website/content/museum/commodore-vic-20.md

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

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Commodore VIC 20	Computers	Home Computer	U.S.A.	1981	Commodore Semiconductor Group 6502A	name image logo company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos adverts hardware emulators links docs videos software oc_id source VIC 20 /media/museum/photos/commodore_vic20_1.jpg /media/museum/logos/commodore_vic20_logo.gif /companies/commodore Commodore label value NAME VIC 20 label value MANUFACTURER Commodore label value TYPE Home Computer label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value YEAR May 1981 label value END OF PRODUCTION January 1985 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE CBM Basic V2 label value KEYBOARD Full-stroke keyboard, 4 function keys, 66 keys label value CPU Commodore Semiconductor Group 6502A label value SPEED 1.0227 Mhz label value CO-PROCESSOR VIC-I (6560) for sound and graphics. label value RAM 5 KB (3583 bytes free), expandable up to 32 KB label value VRAM Screen memory shared with regular RAM label value ROM 16 KB label value TEXT MODES 23 rows x 22 columns label value GRAPHIC MODES 184 x 176 label value COLORS 8 character colors, 16 background/border colors label value SOUND 3 voices / 3 octaves label value SIZE / WEIGHT 40.3 x 20.4 x 7.2 cm / 1,8 Kg label value I/O PORTS 1 joystick port, 1 user port, 1 serial port, 1 cartrige port, Composite video output, tape interface label value POWER SUPPLY External power supply unit, 18 Watts label value PRICE $299.95 (1981, U.S.A.) photos adverts hardware software emulators links docs videos 262 title subtitle text image EVOLUTION OF THE VIC 20 CASE. /media/museum/photos/2vic20.jpg title subtitle text image INSIDE VIC-20 The VIC-20 offered one of the first compact architectures which would later inspire the designs of many home computer manufacturers. **(1)** The keyboard can access up to 4 character sets and 8 programmable functions.\ **(2)** Housing for ROM or RAM expansion cartridges.\ **(3)** Power connector. Power is supplied by an external supply unit.\ **(4)** On/Off switch.\ **(5)** Analog port connector for a joystick, light pen or measuring instrument.\ **(6)** ROM chips holding the Basic language, character generator, and Input/Output routines.\ **(7)** 8-bit 6502 microprocessor from MOS Technology.\ **(8)** Aerial TV and RGB video output.\ **(9)** Serial interface connector. Able to manage several peripherals simultaneously.\ **(10)** Specialized chip dealing with video and sound generation.\ **(11)** Chips holding 5KB of RAM.\ **(12)** Keyboard connector.\ **(13-14)** Two specialized chips for input/output management.\ **(15)** Serial mode user connector.\ **(16)** Commodore tape recorder connector. /media/museum/photos/commodore_vic20_inside_1.jpg title subtitle text image VIC-20 BOX /media/museum/photos/commodore_vic20_box_1.jpg title subtitle text image BOX #2 /media/museum/photos/commodore_vic20_box_2.jpg title subtitle text image VIC-1001 Before being introduced into the North American market, the VIC-20 was sold in Japan under the model name VIC-1001.\ It featured Japanese 'Katakana' characters in addition to the occidental ASCII characters set. Thanks to Michael Huebmer for this picture /media/museum/photos/commodore_vic1001_2.jpg title subtitle text image VIC-1001 KEYBOARD Notice the japanese characters Thanks to Michael Huebmer for this picture /media/museum/photos/commodore_vic1001_keyboard.jpg title subtitle text image VIC-1001 BOX /media/museum/photos/commodore_vic1001_box_1.jpg title subtitle text image ADVERT #1 Picture courtesy of [Steve Browning, www.sbrowning.com/vintage](http://www.sbrowning.com/vintage). /media/museum/pubs/commodore_vic20_pub_1.jpg title subtitle text image ADVERT #2 Yes, it's really him – William Shatner (Captain Kirk).\ Did they really use VIC-20 in the Enterprise?\ That would certainly explain a lot of things... Picture courtesy of [Steve Browning, www.sbrowning.com/vintage](http://www.sbrowning.com/vintage). /media/museum/pubs/commodore_vic20_pub_2.jpg title subtitle text image ADVERT #3 Picture courtesy of Steve Browning, www.sbrowning.com/vintage. /media/museum/pubs/commodore_vic20_pub_3.jpg title subtitle text image ADVERT #4 (1982) Circa September, 1982. This is likely one of the final Commodore advertisements for the VIC-20, as the C64 was soon to be launched. /media/museum/pubs/commodore_vic20_pub_4.jpg title subtitle text image ADVERT #5 /media/museum/pubs/commodore_vic20_pub_price-of-a-toy.jpg title subtitle text image NEW ZEALAND ADVERT dated February 1984 from Bits & Bytes null title subtitle text image WONDER COMPUTE /media/museum/pubs/commodore_vic20_adv_wonder-compute.jpg title subtitle text image VC20 GERMAN ADVERT Thanks to Christian Hart for this scan /media/museum/pubs/commodore_vc20_pub-de_1.jpg title subtitle text image ITALIAN AD “Why be content with a video game system?