Commodore VIC-20 facts for kids

	Quick facts for kids
Type	Home computer
Release date	1980 (VIC-1001) / 1981
Introductory price	US$299.95 ($662.15 in 2021)
Discontinued	January 1985; 36 years ago
Operating system	Commodore KERNAL/; Commodore BASIC 2.0
CPU	MOS Technology 6502 @ 1.108404 MHz (PAL) @ 1.02 MHz (NTSC)
Memory	20 KB ROM + 5 KB RAM (expandable to 32 KB), 3.5 KB for BASIC (expandable to 27.5 KB)
Graphics	VIC 176 x 184 3-bpp
Sound	3 × square, 1 × noise, mono.
Predecessor	Commodore PET
Successor	Commodore 64

The VIC-20 (Germany: VC-20; Japan: VIC-1001) is an 8-bit home computer that was sold by Commodore Business Machines. The VIC-20 was announced in 1980, roughly three years after Commodore's first personal computer, the PET. The VIC-20 was the first computer of any description to sell one million units.

The Commodore VIC-20 was powered by a 6502 CPU, running at 1 MHz. Though the system reportedly had 5KB of RAM, users only had access to about 3.5KB for BASIC programs. It had no internal, permanent, data storage, but could save programs on standard audio tapes and later, on 5.25 inch floppy disks. In early 1985, this computer was discontinued.

Decline

VIC-20 in computer museum

In 1982, the VIC-20 was the best-selling computer of the year, with 800,000 machines sold. One million had been sold by the end of the year and at one point, 9000 units a day were being produced. That summer, Commodore unveiled the Commodore 64, a more advanced machine with 64 KB of RAM and considerably improved sound and graphics capabilities.

Sales were slow at first due to reliability problems and lack of software, but by the middle of 1983, the latter had turned into a flood and VIC-20 sales abruptly plunged. It was quietly discontinued in January 1985.

Images for kids

The Commodore 1530 C2N-B Datasette provided inexpensive external storage for the VIC-20
Software cartridge
VIC-20 Mainboard
The VIC-1001 was the Japanese version of the VIC-20. It featured Japanese-language characters in the ROM and on the front of the keys.
16-color (multicolor) capability
Boy with Commodore Vic 20 (1984)