Commodore  CBM P500
Previous System
com_p500
Next System

Commodore CBM P500 - Overview

The Commodore P500 is s short-lived computer from the CBM-II series. It has 128KByte of RAM, and similar video and sound capabilities to the Commodore 64.

Due to the MOS 6509 processor, this computer was able to address up to 1MByte of RAM via bankswitching, the C64 can only address 64 KByte. The design has two joystick ports on the rear, which were removed for the Business line of the CBM-II computers.

Commodore CBM 500 Series

The Commodore 500 series was introduced in 1982. They are very similar to the CBM 600 series computers, which were launched at about the same time. Memory ranged from 64KByte to 256KByte. There were three models:

  • Model 505 - 64KByte RAM (No documentation found about this machine)
  • Model P500 - 128KByte RAM for the professional market
  • Model B500 (CBM 510) - 128KByte RAM for the Business Market
  • Model B500 (CBM 520) - 256KByte RAM for the Business Market
The machines have 24KByte ROM, a IEEE-488 Bus, a dual 8-bit user port, a RS232C communications port. It also has a joystick port, accessible on the motherboard, but there is no hole in the case for it.

The CBM 500 series uses a lot of the same chips that the Commodore 64 uses are used in the 500 series:

  • VIC-II video chip - 320x200, 16 colors, 40 column text
  • SID 6581 Sound chip - 3 channel sound
The 500 series uses the MOS Technology 6509 CPU which is capable of addressing up to 1MByte of RAM where the C64 uses the MOS 6502 which can only address 64KByte. In the end, the 500 series did not get produced for the American market due to regulatory problems and the fact that the C64 was much cheaper to manufacture.

Features:

  • Extended Basic v4.0
  • 40x25 video mode in 16 colors (VIC-II)
  • 64/128/256 KByte memory
  • MOS 6509 CPU, Clocked at 1MHz
  • Built in machine language monitor
  • 2 joystick ports, user port & cartridge port
  • IEEE488 parallel connector, RS232C port

MOS 6509 CPU

THe MOS Technology 6509 is an enhanced version of the 8-bit 6502 CPU. Using bank switching the 6509 is able to address up to 1MByte of RAM. The 6502 also could do bank-switching, but did so via separate logic circuits, the 6509 had this logic built in. This extra logic made the 6509 difficult to program, and it was mainly used in the Commodore CBM-II line of computers.

Source:WikiPedia - MOS Technology 6509
Source:WikiPedia - MOS Technology 6502

SID (MOS 6581) - Sound Interface Device

SID is short for Sound Interface Device. It is the name of the sound chip that was used in the VC10, the commodore 64 and the Commodore 128. SID was developed by Bob Yannes, an employee of MOS Technology. Bob was not only an engineer but also knew a lot about music. His intention was to create a different sound chip than other devices at the time. He implemented a subtractive synthesis chip. The chip's distinctive sound is easily recognized and was clearly ahead of the ocmpitition. The SID combines analog and digital circuitry that cannot be 100% emulated, even today.

Source: C64 Wiki
Technical Details
Released 1982 Brand Commodore Type Commodore CBM-II 500 Series Name CBM P500 CPU Class 650x CPU MOS 6509 @1MHz Memory RAM: 128kB Sound Chip SID (MOS 6581) Sound 3 Voices, 9 octaves Display Chip VIC-II (C64 Compatible) Display 40x25 16 color text
320x200 16 color graphics
Best Text 40x25 Best Color 16 colors Best Graphics 320x200 in 16 colors Sprites 8 16pixel wide/scanline 3 colors System OS BASIC V4.0
Related Systems
 
Commodore PET/CBM - 2001/3000 Series
 
Commodore CBM 4000 Series
 
Commodore CBM 8000 Series
 
Commodore CBM-II 500 Series
» 
CBM  P500 (1982)
 
Commodore CBM-II 600 Series
 
Commodore CBM-II 700 Series
 
Commodore C16
 
Commodore Vic/C64
 
Commodore Amiga
 
Commodore Amiga Desktops
Related Media
 
6502 CPU
Collection of books on the 6502 and compatible CPUs
 
Commodore 8-bit
Collection of books for the Commodore computer platform
 
64-er
German Commodore 64/128 Magazine and themed Specials (Sonderheft)
 
Commodore Computer Club
Una rivista italiana di informatica dedicata a tutti i computer Commodore. An Italian computer information magazine dedicated to the Commodore Computer.
 
Commodore Magazine
Magazine for the Commodore 64/128/Amiga
 
Commodore Revue
Commodore Revue is a French Magazine dedicated to Commodore and later to the Commodore Amiga in particular. The name later changed to Amiga Revue.
 
Commodore World
BiMonthly magazine for Commodore 64/128 users in the USA from the mid to late '90s.
 
Commodure User
Oldest British Comodore Magazine
 
Compute's Gazette
Compute!'s Gazette was a computer magazine of the 1980s, directed at users of Commodore's 8-bit home computers.
 
Micro
The 6502/6809 Journal
 
RUN
RUN focused on 1980's Commodore 8bit hardware like the Commodore 64, VIC-20, Plus/4, C16,116, 264, and 128.
 
Your Commodore
Your Commodore was a magazine for the Commodore range of computers, including the Commodore 64, Amiga, and Commodore PC range.
World Wide Web Links
 
WikiPedia: MOS Technology 6581
Wikipage about the 6581