Commodore 128 -128D

Commodore 128The Commodore 128 was one of the many replacements for the Commodore 64. It’s new Basic(7.0) had advanced Commands like Paint, Sound, Graphic, and a built in 80-Coloumn Mode support for both CP/M and 128 Mode. The C128 has 3 Modes of operation C64, C128 and CP/M Mode. The Commodore 128 like the Commodore 64 was used mainly for Business, gaming, interfacing and programming. But Commodore main target with it’s CP/M mode was for business purposes to beat IBM Compatible Computers.

The C64 Mode is exactly like the Commodore 64 with it’s Basic V2.0 and 64K of Ram. There is even a trick to get the C64 mode to run as fast as in 128 Mode. The C128 Mode features are great, with its 128K of Ram expandable to 512K, 40 or 80 Column mode and a numeric keypad. The CP/M mode uses the Z80 processor and a 1571 Disk Drive in 40 or 80 Column. The 1571 Disk Drive was capable to read both GCR and MFM format, while the 1541 was only limited to GCR.
C128 – C128D
1985 C128 $399 (USA)
C128D $699 (USA)
Boxed: DA4270603
1985
8502 8 BIT (Compatible with 6502) running at a frequency of 1.02MHz for NTSC users, and 0.985 MHz for Pal users in 40 Column mode. 2.02 Mhz for NTSC users and 1.985 Mhz for Pal users in 80 column mode.
48 Kbytes Rom with 16-Kbyte additional Rom in 80 Column mode. 128 Kbytes Ram in C128 or CP/M Mode and with 16 or 64 Kbytes additional Ram in 80 Column mode for Video display. Note that in 64 Mode only 64 Kbytes of Ram is available.
Light Beige Slim Case, later used the same style in the Amiga 500 with ergonomic Keyboard. 92 Keys non standard QWERTY Keyboard Layout. All the Standard Commodore 64 Keys with an additional 13-key numeric Keypad and 16 gray keys positioned on the top of the keyboard which 14 are used in C128 and CP/M Mode only.
40 Column mode 40 x 25 text resolution using all 16 Colours. 320 x 200 Graphics Resolution using 2 Colors per 8 x 8 block in Standard Mode and 4 Colours per 8 x 8 block in Multi-colour. Max of 8 Sprite on screen with Collision Control and hardware scrolling. Sprite Size 24 x 21 Pixels with 1 Colour in standard form or 3 Colours in Multi-Colour Mode. 80 Column Mode 80 x 25, 16 Colours which worked only with an RGBI or CGI Monitor. Resolution 640 x 200 with same features as above.
3 Channel 8581 Sid Chip with white noise, Low/High pass Filter and 4 bit DAC for sampling playback. The chip takes care of sound leaving the Processor totally free.
1x User Connector for printers and modems.
1x Cartridge Expansion Slot.
2x Joystick Ports.
1x RF TV Connector that transmits both audio and video to TV.
1x RGB/ Composite Monitor Connector with sound output.
1x Serial port for Connecting Printers and floppy drives.
1x Tape interface @ 300 baud (but Commodore used Compression and CRC checksum Code which caused the baud rate to go up to 1100 – 1200).
External Power supply with an output voltage of AC 9V and DC 5V.
C128 Weight approx 2.1 KG & dimensions 430 x 325 x 45 mm (W x L x H).
5.7 million worldwide

The club currently owns two Commodore 128. One is complete with its original box three manuals, power supply, RF cable, CP/M Disk and RGBI cable in good condition. While the other system all we have is the 128 Manual and it’s not boxed. The second system generally we use it for programming C64 or C128 stuff.

 

Video Port

8 Pin DIN (DIN45326) Female
at the Computer
Pin Name Dir Desc
1 LUM OUT Luminance (Mono) 1V p-p
2 GND N/A Ground
3 AUD OUT Audio Imp 1k 2V p-p
4 VID OUT Composite Video 1V p-p
5 AUD IN Audio Imp 100k 3V p-p
6 CHR OUT Color
7 N/C N/A No Conn
8 N/C N/A No Conn
 

 

Cassette

Cassette Connector Port 6 PIN MALE EDGE
Pin Name Dir Desc
A-1 GND N/A Ground
B-2 +5V OUT +5 Volts DC
C-3 MOT OUT Cassette Motor
D-4 RD IN Cassette Read
E-5 WR OUT Cassette Write
F-6 SEN OUT Cassette Sense
 

 

Centronics

Centronics <-> Printer Interface
Pin C64 Prntr Dir Desc
1, 12, A, N GND 19 – 30, 33 N/A Grnd
B FLAG 2 10 IN Ackno
C PB0 2 IN/
OUT		 Data 0
D PB1 3 IN/
OUT		 Data 1
E PB2 4 IN/
OUT		 Data 2
F PB3 5 IN/
OUT		 Data 3
H PB4 6 IN/
OUT		 Data 4
J PB5 7 IN/
OUT		 Data 5
K PB6 8 IN/
OUT		 Data 6
L PB7 9 IN/
OUT		 Data 7
M PA2 1 IN/
OUT		 Strobe
3 GND 31 N/A Init Print
 

 

Control Port 1

9 Pin D-Sub Male Female
at the Computer
Pin Name Dir Desc
1 JOY A0 IN Joystick UP
2 JOY A1 IN Joystick DOWN
3 JOY A2 IN Joystick LEFT
4 JOY A3 IN Joystick RIGHT
5 POT AY IN Light pen Paddle
y Axis
6 BTN A/
LP		 IN Fire/
Light Pen Btn
7 +5V OUT 50mA max
8 GND N/A Ground
9 POT AX IN Light pen Paddle
x Axis
 

