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Cracking open the Commodore 64

by Mark Kaelin | 02-13-08

Tags: Cracking open, commodore 64, off topic, geekend

Simple design

Simple design

For many of us, the first computer we can remember having was the Commodore 64. For me the Commodore 64 replaced an Intellivision console and I was intrigued by the ability to not only play games but to also connect to an online community via a 300 baud modem. The Commodore 64 was extremely powerful in its day and we can still marvel at the beauty of its simple design in this TechRepublic Cracking Open.

You can get a good look at the Commodore 64 in the TechRepublic First Look photo gallery published earlier.

Print/View all Posts Comments on this gallery

Commodore 64 - Amazing!! medicallyinclined | 02/14/08

Still have mine too! dscott@... | 02/18/08

So now you know who is to blame for leading you astray HAL 9000 | 02/19/08

Cnet/Searchlight BBS jbarbalace0@... | 03/16/08

yeah WaveTechnology | 04/16/08

Color64 trmarasco@... | 04/25/08

Compute's Gazette thisisfutile | 02/22/08

Compute's Gazette jraper@... | 02/22/08

Compute! gazette cholmes@... | 02/27/08

Great Learning Sysytem wagersjm@... | 02/27/08

C64 Word Processor in HEX jdenton@... | 02/27/08

Typos jbarbalace0@... | 03/16/08

Remember GEOS? rmartin@... | 12/18/08

ZX81 kit jdillard@... | 02/27/08

.. ZX81 by kit of bits - my bodge! mfaulks@... | 02/28/08

Marvelous Sinclair machines rockmorey@... | 02/29/08

Dont you mean Clive Sinclair? ben.rattigan | 03/12/08

Great for word processing fredleo@... | 03/20/08

Still have my C128 - works perfectly! canopic@... | 03/03/08

One of the best projects dave@... | 06/16/09

Same thing for me! RockyMtnMan | 04/04/08

38911 Basic Bytes free thisisfutile | 02/22/08

I wrote one of those too! HavaCigar | 02/27/08

Poke out that BASIC techr@... | 03/10/08

Remember SYS64738? Locrian_Lyric | 02/22/08

That and SYS64760 kingttx | 02/22/08

For C128 fans... dave@... | 03/01/08

Aaah yes, PEEK & POKE busby.kym.n@... | 03/05/08

Don't forget corey.parsons@... | 03/26/08

Does it still Work.. mackjohn@... | 02/23/08

Oh, yes, the mystical power supply wenton@... | 02/27/08

Oh, yes, the mystical power supply pdanes2@... | 04/10/08

Fair enough wenton@... | 04/11/08

The reason why it is like this is because HAL 9000 | 04/12/08

Programs over cable TV Steve_Barq | 02/25/08

Commodore 64 - Not Just Amazing, but fun !!! Joseph.Koskovics@... | 02/27/08

Sorry, I was an ATARI acolyte HavaCigar | 02/27/08

C-64 : It did it all! mjallyn | 02/27/08

C64 nothing realy compares peter@... | 03/02/08

Rock Solid C64 bsheroh@... | 03/20/08

Take a look at the TI-99/4A iclarius@... | 02/27/08

I Loved My TI-99-4a Computer! fields.dc@... | 02/27/08

Think I still have my TI-99-4a! mgillard@... | 02/28/08

I have 4 TI 99/4A iclarius@... | 02/28/08

Programming the TI-99/4A j3hess@... | 03/20/08

I actually did.... dave@... | 06/16/09

Does anyone remember QuantumLink? steve.siedentop@... | 02/27/08

PeopleLink dcolbert@... | 02/27/08

What I know.. dave@... | 06/16/09

I Remember QuantumLink jmajette@... | 02/27/08

Quantum Link gcmeador@... | 02/27/08

SYSHELPTJ here turkytom@... | 02/28/08

LOL! dcolbert@... | 04/17/08

q-link grnsking@... | 03/14/08

Tandy Micro 10 > Vic-20 > C64 teenage years so much fun, james.george@... | 02/27/08