\ Today, the VIC-20 is available at a special price.” Courtesy of **http://angelmemories.cjb.net/** /media/museum/pubs/commodore_vic20_aditaly_1.jpg title subtitle text image SPANISH ADVERT (MAY 1982) null title subtitle text image PROMOTIONAL PICTURE /media/museum/pubs/commodore-vic20_prm_1.jpg title subtitle text image COMMODORE WATCHES! While manufacturing and selling calculators in 1977, Commodore sold wristwatches. Thanks to **Chuck Guzis** /media/museum/pubs/commodore_64_watchad_1.jpg title subtitle text image VIC-1525 Dot-matrix printer. /media/museum/hardware/commodore_vic-1525_printer_1.jpg title subtitle text image TAPE-RECORDER Data storage unit. /media/museum/hardware/commodore_vic20_taperecorder_1.jpg title subtitle text image SERIAL RS232 MODULE Serial connectivity module. /media/museum/hardware/commodore_vic20_serialmodule_1.jpg title subtitle text image VICMODEM Model 1600 The official VIC-20 modem. /media/museum/hardware/commodore_vic20_vicmodem_1.jpg title subtitle text image 8 KB RAM MODULE 8K RAM expansion cartridge. /media/museum/hardware/commodore_vic20_8krammodule_1.jpg title url platform text Pfau Zeh http://www.classicgaming.com/pfauzeh/ Windows Nice VIC-20 emulator for Windows title url platform text Power20 http://www.infinite-loop.at/Power20/index.html Apple VIC-20 emulator for MacOS title url platform text MESS http://www.mess.org/ Multiplatform MESS emulates the VIC-20 title url platform text VICE http://www.viceteam.org/ Multiplatform VICE is a multiplatform emulator that supports the Commodore VIC-20, C64, C128, and PET models. title url text Arma's Home page http://www.timsplace.plus.com/ VIC 20 dedicated site, with a lot of tape inlay scans! title url text Commodore VIC-20 file archive http://www.funet.fi/pub/cbm/vic20/index.html The title says it all... title url text Commodore VIC-20 Tribute page http://www.geocities.com/rmelick/new_page_2.htm Lot of stuff here : history, technical documents, interviews, etc. title url text Denial - The Commodore VIC-20 Community http://sleepingelephant.com/denial/ Forum, Wiki, Roms, Docs, FAQs, News, Links title url text GameBase VIC20 http://home.wanadoo.nl/dirkhuppelde/ VIC20 game database title url text Ray Carlsens's Commodore repair articles http://personalpages.tds.net/~rcarlsen/cbm.html Commodore Repair Articles (Ray Carlsen): Includes detailed repair tips such as “Repairing the VIC-20: Chips vs. Symptoms and Diagnostics''. title url text The Geek site http://www.kdef.com/geek/vic/ VIC-20 software, emulators, specifications, and more. title url text VIC-20 Cartridge Software Reviews http://www.zimmers.net/anonftp/pub/cbm/vic20/Cartzilla.html#sea-wolf Many game reviews by Ward F. Shrake title url text Week End Gamer - VIC 20 Archive http://www.weekend-gamer.co.uk/Vic20/Index.htm Great! Lot of interesting stuff here title url text Wikipedia - VIC-20 article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_VIC-20 title url cover text PROGRAMMER'S REFERENCE GUIDE null /media/museum/docs/couvs/commodore_vic20_programmers-reference-guide.jpg **PROGRAMMER'S REFERENCE GUIDE**\ written by Commodore  compiled/archived by Asbjorn Djupdal\  type of document : PDF\  source : www.old-computers.com title url text Commodore Vic 20 commercial - meeting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUKUHjBhb2Q Length: 31 s title url text Commodore Vic 20 commercial - prepared for ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nkgZZn6Rzk Length: 31 s title url text Commodore Vic 20 commercial - 2 kind of teenagers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMLsQAJ-oHU Length: 31 s title url text Commodore Vic 20 commercial - looking for a job https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lql-otlQfNo Length: 32 s title url text Commodore Vic 20 commercial - fish tank https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pYMHm_Y60s Length: 31 s title url text Commodore Vic 20 commercial - fish tank https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0_mF4J23R0 Length: 12 s title url text Commodore Vic 20 commercial - Neighborhood https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG6NR7_Jfk0 Length: 11 s title url text Commodore Vic 20 commercial - thank you https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkBvhHYV5qE Length: 11 s title url text Commodore Vic 20 commercial - William Shatner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUEI7mm8M7Q Length: 28 s /software/adventure /software/alien-a-k-a-super-alien /software/capture-the-flag /software/jupiter-lander /software/mastermind /software/pirate-s-cove-adventure /software/seawolf /software/terraguard /software/the-count /software/vic-avenger /software/voodoo-castle 252 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230528042202/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=252 2023-05-28