 

Control Port 2

9 Pin D-Sub Male Female
at the Computer
Pin Name Dir Desc
1 JOY B0 IN Joystick UP
2 JOY B1 IN Joystick DOWN
3 JOY B2 IN Joystick LEFT
4 JOY B3 IN Joystick RIGHT
5 POT BY IN Light pen Paddle y Axis
6 BTN B/
LP		 IN Fire/
Light Pen Btn
7 +5V OUT 50mA max
8 GND N/A Ground
9 POT BX IN Light pen Paddle x Axis
 

 

Expansion Port

Expansion Connector 44 Pin
Pin Name Dir Desc
1 GND N/A Ground
2 +5V OUT +5 Volts DC
3 +5V OUT +5 Volts DC
4 /IRQ IN Interrupt Req
5 /CR/W IN Read Write
6 DOT CLK OUT Dot Clock
7 I/O 1 IN I/O $DE00 – $DEFF
8 /GAM IN ttl active low input
9 /EX ROM IN ttl active low input
10 I/O 2 OUT I/O $DF00 – $DFFF ttl
11 /ROM L IN 8k RAM ROM $8000
12 BA IN Bus Available Vic-II
13 /DMA IN Direct Memory Access
14 CD7 IN/
OUT		 Data Bus 7
15 CD6 IN/
OUT		 Data Bus 6
16 CD5 IN/
OUT		 Data Bus 5
17 CD4 IN/
OUT		 Data Bus 4
18 CD3 IN/
OUT		 Data Bus 3
19 CD2 IN/
OUT		 Data Bus 2
20 CD1 IN/
OUT		 Data Bus 1
21 CD0 IN/
OUT		 Data Bus 0
22 GND N/A Ground
A GND N/A Ground
B /ROM H IN 8k RAM /
ROM $E000
C /RES IN 6502 Reset
D /NMI IN/
OUT		 6502 Non Maskable Intr
E S02 OUT Phase 2 system 1MHz Clock
F CA15 OUT Address Bus 15
H CA14 OUT Address Bus 14
J CA13 OUT Address Bus 13
K CA12 OUT Address Bus 12
L CA11 OUT Address Bus 11
M CA10 OUT Address Bus 10
N CA9 OUT Address Bus 9
P CA8 OUT Address Bus 8
R CA7 OUT Address Bus 7
S CA6 OUT Address Bus 6
T CA5 OUT Address Bus 5
U CA4 OUT Address Bus 4
V CA3 OUT Address Bus 3
W CA2 OUT Address Bus 2
X CA1 OUT Address Bus 1
Y CA0 OUT Address Bus 0
Z GND N/A Ground
 

 

Power

5 Pin Commodore Female
at the Computer
Pin Name Dir Desc
1 +5V IN +5V DC
2 GND N/A Ground
3 9V AC IN
4 GND N/A Ground
5 9V AC IN
 

 

RS232

User Port <-> RS232 Connections
(RX/TX TTL & Signals Inverted)
Pin C64 RS232 Dir Desc
A GND GND N/A Grnd
B+C FLAG 2 + PB0 RxD IN Rec Data (both Pins)
D PB1 RTS IN Rdy To Snd
E PB2 DTR OUT Data Term Rdy
F PB3 RI OUT Ring Indic
H PB4 DCD OUT Data Carr Det
K PB6 CTS IN Clear to Snd
L PB7 DSR IN Data Set Rdy
M PA2 TxD OUT Trans Data
N GND GND N/A Grnd
 

 

Serial Port

6 Pin DIN (DIN45322) Female
at the Computer
Pin Name Dir Desc
1 /SRQ IN IN/
OUT		 Serial SRQIN
2 GND N/A Ground
3 ATN IN/
OUT		 Serail ATN
4 CLK IN/
OUT		 Serial Clock
5 DATA IN/
OUT		 Serial Data
6 /RES IN RESET
 

 

User Port

24 Port Pin Male Edge
Pin Name Dir Desc
1 GND N/A Ground
2 +5V OUT +5V 100mA Max
3 /RES IN Cold Reset
4 CNT1 IN/
OUT		 Serial Port Counter CIA#1
5 SP1 IN/
OUT		 Serial Port CIA#1
6 CNT2 IN/
OUT		 Serial Port Counter CIA#2
7 SP2 IN/
OUT		 Serial Port CIA#1
8 /PC2 IN/
OUT		 Handshk CIA #2
9 ATN IN ATN Serial Bus
10 9V AC OUT 50mA Max
11 9V AC OUT 50mA Max
12 GND N/A Ground
A GND N/A Ground
B /FLAG 2 IN Flag register
C PB0 IN/
OUT		 Data 0
D PB1 IN/
OUT		 Data 1
E PB2 IN/
OUT		 Data 2
F PB3 IN/
OUT		 Data 3
H PB4 IN/
OUT		 Data 4
J PB5 IN/
OUT		 Data 5
K PB6 IN/
OUT		 Data 6
L PB7 IN/
OUT		 Data 7
M PA2 IN PA2
N GND N/A Ground
 

 

RGBI Port

9 Pin D-SUB Female at the Computer
Pin Name Dir Desc
1 GND N/A Ground
2 GND N/A Ground
3 R OUT Red
4 G OUT Green
5 B OUT Blue
6 I OUT Intensity
7 VID OUT Comp Video
8 H SYNC OUT Horizontal Sync
9 V SYNC OUT Vertical Sync