Commodore VIC-20

E528506

The Commodore VIC-20 is an early 1980s home computer known for being one of the first affordable, mass-market color computers and a major commercial success for Commodore.

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Statements (69)

Predicate Object
instanceOf 8-bit computer
home computer
alsoKnownAs Commodore VC-20 NERFINISHED
VC-20 NERFINISHED
VIC 20 NERFINISHED
VIC-20 NERFINISHED
busArchitecture proprietary expansion bus
characterSet PETSCII NERFINISHED
colorPaletteSize 16 colors
company Commodore NERFINISHED
companyFounderAssociated Jack Tramiel NERFINISHED
countryOfOrigin United States of America
surface form: United States
cpu MOS 6502 NERFINISHED
MOS Technology 6502 NERFINISHED
cpuClockSpeedMHz 1
designedFor connection to a standard television set
developer Commodore International NERFINISHED
era early 1980s
formFactor all-in-one keyboard computer
graphicsChip MOS Technology VIC NERFINISHED
graphicsResolution 176×184 pixels
hasCartridgeBasedRAMExpansion yes
hasCartridgeSlot yes
hasExpansionPort yes
hasJoystickPorts yes
introductoryPriceUSD 299
keyboardLayout 61-key keyboard
keyboardType full-stroke keyboard
manufacturer Commodore Business Machines NERFINISHED
marketingSlogan The Friendly Computer
marketSegment home computer market
notableFor first affordable mass-market color computer
first computer to sell over one million units
operatingSystem Commodore BASIC in ROM
powerSupply external power brick
predecessor Commodore PET NERFINISHED
primaryInputDevice keyboard
primaryLanguage Commodore BASIC 2.0 NERFINISHED
primaryOutputDevice monitor
television
programmingLanguageSupport BASIC
assembly language
ram 5 KB
releaseDate 1980
1981
rom 20 KB
soundChip MOS Technology VIC NERFINISHED
storage 5.25-inch floppy disk
compact cassette
storageDevice Commodore 1530 Datasette NERFINISHED
Commodore 1540 disk drive NERFINISHED
successor Commodore 64 NERFINISHED
supportsGameCartridges yes
supportsSoundVoices 3-voice sound (via VIC chip)
targetAudience hobbyists
home users
video game players
textResolution 22×23 characters
22×24 characters
typicalRAMExpansionSizes 16 KB
3 KB
32 KB
8 KB
unitsSold over 1 million
over 2 million
userAccessibleRAM 3.5 KB
videoOutput RF modulator
composite video (via adapter on some models)
wordSize 8-bit

Referenced by (4)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Commodore International notableProduct Commodore VIC-20
Commodore notableProduct Commodore VIC-20
subject surface form: Commodore International
Commodore 64 predecessor Commodore VIC-20
MOS Technology 6502 usedIn Commodore VIC-20