MOS Technologies VIC
The VIC (Video Interface Chip), specifically known as the MOS Technologies 6560 (NTSC version) / 6561 (PAL version), is the integrated circuit chip responsible for generating video graphics and sound in the Commodore VIC-20 home computer. It was originally designed for applications such as low cost CRT terminals, biomedical monitors, control system displays and arcade or home video game consoles.
Its features include:
- 16 KB address space for screen, character and color memory
- 16 colors
- two selectable character sizes (8 × 8 or 8 × 16 pixels)
- 192 × 200 pixels max. video resolution (176 × 184 used by VIC-20)
- sound system (3 channels + white noise)
- on-chip DMA
- two 8-bit A/D converters
The VIC was programmed by manipulating its 16 control registers, memory mapped to the range $9000–$900F in the VIC-20 address space. The on-chip A/D converters were used for dual
paddle position readings by the VIC-20, which also used the VIC's
lightpen facility. The VIC preceded the much more advanced VIC-II, used by the VIC-20's successors, the
C64 and
C128.
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