Commodore VIC-20 User manual

Personal

Computing

the

$5.95

friendly

computer

guide

commodore

COMPUTER

■

__..

Published

COMMODORE

INTERNATIONAL,

LTD.

Computer

Systems

Division

950

Rittenhouse

Road

Norristown.

19403

U.S.A.

1981

Commodore

International

and

Avalanche

Productions.

rights

served.

part

this

publication

may

reproduced,

stored

retrieval

system,

transmitted

any

form

any

means,

electronic,

mechanical,

photocopying,

recording

otherwise

without

the

prior

written

permission

Commodore

International.

■

(

PERSONAL

COMPUTING

THE

friendly

computer

guide

COMMODORE

INTERNATIONAL

AVALANCHE,

INC.

PREFACE

You

are

about

meet

friendly

computer!

Friendly

price,

friendly

size,

friendly

use

and

learn

and

experience.

Most

important

—

you

don't

have

computer

programmer,

even

typist,

use

it!

you're

first

time

computerist,

this

manual

will

provide

excellent

introduction

computing.

Unlike

most

instruction

(

manuals,

you

don't

have

read

through

this

whole

book

get

the

"good

stuff."

After

reading

Chapter

(GETTING

STARTED),

you

can

directly

chapter

that interests

you

and

start

reading.

you're

interested

animation

turn to

Chapter

you

music,

try

Chapter

The

first

page

each

chapter

has

sample

program

start

(

you

off.

Just

type

the

program

exactly

shown

("Try

Typing

This

Program")

and

see

what

happens.

The

rest

the

chapter

explains

what

you

did,

and

shows

you

how

more.

Chapter

summarizes

some

important

programming

concepts,

and

explains

the

techniques

used

the

sample

programs.

(

you're

experienced

programmer, you can

use

the

VIC

any

microcomputer.

Familiarity

with

Commodore

computers

will

help,

since

the

BASIC

and

graphics

are

nearly

identical

those

used

the

PET/CBM.

Advanced

reference

material

and

programming

information

are

included

the

Appendix.

For

sophisticated

programming,

see

the

VIC

PROGRAMMERS

REFERENCE

GUIDE,

available

from

your

Commodore

dealer.

you're

noncomputerist

and

have

interest

programming,

per

se,

you

should

check

out the

VIC's

growing

library

plug-in

cartridges

and

program

tapes.

VIC

cartridges

plug

directly into

the

back

the

console

and

work

automatically.

Programs

are

also

provided

cassette

tapes

for

use

with

the

Commodore

Cassette

Tape

Recorder.

Cartridges

and

tapes

include

exciting

"arcade-type"

games

such

"VIC

INVADERS"

well

as educational

programs

help

you

develop

special

skills,

and

home

utility

programs

help

you

solve

problems and

perform

calculations.

Peripherals

and

accessories

for

the

VIC

include

the

VIC

tape

cassette

recorder,

single

disk

drive,

telephone

modem

and

printer,

name

tew.

(See

Appendix

Computers

are

becoming

increasingly

important

part of

our

everyday

lives

—

our

homes,

school

and

business.

Those

who

become

familiar

with

computers

now

will

have an

important

advantage

the

coming months

and

years.

The

VIC

not

only

introduces

you

the

world

computing,

but

also

gives

you

the

features

and

flexibility

you need

expand

that

world.

Enjoy

your

new

world!

TABLE

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

TITLE

PAGE

PREFACE

UNPACKING

AND

CONNECTING

THE

VLC2Q

One

GETTING

KNOW

YOUR

VIC

•

Getting Started

•

Your

First

Computer

Program

Two

USING

THE

SCREEN

AND

KEYBOARD

•

Your

First

Graphic

Character

(

•

Tour

the

VIC20

Keyboard

•

Printing

theScreen

•

The

VIC20

Calculator

•

Introduction

Color 25

Three

COLOR

AND

GRAPHICS

•

Programming

Color

(

•

The

VIC

Color

Keys

•

Cftanging

Screen

and

Border

Colors

•

Screen

Border

Color

Combinations

(

•

Coloring

the

Screen

•

Screen

Locations

•

Random

Colors

< •

Combining

Sound

and

Color

•

Keyboard

Graphics

•

Graphics

Headlines

and

Titles

(

Four

ANIMATION

•

Flying

Birds

•

Bouncing

Ball

•

Controlling

the

Cursor

Animating

with

POKEs

and

PEEKs

•

Five

SOUND

AND

MUSIC

•

Making

Music

•The

Four

Voices

VIC

•

The

White

Noise

Generator

(

•

Using

the

VIC

Piano

•

Playing

Songs

•

Few

Words

About

Poke

(

Six

CONVERSING

WITH

YOUR

VIC

•What's

Your

Name?

•

Introducing

Variables

{

•

Choose

Note

•The

GET

Statement

Seven

INTRODUCTION

PROGRAMMING

•

Your

First

BASIC

Commands

•

Random

Numbers

103

TITLE

PAGE

APPENDIX

105

(

VIC

System

Accessories

106

Working

With

Tape

Cassettes

109

VIC

BASIC

Vocabulary

113

(

BASIC

Command

Abbreviations

133

Screenand

Border

Color

Combinations

134

Musical

Notes

135

(

Sample

Sound

Effects

136

Screen

DisplayCodes

139

Screen

Memory

Map

143

(

Ascii

and

Character($)

Codes

145

Deriving

Mathematical

Functions

148

Pinouts

for

Input/Output

Devices

150

(

VIC

Programs

Try 153

Error

Messages

160

INDEX

162

(

UNPACKING

AND

CONNECTING

THE

VIC

Welcome

computing!

