Commodore 64 Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Commodore 64

Type	Home computer
Release date	August 1982 (1982-08)
Introductory price	US$ 595 (1982)
Discontinued	April 1994
Units sold	12.5 – 17 million
Operating system	Commodore KERNAL/ Commodore BASIC 2.0 GEOS (optionally)
CPU	MOS Technology 6510 @ 1.023 MHz (NTSC version) @ 0.985 MHz (PAL version)
Memory	64 kB RAM + 20 kB ROM
Graphics	VIC-II (320 × 200, 16 colors, sprites, raster interrupt)
Sound	SID 6581 (3× Osc, 4× wave, filter, ADSR, ring)
Connectivity	2× CIA 6526 joystick, Power, ROM cartridge, RF, A/V, IEEE-488 floppy-printer, digital tape, GPIO/RS-232
Predecessor	Commodore VIC-20
Successor	Commodore 128

The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, C-64, C=64, or occasionally CBM 64 or VIC-64 in Sweden, is an 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International. It is listed in the Guinness World Records as the highest-selling single computer model of all time, with independent estimates placing the number sold between 10 and 17 million units. Volume production started in early 1982, marketing in August for US$595 (equivalent to $1,804 in 2022).

The C64 dominated the low-end computer market for most of the 1980s. For a substantial period (1983–1986), the C64 had between 30% and 40% share of the US market and two million units sold per year, outselling the IBM PC compatibles, Apple Inc. computers, and the Atari 8-bit family of computers.

Part of the Commodore 64's success was its sale in regular retail stores instead of only electronics and/or computer hobbyist specialty stores. It has been compared to the Ford Model T automobile for its role in bringing a new technology to middle-class households via creative and affordable mass-production.

Approximately 10,000 commercial software titles have been made for the Commodore 64 including development tools, office productivity applications, and video games. The C64 is also credited with popularizing the computer demoscene and is still used today by some computer hobbyists. In 2008, 17 years after it was taken off the market, research showed that brand recognition for the model was still at 87%.

Software
Other articles
Images for kids
See also

Software

In 1982, the C64's graphics and sound capabilities were rivaled only by the Atari 8-bit family, and appeared exceptional when compared with the widely publicized Atari VCS and Apple II. The C64 is often credited with starting the computer subculture known as the demoscene (see Commodore 64 demos).

Images for kids

The Commodore 64 startup screen
Game cartridges for Radar Rat Race and International Soccer
Commodore MAX Machine
Commodore Educator 64
Commodore SX-64
Commodore 64C with 1541-II floppy disk drive and 1084S monitor displaying television-compatible S-Video
Commodore 64 Games System "C64GS"
The Simons' BASIC interpreter start-up screen. Note the altered background and text colors (vs the ordinary C64 blue tones) and the 8 KB reduction of available BASIC-interpreter program memory allocation, due to the address space used by the cartridge.
The two PETSCII character sets of the C64
Sprites on screen in a C64 game
Three case styles were used: C64 (top, 1982), C64C (1986, middle) and C64G (1987, bottom)
An early C64 motherboard (Rev A PAL 1982)
A C64C motherboard ("C64E" Rev B PAL 1992)
Joystick ports, power switch, power inlet
Commodore 64 ports (from left: Joy1, Joy2, Power, ROM cartridge, RF-adj, RF modulator, A/V, Serial 488 bus, Tape, User)
C64 Direct-to-TV
The C64 "Web.it" Internet Computer
THEC64 Mini (top) next to an original C64
Full-size THEC64 in its original box
Commodore 1541 floppy drive
Commodore 1541C floppy drive
Commodore 1541-II floppy drive
Commodore 1530 Datasette
Commodore MPS-802 dot matrix printer
Commodore VIC-Modem
Commodore 1351 mouse
Commodore 1702 video monitor

Commodore 64 facts for kids

Contents

Software

Other articles

Images for kids

See also