MOS Technology VIC
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The VIC (Video Interface Chip), specifically known as the MOS Technology 6560 (NTSC version) / 6561 (PAL version), is the integrated circuit chip responsible for generating video graphics and sound in the Commodore VIC-20 home computer. It was originally designed for applications such as low cost CRT terminals, biomedical monitors, control system displays and arcade or home video game consoles.
Its features include:
- 16 KB address space for screen, character and color memory (only 5 KB points to RAM on the VIC-20 without a hardware modification)
- 16 colors (the upper 8 can only be used in the global background and auxilary colors)
- two selectable character sizes (8×8 or 8×16 bits; the pixel width is 1 bit for "hires" characters and 2 bits for "multicolor" characters)
- maximum video resolution depends on the television system (176 × 184 is the standard for the VIC-20 firmware, although at least 224 × 256 is possible on the PAL machine)
- sound system (4 channels (3 square wave + "white" noise) + global volume setting)
- on-chip DMA
- two 8-bit A/D converters
- light pen support
The VIC was programmed by manipulating its 16 control registers, memory mapped to the range $9000–$900F in the VIC-20 address space. The on-chip A/D converters were used for dual paddle position readings by the VIC-20, which also used the VIC's lightpen facility. The VIC preceded the much more advanced VIC-II, used by the VIC-20's successors, the C64 and C128.
VIC IC list
- MOS Technology 6560 NTSC
- MOS Technology 6561E PAL Ceramic version, used in early VIC-20's
- MOS Technology 6561-101 PAL
External links
- VIC Chip info from Rick Melick's VIC-20 Tribute Page (http://www.geocities.com/rmelick/6561.txt)
- More info, incl register usage (http://www.geocities.com/rmelick/6561d.txt)
| List of 65xx(x)-based products from MOS Technology and the Western Design Center |
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Single board computers (kits), and microprocessors: MOS/CBM KIM-1 |
6501 |
6502 |
65C02 |
6507 |
6508 |
6509 |
6510/7501/8500-01 |
8502 |
65802 |
65816 Support chips: 6520 PIA | 6522 VIA | 6526 CIA | 6529 SPIA | 6530 RRIOT | 6532 RIOT | 6551 ACIA | 6560 VIC | 6567 VIC-II | 6581 SID | 6845 | 7360 TED | 8563 VDC |