Commodore 64

computer (C64) An 8-bit Commodore Business Machines

personal computer released around September 1981.

Prototypes were (apparently) made before Christmas 1980 (and

shown at some computer fair).

The CPU was a 6510 from MOS Technolgies (who were a

wholly owned subsiduary of Commodore at this time(?)). The

C64 had 64 kilobytes of RAM as standard and a 40-column

text, 320x200 pixel display generating composite video,

usually connected to a television.

DMA-based memory expanders for the C64 (and C128) allowed

128, 256, and 512 kb of RAM. Several third party

manufacturers produce accelerators and RAM expanders for the

C64 and C128. (Some, risking a holy war, compare this to

putting a brick on roller-skates). Such accelerators come in

speeds up to 20MHz (20 times the original) and RAM expanders

to 16MB.

The C64's 1541 5.25 floppy disk drive had a 6502

processor as a disk controller.

See also Commodore 65.

["Assembly language programming with the Commodore 64", Marvin

L. De Jong].

(1996-06-05)