website/content/museum/commodore-pc-compatible-systems.md

title, categories, types, origins, years, cpus, params

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Commodore PC Compatible systems	Computers	Professional Computer	U.S.A.	1984	8088	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos adverts oc_id source PC Compatible systems /media/museum/photos/commodore_pccomp_pc10_1.jpg /companies/commodore Commodore label value NAME PC Compatible systems label value MANUFACTURER Commodore label value TYPE Professional Computer label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value YEAR 1984 label value END OF PRODUCTION 1993 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE None label value KEYBOARD 84 keys (8088 systems), 102 keys (286 and above) label value CPU 8088, 80286, 80386-SX, 80386 label value SPEED 4.77 to 9.54 MHz (8088), 6 to 12 MHz (80286), 8 to 16 MHz (386SX), 25 MHz (80836) label value CO-PROCESSOR Optional Math coprocessor label value RAM 640 KB to 2 MB according to models label value TEXT MODES 40 or 80 chars x 25 lines label value GRAPHIC MODES From GCA (640 x 200) to SVGA (800 x 600), Hercules monochrome as well label value COLORS 16 minimum in colour systems label value SOUND Tone generator label value BUILT IN MEDIA 360 KB to 1.44 MB floppy discs, 20 to 200 MB hard disc label value OS All the available PC operating systems label value POWER SUPPLY Built-in power supply unit label value PERIPHERALS all 8, 16, 32 bit PC cards photos adverts 885 title subtitle text image PC-1 The PC-1 could be expanded to utilize ISA cards via a "side-car" expansion box. The size of the PC was nearly identical to the Commodore D128. Only a single floppy disk drive was available – no hard disk – requiring plenty of ‘disk swapping’. /media/museum/photos/commodore_pccomp_pc1_s1.jpg title subtitle text image PC-10 The PC-10 was introduced in Europe in 1986, and one year later in North America. The PC10-1 and PC10-2 models were shipped with standard equipment that included an RS-232C serial port, a parallel printer port, and an "ATI-WONDER" multifunction color/monochrome graphics card (compatible with IBM monochrome/CGA, Hercules, and Plantronics modes). Both units used a 4.77 MHz 8088 microprocessor. Each machine had five full-length expansion slots, space for two half-height floppy disk drives, and space for a hard disk drive. Also included was a power supply large enough to handle a completely componentized system. The PC10-1 included a single 5.25" floppy disk drive and 512KB of RAM (which could be expanded to 640 KB using a motherboard switch). The price was $999. The PC10-2 included two 5.25" floppy disk drives and 640KB bytes of RAM. Both units shipped with MSDOS 3.2 and GW-BASIC 3.2. The price was $1199. /media/museum/photos/commodore_pccomp_pc10_s2.jpg title subtitle text image PC-10 INSIDE Note the dual 5.25 floppy drive and the 20 MB 3.5" Western Digital hard disk drive. Thanks to **Vlask** /media/museum/photos/commodore_pc10_inside_s1.jpg title subtitle text image PC-10 MOTHERBOARD The CPU is a Siemens 8088-1-P, near an empty socket for the math coprocessor. There is 640 KB RAM on-board and a Paradise PVC4 graphics chipset. The board also provides 3 ISA expansion slots, serial and mouse ports and a parallel connector. The BIOS is dated 1988. Thanks to **Vlask** /media/museum/photos/commodore_pc10_mainboard_s1.jpg title subtitle text image COLT VERSION The Colt was simply a PC-10 model with a different case and new name. It was sold as a "home system" and included MSDOS along with some productivity programs (a scaled-down version of WordStar). It was intended to compete with systems such as the Tandy 1000. The Colt ran at 4.77 MHz (or 10 MHz if the ‘Ctrl’ and ‘Alt’ buttons were pressed simultaneously). It shipped with MSDOS 2.2 and a 10MB IDE hard disk. Additionally, it included a TV-out port. The price was $1,100 and included a color monitor and Epson 9-pin dot-matrix printer. Thanks to **Sam Dwire** for this information /media/museum/photos/commodore_pccomp_colt_1.jpg title subtitle text image PC-20 III Strangely, this model was labelled PC-20 III on the front panel and PC-10 on back panel. The inside was the one of a PC-10... Thanks to **Vlask** /media/museum/photos/commodore_pc20_system_s1.jpg title subtitle text image PC-20 / 40 / 60 The Commodore PC-20 (top), PC-40 (left) and PC-60 (right) models shown in desktop versions. Commodore monochrome and colour monitors were manufactured by Philips. /media/museum/photos/commodore_pccomp_pc20-40-60_1.jpg title subtitle text image PC-60 The Commodore PC-60 model shown in tower-case version. /media/museum/photos/commodore_pccomp_pc60_1.jpg title subtitle text image FRENCH BROCHURE Cover of a French Commodore-PC brochure. 'Hats off to Commodore!' /media/museum/pubs/commodore_pccomp_pubchapeau_1.jpg title subtitle text image PC-60 Photo taken from a Commodore brochure.\ Notice that the girl seems not to be interested at all in the computer... /media/museum/pubs/commodore_pccomp_pubpc60_1.jpg 905 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230603115219/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=905 2023-06-03

Commodore launched its range of PC-compatible systems at the height of the company’s popularity, with home and business systems being sold in over 50 countries. Commodore was the largest seller of computer systems in the world with sales in excess of $1 billion. Regardless, Commodore eventually suffered from permanent financial and structural problems.

The range of Commodore PC-compatible computers offered several different models:
- PC-1 A very small PC-compatible with a 4.77MHz 8088 processor (without turbo clock), a single 5.25” FDD, 512KB of RAM, and Hercules/GCA video board. The PC-1 lacked any internal expansion slots or cooling fans.
- PC-10 A basic 8088-based PC-compatible system with 1 or 2 floppy drives (page photo).
- Colt A re-branded version of the PC-10 system.
- PC-20 Identical to the PC-10 system, but included a 20MB hard disk.
- PC-30 PC-AT 12 MHz 80286-based system including a 20MB hard disk. Probably the same machine as the PC-35 but only sold in Europe.
- PC-35 Same features as the PC-30.
- PC-40 PC-AT 10 MHz system with 1 MB RAM, Hercules/CGA video card, and a 20MB to 80MB hard disk. A jumper setting allowed the memory to be configured between 640KB or 512KB + 512KB of extended memory.
- PC-50 80386SX 16 MHz system with a 40MB to 100MB hard disk.
- PC-60 80386 25 MHz system with a tower case and a 60MB to 200MB hard disk.

The first Commodore PC-compatible was launched in early 1984, and the final systems left the German factory in 1993 – one year before the company ceased operations

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Maarten Jongkind comments:
As an engineer back in the late 80s I installed, maintained and repaired commodore PC's. It was not a specific exciting or revolutionary computer but merely a good working IBM clone which evolved likewise. The PC10 however did gave me some strange problems due to the position of the double floppy drives, see the gap between them in the picture.

Once I recieved a strange complaint from a user, the computer was eating floppy's. they went in but never came out again. After a two hours drive I found that the user had inserted about 20 floppy's or more in the gap between the drives ;-))

We need more info about this computer ! If you designed, used, or have more info about this system, please send us pictures or anything you might find useful.