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yann64andClaude Opus 5.5 b274874139 All machines linked to their forum thread (full comment import) 
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Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01YDRjtmAiNpo5mK5N3d7QwZ
2026-10-13 17:26:43 +02:00

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---
title: Commodore C16
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Home Computer
origins:
- U.S.A.
years:
- '1984'
cpus:
- '7501'
params:
name: C16
image: /media/museum/photos/commodore_16_system_s2.jpg
logo: /media/museum/logos/c16_logo.gif
company: /companies/commodore
company_name: Commodore
specs:
- label: NAME
value: C16
- label: MANUFACTURER
value: Commodore
- label: TYPE
value: Home Computer
- label: ORIGIN
value: U.S.A.
- label: YEAR
value: '1984'
- label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
value: Commodore BASIC 3.5 - Built-in machine code monitor (12 commands)
- label: KEYBOARD
value: 66 keys with 4 function keys and 4 cursor keys
- label: CPU
value: '7501'
- label: SPEED
value: 0.89 MHz or 1.76 MHz
- label: CO-PROCESSOR
value: TED (video & sound)
- label: RAM
value: 16 KB (12 KB free for user)
- label: ROM
value: 32 KB
- label: TEXT MODES
value: 40 chars. x 25 lines
- label: GRAPHIC MODES
value: 320 x 200 / 320 x 160 (with 5 lines of text) / 160 x 200 / 160 x 160 (with 5 lines of text)
- label: COLORS
value: 121 (15 colours x 8 luminances + black)
- label: SOUND
value: two channels; 4 octaves + white noise
- label: SIZE / WEIGHT
value: 40.7 (W) x 20.4 (D) x 7.7 (H) cm
- label: I/O PORTS
value: Tape, Cardridge, Joystick (2), serial, Composite Video, TV
- label: BUILT IN MEDIA
value: Cassette unit. Provision for 5.25
- label: OS
value: ROM Based
- label: PRICE
value: £129.99 (C16 starter pack)
tabs:
- photos
- adverts
- hardware
- software
- emulators
- links
forum_thread: 112
photos:
- title: C16 HIGH RESOLUTION
subtitle: ''
text: '[Thomas Conté](http://www.pas.net)'
image: /media/museum/photos/commodore_16.jpg
- title: C16
subtitle: ''
text: C16 case and keyboard are quite the same as the C64, except black and grey colours.
image: /media/museum/photos/commodore_16_system_1.jpg
- title: C16 CLOSE-UP
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/commodore_16_keybcloseup_1.jpg
- title: INSIDE THE C16
subtitle: ''
text: |-
The C16 is very similar to the Vic 20... but, unfortunately, is not compatible with it concerning joysticks, cassette recorder and, most important, software.\
In fact, the Commodore 16 is only compatible with the Plus/4, both systems being supposed to replace the aging Vic 20 and Commodore 64.\
From a technical point of view, many standard circuits are replaced with the single TED chip and the keyboard is better than those of its great brothers.
**(1)** The 7501 processor uses a 6502 compatible instruction set but can manage more than 64 Kb of memory.\
**(2)** Along with the CPU, the TED circuit manages the whole system and holds the machine language monitor.\
**(3)** This small component is a quartz which synchronizes the microprocessor and the other circuits.\
**(4)** ROM chip holding version 3.5 of the Commodore Basic language.\
**(5)** ROM chip holding the Commodore 0perating System called Kernel.\
**(6)** Circuit in charge of inputs/outputs management (keyboard, cassette, interfaces...)\
**(7)** 16 Kb. RAM hold in two 4416 memory chips (16000 cells of 4 bits each).
image: /media/museum/photos/commodore_16_mainboard_1.jpg
- title: C16 REAR VIEW
subtitle: ''
text: |-
**(1)** Joystick 1 & 2 miniDIN plugs\
**(2)** Reset switch\
**(3)** Power jack and switch. Power is supplied by an external AC adaptor\
**(4)** Memory expansion and ROM cartridges connector\
**(5)** Video TV/RF output jack\
**(6)** RGB video DIN output\
**(7)** Serial interface DIN plug\
**(8)** Tape recorder MiniDIN plug
image: /media/museum/photos/commodore_16_back_1.jpg
- title: BOX
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/photos/commodore_16_box_1.jpg
adverts:
- title: NEW-ZEALAND ADVERT (OCT. 1985)
subtitle: ''
text: from Bits & Bytes magazine...
