartridge expansion slot
RF modulator antenna output
8-pin DIN connector for video output
Serial bus for printers and disk drives
Commodore Datassette 300 baud tape interface
User port
2 screwless DE9M game controller ports, each supporting five digital inputs and two analog inputs
(Numbers in parentheses are official model numbers)
Tape Drive (1530)
Floppy Disk Drives (1541, 1551, 1570, 1571, 1581)
Hard Drives
Modem
RAM Expansion Units (1700, 1750, 1764)
Joystick
Paddles
Mice (1350, 1351)
Light Pen
Touchpad
Monitors (1701, 1702)
Freeze, Reset, and Utility cartridges
Printers (1526)
MIDI hardware
External keyboards
Due to the relative simplicity involved with illegally copying software on the C64, piracy became very common for the system. Even with copy protection, "cracking crews" formed in an attempt to bypass the protection. These groups would often have their group signature appear when software cracked by them was loaded on a computer. As these crack intros became increasingly more complex and technically impressive, they eventually formed the start of the demoscene subculture.
The Commodore 64 also popularized the chiptune scene, and had artists such as Rob Hubbard, Martin Galway, and David Whittaker.
Games
Delta - high quality music by Rob Hubbard
Elite - displayed 3D wireframe graphics
International Karate
Impossible Mission
Defender of the Crown
Skate or Die!
Ghosts n' Goblins
The Hobbit
Pitstop 2
Maniac Miner
Head Over Heels - isometric perspective
The Great Giana Sisters - blatant Mario clone
Maniac Mansion
Attack of the Mutant Camels
Zaxxon
Mayhem in Monsterland - pushed the graphics chip very far while maintaining a fast speed
Mayhem in Monsterland. 1993.
Elite. 1984.
Software
Business
KoalaPainter
The Newsroom
SpeedScript
Multiplan
Music Construction Set
Magic Desk
GEOS
geoPaint
geoWrite
http://www.wellsphere.com/cancer-article/patients-for-a-moment/857671
http://truenito.blogspot.com/2008/03/wii-does-c64.html
http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/c64hist/
http://www.pc-history.org/comm.htm
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1991/a_history_of_gaming_platforms_the_.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_64
Cross-platform C64 emulator:
http://www.viceteam.org/#download
Largest MP3 collection of C64 chiptunes: