PET index

This file is intended to be an index about the PET line of Commodore computers. It is compiled out of several resources found on the internet. As there are a number of sites about the Commodore PET computers, this site concentrates on the technical aspects of those machines. Therefore you will find hardware and (machine) programming information for the PET here.

I started this collection when I was working on the VICE PET emulator. The VICE emulator now emulates several PET machines from the 2001 to the 8296, including the old disk drives from 2040 to 8250.

I think all the information is accurate, although it is certainly not complete. Also I would like to find some images of the different PET cases. I am also looking for the differences of the ROM versions. If you find anything that you think is not accurate, please tell me about it!

I hope you enjoy this document.
A. Fachat (afachat@gmx.de)

News:

2026-01-05 Added a whole section explaining the video output architecture
2026-01-05 Greatly updated the links on PET replicas and emulators.
2023-07-23 Added a link to a new ROM 1 IEEE488 patch on the ROMs page.
2023-02-05 Added a link to commodoregames.net on the Links page.
2020-10-29 Added links on the keyboards page" on how to replace PET keyboards or use them on a PC, on the hardware page on how to properly add a RESET switch, and on the ROMs page a link to all Commodore ROMs and info on 2332 ROM adapters. Fixed a number of dead links.
2020-05-02 Updated the PET killer poke article with new research by Tech Tangent.
2018-12-29 Added some links on the drives and gallery pages.
2018-04-01 Add links to Steve's PET graphics page (on the extensions and hardware pages). Add link to more harddrive information on the drives page.

What is covered and what not?

Coverage is the whole line of Commodore PET computers, ranging from the PET 2001 to the CBM 8296, as well as the SuperPET (aka MicroMainFrame 9000 in Europe). Not covered are the so-called "CBM-II" machines, the business machines CBM 610-620, 710-720 (also known as B128 and B256) and the 510-520 (also known as P500)

The parts of the index

The PET model index
PET documentation
The Disk drive model index
Boards that make up a PET
Pinouts of various PET connectors
Keyboard layouts and Screen control codes
Extensions extensions of the PET
Video architecture Explaining the video output (and system) architecture of the different PET models
Programming Languages for the PET, i.e. including BASIC extensions
Hardware Programming information
ROM descriptions
CRTC 6545 operation as used in the different PET models
The infamous Killer Poke has its own page
SuperPET add-on board(s)
8x96 expanded versions (including LOS-96)
8032-SK - a cool case for the 8032
Hardware projects around the PET
Software projects and archives
PET emulators and rebuilds run PET programs on other hardware, or modern hardware rebuilds
Transfer projects to transfer files from the PET to the PC and back.
Repair information for the PET
Links to some other docs (faq, pictures, schematics)
Open questions I have about the PET

Thanks

Many thanks to Olaf Seibert, Larry Anderson, Marko Mäkelä, Ruud Baltissen and all the others that provided this information.

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Last modified: 2026-01-18

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history

2017-10-15 Added bombjack to the documentation links page. Added the mult-editor ROM board to the hardware extensions. Added D9090 repair info and 6540/6550 tester info. Added the high speed graphics card extension. Added info on garbage collection and other differences in the BASIC ROMs. Added a summary of the Drive write gap discussion and a comment on the programs to read the floppy controller ROM. Added drive hardware information on the drives page. Added a link to the SuperPET history. Updated links on the Hard Drive page. Added a games section on the Links page.
2017-08-29 Added RS232 information to the Hardware projects, Peripheral, and Extensions pages.
2017-08-13 Added the 1st version ROM dump for the diagnostic cartridge and a disassembly for it. Also added link to discussion of PET prototypes to the versions page.
2017-07-23 Added the page for the Diagnostic clip.
2016-04-24 Updated 6540 ROM adapter links and added link to 30 screen lines mod.
2015-02-01 Added the swedish/finnish keyboard mapping and the computhink disk drive.
2014-08-22 Added some links.
2014-08-11 Add some bits here and there, mainly some repair info, as well as DOS ROM information.
2013-12-30 Added the ZoomFloppy and the Internet Flyer Modem to the transfer page.
2013-12-27 Added link to Z-RAM and PEDISK-II to the Extensions page. Also added the link to the SuperPET OS/9 project on the Hardware Projects page, and some links on the SuperPET page.
2013-05-02 Added the Colour PET project description.
2013-04-14 Added a RAM drive for the 8296 to the Hardware page, more on french internationalized machines on the new Internationalization page. Added a link to the 60Hz version of the "No PETs allowed" Demo.
2011-05-01 Added some extensions to the PETindex hardware projects page, especially one that can dynamically replace the character ROM!
2011-04-23 Added a page for the 8032-SK model and started a programming languages page.
2010-12-19 Added a demo section and a first link to the "No PETs allowed" demo on the Sofware page.
2010-08-28 Added links to a history of MS BASIC, and a discussion of Bill Gates' programming knowledge on the ROMs page.
2010-08-28 Added pictures of Japanese and a German keyboards on the keyboards page.