image: null
hardware:
- title: TAPE-RECORDER
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/hardware/commodore_c16_taperecorder_1.jpg
screenshots:
- title: C264 BOOT SCREEN
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/commodore_c16_boot-ss.jpg
- title: FINANCIAL ADVISOR
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/commodore_c16_financial-advisor_ss.jpg
- title: FINDERS KEEPERS
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/commodore_c16_finderskeepers_ss.jpg
- title: AUF WIEDERSEHEN MONTY
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/commodore_c16_aufwiedersenhenmonty_ss.jpg
- title: JACK ATTACK
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/commodore_c16_jackattack_ss.jpg
- title: KAZIK AND THE GHOSTS
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/commodore_c16_kazikandtheghosts_ss.jpg
- title: KRAKOUT
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/commodore_c16_krakout_ss.jpg
- title: MATRIX
subtitle: ''
text: ''
image: /media/museum/software/commodore_c16_matric_ss.jpg
emulators:
- title: Minus4 - Plus4 Emulator for DOS & Windows
url: http://minus4.plus4.net/
platform: MS DOS
text: ''
- title: Mike Dailly's PC +4 emulator
url: http://www.scotch.demon.co.uk/
platform: Windows
text: ''
- title: Tom Koenig's +4 Emulator
url: http://www.ping.at/members/tomking/A4/
platform: Windows
text: ''
- title: WinEMU
url: http://winemu.emuunlim.com/
platform: Windows
text: C16 / Plus4 emulator for Windows & DOS, developed by Zsolt Prievara
- title: YAPE
url: http://YAPE.PLUS4.NET
platform: Windows
text: PLUS/4 Emulator for Windows
- title: Tom Koenig's Amiga +4 Emulator
url: http://www.ping.at/members/tomking/A4/
platform: Amiga OS
text: ''
- title: VICE
url: http://www.viceteam.org/
platform: Multiplatform
text: VICE emulates a bunch of 8-bit Commodore computers including the Plus 4
links:
- title: Commodore Plus/4 World
url: http://plus4.emucamp.com/
text: Massive sites with games to download!
- title: The C16 - Plus 4 Retro Page
url: http://YAPE.PLUS4.NET
text: Excellent dedicated site, full of info
- title: www.commodore16.com
url: http://www.commodore16.com/
text: Excellent dedicated site with software database, forum, and much more
- title: Web Wiz CAPTCHA
url: http://www.webwizcaptcha.com
text: Discussion about Commodore micros
related:
- /museum/commodore-c116
- /museum/commodore-plus-4-c232-264-364
oc_id: 97
source:
url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230601001911/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=97
date: '2023-06-01'
---
The Commodore 16 belongs to the [Commodore 264](/museum/commodore-plus-4-c232-264-364/) series (with the Commodore C116 and [Plus/4](/museum/commodore-plus-4-c232-264-364/)). It was designed to replace the Commodore [VIC 20](/museum/commodore-vic-20/), but it was not compatible with the VIC-20, nor with the [C64](/museum/commodore-c64/).
It had the same characteristics as the Commodore Plus/4 : same graphic resolution, same sound system, same CPU and speed, just less memory.\
It featured a version of the original 6502 CPU named 7501, and a new video chip named TED. With 16 colours, and 16 shades of colour, it had an amazing 128 colours available.\
But it had no hardware sprites like the ones on the VIC II chip, so animated games and collision detection were very hard to do.
It featured a powerful basic language (contrary to the VIC-20 or the C64) which makes graphics and sounds easy to program.
The C16, like the Commodore Plus/4 was a commercial failure and had little success.
It seems that the first C16s had the two control ports labelled JOY 0 and JOY 1 instead of JOY 1 and JOY 2, just as a hint for collectors :-)
Note that as well as the C116, the C16 lacks a user port.\
Final assembly was done in Mexico by a company named Sigma.
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