MAX Machine
MAX Machine (or simply MAX), also known as Ultimax in the United States and Canada and VC-10 in Germany, is a home computer designed and sold by Commodore International in Japan, beginning in November of 1982, a cousin to the popular Commodore 64, also sharing a lot of components with the C64. The Commodore 64 manual mentions the machine by name, suggesting that Commodore intended to sell the machine internationally; however, it is unclear whether the machine was ever actually sold outside Japan. When it was officially presented, in Tokyo, for the first time, it was named Commodore VICKIE. The unit has a membrane keyboard and 2 KB of RAM internally and 0.5 KB of color RAM (1024 × 4 bits). Display is output to a television set. It uses the same chipset and 6510 CPU as the Commodore 64, the same SID sound chip, and a MOS Technology 6566 graphics chip, a version of the VIC-II that powers the C64 graphics for the MAX' static RAM. A tape drive could be connected for storage, but each cartridge had to implement its own cassette driver and protocol routines, so the tape could only be used by 2 of 24 released programs. The MAX also lacks the serial and user ports necessary to connect a disk drive, printer, or modem. The lack of any built-in operating system, not even a simple bootstrap OS, combined with the fact that all the software released for the platform are video games (besides a scaled down cartridge-based BASIC with no disk, modem, or printer support) positions the Max as a video game console rather than a home computer, despite sharing much of the Commodore 64's chipset. The MAX's 2KB of RAM also indicates it was intended as a games machine and not a personal computer. Even the Commodore PET, released five years earlier in 1977, had a minimum of 4KB RAM, and rapidly 8KB became the minimum. Even the VIC-20, heavily criticized for its minimal RAM, shipped with 5KB of RAM. Software is loaded from plug-in cartridges - turning on the MAX with no cartridge inserted yielded only a blank screen. Its ROM cartridge architecture was compatible with that of the C64, so that MAX cartridges will work in the C64. The MAX compatibility mode in C64 was later frequently used for "freezer" cartridges (such as the Action Replay), as a convenient way to take control of the currently running program. It was intended to sell for around US$200. Although the MAX had better graphics and sound capability, Commodore's own VIC-20, which sold for around the same amount, was much more expandable, had a much larger software library, and had a better keyboard—all of which made it more attractive to consumers. The MAX never sold well and was quickly discontinued.
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| Also known as | Ultimax, VC-10 |
|---|---|
| Type | Console / home computer |
| Released | 1982 |
| Introductory price | US$200 (equivalent to $670 in 2025) |
| Discontinued | 1982 |
| Operating system | none - optional MAX BASIC (Cartridge) |
| CPU | 6510 @ 1.02 MHz |
| Memory | 2 KB, 0.5 KB color RAM |
| Graphics | VIC-II 6566 (320 x 200, 16 colors, sprites, raster interrupt) |
| Sound | SID 6581 (3x Osc, 4x Wave, Filter, ADSR, Ring) |
| Predecessor | VIC-20 |
| Successor | Commodore 64 |
MAX Machine (or simply MAX), also known as Ultimax in the United States and Canada and VC-10 in Germany,[1] is a home computer designed and sold by Commodore International in Japan, beginning in November of 1982,[2] a cousin to the popular Commodore 64, also sharing a lot of components with the C64.[3][4] The Commodore 64 manual mentions the machine by name, suggesting that Commodore intended to sell the machine internationally; however, it is unclear whether the machine was ever actually sold outside Japan. When it was officially presented, in Tokyo, for the first time, it was named Commodore VICKIE.[5]
The unit has a membrane keyboard and 2 KB of RAM internally and 0.5 KB of color RAM (1024 × 4 bits). Display is output to a television set. It uses the same chipset and 6510 CPU as the Commodore 64, the same SID sound chip, and a MOS Technology 6566 graphics chip, a version of the VIC-II that powers the C64 graphics for the MAX' static RAM. A tape drive could be connected for storage, but each cartridge had to implement its own cassette driver and protocol routines, so the tape could only be used by 2 of 24 released programs. The MAX also lacks the serial and user ports necessary to connect a disk drive, printer, or modem.[6] The lack of any built-in operating system, not even a simple bootstrap OS, combined with the fact that all the software released for the platform are video games (besides a scaled down cartridge-based BASIC with no disk, modem, or printer support) positions the Max as a video game console rather than a home computer, despite sharing much of the Commodore 64's chipset. The MAX's 2KB of RAM also indicates it was intended as a games machine and not a personal computer. Even the Commodore PET, released five years earlier in 1977, had a minimum of 4KB RAM, and rapidly 8KB became the minimum. Even the VIC-20, heavily criticized for its minimal RAM, shipped with 5KB of RAM.
