Commodore Max

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Commodore Max

The Commodore MAX , also known as the Max Machine in Japan, Ultimax in the USA and VC10 in Germany, was a computer designed and sold by Commodore International in Japan. In 1982 it was a predecessor of the better known C64 .

In contrast to the C64, the Max was only equipped with a membrane keyboard as well as 2 kB RAM (2048 × 8 bit) and 0.5 kB color memory, which is reduced compared to the Commodore VC 20 , whereby the information on the RAM itself is contradictory within the individual sources. It only delivered an RF-modulated television signal, but had a separate audio output. Neither the serial CBM bus was available and with it the possibility of connecting floppy drives and other peripherals , nor the user port known from other Commodore computers . Only a datasette was intended as an external storage medium.

In addition, the Commodore Max did not have its own ROM. Accordingly, not only could software be integrated solely via plug-in modules, but the BASIC programming language , for example , which is permanently integrated in the ROM in the VC 20 and C64 , was also offered exclusively as a plug-in module: The MAX BASIC module was equipped with its own 2 kB RAM, reported with 2047 free bytes and supported LOAD and SAVE commands. In contrast, MINI BASIC even left a mere 510 bytes for its use without datasette support.

At the same time, chipset and CPU largely corresponded to those of the C64 :

Processor: MOS Technology 6510 with 1.02 MHz
Graphics: MOS Technology VIC II , but in an exclusive NTSC-M variant: 6566
Sound: MOS Technology SID 6581
Input / output: MOS Technology CIA 6526, corresponded to the CIA 2 in the C64

In addition, it is a special feature that the C64 was kept compatible with Max plug-in modules. Overall, the C64 and C128 are capable of emulating a Commodore Max by switching the memory allocation, the so-called 'Ultimax mode' .

The calculator was to be sold for 489 DM or 200 US dollars. And while it had better graphics and sound capabilities than the VC 20 , which was available for roughly the same price , the latter was more expandable, had much more software and a better keyboard. Therefore, the Max sold unsatisfactorily and production was quickly discontinued.

Although the C64 manual mentions the Max by name and indicates that Commodore intended to sell it internationally, it is unclear whether it was ever sold outside of Japan at all. In Germany it was already advertised in magazines as " Commodore VC 10 : The small one with the big performance" and announced, including the order number, as "expected to be available from October 1982". Ultimately, however, the device was never sold in Germany. Today it is considered a rarity.

Games

Explicitly for the MAX , but also executable on the C64, the following titles have been published:

Avengers
Billiards
bowling
Clowns
Gorf
Jupiter Lander
Kickman
Min Basic I (cannot run on the C64)
Max Basic (cannot run on the C64)
Mole Attack
Money Wars
Music Composer
Omega Race
Radar Rat Race
Road race
slalom
Super alien
Wizard of Wor

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b ^c The odd one out ... the MAX Machine. In: MOS 6502. A Commodore's Geeks Blog. January 22, 2011, accessed on May 5, 2019 (Note the discrepancy between the information on the storage capacity in the text with "6 kB" compared to the labeling of U6 ('M58725P' = 2048 × 8 bit) and U11 ('TMM314APL- 3 '= 1024 × 4 bit) on the photograph of the circuit board in the same article.).
↑ ^a ^b ^c Bo Zimmerman: The UltiMax machine (aka VIC-10). In: zimmers.net. August 18, 2009, accessed on May 5, 2019 (the information: (i) of "4 kB" in the article, (ii) of "2.5 kB" in the scan of an original ad from 1982 (internal link) and (iii) those that result from the internally linked circuit diagram with U6 ('6116' = 2048 × 8 bits) and U7 ('2114' = 1014 × 4 bits): again 2.5 kB.).
↑ ^a ^b Max Machine. In: C64-Wiki. December 13, 2018, accessed on May 5, 2019 (In the article, the available RAM is specified as "2 kB".).
↑ commodore MAX machine. Reversed engineerd by Donato Travaglini. (JPG; 964 kB) In: zimmers.net. July 2005, accessed on May 5, 2019 (A reconstructed circuit diagram.).
↑ ^a ^b The "newcomers" from commodore. Photocopy of an advertisement. In: commodore (on zimmers.net). 1982, accessed May 5, 2019 .

Web links

Commons : Commodore MAX Machine - Collection of images, videos and audio files

[:0-1] The odd one out ... the MAX Machine. In: MOS 6502. A Commodore's Geeks Blog. January 22, 2011, accessed on May 5, 2019 (Note the discrepancy between the information on the storage capacity in the text with "6 kB" compared to the labeling of U6 ('M58725P' = 2048 × 8 bit) and U11 ('TMM314APL- 3 '= 1024 × 4 bit) on the photograph of the circuit board in the same article.).

[:1-2] Bo Zimmerman: The UltiMax machine (aka VIC-10). In: zimmers.net. August 18, 2009, accessed on May 5, 2019 (the information: (i) of "4 kB" in the article, (ii) of "2.5 kB" in the scan of an original ad from 1982 (internal link) and (iii) those that result from the internally linked circuit diagram with U6 ('6116' = 2048 × 8 bits) and U7 ('2114' = 1014 × 4 bits): again 2.5 kB.).

[:2-3] Max Machine. In: C64-Wiki. December 13, 2018, accessed on May 5, 2019 (In the article, the available RAM is specified as "2 kB".).

[4] commodore MAX machine. Reversed engineerd by Donato Travaglini. (JPG; 964 kB) In: zimmers.net. July 2005, accessed on May 5, 2019 (A reconstructed circuit diagram.).

[:3-5] The "newcomers" from commodore. Photocopy of an advertisement. In: commodore (on zimmers.net). 1982, accessed May 5, 2019 .