MAX Machine

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MAX Machine
TypeConsole / Home computer
Release date1982; 42 years ago (1982)
Introductory price200
Discontinued1982
Operating systemMAX BASIC (Cartridge)
CPUMOS Technology 6510 @ 1.02 MHz
Memory2.0 KB, 0.5 KB color RAM
GraphicsVIC-II 6566 (320 x 200, 16 colors, sprites, raster interrupt)
SoundSID 6581 (3x Osc, 4x Wave, Filter, ADSR, Ring)
PredecessorCommodore VIC-20
SuccessorCommodore 64

The Commodore MAX Machine, also known as Ultimax in the United States and Canada and VC-10 in Germany, is a home computer made by Commodore International. It came out in Japan in early 1982 as the Commodore 64's predecessor.[1] Commodore may have wanted to sell it outside of Japan, as its name was in the Commodore 64 manual. It was first shown in Tokyo, and as Commodore VICKEY. It is rare, selling much less than the Commodore 64 and being discontinued in the same year.

Hardware[change | change source]

Software came on ROM cartridges. It has a membrane keyboard, 2 KiB of RAM and 0.5 KiB of color RAM (1024 × 4 bits). A television is used as a display. The Commodore 64 has the same chipset, 6510 CPU and SID sound chip, and has a compatibility mode, which was often used for "freezer" cartridges, such as the Action Replay, to easily allow control of the running program.[2][3] Tape drives (for storage) worked, but not disk drives, printers or modems due to not having the right serial and user ports.[3]

MAX Machine, accessories and retail packaging.

Business[change | change source]

It was going to cost about 200 USD. It had better graphics and sound, but Commodore's own VIC-20 was much more popular. It was costing about the same and with much more expandability and software titles. It also had a better keyboard.

Related pages[change | change source]

References[change | change source]

  1. "OLD-COMPUTERS.COM : The Museum". www.old-computers.com. Archived from the original on 2021-08-19. Retrieved 2022-01-22.
  2. "The Ultimax/Max Machine, The 64GS, The 64CGS". The Secret Weapons of Commodore. 2018-01-21. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
  3. 3.0 3.1 "Commodore MAX - Computer - Computing History". www.computinghistory.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2021-06-23. Retrieved 2022-01-22.

Other websites[change | change source]