Great days indeed! dallas_nyberg@... | 02/27/08

ATA ATDT *70,444,9982 dcolbert@... | 04/17/08

Servers in Those Days? firesmile_01@... | 03/06/08

BBS Server trmarasco@... | 04/25/08

Good old Q-Link Rita.Heggelund@... | 03/04/08

Software Automatic Mouth (SAM) stevewauk | 02/27/08

Yeah, SAM was awesome! jamupz@... | 03/21/08

Commodore SX64 gcmeador@... | 02/27/08

SX 64 UrasysDhragon | 02/28/08

I loved GEOS! Alendaran | 03/04/08

never got it jamupz@... | 03/21/08

Ahh Digital Research T313C0mun1s7 | 03/23/08

WHAT!? mayn17@... | 03/12/08

I Do Remember....I Really Wanted One! jmajette@... | 02/28/08

It was my first 64 techr@... | 03/10/08

oh yes - memory lane gtaeyman@... | 02/28/08

C-64 patrick@... | 03/13/08

Three C -64s and one 128 D jagdish.devarajan@... | 03/13/08

C128 then 64 jamupz@... | 03/21/08

cool site!! jamupz@... | 03/21/08

I love it! snagswolf@... | 03/26/08

Still Love My Commodore 64 utah11 | 04/20/08

C64 Company Owner Jack Trammiel and Holocaust utah11 | 04/20/08

nobody C16? ludedude25@... | 04/29/08

That was my first... sort of.... dave@... | 06/16/09

I never got this advanced HAL 9000 | 02/14/08

There's better than Com 64? Unemployed IT Guy | 02/15/08

Geeeeez! jinxsm@... | 02/22/08

Re: Okimate 20 STDog | 02/27/08

Wow techr@... | 03/10/08

Sure there is... Wesley Jolly | 02/27/08

For the nostalgic techrep@... | 02/27/08

Emulators wenton@... | 02/27/08

More on emulators techrep@... | 02/28/08

Ahhhh Yessss .... VAX firesmile_01@... | 03/06/08

Network with C64 terminals smohai@... | 02/18/08

Of course! wenton@... | 02/27/08

Hardware? firesmile_01@... | 03/06/08

C64 networking wenton@... | 04/11/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) jlarios@... | 02/18/08

First the VIC20 then the C64 for me - drew.mcbee@... | 02/19/08

Vic 20 with 64K memory module Tin Man | 02/20/08

I thought the VIC could only address 32K of extra RAM? tronman@... | 02/22/08

Well I can only speak for the one I bought for the Kids HAL 9000 | 02/23/08

RAM Expansion trmarasco@... | 04/25/08

Remember geoworks? a-tcald@... | 02/27/08

VIC20 all the way to 128 Gboss@... | 02/22/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) dddavids@... | 02/19/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) sandy@... | 02/19/08

memories!! kingttx | 02/22/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) tvstimson | 02/19/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) ripbird@... | 02/20/08

PLA chip kenmo | 02/22/08

Yup... dave@... | 06/16/09

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) mdlgraphics@... | 02/20/08

More compilers... tnahas@... | 02/22/08

Abacus software wenton@... | 02/27/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) vivdangwal@... | 02/21/08

Do you remember the Peek & Poke Commands for the 64? OH Smeg | 02/21/08

Oh, wow - peek n poke drew.mcbee@... | 02/22/08

Re: Oh, wow - peek n poke bconway@... | 02/22/08

Machine language routines fwalls@... | 02/28/08

Poked me into action... thisisfutile | 02/22/08

RE: Poked me into action... jasondlnd | 02/22/08

53280, 53281 wenton@... | 02/27/08

Remember the colors? techrepublic@... | 03/02/08

Peek-n-Poke cholmes@... | 02/27/08

54104,36 pasty | 02/27/08

That is so cool Wesley Jolly | 02/27/08

Now that you mention the insect.... vivdangwal@... | 02/27/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) dsjjfg@... | 02/21/08

Please elaborate Mark W. Kaelin

| 02/22/08

Limiting Damage dsjjfg@... | 02/24/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) crhend@... | 02/22/08

RE: VCO Glyn F | 02/22/08

Re Re: VCO kenmo | 02/22/08

Anyone remember the Pet? the SuperPet? curtf | 02/22/08

WOW! a PET strumbo@... | 02/22/08

Even earlier PET kingttx | 02/22/08

I still have a (sort of) working SX 64 and a PET dkoudys@... | 02/27/08

Shortcut Load "$",8,1 - L + Shift+O pasty | 02/27/08

shortcut YES curtf | 02/28/08

never knew jamupz@... | 03/21/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) mikejkemp@... | 02/22/08

Video CPU gaetan.lavoie@... | 02/27/08

Video CPU... not dave@... | 03/01/08

It was a processing unit techr@... | 03/10/08

Obscured Chip = VIC-II 6567 video chip mongo_xbl | 02/22/08

Other flavours of the VIC-II chip eseijas@... | 02/27/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) keathrhymer@... | 02/22/08

