--- title: Commodore C64G categories: - Computers types: - Home Computer origins: - Germany years: - '1989' cpus: - MOS 8500 params: name: C64G image: /media/museum/photos/commodore_64g_system_s1.jpg company: /companies/commodore company_name: Commodore specs: - label: NAME value: C64G - label: MANUFACTURER value: Commodore - label: TYPE value: Home Computer - label: ORIGIN value: Germany - label: YEAR value: '1989' - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: Commodore BASIC V2 - label: KEYBOARD value: Full-stroke 66 keys with 4 function keys - label: CPU value: MOS 8500 (HMOS version of the 6510) - label: SPEED value: 0.985 MHz (PAL) / 1.023 MHz (NTSC) - label: CO-PROCESSOR value: VIC II (Video),MOS 8580 SID-chip (sound & music), MMU (memory management) - label: RAM value: 64 KB - label: ROM value: 20 KB - label: TEXT MODES value: 40 columns x 25 lines - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: 'several, most used : 320 x 200' - label: COLORS value: 16 + 16 border colours - label: SOUND value: 3 voices / 9 octaves, 4 waveforms (sound output through TV) - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 40.4 (W) x 21.6 (D) x 7.5 (H) cm / 1820 g - label: I/O PORTS value: RGB (composite, chroma/luma and sound in/out), 2 x Joystick, Cardridge slot, Tape interface (300 bps), Serial, User Port, TV RF output - label: BUILT IN MEDIA value: External cassette unit or 170 KB 5.25'' floppy disc unit (1541) - label: POWER SUPPLY value: External power adaptor - label: PRICE value: Unknown tabs: - photos - hardware - emulators - links - videos forum_thread: 1106 photos: - title: C=64G subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/commodore_64g_system_s2.jpg - title: RIGHT SIDE subtitle: '' text: Power switch, power DIN socket and joystick DB9 connectors are on the right side. image: /media/museum/photos/commodore_64g_rightside_s1.jpg - title: LEFT SIDE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/commodore_64g_leftside_s1.jpg - title: REAR CONNECTORS subtitle: '' text: |- Same connectors as the standard C64, from left to right:\ • Programmable Expansion port / cartridge slot\ • TV channel adjustment\ • RF/TV aerial video output\ • Audio-Video RGB output\ • Programmable Serial DIN socket\ • Tape recorder connector\ • Programmable IEEE488 user port. image: /media/museum/photos/commodore_64g_rearconnectors_s1.jpg - title: MOTHERBOARD subtitle: '' text: |- This board (latest revision) was also used in the 64GS game console. **(1)** Expansion port / Cartridge slot cover\ **(2)** Keyboard connector\ **(3)** First CIA Chip (Communication interface adaptor), provides serial communications\ **(4)** UHF/TV modulator\ **(5)** SID sound chip (Sound Interface Device)\ **(6)** System clock generator\ **(7)** VIC II CRT controller (Video Interface controller)\ **(8)** MMU chipset (Memory management Unit)\ **(9)** MOS 8500 processor, an evolution of the 6510 CPU\ **(10)** 64 KB RAM chips (2x2464)\ **(11)** First ROM chip, holds the Commodore BASIC and Kernel\ **(12)** Second ROM chip, holds the character generator\ **(11)** Second CIA chip. image: /media/museum/photos/commodore_64g_inside_s1.jpg - title: BOX subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/commodore_64g_box_1.jpg - title: 'BOX #2' subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/commodore_64g_box_2.jpg hardware: - title: 1530 C2N subtitle: Tape-recorder text: The classic Commodore tape-recorder ! image: /media/museum/hardware/commodore_c64_tape-recorder-1530-c2n_1.jpg - title: CMD SUPERCPU subtitle: '' text: |- The SuperCPU by Creative Micro Devices is an accelerator cartridge for the Commodore 64. It contains an W65C816S processor running at 20 MHz, providing 20 times the performance of the stock 6510 processor! CMD later added a SuperRAM Card option that could include up to 16 MB of additional memory. There is also a v2 version that offers native 128 mode support (also called SuperCPU/128). It is one of the most sought-after Commodore peripherals. Thomas Conté image: /media/museum/hardware/c64_supercpu.jpg - title: CMD RAMLINK subtitle: '' text: |- This RAM expansion unit by Creative Micro Devices was intended to be used as a RAM drive to accelerate disk access. It is externally powered, and thus will preserve the data even when the computer is turned off. Thomas Conté image: /media/museum/hardware/c64_cmd_ramlink.jpg - title: FLOPPY DISK UNIT 1540-1541 subtitle: '' text: |- It is connected to the C64 via a serial link.\ It is very very slow and can store 170 kb per disk. image: /media/museum/hardware/commodore-diskdrive_1540_1.jpg - title: QUICK DATA DRIVE subtitle: '' text: |- **Cheaper and faster than diskettes.