Software is loaded from plug-in cartridges - turning on the MAX with no cartridge inserted yielded only a blank screen. Its ROM cartridge architecture was compatible with that of the C64, so that MAX cartridges will work in the C64.[7] The MAX compatibility mode in C64 was later frequently used for "freezer" cartridges (such as the Action Replay), as a convenient way to take control of the currently running program.[8][6]
It was intended to sell for around US$200. Although the MAX had better graphics and sound capability, Commodore's own VIC-20, which sold for around the same amount, was much more expandable, had a much larger software library, and had a better keyboard—all of which made it more attractive to consumers. The MAX never sold well and was quickly discontinued.
MAX Machine software
[edit]
MAX Machine software list was limited, with a few game ports of popular arcade games.[9][10]
| Title | Year | Developer |
|---|---|---|
| Omega Race | 1982 | Commodore Japan |
| Wizard of Wor | 1982 | Commodore Japan |
| Kick Man | 1982 | Midway Games |
| Avenger | 1983 | Commodore Japan |
| Jupiter Lander | 1982 | HAL Laboratory |
| Super Alien (Heiankyo Alien) | 1982 | Commodore Japan |
| Radar Rat Race | 1982 | Commodore Japan |
| Road Race (Night Driver) | 1982 | HAL Laboratory |
| Mole Attack | 1982 | HAL Laboratory |
| Clowns | 1982 | Commodore Japan |
| Money Wars | 1982 | HAL Laboratory |
| Poker | ||
| Gorf | 1983 | Commodore Japan |
| Billiards | 1983 | HAL Laboratory |
| Pinball Spectacular (Bomb Bee) | 1983 | HAL Laboratory |
| Bowling (3511) | 1983 | HAL Laboratory |
| Slalom (3512)[11] | 1983 | HAL Laboratory |
| Le Mans | 1982 | HAL Laboratory |
| Sea Wolf | 1982 | Commodore Japan |
| Mini Basic I (limited instructions, no tape support) | ||
| Max Basic (compliant with CBM BASIC V2.0 and can use tapes) | ||
| Music Composer | 1982 | Andy Finkel |
| Music Machine | 1982 | Commodore Japan |
| Speed Math and Bingo Math | 1982 | |
| Visible Solar System | 1982 | Commodore Japan |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ RaYzor (2014-11-06). "Commodore MAX Machine -- elusive and with good reason". Collection of Uncommon Commodore Computers. Archived from the original on 2014-11-06. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ "Commodore 1982 Annual Report".
- ^ "MAX Machine / Ultimax / VC-10". OLD-COMPUTERS.COM : The Museum. Archived from the original on 2021-08-19. Retrieved 2022-01-22.
- ^ The C= guy, Robby (2011). "The odd one out… the MAX Machine". MOS 6502. Archived from the original on 2016-03-06. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ "VICKIE BASIC report from MOS Tech".
- ^ a b "Commodore MAX". Computing History. Archived from the original on 2021-06-23. Retrieved 2022-01-22.
- ^ Zimmerman, Bo (2024-05-22). "Commodore MAX Machine Game Console : Meet my friend Max". Zimmers.net. Archived from the original on 2024-05-22. Retrieved 2024-10-04.
- ^ "The Ultimax/Max Machine, The 64GS, The 64CGS". The Secret Weapons of Commodore. 2018-01-21. Retrieved 2019-01-12.
- ^ 山崎功『家庭用ゲーム機コンプリートガイド』主婦の友インフォス情報社、2014年、p.30
- ^ "Commodore MAX Machine". Launchbox Games Database.
- ^ Slalom (Ultimax)
