bstempleton (04/17/83)
Just got my hands on a new Commodore B-500 computer. This will be out on the market in a few months I am told. It features: o 6509 processor, a 6502 with segment registers o 256K of RAM o 24K of ROM, much improved over old PETS o Very nice keyboard with lots of function keys etc. o 80 column by 25 line display (Like old 8032) o RS-232 port configured as device 2 o Tape port, like all other CBM machines o IEEE port like all other CBM except Vic and C64 o Reset button on the back. o Parallel user port like all other CBM machines o Cartridge slot o Space for add-on 8088 processor, which is standard in the BX-700 version of this machine. The 6509 is essentially a 6502 with two segment registers. One controls which of the 16 64K segments all normal fetches, including instruction fetches, come from. The other control which segment all fetches done through a pointer (indirect addressing) come from. 5 segments are active in this machine. Segment 15 has all rom, some ram and all i/o. Segments 1 through 4 are 64K of pure RAM. A switch in execution from one segment to another is a royal pain, but they provide code to make it invisible, but you must make sure a copy of this code exists in all segments. rumour has it the price for this will be $1295 Canadian, so that looks like under $1000 in the USA. For this price, it seems like a real bargain. Another version of this machine comes with 128K and has the Commdore-64's video chip (graphics, but only 40 columns) Both that and the B series have the very nice sound chip and CIA chips from the Commodore 64 It's about time to set up net.micro.cbm Any objection?