Computer collection

Commodore

Commodore PET, C64, 600-series, 264-series and Amiga computers from the collection.

Commodore produced machines for business, education, home computing and games. This pilot preserves the computers recorded in the original museum, with the longer entries separated into their own pages and the shorter notes retained below.

Detailed entries

1977 and 1979

PET

Commodore PET computer with integral display and keyboard
Commodore PET
Released
2001 series: 1977; 3008 series: 1979
CPU
6502 at 1 MHz
RAM
8K, expandable to 32K
ROM
20K — Microsoft BASIC and “TIM” monitor
Display
40×25 black-and-white text
Monitor
Integral 9-inch display; 12-inch on the 8000 series
Storage
Cassette tape and 5.25-inch floppy disk
Interfaces
Parallel and IEEE-488 peripheral bus

The PET family combined the computer, keyboard, display and—in the earliest model—cassette storage in one substantial case.

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1982

C64

Commodore 64 computer
Commodore 64
Released
1982
CPU
6510 at 0.9 MHz
RAM
64K
ROM
24K
Text
40×25, 16 colours
Graphics
320×200 in 2 colours or 160×200 in 4 colours, with hardware sprites
Sound
Three-channel SID
Storage
Cassette tape and 5.25-inch floppy disk

A hugely popular home computer with excellent software support, distinctive graphics and SID sound.

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1986

Amiga A500

Commodore Amiga A500 computer
Amiga A500
Released
1986
CPU
68000 at 7.44 MHz
RAM
512K
ROM
512K
Text
80×25
Graphics
Up to 640×512; palette of 4,096 colours
Sound
Four-channel stereo
Storage
Integral 3.5-inch floppy disk

A powerful and popular home computer whose graphics and sound gave many games an arcade-like quality.

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Short entries

1983

610/620

Commodore 610 or 620 computer
Commodore 610/620
Released
1983
CPU
6509 at 2 MHz
RAM
128K (610) or 256K (620)
ROM
24K
Display
80×25 text, 16 colours
Sound
Three-channel SID
Storage
Tape and floppy disk
Interfaces
IEEE-488 peripheral bus

A cross between the PET and the C64, these machines were not very successful and were not sold for long.

1984

Plus/4

Commodore Plus/4 computer
Commodore Plus/4
Released
1984
CPU
7501 at 1.75 MHz
RAM
64K
ROM
32K
Text
40×25, 16 colours
Graphics
320×200 in 2 colours or 160×200 in 4 colours; 121-colour palette
Sound
Two channels
Storage
Tape

Although not a popular machine, the Plus/4 was in some ways more powerful than the C64, with BASIC 3.5 and a larger colour palette. Most buyers still chose the C64 because of its established software base.

1984

C16

Commodore C16 computer
Commodore C16
Released
1984
CPU
7501 at 1.75 MHz
RAM
16K
ROM
32K
Text
40×25, 16 colours
Graphics
320×200 in 2 colours or 160×200 in 4 colours; 121-colour palette
Sound
Two channels
Storage
Tape

The C16 shared much of the Plus/4 architecture, including BASIC 3.5 and its expanded colour palette, but provided 16K of RAM.

1992

Amiga A600

Commodore Amiga A600 computer
Amiga A600
Released
1992
CPU
68000 at 7.44 MHz
RAM
512K
ROM
512K
Text
80×25
Graphics
Up to 640×512; palette of 4,096 colours
Sound
Four-channel stereo
Storage
Integral 3.5-inch floppy disk

A smaller, lower-cost development of the A500.