** This Quick Data Drive from Dean Electronics is dedicated to Commodore 64 and <$252$>Vic 20 systems. It uses a special tape called 'Wafer', of 16, 64 or 128 Kb capacity. This wafer was also used by a product marketed for the <$223$>Sinclair Spectrum, called Wafadrive. Various tests proved that the Q.D.D. was approximately 20 times faster than a normal cassette recorder and 2 or 3 times faster than the Commodore 1541 disk drive. The reason : data transfer routines (called QOS) much more efficient than those of Commodore, and a file management operating system (FMU) much more modern and powerful. The Q.D.D. is however not more than an advanced tape recorder using a magnetic tape, and the delay to access a specific file still remains higher than with a normal disk drive. Despite its qualities, the Q.D.D. did not meet success because most C64 software was sold on disks or tapes and users had to acquire both Commodore peripherals before investing in a third powerful storage system. image: /media/museum/hardware/commodore_64_quick_data_1.jpg - title: CMD HD-20 subtitle: 20Mb hard-drive text: This is a hard drive for the C64 or 128. SWAP-Devicenumber-Buttons let the HD become drive 8 or 9. It can create sub-directories and partitions, including 1541 emulation. image: /media/museum/hardware/commodore_c64_cmd-hd20_1.jpg - title: VICMODEM subtitle: Advert text: You could already send emails !! image: /media/museum/hardware/commodore_vicmodem_pub_1.jpg - title: WERSIBOARD MUSIC 64 subtitle: '' text: Thomas Conté image: /media/museum/hardware/c64_wersiboard.jpg - title: MODEL 1525 subtitle: '' text: It can print all the semi graphic characters of the C64. (30 characters per second) image: /media/museum/hardware/commodore_printer_1525_1.jpg emulators: - title: CCS64 url: http://www.ccs64.com/ platform: Windows text: The best C64 emulator for the PC - title: Free64 url: http://www.umr.edu/~bmartin/ platform: Windows text: A Freeware emulator for MS DOS - title: MESS url: http://www.mess.org platform: Windows text: This fantastic emulator can emulate the mlost of the 8-bit Commodore systems - title: Win 64 url: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Park/6558/win64.htm platform: Windows text: The Best C64 Emulator for Win95 / WinNT - title: Win64 url: http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/park/6558/win64.htm platform: Windows text: Good Commodore 64 for Windows - title: Mac Frodo url: http://internetter.com/titan/macfrodo/ platform: Apple text: The MAC OS version of Frodo, one of the best C64 Emulator - title: Power 64 url: http://www.infinite-loop.at/Power64/index.html platform: Apple text: Emulator for PPC Macintoshes - title: SID PLay url: http://stud1.tuwien.ac.at/~e9426444/sidplay/ platform: Apple text: A player for C64 Musics - title: ccs url: http://www.funet.fi/pub/cbm/crossplatform/emulators/unix/ platform: Unix / Linux text: C64 emulator for Unix - title: Frodo for Amiga OS url: http://www.uni-mainz.de/~bauec002/FRMain.html platform: Amiga OS text: The best C64 Emulator for Amiga - title: VICE for Amiga OS4 url: http://amidog.se/amiga/vice/ platform: Amiga OS text: This AmigaOS4 version is ported by Mathias "AmiDog" Roslund - title: c64.gr url: http://www.c64.gr/ platform: Other platform text: C64 online emulator. Play favorite games in your browser! - title: C-ONE url: http://c64upgra.de/c-one/ platform: Other platform text: Hardware emulator (re-configurable computer) - title: Frodo for PalmOS url: http://frodopalm.sourceforge.net/ platform: Other platform text: Frodo for PalmOS - title: VICE url: http://viceteam.bei.t-online.de/ platform: Other platform text: Emulates the C64, C128, VIC20, all the PET models and the CBM-II under Unix, MS-DOS, Win95/NT, OS/2, Acorn RISC OS or BeOS !! - title: Web C64 url: http://www.dreamfabric.com/c64/ platform: Other platform text: The 64 as a Java applet in your Browser. Excellent ! - title: C=64 Emulator for OS/2 Full Screen url: http://home.hccnet.nl/w.m.brul/emulator/index.html platform: OS2 text: Freeware emulator for OS/2 links: - title: C64.COM url: http://www.c64.com/ text: Excellent and beautifully designed site, full of games to download. A must - title: c64.gr url: http://www.c64.gr/ text: C64 online emulator. Play favorite games in your browser! - title: 'c64files.com :: the ultimate C64 portal!' url: http://www.c64files.com/ text: News, Gaming, Music, Museum, Links etc. - title: Commodore 64 - url: http://folkvagn.commodore64.org text: Info about the C64 and successors, C64 emulators and the SID chip. Also contains C64 programs and a forum. In Swedish only. - title: Commodore 64 Game Endings url: http://www.c64endings.co.uk/ text: All your fave C64 game endings under one roof. - title: Commodore 64 Nostalgia url: