{"id":7470,"date":"2024-04-17T13:33:43","date_gmt":"2024-04-17T12:33:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quantum-bits.org\/?p=7470"},"modified":"2024-04-20T14:02:24","modified_gmt":"2024-04-20T13:02:24","slug":"on-retro-computing-commodore-64","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quantum-bits.org\/?p=7470","title":{"rendered":"On retro-computing: Commodore 64"},"content":{"rendered":"

France is a strange<\/strong> country. We tend to argue about anything. Nonsensical<\/strong> – yet tenacious – “troll<\/strong> wars<\/strong>” have been raging for years, for the naming of delicious viennoiseries<\/a> or … for which is the best 8bit home computer<\/strong>. Indeed, when I was a kid in the early 80<\/strong>‘s, such “wars” were raging: Thomson<\/strong> vs Matra-Hachette<\/strong> vs Oric<\/strong> vs Sinclair<\/strong> …<\/p>\n

But, as far as I<\/strong> was concerned, the real fight was Amstrad<\/strong> CPC 464<\/strong> versus Commodore 64<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I chose a side<\/strong>. I was on the Amstrad CPC team<\/strong>. Retrospectively, let’s be frank, for no other reasons than the facts that it was cheaper and generally more available in France than the C64. But, must of all, because I had friends owning an Amstrad and none owning a Commodore 64.<\/p>\n

In this nonsensical <\/strong>state of mind, it meant that Oric<\/strong>‘s and Sinclair<\/strong>‘s were OK-ish, but old news. Thomson<\/strong>‘s were for schools and teachers. Matra-Hachette<\/strong>‘s were nowhere to be found and subject to mockery. Apple<\/strong>‘s were for rich kids born with a silver spoon in hand. Amstrad was the King<\/strong>. And Commodore sucked<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

All of this was of course troll talk<\/strong>, unfair<\/strong> and untrue<\/strong>. Commodore 64 were good computers. Excellent<\/strong> ones. True<\/strong> milestones<\/strong> in the history of home computers.<\/p>\n

40 years later … I still love my Amstrad CPC 464<\/a>. Yes, it is still my<\/strong> favorite<\/strong> vintage computer<\/strong>. It always<\/strong> will be the case. But, as a retro-computer enthusiast, I love my Sinclair ZX81<\/a> and Spectrum<\/a>, as much as I love my Apple IIc<\/a>, my Oric Atmos<\/a> or my Matra-Hachette Alice 90<\/a>. But the fact remains … I had never, till this day, touched a Commodore 64<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

How sad and pathetic is that ?!<\/strong> I feel like I missed<\/strong> for no reasons an enormous part for the computer history. Christmas<\/strong> was around the corner. It was time for peace and about time to welcome home a Commodore 64<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

This is a long<\/strong> blog post, so, to ease navigation, here is a table of contents<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Introduction<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Sourcing a Commodore 64<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Unboxing<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. PROCEP<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. The Power Supply Unit<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. Cleaning the case<\/a><\/li>\n
  7. Taking care of the keyboard<\/a><\/li>\n
  8. Removing PROCEP’s mods<\/a><\/li>\n
  9. Cleaning the motherboard<\/a><\/li>\n
  10. The PCB (ASSY 250407)<\/a><\/li>\n
  11. Building an Audio-Video cable (composite)<\/a><\/li>\n
  12. First run (and fail)<\/a><\/li>\n
  13. Analysis<\/a><\/li>\n
  14. Voltages<\/a><\/li>\n
  15. Signals<\/a><\/li>\n
  16. Replacing the VIC-II<\/a><\/li>\n
  17. 1541 drive : first run (and fail)<\/a><\/li>\n
  18. Cleaning the 1541 drive<\/a><\/li>\n
  19. Servicing the 1541 drive<\/a><\/li>\n
  20. The 1541 PCB<\/a><\/li>\n
  21. 1541 drive (second run)<\/a><\/li>\n
  22. Sunbrighting (part 1)<\/a><\/li>\n
  23. Cartridge (ROBCOM Combi-Turbotool+)<\/a><\/li>\n
  24. Software<\/a><\/li>\n
  25. Future proofing<\/a><\/li>\n
  26. Sunbrighting (part 2)<\/a><\/li>\n
  27. More software and XUM1541<\/a><\/li>\n
  28. Null Modem cable and Internet Access<\/a><\/li>\n
  29. Wrap up<\/a><\/li>\n
  30. Next steps<\/a><\/li>\n
  31. Acknowledgments, huge thanks & links<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Note: this order of this table of contents was laid out so that the blog post makes as more sens as possible. In reality, some of the listed tasked were started in parallel and\/or in disorder since they were spread over 6 months, with sometime a lot of time \/ waiting in between. <\/p>\n

