VIC-II 6567 / 6569 / 8562 / 8565

Employed in: C64, SX64

The VIC-II (Video Interface Controller) is the graphics chip for the C64 and the SX64. Unlike its predecessor (VIC), it doesn't have any sound capabilities anymore, they have been moved to the SID.

Technical data

14 bit address bus
320x200 in 16 fixed colors
40x25 chars textmode
8 hardware sprites 24x21
Possible interrupt sources:
- raster line match
- sprite-sprite collision
- sprite-graphics collision
- lightpen

Links: 'The 6567/6569 and its application in the C64' - 'The memory accesses of the 6569 / 8566'

Pinout

Fig. 1: 6567

Signal Description

(Click here for ASCII version)

Pin(s) Signal Dir Description
1-7 D6-D0 in / out Data bus.
8 /IRQ out Interrupt ReQuest. This pin is going LOW when an interrupt was toggled in the VIC-II.
There are four possible sources for an IRQ:

rasterline
lightpen
sprite-sprite collision
sprite-background collision

9 LP in LightPen. A falling edge on this input causes an interrupt.
10 /CS in Chip Select. HIGH=VIC-II is decoupled from bus.
11 R/-W in Read/-Write. LOW=write to registers, HIGH=read from registers.
12 BA out ReaDY. When going LOW, the CPU waits after next read cycle for this line going HIGH again.
13 V_dd - Reference voltage. This pin is connected to +12V DC (6567/69), or +5V DC (8562/65).
14 COLOR out Color output.
15 S/LUM out Sync / Lumimance output.
16 AEC out Address Enable Control. Directly connected with AEC of the CPU. When going LOW, the CPU puts its bus lines into high impedance state and is thus totally decoupled from the rest of the system, so that the VIC-II can take control over it.
17 ø 0^* out Phi 0. The VIC-II outputs the system clock for the 6510.
18 RAS out Row Address Strobe.
19 CAS out Cow Address Strobe.
20 GND - GrouND. (0V)
21 ø color^* in Phi color. The color clock for the VIC-II. 14.31818 MHz for NTSC, 17.734472 MHz for PAL.
21 ø in^* in Phi in. DOT CLOCK for the VIC-II. 8.18 MHz for NTSC, 7.88 MHz for PAL.
23 A11 in / out Bit 11 of video Address bus.
24-29 A0/A8-A5/A13 in / out Multiplexed video Address bus.
30-34 A6-A10 in / out Bits 6-10 of video Address bus.
35-38 D11-D8 in / out Color RAM data bus.
39 D7 in / out Bit 7 of Data bus.
40 V_cc - Supply voltage (+5V DC).

^* The 'ø' is used as Greek 'phi' here.

Pin(s)	Signal	Dir	Description
1-7	D6-D0	in / out	Data bus.
8	/IRQ	out	Interrupt ReQuest. This pin is going LOW when an interrupt was toggled in the VIC-II. There are four possible sources for an IRQ: rasterline lightpen sprite-sprite collision sprite-background collision
9	LP	in	LightPen. A falling edge on this input causes an interrupt.
10	/CS	in	Chip Select. HIGH=VIC-II is decoupled from bus.
11	R/-W	in	Read/-Write. LOW=write to registers, HIGH=read from registers.
12	BA	out	ReaDY. When going LOW, the CPU waits after next read cycle for this line going HIGH again.
13	V_dd	-	Reference voltage. This pin is connected to +12V DC (6567/69), or +5V DC (8562/65).
14	COLOR	out	Color output.
15	S/LUM	out	Sync / Lumimance output.
16	AEC	out	Address Enable Control. Directly connected with AEC of the CPU. When going LOW, the CPU puts its bus lines into high impedance state and is thus totally decoupled from the rest of the system, so that the VIC-II can take control over it.
17	ø 0^*	out	Phi 0. The VIC-II outputs the system clock for the 6510.
18	RAS	out	Row Address Strobe.
19	CAS	out	Cow Address Strobe.
20	GND	-	GrouND. (0V)
21	ø color^*	in	Phi color. The color clock for the VIC-II. 14.31818 MHz for NTSC, 17.734472 MHz for PAL.
21	ø in^*	in	Phi in. DOT CLOCK for the VIC-II. 8.18 MHz for NTSC, 7.88 MHz for PAL.
23	A11	in / out	Bit 11 of video Address bus.
24-29	A0/A8-A5/A13	in / out	Multiplexed video Address bus.
30-34	A6-A10	in / out	Bits 6-10 of video Address bus.
35-38	D11-D8	in / out	Color RAM data bus.
39	D7	in / out	Bit 7 of Data bus.
40	V_cc	-	Supply voltage (+5V DC).

Technical info

When introducing the C-64s with the new board, Commodore replaced the 6567/69 by the 8562/65, which is nearly fully compatible.

Programming info

On www.funet.fi, you can find:

[1] 64 intern, Data Becker 1983, p.34, 'Der Video-Controller 6569 VIC', ISBN 3-89011-000-2
[2] 64'er Hardware-Buch, pp.201-204, ISBN 3-87791-249-4

Updated: June 30th, 1998
Created: January 30th, 1997
Status : Verified on February 12th, 1998