Commodore 64 User Manual page 65

There are other modems available that will
work with your VIC or 64, if you purchase an
appropriate interface. The Hayes Smart-
modems, model 300 and model 1200, are now
recommended by Commodore for use with
their larger systems. Micro Systems Devel
opment makes several suitable interfaces.
The Smartmodem 1200 from Hayes transmits
information either at the usual speed of
transmission or at a speed four times faster.
If your computer calls are long-distance, the
1200 may pay for itself in shorter calls.
Also see what other types of modems may
have become available from Commodore
when you buy.
JOYSTICKS FOR GAMES
A joystick is a handle that can be moved in
eight compass directions, plus a button that
can be pressed. Typically, games use the joy
stick to move players and the button to shoot
a weapon or to begin the game. Some people
might not consider a joystick an important
accessory for a computer; on the other hand,
most of the best games require it, and few
computer users entirely avoid computer games.
There are dozens of brands of joysticks avail
able, including those made by Commodore.
GAME PADDLES
If you want two people (on the VIC) or four
people (on the 64] to be able to play com
puter games at once, you may want a set of
Commodore game paddles. These allow
motion only along a line, but they double the
number of players possible for the few games
set up to use them.
You can safely use Atari joysticks and paddles,
rather than the Commodore components,
although these Atari equivalents usually
cost more.
LIGHT PENS—GREAT DRAWING TOOLS
The light pen is another device that connects
to the game connectors of the VIC and 64. By
pointing this device at the screen, you can
draw images which will appear on the screen.
It also lets you communicate with the com
puter without typing, simply by pointing to a
word or phrase you want the computer to act
on. Before buying a light pen, see how pre
cisely it is able to follow your movement on
the screen. To be good for drawing, it must be
very exact.
MEMORY EXPANSION FOR VIC
OWNERS
VIC owners may want to consider this add-on
immediately. Many software programs cannot
run on a standard VIC because of the VIC's
Wico Joystick
Commodore game paddles
Commodore 8K memory expansion cartridge
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