Its a microprocessor (or CPU, or microcontroller) !!!! 3_jeeps | 02/22/08

Contributors welcome Mark W. Kaelin

| 02/22/08

$$$$ 3_jeeps | 02/22/08

If you're interested... dave@... | 03/01/08

lol its a DATE CODE!! 3_jeeps | 02/22/08

SN74LS629N is a Voltage-Controlled Oscillator 3_jeeps | 02/22/08

Not a motorola chip... kenmo | 02/23/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) hstufforu@... | 02/22/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) jmajette@... | 02/22/08

Song writing jinxsm@... | 02/24/08

Music on the C64 dcpacker | 02/27/08

EA Music Program for C64 jmajette@... | 02/27/08

RE:EA Music Program for C64 dadams909@... | 03/01/08

Ah yes, Music Construction Set... msalomon | 03/20/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) cray1@... | 02/22/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) kenmo | 02/23/08

Good for the Experience Zenith545 | 02/23/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) Up the Ante | 02/24/08

In a Steve Jobs World kevinm@... | 02/25/08

Thanks for the typical uninformed MS bashing post HavaCigar | 02/27/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) kevinm@... | 02/25/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) dbader@... | 02/27/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) kassi59@... | 02/27/08

and then came the Amiga ! onlyvideo@... | 02/27/08

20 MB HDD For C64 cmclean@... | 02/27/08

I still love my Commie The Admiral | 02/27/08

64hdd jamupz@... | 03/21/08

The C64... Abides dave@... | 06/16/09

The Amiga, an incredible machine eseijas@... | 02/27/08

AMIGA! joannecalhoun@... | 12/18/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) glenn@... | 02/27/08

Wow I feel old ... scottmc101@... | 02/27/08

You think you feel old... royp@... | 02/27/08

Another young user stevewauk | 02/27/08

After commodore jbarbalace0@... | 03/21/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) DaemonSlayer | 02/27/08

Vic 20. where it all began. jay@... | 02/27/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) cmoore@... | 02/27/08

Anyone know how to repair? jeslurkin | 03/11/08

arcadecomponents.com jamupz@... | 03/21/08

Had A C128 gary.hicks1@... | 02/27/08

Sorry - I beat you all! niklaw@... | 02/28/08

The 8-bit World... dave@... | 03/01/08

8BitsEtc niklaw@... | 03/04/08

Yes C64 was a contender in the office at the time stevewauk | 05/20/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) mb85@... | 02/27/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) john.foster@... | 02/27/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) wolgastd@... | 02/27/08

A sentimental favorite... eramos@... | 02/27/08

Motherboard. anguscaren@... | 02/27/08

Sprite graphics anguscaren@... | 02/27/08

Amiga IS NOT a Pc pehks@... | 02/28/08

Amiga jbarbalace0@... | 03/21/08

The difference... dave@... | 06/16/09

SID Chip! yurki3@... | 02/27/08

No hard drive BALTHOR | 02/27/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) a1tours@... | 02/27/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) fastleo@... | 02/27/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) bouncy64@... | 02/27/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) jcole74486@... | 02/27/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) ebmzzz@... | 02/27/08

Robotics? stevewauk | 02/27/08

Robotics, indeed dave@... | 03/01/08

Forth! msalomon | 03/20/08

Forth- Bought it never used it Tin Man | 03/21/08

Never really did anything but... msalomon | 03/26/08

Forth underestimated! t.rohner@... | 04/10/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) gzsrulz@... | 02/27/08

Don't hold your breath dave@... | 03/01/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) EJB64 | 02/27/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) pehks@... | 02/28/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) joday | 02/28/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) aj.fardella@... | 02/28/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) billiam@... | 02/28/08

re re re re rehiya billiam@... | 02/28/08

BBC Micro was my first! agulesin@... | 02/29/08

Acorn tried to sell to schools in the U.S. mdwychoff@... | 02/29/08

what was the standard? agulesin@... | 04/01/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) spap@... | 03/04/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) boughskid@... | 03/04/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) s.j.adamson@... | 03/05/08

ZX Spectrum ben.rattigan | 03/12/08

My first was an Atari 1200XL... Narg | 03/14/08

My Grandfather Made the C=64.... dave.kellow@... | 03/31/08

Nice story, but fiction, no? asafisk@... | 04/04/08

Speaking of Mr. Peddle dave@... | 04/30/08

I think what you meant to say... dave@... | 04/30/08

C64, Precious Memories, My First Love gmidoherty@... | 04/07/08

Cracking the Warez - by Silicon Pirate misc@... | 04/12/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) tonymanchi@... | 04/22/08

RE: Simple design (Cracking open the Commodore 64) williaa6@... | 06/16/09

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