Tag: Commodore PET
As the precursor to the both the VIC-20 and C64, the Commodore PET (Personal Electronic Transactor) was launched in 1977, and was one of the first truly personal computers aimed at the home market, as well as making inroads into business and education sectors. And now, thanks to it’s on-going mission to archive and preserve the history of humankind in…
This video from iz8dwf shows part of the electronic troubleshooting and repair of a 1979 Commodore PET 3032, serial n. 1320067. Various defects found after all these years: defective ROMs, defective PIA 6520 and a defective MC3446 IEEE488 driver (found because it was running too hot). Two DRAM chips failed after about 2 hours of use. Some marginal IC sockets replaced…
Space Chase has finally left the beta status and released to the public. It is the only game for the CBM II series of computers (CBM B500, B128, B256, 610, 620, 710, 720) that, according to the developer, is fully programmed in Assembler, uses the full PETSCII resolution of 160 x 50 and even uses the SID sound chip in…
Eric Schlaepfer has created and built a huge 6502 microprocessor, The Monster 6502 using discrete components. The oversized “chip” measures 12×15 inches and show through LEDs how the iconic 6502 works to process all the data you see in your Apple II, Commodore 64, Atari and many other microcomputers and game consoles we love. It took a little more than…
Based on an original game by Jim Summers on the Commodore PET, Mr. NOP has released SLIME for the Commodore 64. “Battle the growing slime before it takes over the screen, shoot the membranes and eradicate the slime. As the slime grows, cells begin to grow inside the membranes which then chase after you. Complete the level to advance to…
Bill Loguidice has published in his blog, Armchair Arcade a very detailed article telling his experience on upgrading his PET-2001 with PET microSD with datasette power and Commodore PET 2001 ROM/RAM upgrade board. The two products are from Tinymouth Software, and the first article shows his work on replacing the CPU with the small ROM/RAM upgrade board. Not everything was…
Blake Patterson from Byte Cellar had recently his collection featured on PC Magazine website, and today he wrote a new article on his weblog (even calling it weblog is vintage, right?). The article is mostly about his story with computers, and his experience at school, etc… If you are around 40 years old you can probably related a lot to…
Blake Patterson wrote in his blog “Byte Cellar” about his visit to the “Places of Invention” Exhibit at the National Museum of American History, in Washington D.C. The exhibit is not only about vintage computing, but there is an important part of it dedicated to the rise of the personal computer. Besides the article that I recommend you to read,…