Photos<\/h2>\n
On the back, there is the RJ11C handset connector. On the side, there is an LED indicating that indicates when the phone is transmitting or receiving, and a switch that can be put into the “A” (answer) or “O” (originate) position, depending whether a phone call is supposed to be made or accepted.<\/p>\n On the front, there is the VIC-20\/C64 user port connector.<\/p>\n The label on the bottom says:<\/p>\n FCC ID: B4V8N2VIC 20 Certified to comply with the limits for a Class B COMPLIES WITH PART 68, FCC RULES FCC Model 1600 The only text on the board is “PWB 00201 B” on the back. The core component is the Motorola MC14412<\/a> modem chip (bottom, second from the left).<\/p>\n The RJ11 connector on the back must be connected to an existing phone, instead of its handset, like this:<\/p>\n The VICMODEM does not talk on the phone line level, but on the handset level, this reusing the hardware in the existing phone. This allowed the modem to be produced for under $33, so it could be the first modem to be sold for under $1001<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n The flip side of this design was that the modem could not dial or answer by itself. To dial a number, it had to be keyed into the telephone with the handset connected, and once one would hear that the remote side picked up, switch the cable to the modem. To wait for a call and answer it, the modem has to be connected and the (unconnected) handset has to be in the cradle. Once it rings, the handset has to be picked up and set aside.<\/p>\n This is exactly how one would operate an acoustic coupler. After all, this modem is more of an acoustic coupler with a direct audio connection than a full modem.<\/p>\n In late 1983, the modem was already sold for under $70.<\/p>\n The CompuServe signup form came with the user name and the password pre-filled. We would have been user 75155,731 with a password of 64 TERM.PRG<\/a> (2577 bytes)<\/p>\n Michael Tomczyk: Commodore VIC-20 Developer, Computer Pioneer<\/a>↩<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Commodore 1600, also known as the \u201cVICMODEM\u201d, is Commodore\u2019s very first modem (1982): It supports 300 baud duplex connections, and is connected to an existing telephone’s handset connector instead of the phone line. This kept the price down, but required the user to dial manually through the phone. Historical Context Year Name Model Description … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,41,8,20,21,34],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1679","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-archeology","category-c64","category-commodore","category-literature","category-modem","category-vic-20"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pagetable.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1679","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pagetable.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pagetable.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pagetable.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pagetable.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1679"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.pagetable.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1679\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pagetable.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1679"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pagetable.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1679"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pagetable.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1679"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"docs\/cbm1600modem\/cbm1600_1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n
\nCommodore Business Machines, Inc.
\nMade in USA<\/p>\n
\ncomputing device pursuant to Subpart J of
\nPart 15 of FCC Rules. See instructions if
\ninterference to radio reception is suspected.<\/p>\n
\nREGISTRATION NUMBER B4V8N2-68331-
\nKX-N RINGER EQUIVALENCE O.0B JACK
\n(USOC) N.A. (KX)<\/p>\n
\nSerial Number: 093333<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\nBox<\/h2>\n
<\/a>
\n<\/a><\/a> <\/a><\/p>\nManual<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nMore Box Contents<\/h2>\n
<\/a> <\/a>
\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/a>
\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\nFRILL:DOUBLET<\/code>.<\/p>\nTape<\/h2>\n
<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n
\n\n