The

following

sfep-by-step

instructions

show

you

how

unpack

the

VIC,

connect

/our

television

sel

and

make

sure

it's

working

properly.

Let's

begin

taking

quick

look

the

VIC

20:

(

{

KEYBOARD

(used

type

information

and

instructions

into

the

computer)

POWER

LIGHT

(glows

when

your

VIC

turned

on)

POWER

CORD

SOCKET

(Attach

power

supply

here)

GAME

PORT

(For

joystick

and

other

game

control

devices)

ON/OFF

SWITCH

EXPANSION

PORT

(VIC

Program

cartridges

plug

here)

USER

PORT

(For

special

accessories)

VIDEO

PORT

(For

connection

set

monitor)

SERIAL

PORT

(For

special

accessories

printer,

disk

drive,

etc.)

CASSETTE

PORT

(Tape

cassette

goes

here)

Check

the

contents

your

VIC

container.

You

should

find

the

following

items;

—

VIC

Personal

Computer

—

Power

Supply

(large

box

with

cords

coming

out

it}

—

Modulator

(small

metal

box)

and

short

cable*

—

Video

Cable

You

will

need

electrical

outlets

(sockets)

—

one

for

the

VfC

and

one

for

your

television

set.

Position

the

VfC

and

Television

set

so you

can

use

the

keyboard

comfortably

while

viewing

the

television

screen...ideally,

tablelop

desk.

Find

the

ON/OFF

switch

the

rrght

hand

side

the

VIC.

Make

sure

ifs

the

"OFF"

position.

There

are

two

cords

coming

out

the

power

supply

box.

Plug

the

power

supply cord

into

electrical

outlet

and

plug

the

other

cord

into

the

power

cord

socket

the

side

the VIC.

NOTE:

The

power

supply

remains

"on"

while

plugged

you

should

unplug

when

not

use.

Connect

the

video cable

the

back

the

VIC and

the

Modulator

box,

shown.

Make

sure

connect

the

video

port

and

not

the

6-pin

serial

port,

which

it.

Connect

the

Modulator

your

television

set.

For

this

you'll

need

screwdriver.

The

short

connector

cord

runs

from

the

Modulator

box

the

VHF

Antenna

leads

the

back

your

television.

Simply

connect

the

two

wires

the

VHF

leads

and

tighten

the

screws

firmly."

Turn

the

set.

VIDEO

PORT

MODULATOR

VIDEO

PLUG

CONNECT

WJRE

LEADS

ANTENNA

LEADS

you

SET

VIDEO

CABLE

PEAR

VIEW

SET

MODULATOR

Note:

Some

VICs

are

provided

wilti

"switchbox"

which

aitachea

beiween

ihe

modulator

and

sei

The

switcJibox

contains

swiicn

with

skiing*

Ipi

"computer"

end

"TV

and

should

set

"computer"

when

usmg

Ihe

ViC.

TROUBLESHOOTING

CHART

SYMPTOM

CAUSE

REMEDY

PICTURE

VIC

not

(POWER

LIGHT

OFF)

Make

sure

power

switch

Mon"

position

VIC

not

plugged

Check

power

socket

power

switch

Power

supply

not

plugged

Check

connection

with

wall

outlet

Bad

fuse

VIC

Take

VIC

your

Authorized

Commodore

Service

Center

for

replacement

fuse*

PICTURE

(POWER

LIGHT

ON)

(Try

turning

VIC

off

far

few

secondsh

then

back

on)

wrong

channel

Check

Channel

for

picture

Incorrect

hookup

VIC

hooks

"VHF"

terminals

Modulator

not

plugged

Check

connection

5-pin

Video

Port

Modulator

wrong

channel

Flip

switch

Modulator

Video

cable

not

connected

Check

connection

modulator

PICTURE

WITHOUT

COLOR

|THY

MODULATOR

CHANNEL

Poorly

tuned

RetuneTV

PICTURE

WITH

Bad

color

adjustment on

Adjust

color/hue/

POOR

COLOR

(see

"picture

without

brightness

controls

color")

PICTURE

WITH

volume

too

high

EXCESS

(see

"picture

without

BACKGROUND

NOJSE

color")

Adjust

volume

PICTURE

OK,

BUT

SOUND

volume

too

low

Adjust

volume

'The

VIC

uses

amp

SLO-BLO

fuse.

VII

10.

12.

Turn

the

VIC

(the

red

power

light

the

top

the

computer

should

come

on).

the

power

light

does

nol.

consult

the

accompanying

troubleshooting

chart.

There

switch

the

Modulator

for

selecting

either

Channel

Choose

the

channel

with

the

weaker

reception

your

area+

and

set

both

the

and

the

Modulator

lhat

channel.

The

fine

tuning

your

television

may

need

some

adjustment.

Here

what

you

should see

the

screen

—

sometimes

takes

second

two

activate.

you

don't

get

the

following

display

your

screen,

turn

the

computer

off,

wait

few

seconds

and

turn

again.

Adjusting

the

color

and

tint/hue

depends

the

color

controls

provided

your

television

set

—

naturally,

sets

with

better

controls

yield

better

color.

Some

sets

show

some

colors

better

than

others.

you

have

trouble

with

any

these

steps,

consult

the

accompanying

troubleshooting

chart.

NOW...you

are

ready

to start

using

the

VIC.

NOTE:

You

can use

monitor

instead

television

set

—

which

case

you

can

directly

from

the

VIC

the

monitor

cable,

without

the

Modulator.

ALL

ELSE

FAILS-CALL

THE

TOLL-FREE

COMMODORE

TECHNICAL

HOTLINE...

1-800-523-5622

VIII

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