http://www.staggs.pair.com/c64/ text: '' - title: Commodore Scene Magazine and Importing Service url: http://www.commodorescene.org.uk/ text: New publications, hardware and software for the Commodore 128/128d and C64 - title: Commodore Service Manuals url: http://www.devili.iki.fi/Computers/Commodore/ text: Commodore Service Manuals & other stuff - title: Commodore-64 Programmer's Library url: http://home.comcast.net/~c64proglib text: many of Robert Baker's early original magazine articles, programs and programming tips (not free) - title: Commodore-related Net Resources url: http://www.hut.fi/~msmakela/cbm/netresources.html text: '' - title: Good Old Games url: http://speccy.altervista.org/ text: Many games with screenshot comparisons, download and magazines - title: Greg and David's C64 Web page url: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~gvincent/ text: '' - title: HV C64 CD's - The ultimate CD set full of software for the C64 url: http://www.talent.demon.co.uk/64/ text: '' - title: LEMON 64 url: http://www.lemon64.com/ text: The source for all Your Commodore 64 Gaming and News needs ! Quite impressive !!! - title: Mayhem64 url: http://www.mayhem64.co.uk/main.htm text: For all your C64 cartridge needs... and more! - title: Remixes of music from C-64 games url: http://remix.kwed.org text: Hear the tunes from your fav C64 games like you've never heard them before! - title: Stadium 64 url: http://s64.emuunlim.com/ text: Are you a sportgaming fan? Then this site is definitely for you! Over 1000 sportgames available for download. Lots of manuals, reviews, covers, adverts, screenshots, hints&tips, world records + a lot more! - title: The Commodore 8-bit WWW server url: http://www.hut.fi/~msmakela/cbm/ text: '' - title: The Secrets Weapons of Commodore url: http://www.floodgap.com/retrobits/ckb/secret/ text: Awesome website ! Presents all the weird systems imagined by Commodore. - title: The Star Commander homepage url: http://sta.c64.org/sc.html text: '' - title: Web Wiz CAPTCHA url: http://www.webwizcaptcha.com text: This is a bulletin board run on a Commodore 64! videos: - title: C64 assembly line pictures! url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vzfJLVS2YI text: 'Length: 6 min 56 s' related: - /museum/commodore-c128-c128d - /museum/commodore-c64 - /museum/commodore-c64-aldi - /museum/commodore-c64-golden-jubilee - /museum/commodore-c64c - /museum/commodore-educator-64 - /museum/commodore-lcd - /museum/commodore-sx-dx-64-executive-computer - /museum/commodore-vic-1001 - /museum/eds-c64-edc oc_id: 1136 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230610110034/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1136 date: '2023-06-10' --- The last model of the C64 to be sold was the 64G. It had the original "breadbin" case, but the color was much lighter, pretty much the same as on the [64C](/museum/commodore-c64c/) model, to match the tastes of the moment. The keyboard could either be the original black model with graphical symbols on the front side of the keys or the cream colored c-model type with the symbols on top of the keys. It seems that Commodore just tried to use up all the parts that they had in stock which resulted in all kinds of weird color combinations. The motherboard was a small and simplified one, very similar to the the one found in the [Aldi](/museum/commodore-c64-aldi/) version, though some C64G are reported with more older classic C64 motherboards in them... The SID chip used here is a MOS 8580 version, resulting in sampled sound playing on very low volume. The reason comes from a bug in the older 6581 SID that was removed in the 8580. Eventually a solution was found by grounding one leg of the 8580 through a resistor. Some of these machines were made from [C=64GS](/museum/commodore-c64-gs-games-system/) game console parts when the console bombed. Most were sold with a game pack (some magazine adds show the same game module as with the GS) and was marketed almost as a pure game console which just happened to have a computer in the same package. The G-model kind of replaced the horrible GS. Build quality is not very good, especially the case feels quite brittle. The model sticker says "Made in W. Germany", but the motherboards were probably made in Hong Kong in the same factory as the C-model machines and only final assembly was made in Germany. The machine was probably only aimed at the European market. The G-model was clearly a final cheap gaming computer that Commodore made to get rid of the huge stocks of C=64 spares and GS-parts. It was sometimes also named **c64-III** or **C64 BN/E**. Thanks to **Taneli Lukka** and [Roman von Wartburg](http://retrocomputing.ch/) for information and pictures