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X16 Reference - 01 - Overview.md

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Chapter 1: Overview

The Commander X16 is a modern home computer in the philosophy of Commodore computers like the VIC-20 and the C64.

Features:

  • 8-bit 65C02S CPU at 8 MHz (*)
  • 512 KB banked RAM (upgradeable to 2 MB on the X16 Developer Edition)
  • 512 KB ROM
  • Expansion Cards (Gen 1) & Cartridges (Gen 1 and Gen 2)
    • Up to 3.5MB of RAM/ROM
    • 5 32-byte Memory-Mapped IO slots
  • VERA video controller
    • Up to 640x480 resolution
    • 256 colors from a palette of 4096
    • 128 sprites
    • VGA, NTSC and RGB output
    • Powered by a Lattice ICE40UP5K FPGA
  • Three sound sources
    • Yamaha YM2151: 8 channels, 4-operator FM synthesis
    • VERA PSG: 16 channels, 4 waveforms
    • VERA PCM: Up to 48 kHz, 16 bit, stereo
  • Connectivity:
    • PS/2 keyboard and mouse
    • 4 NES/SNES controllers
    • SD card
    • Commodore Serial Bus ("IEC")
    • Many Free GPIOs ("user port")

As a modern sibling of the line of Commodore home computers, the Commander X16 is reasonably compatible with computers of that line.

  • Pure BASIC programs are fully backwards compatible with the VIC-20 and the C64.
  • POKEs for video and audio are not compatible with any Commodore computer. (There are no VIC or SID chips, for example.)
  • Pure machine language programs ($FF81+ KERNAL API) are compatible with Commodore computers.

Future 65C816 Support

A future upgrade path for the X16 may involve the 65C816. It is almost fully compatible with the 65C02 except for 4 instructions (BBRx, BBSx, RMBx, and SMBx). It is advisable not to use these instructions when writing programs for the X16.