The VIC-20 – a "family" version of the PET series (using the same microprocessor and Basic language) – was the first computer to sell more than one million units. Once dubbed the MicroPET during the 1980 Computer Electronics Show, it later became known as the VIC-20. VIC referenced the VIC-I (Video Interface Chip) chip used for graphics and sound. There does not seem to be any obvious rationale behind the usage of the number 20, other than the fact that it was close to the 22 characters per line and to the combined RAM and ROM memory in the machine (5 KB RAM + 16 KB ROM), or the total 8 KB Basic, 8 KB Kernel and 4 KB Character maps...

Regarding the name, Michael Tomczyk, (manager of the VIC project) recalls:
"VIC sounded like a truck driver, so I insisted on attaching a number. I picked ‘20’ and when Jack Tramiel asked, ‘Why 20?’ I replied, ‘because it's a friendly number and this has to be a friendly computer.' He agreed. The number 20 has no relation to any technical feature -- just my idea of a friendly sounding number. That sounds a bit bizarre looking back on it, but we did a lot of things by instinct in those days."

The VIC-20 was designed by Bob Yannes who also created the SID chip for the C64. He later joined Ensoniq to design synthesizers.

The Video Interface Chip (or ‘VIC’ as it is commonly called), is one of the most important silicon chips in the VIC-20 microcomputer, coming second only to the 6502A microprocessor itself. The VIC is a specially constructed input-output (I/O) chip that offers a large variety of functions, but as suggested by its name, is primarily concerned with the production of the video output signal. It was originally intended to be sold to third-party manufacturers for use in video game machines. Demand for the chip was low, and so Commodore decided to make their own system to recoup their losses.

The VIC-20 was initially launched in Japan in late 1980 (under the ‘VIC-1001’ name) with a Japanese 'Katakana' set of characters. It was subsequently released in North America in May of 1981. Though these are the "official" release dates, several prototypes of the Commodore VIC-20 were reportedly available in late 1979. These early machines offered only 4 KB of RAM and used a different set of game cartridges.

Thanks to the colorful graphics and low cost, the VIC-20 was an immediate success. At its peak, more than 9000 units rolled off the assembly line each day. Adding to its success was the fact that it was the first color computer to break the $300 (USD) price barrier.

A wide range of peripherals and software were developed for the VIC-20. The failed Commodore 16 eventually became the successor of the VIC-20.

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Contributors: Brian Bagnall, Rick Melick