C64 History

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The History of the Commodore C64

Pitched Roofs - Flat Roofs - Gutter Clearing and Repair - Re-Pointing - Lead Work -

The Beginnings of the C64

All the Commodore 8 bit computers had used the The MOS Technology 6502 Microprocessor developed in 1975 - Created by Chuck Peddle with Bill Mensch and the Team = MSTP - MOS 6502 but the C64 would use the closely related derivative, the 6510 CPU. In January 1981, MOS Technology, Inc., Commodore's integrated circuit design subsidiary, initiated a project to design the graphic and audio chips for a next-generation video game console. Design work for the chips, named MOS Technology VIC-II (Video Integrated Circuit for graphics) and MOS Technology SID (Sound Interface Device for audio), was completed in November 1981. Commodore then began a game console project that would use the new chips—called the Ultimax or the MAX Machine, engineered by Yash Terakura from Commodore Japan. This project was eventually cancelled after just a few machines were manufactured for the Japanese market. At the same time, Robert "Bob" Russell (system programmer and architect on the VIC-20) and Robert "Bob" Yannes (engineer of the SID) were critical of the current product line-up at Commodore, which was a continuation of the Commodore PET line aimed at business users. With the support of Al Charpentier (engineer of the VIC-II) and Charles Winterble (manager of MOS Technology), they proposed to Commodore CEO Jack Tramiel a low-cost sequel to the VIC-20. Tramiel dictated that the machine should have 64 KB of random-access memory (RAM). Although 64-Kbit dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) chips cost over US$100 (equivalent to $292.36 in 2024) at the time, he knew that 64K DRAM prices were falling and would drop to an acceptable level before full production was reached. The team was able to quickly design the computer because, unlike most other home-computer companies, Commodore had its own semiconductor fab to produce test chips; because the fab was not running at full capacity, development costs were part of existing corporate overhead. The chips were complete by November, by which time Charpentier, Winterble, and Tramiel had decided to proceed with the new computer; the latter set a final deadline for the first weekend of January, to coincide with the 1982 Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

Despite complaints about quality control and the industry’s slowest disk drive, the Commodore 64 has been an unparalleled success, pushing a number of its competitors out of the market, it was not only sold by authorized dealers but in department stores, discount stores, toy stores, and college bookstores as well. Part of the reason for its success is the price, which keeps falling—from $595 at its introduction to $149 currently, for which the consumer at that time gets graphics and sound equal to or better than that provided by machines that cost five times as much.

C64 Games

The C64 had an extensive library of games, with some sources stating a figure upwards of 5000 titles. These games covered almost every genre created at the time. As with all systems, these games varied somewhat in their quality. The best of them were among the best games released on any of the 8-bit home computers. NB – the 8-bit home computers were sometimes referred to as ‘home micros’.

Game screen shots from my CCS64 emulator - What a classic "Crazy Comets - MARTECH 1985" - See VIDEO Below !!. Look at that star field, and it's amazing what you can do with just 3 SID analogue synth voices. Listen to how tight the tune is, and to think that all the 1979-83 UK synthpop was done on 8bit sequencers, three being, Depeche Mode 1981 - THL DARE 1981, and YAZOO 1982 !!, Awwwwww, , the 8bit days and memories of 1986. I was 22.

Rob Hubbard's "Crazy Comets" SID Chip master piece is undoubtably the best ever on an 8 bit computer, and what a genius, the Mozart of the SID chip. He must of used some kind of sequencer, and then just a raw player for the game code, In the early 90's i did AMIGA AL and I really can't see how he did it, , , MIRACULOUS !!. - 80's and 90's computer songs are called CHIPTUNES , I edited in the crazy Honky Tonk end hook at 0:34 !! , , and then my game play at 1:41. I have got to level 6, but i was not using the joystick in this video and its a nightmare using the keys !!

Mick's Game Cracking

I first had a commodore 64 in 1984 learning programming with the official bible of a book, the "CBM64 Programers Reference Guide" and from the excellent INPUT magazine series, a weekly 52 week course in programming. I used TURBOTAPE to speed up the cassette baud rate by 10x.

In 1986 i did some game cracking, my first was "Crazy Comets" - After loading a game i did a warm reset by shorting out pin 1 amd 3 of the USER port, i wired up a switch for that purpose. The first 4 bytes of the start of basic memory starting at 2048 are wiped in a warm reset, but if you poke the four bytes back you can list the basic program, usually being something like "10 SYS 2084". After saving an area of memory with the INPUT machine code monitor using TURBOTAPE i got "manic miner" down from 320 cassette counts to 48

The C64 was a strange beast with RAM under ROM, and you could flip between the two. If you POKE into ROM it would go into the RAM beneath, , , i had to find space in RAM to place the MC monitor and TURBOTAPE code, if BASIC starts at 2048 as default, it is no problem, otherwise it's hard to know where the basic SYS was, it could be anywhere because the start of basic can be set to be anywhere !!.

To begin with, i wrote a simple BASIC program that PEEK's it's self !!

2051,10 = line 10 : 2053,158 is the SYS command : 2054-55 = 2084

Searching for 10, 0, 158, may give you the SYS start !!

The C64 Legacy

1) The Highest-Selling Single Computer: The Commodore 64 holds the Guinness World Record for being the highest-selling single computer in history.

2) An 8 bit leader: An afordable home computer that democratized access to computing and gaming, inspiring a generation of programmers, gamers, and hobbyists, and continuing to influence technology and culture today

3) Enduring Popularity: Despite being an 8-bit computer, the C64 continues to have a dedicated following, with many enthusiasts still playing and collecting C64 games and hardware

4) Retrogaming: Few machines command as much nostalgia and respect as the Commodore 64, and it will live on in the hearts of retrogamers and techies of the past and future

5) Modern Coders: Bedroom coders could turn their passion into businesses. As a result the Commodore 64 gave many of today’s most respected names in game development their start.

The C64 Chip Set

U1 – 6526 CIA chip – I/O processes + internal timer
U2 – 6526 CIA chip – I/O processes + internal timer
U3 – ROM (BASIC)
U4 – The Kernal
U5 – ROM Character
U6 – SRAM (Static RAM)
U7 – 6510 Processor
U8 – Logic

U9 – U12 – RAM
U13 – U14 – Multiplexor
U15 – Demuliplexor
U16 – Quad Bilateral Switch
U17 – PLA (Programmable Logic Array)
U18 – SID (Sound Interface Device)
U19 – VIC-II – Generates the Y/C video Signals
U20 – Dual Timer

U21 – U24 – RAM
U25 – U26 – Multiplexor
U27 – Logic
U28 – Quad Bilateral Switch
U29 – Logic NOR
U30 – Binary Counter
U31 – Oscillator
U32 – Logic

C64 Demo 2025 - by Linus Åkesson, aka LFT - LFT Youtube Channel

The Mighty MUTIPLEXIUS - And His Swirling Spirits

NINE (Seemingly Impossible C64 Demo)

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