Commodore 64, 1982 - Computer History Museum

"THE COMMODORE64 COULD BETHEMICROCOMPUTER INDUSTRY'S OUTSTANDING NEW PRODUCT INTRODUCTION SINCETHE BIRTH OFTHIS INDUSTRY."-SHEARSON/AMERICAN EXPRESS
,,,,,,
,,,,,,,, FOR$595.YOU GET WHAT NOBODYELSECANF- =:YOU
FORTWICETHE.
Even at twice the price, you won't find the power
of a Commodore 6 4 in any personal computer: The
Commodore 64 has a built-in memory of 64K.
That fact alone would have sent computer critics
....
I
I
IN
and analysts such as Shearson/American Express t o
the typewriter for the kind of praise you read on
the cover.
But there's more. As a quick read here will tell you.
THE &,QUITE SIMPL!HAS NOCOMPETITION. AS A QUICK LOOK ATOUR COMPETITION WIUTEUYOU. Features
-
-
-
--
Base Price*
" ,,
-
*
1
-
-
-
Advanced Personal Computer Features
Built-in User Memory
,, , ,
.. L '
Proarammable
~ e a T ~ ~ p e w r iKeyboard
ter
Graphics Characters (from Keyboard)
Upper and Lower Case Letters
5%" Disk Ca~acitvPer Drive
Audio Features Sound Generator
Music Synthesizer.
Hi-Fi Output
.
'
..
Video Features TV Output
..
..
II
I I -
I
.-
,
11.
"
Input/Output Features
"Smart"
Peripherals
-
APPLE
II+@
$1530
:"+I 11
1
I
Software Features
5
CP/M"
Option
(Over
1,000
packag;$j"
-
rn
Yes
Extra
1 r n i 1 1
-L-
-
1?E7
yes"
-
16K
48K
Yes
Yes
Yes (65 keys) Yes (61keys
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
178K
96K i
No
-IIIIC
)I..-
:-
YE
1
1
No
Yes
800"
$1565 16K
Yes
Yes (52keys) Yes (83 keys)
No
No
Upper Only
Yes
143K
160K
Yes
No
No
ATA R l
TANDY
TRS-808 Ili
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
z::=;-rJ
- !:;=' I
Yes
.wT-,-,~ Yes
-
IBMa
4 8K
Yes
" '
Game Machine Features
Cartr~dgeGame Slot
Game Controllers
-
I
6 4K
Yes
Yes ( 6 6 keys)
Yes
Yes
170K
, I
.
COMMODORE
64
$595
Y5c
Extra
I
NO
I
--v---
-
,r
--
No
Yes
No
I
NO
I-
-0 x.1:=
Yes
Yes
'Manufacturer's Suggested Retail P r ~ c eJuly1 1982 Disk drives and printersare not included in prices
The 64's price may change without notice And. after they get a look at this chart, you can count on the cornpetitlon t o change their prices
Yes
yes
-
ii i ~
-
I ;: 1
NO
'
Yes
Yes
WITH A COMPUTERTHAT'S LIGHTYEARSAHEAD OF ITS COMPETITION, WE THOUGHT ITAPPROPRIATE THAT ITS SOFTWARE SHOULD BEAT LEASTA FEW YEARSAHEAD.
Here's h o w we did it.
PART I.THE FIRST ORDERLY APPROACH
TO SOFTWARE.
Commodore's programmers examined the whole
jungle of software available today-literally hundreds of
programs-and isolated the most popular and
most useful.
Then they made them better. The result: a varietv of
highly refined, perfected programs
for home, business and education.
PART II. A N ALMOST INFINITE
ARRAY OF SOFTWARE.
Independent makers of software
have alreariv h n n n ~ dn n thn fin hgnrl-
the world's most ~ o ~ u l Droarams
ar
t o the 64.
Further, the 64'is compsible with CP/M? Which
means a simple optional add-on opens u p over 2,000
additional useful programs.
Plus-and a big plus this is for educators-you
can also have access t o programs developed for the
Commodore PET? as it uses the same BASIC language
as the Commodore 64.
Software Features
yes
Game Mach~neFeatures
Cartr~dgeGame Slot
Game Controllers
I
Yes
Yes
-= - -- IL !
No- - - i
Yes Z ,
-
No
Yes
'Manufacturer'sSuggested Retall Price July 1.1982 Dskdr~vesandpr~ntersarenot lncluded In prlces
The 64's prlce may change w~thoutnotlce And, after they get a look at t h ~ schart, you can count on the competltlon to change +r
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
prices
II
WITH A COMPUTERTHAT'S LIGHTYEARS AHEAD OF ITS COMPETITION, WE THOUGHT ITAPPROPRIATE THAT ITS SOFTWARE SHOULD BEAT LEASTA FEW YEARS AHEAD. Here's how we did it.
