Commodore 64 User Manual page 66

Motherboards
small amount of built-in memory. The cure is
an add-on memory cartridge. Commodore sells
these in 8K and 16K versions. (Each K stands
for about 1,000 characters of memory capac
ity.) Many software programs for the VIC
require at least 8K of added memory. Some
business programs and adventure games need
16K extra. The most you can add is 24K, plus
the 3K in products like Commodore's super-
expander cartridge [discussed in Chapter 5,
"Software"). If you need a considerably larger
amount of memory, however, you might con
sider trading up to the 64.
FOR THE PERSON WITH EVERYTHING:
MOTHERBOARDS
After you add extra memory, an interface or
two, and some software cartridges to your
VIC, you may want a way to keep them all
plugged in at the same time. The accessory
that allows this is called a motherboard It is a
fiberglass board that plugs into the large
expansion port on the back of the computer. A
motherboard has several empty connectors
spaced along its top. Each of these is con
nected to the original expansion port connec
tor. This allows up to three or six accessories
(depending on brand and model) to be plugged
into the expansion port at the same time.
Here are some features to look for in a
motherboard:
• Separate, easy-to-work switches for each of
the connectors. Some add-ons are incompat
ible with others and separating them with
switches is the only way to keep them all
plugged in at the same time.
• A fuse, for safety purposes.
• A reset button. This allows you to restart the
computer easily, without actually turning
it off.
« Gold-plated contacts, for more reliable
operation.
• A solder mask, which is a coating over the
board that protects it in case a metal object
is dropped on it.
More connectors are not always better. For
example, extra connectors may strain the VIC
power supply, stick out further behind the
VIC, and cost more. On the other hand, get a
motherboard with as many connectors as you
expect to need.
One other point about motherboards: Since
they extend the computer's main electronics
outside its case, they may interfere with radio-
frequency signals coming into a TV or into
other equipment. Before buying a mother
board, talk to your dealer about whether you
can return the board if this interference should
occur.
There are several motherboards available for
the VIC that are well made and that meet all
the suggested requirements. One from
CARDCO, which has three connectors, is
called the CARDBOARD/3s; it sells for about
$40. Another from Precision Technology Inc.,
which has six connectors, is called the V-36;
it sells for about $70. CARDCO also makes a
six-connector model, and PTI has a three-
connector model. CARDCO also has a new
motherboard for the 64, which has five slots.
SOUND AND MUSIC
There are several excellent products for the
VIC and 64 that make sound and music. One
such sound device is the Votrax Type-'n-Talk
text-to-speech synthesizer, with a fairly under
standable voice, for about S250. It plugs into
the back of the VIC or 64 and plays through
most hi-fi speakers. It is programmed as though
it were a printer and is just as easy to use. The
Scott Adams adventure games for the VIC (see
Chapter 5, "Software") use this special synthe
sizer. A speech synthesizer can also be helpful
for the handicapped.
Since the 64 has better sound and music
capabilities, the sound in software programs
for the 64 is more advanced than the sound in
programs for the VIC.
Two other Commodore products for the 64,
about to appear on the market, are a plug-in
piano keyboard (with three extra sound chips]
and an electronic drum attachment. Each is
expected to sell for under SI00.
64
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