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Commodore Trivia 06
Here are the answers to Commodore Trivia Edition #6 for May, 1994.
Q $050) The Commodore 1551 Disk Drive is a parallel device. How did it
connect to the Commodore Plus/4 and C16?
A $050) The Commodore 1551 connected via the expansion port. Therefore, it
was a parallel device, and could work at much faster speeds.
Q $051) How many could you attach?
A $051) Two, The second drive cable attached to the back of the first cable.
Q $052) What were the addresses they used? (Not device numbers)
A $052) The two drives were mapped into the Address space at $fec0 and $fef0
of the Plus/4 or C-16. The 6523 Triple Interface Adaptor chip is
mapped in at these locations and has 8 registers each.
Q $053) What is the maximum number of sound octaves the VIC-20 sound generator
can reach?
A $053) This has two equally valid answers. On the Vic-20, each sound
generator has a range of 3 octaves. However, all the sound generators
together can range 5 octaves, since each sound generator is staggered
one octave apart.
Q $054) Who wrote the reference guide that was distributed with almost every
PET computer sold?
A $054) The infamous Adam Osborne, of Osborne I fame.
Q $055) The box that the C64 comes in has some propaganda on the side
describing the unit. In the specifications section, it claims how
many sprites can be on screen at one time?
A $055) I neglected to note that the Commodore 64 packing box has underwent
many changes. However, for quite a while, CBM used a blue box with
many views of the 64, and a specification list on on side of the box.
On that spec list, it claims that the the 64 can have "256
independently controlled objects, 8 on one line." Why is this
important? It gives us a clue that the VIC-II designers figured people
would and could use the interrrupts on the VIC-II to change sprite
pointers.
Q $056) The Commodore Plus/4 computer contained the first integrated software
package to be placed in a personal computer. What was the name of the
software package?
A $056) The package was called "3+1".
Q $057) What popular computer software did the software package parody?
A $057) Lotus 1-2-3.
Q $058) One familiar Commodore portable computer was called the SX-64.
What did SX really stand for?
A $058) Depending on whom you believe, the SX stands for two things. If you
choose to believe Jack Tramiel, the SX stands for "sex", since Jack
has been quoted as saying, "Business is like sex, You have to be
involved". This is a plausible answer, as Jack usually picked the
names of the computers. However, if you don't buy that, here is the
marketing version. SX stands for Single Drive Executive, as the
portable 64 was called the Executive 64. There was to have been a DX
model, which would have had two drives. You decide.
Q $059) Who (what person) invented the Sound Interface Device (SID) chip?
A $059) Bob Yannes, who also worked on one of the VIC prototypes, developed
this chip.
Q $05A) The ill-fated UltiMax (later called the MAX Machine) contained a
number of Commodore 64 features. However, it did not share the 64's
feature of 64kB RAM. How much RAM did the MAX have?
A $05A) A whopping 2 kilobytes. If you plugged in the BASIC cartridge,
memory dropped to .5 kilobyte or 512 bytes. No wonder CBM scrapped
this one.
Q $05B) What famous person was featured in U.S. television advertising for
the VIC-20?
A $05B) William Shatner. Yes, Captain James T. Kirk himself did the ads.
He was not, however, in uniform, since CBM did not have rights to
Star Trek of any sort.
Q $05C) What company designed the first VICModem?
A $05C) Anchor Automation. Sometimes called the "Most Inexpensive Modem",
the VICModem was designed to be sold for under $100 when most were
$400 or more. The secret to the cost containment was the ability to
use what we soetimes think of as a disadvantage of the User Port to
the modem's advantage. The TTL level RS-232 signals did not need to
be buffered before driving the modem, and the +5 volt power available
through the User Port just was not available through normal RS-232
lines. Not having the already TTL level signals would have meant
extra components that would have increased case size and cost, and not
having the on-board power would have meant a power connector and power
supply would need to be bundled. Being one of those people who used
the first VICModem, I can tell you it was worth the hassle.
Q $05D) Everyone has seen or heard of BYTE Magazine. Known for technical
articles in the 80's, and coverage of PC products in the 90's, BYTE
was founded by Wayne Green. What Commodore computer magazine did
Wayne Green later publish?
A $05D) RUN Magazine. As of right now, CMD has purchased the rights to RUN.
Q $05E) (Three part question) What are the official names of the colors
used on the VIC-20:
a) case?
b) regular typewriter keys?
c) function keys?
A $05E) a) ivory.
b) chocolate brown.
c) mustard.
Q $05F) Commodore is set up as a ___________ chartered company. Name
the missing country.
A $05F) Bahamas. Doing so gave CBM a great tax break. With the tax rate in
the Bahamas as low as 1%, more money could be kept from the
governments.
End of Commodore Trivia Edition #6!
Jim Brain
brain@mail.msen.com
2306 B Hartland Road
Hartland, MI 48353
(810) 737-7300 x8528
New questions follow....
--
Jim Brain, Embedded Systems Designer, Brain Innovations.
brain@msen.com
Dabbling in VR, Old Commodore Computers, and Good Times!
"The above views DO reflect my employer, since I am my employer" - Jim Brain