    INTRODUCTION<\/span><\/p>\n

    Commodore Business Machines<\/a> has a particular place in the history of home computers. Founded in 1954 in Toronto, Canada, by legendary entrepreneur Jack Tramiel<\/a>, Commodore<\/strong> transitioned from typewriters<\/strong> (in the 50’s), to calculators<\/strong> (in the late 60’s) then to home<\/strong> computers<\/strong> in the 70’s.<\/p>\n

    Indeed, in the late 70’s Texas Instruments<\/a>, the leading provider of calculator components at the time, entered the market directly. They introduced a series of machines priced below the manufacturing cost of Commodore’s corresponding parts. This pushed Jack Tramiel to acquire MOS Technology<\/a> in order to assure his supply.<\/p>\n

    Chuck Peddle<\/a>, who was heading the design of the 650x family of processors<\/a> at MOS, became Commodore’s head of engineering. He convinced Jack Tramiel that calculators <\/strong>were a dead-end<\/strong> business, and convinced him to focus instead on personal computers<\/strong>. This move gave birth to the Commodore PET<\/a> (“Personal Electronic Transactor”, though sometimes nicknamed “Peddle’s Ego Trip” … because of Chuck Peddle’s personality). The PET was announced at the 1977 Hanover Fair<\/a>:<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    The impact on the market was so strong<\/strong>, that, together with the Apple II<\/strong><\/a> and the Tandy Radio Shack TRS-80<\/a><\/strong>, the PET formed what was later called the “1977 Trinity<\/strong>“:<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    By 1980<\/strong>, Commodore was one of the largest micro-computer companies<\/strong>. The PET, originally priced at $795 with 8kB of RAM and it’s all-metal enclosure, was primarily used in school. There, its ability to share printers and disk drives over a local network shined. But the PET did not compete well<\/strong> in the home computer sector<\/strong>. Chuck Peddle had brutally left Commodore for Apple (for a short time), then created Sirius Systems Technology<\/a>, where he created the Sirius 1<\/strong> (also known as the Victor 9000<\/strong>). A new team, lead by Michael Tomczyk<\/a>, designed the VIC-20<\/a> to address a home computer mass market. Announced in 1980, it was sold in retail stores<\/strong> in 1981 at the price of $299:<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    With the VIC-20<\/strong>, Commodore became the first computer company to ship more than one million units<\/strong>. Over the VIC-20 lifetime, it is estimated that 2.5 million units were sold.<\/p>\n

    The Commodore 64<\/strong> (or C64) was introduced at the 1982<\/strong> Consumer Electronics Show<\/a>:<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    Originally code-named “VIC-40” as a successor to the VIC-20<\/strong>, the Commodore 64 finally took its name from its 64K of RAM. It shared its iconic “bread bin” form factor with the VIC-20. Its hardware was designed by Yash Terakura, Bob Russell, Bob Yannes, David A. Ziembicki and Shiraz Shivji<\/a> (who, later on, will be the primary designer of the Atari ST, when Jack Tramiel was ousted of Commodore and acquired Atari).<\/p>\n

    It was a massive success<\/strong>. Some say the C64 played a role comparable to the Ford Model T automobile, in introducing a novel technology to middle-class households through innovative and cost-effective mass production. By the end of its lifetime, it is estimated that 12 to 17 millions units were sold worldwide<\/strong>. This is wild<\/strong> ! It dominated the low-end computer market, with 30-40% of the US Market for example. It was a major hit in Germany, including a specific version for the discount supermarket chain Aldi<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    In the UK, it was a little harder<\/strong>, as it faced competition<\/strong> from the Sinclair ZX Spectrum<\/a>, the BBC Micro<\/a>, the Dragon 32<\/a>, and later on the Oric Atmos<\/a> and the Amstrad CPC 464<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    The story was similar in France<\/strong> where it faced British computers, but also local competitors such as the Thomson TO7<\/a>. On top of that, distribution<\/strong> and adaptations<\/strong> to the French market were given to PROCEP<\/strong>. This French company was in business with Commodore since 1977 and the PET era. They had exclusive rights from Commodore, and doing well. Until 1985, where Commodore created Commodore<\/strong> France<\/strong>. This did not end well<\/strong>, including legal fights between Commodore France and Commodore importer PROCEP, as titled by French magazine Hebdogiciel<\/strong> #133<\/strong> “Commodore vs Commodore<\/em>“:<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    The difference in France with Amstrad was striking. Amstrad France was created in 1982 and was lead at the time by Marion Vannier. Without any computer background, she did a tremendous job, and CPC464’s sold like hot cakes in France<\/strong> (over 200 000 units per month at its launch at the end of 1984). This may be one of the reasons why the C64 was less successful in France<\/strong> when compared to other countries.<\/p>\n

    But … back to the Commodore 64. During its long<\/strong> lifetime (1982-1994 !), there have been many variations<\/strong>. Here are some of the most noticeable ones:<\/p>\n