PET 2001

On Mon, 6 Jul 1998, Olminkhof wrote: I was wondering the same thing, but not because of the simplicity of the answer, because there were so many variations to the PET 2001. I'll assume that 'PET 2001' also covers the 2001N and 2001B models. Or is it 9"? I can't check mine because they are both locked in my father's bedroom at this hour. Supposedly the 2001N and 2001B came with 12" screens, but I've never seen one. I'm looking at an old copy (don't have a recent one on file) of Jim Brain's "Canonical List of Commodore Products" and notice that one of my PETs doesn't match any model on the list. From this list: PET 2001-4K 4kB, Chiclet Keys, Built-In Cassette, Black Trim. PET 2001-8K 8kB, Chiclet Keys, Built-In Cassette, Blue Trim, 9" screen PET 2001-16K 16kB, Chiclet Keys, Built-In Cassette, Blue Trim, 9" screen PET 2001-32K 32kB, Chiclet Keys, Built-In Cassette, Blue Trim, 9" screen PET 2001B-8 8kB, Business Style, no Graphics on Keys, 12" screen PET 2001B-16 16kB, Business Style, no Graphics on Keys, 12" screen PET 2001B-32 32kB, Business Style, no Graphics on Keys, 12" screen PET 2001N-8 8kB, Home Computer, Graphics on Keys, 12" screen, Num. Keys PET 2001N-16 16kB, Home Computer, Graphics on Keys, 12" screen, Num. Keys PET 2001N-32 32kB, Home Computer, Graphics on Keys, BASIC 4.0, Num. Keys. PET 2001NT Teacher's PET. Same as 2001N, just rebadged Mine is just labeled "PET 2001-8K" I think, with no 'N' or 'B' anywhere, but mine has a 9" screen and a full-size keyboard with graphics symbols. I don't imagine it would be too easy to graft a 9" screen onto a 2001N, and I don't imagine anyone would want to, so I guess mine doesn't fit on the list. Note that at least the early PET 2001 machines came with a white display. I think some of the 'newer' ones came with green phosphor instead.(?) On the most ancient machines yes. But the PET 2001B and 2001N models came with full-size keyboards, as does one of my straight 2001s. Keyboard dependent. But there's a lot more to 'features' than outward appearance. The machine uses a 1.0MHz 6502. It has an 80-pin memory expansion port on the right side (the 40 pins on the top side are all ground). There's an external cassette interface at the back, for TAPE #2. There's an IEEE-488 interface on the back that was used for printers, disk drives, modems, and probably other stuff. There's a user port on the back which is similar to the user port on the VIC-20/C64. The original ROMs don't have a monitor or support a disk drive, but ugrade ROMs (which I think came out in 1979?) fix both of those things. (As an aside, original ROM machines start up with the message: *** COMMODORE BASIC *** whereas upgrade ROM machines start up with ### COMMODORE BASIC ### I don't have a machine with BASIC 4.0, so I don't know how that starts up. Upgrade ROM machines also have a Microsoft easter egg in them whcih is missing from the original ROMs.) It might also be important to mention that the PET has a timer that operates in real time. And it has the same character set(s) as the VIC-20 and C64, but you can't switch between the upper/lower-case text character set and the upper-case/graphics set without issuing a POKE command. (Was it 49512,12 and 49512,14? My memory is rusty.) Also, the ROMs don't support any kind of serial communication through the user port, only parallel. The case is made of bent sheet metal so you don't want a PET 2001 dropping on your head. etc, etc... Doug Spence ds_spenc(a)alcor.concordia.ca http://alcor.concordia.ca/~ds_spenc/