PART I.THE FIRST ORDERLY APPROACH
TO SOFTWARE.
~ o m m o d o r e ' s ~ r o ~ r a m m examined
ers
the whole
jungle of software ava~labletoday-l~terally hundreds of
programs-and isolated the most popular and
most useful.
Then they made them better. The result: a variety of
highly refined; perfected programs
for home, business and education.
PART II. AN ALMOST INFINITE
ARRAY OF SOFTWARE.
Independent makers of software
I ~ Yme
~ ~s c r e e n
have already hopped on the 6 4 band- I*: C ~ wSe eP an6
:t;:~sed:;:l:::$*::;~;::s**$r*:.
wagon. They've come to Commodore r Zhansrs
for training on the 6 4 and are adapting
I
on
xs
*Q
the world's most popular programs to the 64.
Further, the 6 4 is compatible with CP/M! Which
means a simple optional add-on opens up over 2,000
additional useful programs.
Plus-and a big plus this is for educators-you
can also have access to programs developed for the
Commodore PET? as it uses the same BASIC language
as the Commodore 6 4 .
the ~ O P * It X L I I be printed
F151V
edrf document
w x T h e U f prlnTrnp
the
DATA BASE
\
WHY DIDTHE 64 COME FROMCOMMODOREAND NOT SOMEBODY ELSE?
BECAUSEWE MAKEOUR OWN CHIPS.
Commodore is one of the few companies that
design and manufacture their own chips.
So, unlike other computer companies that have
to buy their chips, when Commodore wants to alter
CP/M@ is a registered trademark of D~g~tal
Research. Inc Opt~onal280
microprocessor
require6
a design or create a new one, their designers and
OH, BY THE WAXTHE 64 JUST SO HAPPENS TO BE THE MOST BRILLIANTGAME MACHINEYOU CAN BUY. ACEOF ACES
With the 64, not only will you have an amazing
array of terrific games (just a few are pictured here), but
what's really amazing is how you'll see them.
With a variety of colors that's never been offered
before, with a full range of sound, and with a resolution
that truly rivals arcades.
Since the 6 4 is a true computer, you can actually invent your own sophisticated (or unsophisticated) games.
WHAT DOESTHE COMMODORE64 DO?WHAT DOYOUWANT IT TO DO?
Whether you're in business and want a personal
computer for spreadsheet calculation or word and text
processing or mailing lists or data storage and
retrieval.. . .
Or whether you're a musician looking for a music
synthesizer (or a beginner who wants to learn how to
play one).. . .
The 64, quite simply, can do almost anything you
want it to. And all with graphics that have an incredible
resolution.
FOR ABOUT $100EXTRAJHECOMMODORE64 CANGET
INFORMATIONAND PROGRAMSFROMMULTI-MILLIONDOLLARCOMPUTERS.
A modem IS a device that connects your computer
ro your phone.
Telecom~utina,they call it.They used to also call it
expensive. A personal computer and modem would
go for at least $1,500 and be judged "reasonablel'
What happens when, for less than
.:. - - . Or whether you're a musi
I G L l leb'w-.
FOR ABOUT $100EXTRAJHE COMMODORE64 CANGET INFORMATIONAND PROGRAMSFROMMULTIMILLIONDOLLARCOMPUTERS.
A modem is a device that connects your computer
to your phone.
Telecomputing, they call it.They used to also call it
expensive. A personal computer and modem would
go for at least $1,500 and be judged "reasonablel'
What harmens when. for less than
COMMODORE64 SYSTEMS SPECIFICATIONS
SYSTEM UNIT
Microprocessor: 6510, designed and produced by Commodore's
M O S T s i o n . Uses the same lnstructron set as the 6502, but has
addit~onal~ n ~ u t / o u t a Imes.
ut
K user-accessible for BASIC programs;
Memory:,64K of R A M . ~ ~are
52K f o r c h l n e Ian uage programs.
contain the operating system and Commodore
20K of internal
BASIC lanauaae.
K e y b G r d i Full-s~zetypewr~terstyle. 6 6 keys, upper and lower case.
FourTnasslgned pro rammable funct~onkeys.
Color and the f j l set of 6 4 PET graph~cs
can be selected drectlv
- .
from keyboard.
Display: 4 0 columns by 2 5 lines, 2 5 5 combinations of border/
background colors. 16 text colors and use of all 6 4 PETgraphrc characters.
High-resolution graphics mode, of 3 2 0 x 2 0 0 pixels for exceptional
detail and clarity In ames or animat~on.Can use 16 colors s~multaneously.
