COMMODORE PET

MODELS | TECHNICAL DATA | SCREENSHOTS | LINKS

The Commodore Pet probably is one of the most famous personal computer on the informatic story. I've got a PET (the 2001-08C) and I have thought of devoting some information pages about this cult-computer for remember it to all. Everyone could recognise this machine with any doubt: all that never used it remember however it for its cornered and roundishing forms. Today nobody ignore the story of its computer company that made it, the Commodore, founded by a writer machine technician and become one of the more prestigious computer brands, for then abort and to be acquired from several companies more in difficulty than Commore itself.

The PET, Personal Electronic Transactor, bore in 1977. This brand  was used only for some models, until the 40xx series: Philips asserted the PET brand in fact already registered, forcing the Commodore to use it initial brand CBM (Commodore Business Machines) for the following computer of the 8xxx series.

During the years several PET models appeared, continually updated on the software and hardware, and naurally its external aspect, that is the major element to recognise it; some models never appeared on the market, stayed on prototype state, so today they are great collection pieces rare like Apple I. Very interested also drives on the screen sides, they seem like integrated speakers.

The price of the first model appeared in 1977 was $595, it had 4K RAM and 14K ROM with a BASIC version and operating system directly installed on resident memory. To save data a tape recorder was present to a side of the keyboard. From thast  version the PET technical characteristics are continually reformed, until the last series, the CBM 8xxx, appeared on market in the first '80 years.