1 Nov
1997
1 Nov
'97
11:57 p.m.
----------
From: Zane H. Healy <healyzh(a)ix.netcom.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Subject: Re: Sorry, I need to get this to PG Manney, there was
Date: Sunday, November 02, 1997 7:56 AM
sounds
I'm new
at collecting classics. What is a VIC-20?
The VIC-20 was Commodore's first computer...2K of RAM (I think), did and color TV screen stuff.
The VIC-20 was my only
computer from '82-'86 unfortunatly I gave it away in '90, and I finally
got
one to replace it today!
Congradulations on
getting your VIC-20, and I would like to know about it's
specs.
I believe TV's in Bahrain are PAL instead of NTSC,
or maybe I'm thinking
of
the United Arab Emirates.
Yes, here in Bahrain they are PAL, but I'm an American, born and bred, and
I'm only living here for a few years, so it's a multisystem, so it can do
NTSC, PAL or any other major standard. They're PAL pretty much everywhere
from the UK to China, then in Japan, it goes back to
NTSC.
Thanks,
Tim D. Hotze
2 Nov
2 Nov
12:24 p.m.
New subject: Vic-20 was Re: Sorry, I need to get this to PG Manney, there was
Congradulations on getting your VIC-20, and I would
like to know about it's
specs.
That might take some time, it got accidentaly buried in the storage shed
out back today. Although I'm going to be moving most of the contents into
a storage unit sometime in the next week or so because it's getting to
damp around here for an outdoor storage shed (one advantage to summertime).
I happened to think of something else concerning the VIC-20 though. If you
aren't getting a Commodore 1541 disk drive with it, you'll want one. I
always had the cassette recorder is all, and always wanted the disk drive.
It used to be that the drives were more than the computers, well they
usually are it seems, but now they're affordable. I remember that it used
to take about 5 minutes to load a 8k game from tape.
I'm only living here for a few years, so it's a
multisystem, so it can do
NTSC, PAL or any other major standard. They're PAL pretty much everywhere
Ah, one of the good TV's. Unfortunatly they don't seem to sell such things
in the US. I was actually looking for one several years ago.
Zane
| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator |
| healyzh(a)ix.netcom.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast |
| healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------+
| For Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, |
| see http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/ |
| For the collecting of Classic Computers with info on them. |
| see http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/museum.html |
5 Nov
5 Nov
4:16 a.m.
New subject: Vic-20 was Re: Sorry, I need to get this to PG Manney, there was
Tim D. Hotze Wrote:
>Congradulations on getting your VIC-20, and I would
like to know about it's
>specs.
Tim,
I got the VIC dug back up again. So let me see what I can come up with for
specs from the manual. Not much, it's about the most pathetic list of
specs I've seen, so I'll add comments.
Video display is 23 rows x 22 columns
On the back:
Expansion Port (for cartridges)
Most carts were games, some were memory expansion, others were l
languages, or applications software. I had a five slot board that
plugged in here and then allowed you to plug in five cartridges. You
could then select the cartridge you wanted with a rotary switch.
5-pin Video port (For connection to TV)
Serial Port (For special accessories like printer, disk drive, etc.)
Note, this is a 6-pin DIN plug, nothing like a modern serial port. It
is possible to build an X-1541 cable that allows a 1541 drive to be
connected to a PC's parallel port. The VIC can use either a 1540 or a
1541 disk drive. Not sure on printers, I had a funky little plotter
that used miniature ball point pens (4 colour).
Cassette Port (tape cassette goes here)
The VIC and C-64 use a proprietary cassette interface, in order to
connect a casstte drive to it you need one of their two models. It
took
about 5 minutes to load an 8k program.
User Port (for special accessories)
This is a lot like the Cassette Port connector. It could be used for
stuff like a modem or RS-232 connector.
Right side:
Game Port (For Joystick and other game control devices)
On/Off switch
Power Cord Socket
The keyboard is the same as the C-64, the colours are different with the
case being a whitish colour.
Zane
| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator |
| healyzh(a)ix.netcom.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast |
| healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------+
| For Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, |
| see http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/ |
| For the collecting of Classic Computers with info on them. |
| see http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/museum.html |
6:22 p.m.
New subject: Vic-20 was Re: Sorry, I need to get this to PG Manney, there
On 5 Nov 97 at 10:16, Zane H. Healy wrote:
Tim D. Hotze Wrote:
The Vic20 was a great machine for it's time, at a price that
allowed a whole generation access to computers.
Actually there were several models ,one off-white and another
beige. Some had a two pin PS connection and later ones the same as
the C64. Even Byte magazine ran a couple of series of hardware hack
upgrades.
There's a bunch of stuff available on the inet. One of the best is
the " Official" Vic20 FAQ by Ward Shrake, a beautiful, one could
almost say, eulogy, more than faq. If one can be found the Vic20
"Programmers Reference Guide" has a full fold-out schematic.
The FAQ and links as well as emulators, can be found at
http://home1.gte.net/salzman
ciao larry
lwalkerN0spaM(a)interlog.com
>Congradulations on getting your VIC-20, and I
would like to know about it's
>specs.
Tim,
I got the VIC dug back up again. So let me see what I can come up with for
specs from the manual. Not much, it's about the most pathetic list of
specs I've seen, so I'll add comments.
Video display is 23 rows x 22 columns
On the back:
Expansion Port (for cartridges)
Most carts were games, some were memory expansion, others were l
languages, or applications software. I had a five slot board that
plugged in here and then allowed you to plug in five cartridges. You
could then select the cartridge you wanted with a rotary switch.
5-pin Video port (For connection to TV)
Serial Port (For special accessories like printer, disk drive, etc.)
Note, this is a 6-pin DIN plug, nothing like a modern serial port. It
is possible to build an X-1541 cable that allows a 1541 drive to be
connected to a PC's parallel port. The VIC can use either a 1540 or a
1541 disk drive. Not sure on printers, I had a funky little plotter
that used miniature ball point pens (4 colour).
Cassette Port (tape cassette goes here)
The VIC and C-64 use a proprietary cassette interface, in order to
connect a casstte drive to it you need one of their two models. It
took
about 5 minutes to load an 8k program.
User Port (for special accessories)
This is a lot like the Cassette Port connector. It could be used for
stuff like a modem or RS-232 connector.
Right side:
Game Port (For Joystick and other game control devices)
On/Off switch
Power Cord Socket
The keyboard is the same as the C-64, the colours are different with the
case being a whitish colour.
Zane
9913
days inactive
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days old
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