8 independent? movable Sprites can be created for games and
animation Each is $1 x 2 4 pixels, and may contain up t o three colors,
Sound: 6 5 8 1 Sound lnterface Device provldes music and sound to
r ~ v aeven
l
some ded~catedmuslc synthes~zers.
Produces three independent, voices, each with a range of,nine
octaves. Four waveforms are avadable: sawtooth, triangle, varlable pulse
and noise.
Includes programmable ADSR (attack! decay, sustain, release)
generator. Programmable fllter can be ~ n d ~ v ~ d u aselected
lly
for each voice;
provides low-pass, h~gh-pass,band-pass or notch outputs.
Varlable resonance and master volume control.
COMMUNICATIONS
The Commodore 6 4 accepts a low-cost VICMODEMTMthrough its
ei h t bit user port, glvlng ~taccess t o other computers over ordlnary
te?eohone lines.
The modem allows users to gain access t o lar e data bases, such as
The Source. CompuServe and D o w Jones ~ews/aetrievalServ~ce.
PERIPHERALS The Commodore 6 4 will support: WOM
Datassette Recorder. A low-cost tape u n ~w
t h ~ c hallows the storage
of prggramsand data on standard a u d ~ otape cassettes
S~ngle-DiskUnit: Uses standard 5%-inch flop y diskettes to store
programs and data. Each diskette holds up t o 1 7 8 0 0 0 characters of
information. D ~ s kunlts include their o w n microprocessors and memory
systems, and therefore don't requlre memory resources from the
Commodore 6 4 maln u n ~ tThe
.
Commodore 6 4 will support up t o five
single-disk units.
Printer: The VIC 1515 printer attaches directly t o the Commodore
6 4 withoutaddit~onalInterfaces. Prlnts 3 0 characters per second,
dot-matrlx. Uses plain tractor-fed paper.
lnterface Cartridges: Spec~alizedcartridges allow the Commodore 6 4
to use varlous standard dev~ces,including printers, controllers
and modems.
PET Emulator; Allows users t o run most of the programs designed
for PET systems w ~ t hl~ttleor no m o d ~ f ~ c a t ~ o n .
Audio and Video C o n n e c t i o ~Djrect outputs from the Commodore
6 4 connect audlo s~gnalst o hlgh-quahty stereo systems, and v ~ d e o
sianals to a monitor.
Cartridge Slot: W ~ laccept
l
ames and other appl~cat~ons
des~gned
for C
E
d
a or Max ~ a c k n e ' on plug-n cartr~dges.
Other Interfaces prov~deaccess for two joysticks, four game paddles
or a I~ghtpen.
-
SOFTWARE
Commodore has already created a variety of programs in several
categories for the 6 4 and has plans for much, much more. Bus~ness,
the
personal, entertainment and educational a ~ ~ l i c a t i o nmake
s
Commodore 6 4 an enormously useful and versat~letool
A 2 8 0 mlcroprocessor on a plug-~ncartr~dgemakes an enormous
amount of software ava~lableto users of the 6 4 system By plugg~ngthe
opt~onalmlcroprocessor Into the 64's 8 - b ~user
t
port, the user enables
the Commodore t o run programs wrltten In CP/Mm
CP/M@ IS a reg~steredtrademark of Digital Research Inc
Prellmlnarv release miormatton Spec~f~cat~ons
subject to change
a-
- ---
prov~deslow-G%, high-pass, band-pass or notch outputs Var~ableresonance and master volume control COMMUNICATIONS
The Commodore 6 4 accepts a low-cost VICMODEMfMthrough ~ t s
el ht b ~user
t
port, glvlng ~taccess to other computers over ordmary
tegephone l~nes.
The modem allows users to galn access to lar e data bases such as
The Source, CompuServe and Dow Jones ~ e w s / K e t r ~ e vServ~ce
a
PERIPHERALS
The Commodore 6 4 wdl support ~ v m r n v a u r er l d b d~reduyL I e d ~ e wd vdr I ~ L YUI p~U ~01 I I I> 1 1 I ~ G V C I
categor~esfor the 6 4 and has plans for much, much more Busmess,
make the
personal, enterta~nmentand educat~onalappl~cat~ons
Commodore 6 4 an enormously useful and versat~letool
CP/Mm
A 280 mlcroprocessor on a plug-~ncartr~dgemakes an enormous
amount of software available to users of the 6 4 system BY ~ l u g g l n the
optonal m~croprocessorinto the 64's 8 - b ~user
t
port, the user enabyes
the Commodore to run programs wr~ttenIn CP/M@
CP/M@ 1s a registered trademark of Digital Research lnc
Premlnary release lnformatlon Speclf~cattonssubject to change
C-commodore
COMPUTER