COSMAC VIP
| Developer | Joseph Weisbecker |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | RCA |
| Type | microcomputer |
| Release date | 1977 |
| Introductory price | US$275 (Kit) |
| Operating system | 4-kilobit (512-byte) in ROM |
| CPU | RCA 1802 processor |
| Memory | 2 KB RAM (Expandable to 4 KB on board, and 32 KB via an expansion slot) |
| Storage | cassette tape |
| Display | CDP1861/CDP1864 video display chip |
| Sound | speaker |
| Power | 5V DC CDP18S023 power supply @ 600 mA |
The COSMAC VIP (1977) was an early microcomputer that was aimed at video games. Essentially, it was a COSMAC ELF with a supplementary CDP1861/CDP1864 video display chip. For a price of US$275, it could be purchased from RCA by mail order. It came in kit form, and had to be assembled. Its dimensions were 22 x 28 cm, and it had a RCA 1802 processor; along with a crystal clock operating at 1.76 MHz (3.521280 MHz divided by 2). It had 2 KB (2048 bytes) of RAM, which could be expanded to 4 KB on board, and 32 KB via an expansion slot. Its 5V DC CDP18S023 power supply had an output of 600 mA. I/O ports could be added to connect to sensors, interface relays, an ASCII keyboard, or a printer.
The machine connected to either a video monitor or to a TV with video input or by means of an external RF modulator. The VIP used a CDP1861/CDP1864 video display chip to generate the video output, and sound could be played using its integrated speaker. It had a 100 bytes per second cassette tape interface as well. Programs could be loaded into RAM from tapes, and vice versa. It also had a hex keyboard for input, which had 16 keys spanning the hex digits 0 to F. LED indicators were used to display power status and tape input; a third LED along with an on-board beeper were activated by the CPU's 1-bit "Q" register. A run/reset switch was used to start user programs or the operating system, respectively.
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