When did the Vic20 system label change to/from the rainbow design?

[eebuckeye]

Are these both US releases (notice the logo on the top left of the computer is different for each system)? I think the color is the same but the lighting is different for the computers themselves?

 

[BassGuitari]

I don't actually know, but I'd hazard a guess that it was around the time the C64 came out.

The Rainbow VICs also switched over to C64 power supplies, IIRC. (My Rainbow VIC uses one, at least.)

[RickR]

The older ones have the non-rainbow logo and 2-pin power supplies. I agree with BassGuitari that they probably made the change around the time the C64 came out in 1982.

[eebuckeye]

Did the color of the computer itself change at all? Hard for me to tell because the lighting of the picture appears different.

[RickR]

I don't think so. But the function keys can be different colors if memory serves.

[eightbit]

The Rainbow version is the CR (Cost Reduced) version of the Vic. The mainboard is half the size, PSU/connector is different. I started seeing them in late 81 if I recall correctly. They did run cooler than the original model (the original had this heat dispersal thing over the cart port area on the inside) but I personally prefer the original "non-cost reduced" model

 

Ohh, and as for the color, they were all white/off white originally. Some have not fared as well as others over the 30+ years

Edited April 11, 2014 by eightbit

[ApolloBoy]

I started seeing them in late 81 if I recall correctly.

I doubt it, my VIC-20 was manufactured around mid-1982 and it has the original gold and black logo with tan function keys. Pretty sure these came out in late '82 after the C64 came out.

 

The Rainbow VICs also switched over to C64 power supplies, IIRC. (My Rainbow VIC uses one, at least.)

Actually the later VICs shipped with a slightly different PSU that puts out less current. You can use a C64 PSU on those VICs but not vice-versa.

[Jess Ragan]

The Rainbow version is the CR (Cost Reduced) version of the Vic. The mainboard is half the size, PSU/connector is different. I started seeing them in late 81 if I recall correctly. They did run cooler than the original model (the original had this heat dispersal thing over the cart port area on the inside) but I personally prefer the original "non-cost reduced" model

 

Ohh, and as for the color, they were all white/off white originally. Some have not fared as well as others over the 30+ years

 

I dunno, the cost reduced model may actually work better in a handheld (should anyone be nutty enough to make one) or a different case. One of my fantasies is taking a VIC motherboard and putting it in the much sexier chassis of a Plus 4. I'm not especially fond of the white breadbox design of the VIC; I'd much rather have something in line with the later models of the Commodore 64, with that more svelte wedge shape that was all the rage in the 1980s.

[carlsson]

The VIC-20CR was equipped with a DIN-style PSU that outputs 9VAC 1A + 5VDC 1.5A. I believe the very first C64 breadboxes were matched with the same PSU, but eventually Commodore redesigned it to output 5VDC 1.6A and finally 5VDC 1.7A on the C64C, plus that they made them more reliable at the same time.

 

IMHO, usually you can function test a C64 of any model with a VIC-20CR PSU, but perhaps not run it for a long session and in particular not have any extra peripherals (tape recorder, cartridges, joysticks) that would consume some extra power besides what the motherboard draws.

 

Some VIC peripherals fit better with a CR model, some other peripherals like the VIC-1010 or if it is 1020 were designed for the first generation of two-prong VICs. It should be noted that the height of the case differ ever so slightly from batch to batch, and that CR models have different dimensions than the two-prongs. You notice it if you take one of each and put them next to eachother, or try to swap cases, e.g. a pretty shell from a broken machine to replace a badly discoloured one. Sometimes you'll even find that the screw holes to fasten the motherboard are not in the same place, probably due to the shell was designed to fit each size of motherboard without the need to fit other sizes.

 

Actually, I think my boxed two-prong VIC-20 has an original rainbow sticker in paper, not metal. I believe there might be a wiki or serial number database somewhere that has denoted all known variations. Personally I think Commodore had very little structure in the respective factories, so it was a bit of use what we have in stock, meaning the availability of shells, stickers, chip sockets and so on would vary depending on batch, factory or who assembled it. Perhaps that is a bit unfair assessment, but it makes collecting one of each variation a bit more fun...

[mykrowyre]

The key shape was different alsoon the very early 2 prong versions as well as the font and function key colors, between the early vic and later vics ...

Edited July 8, 2015 by mykrowyre

[Muzz73]

The color scheme (per Commodore) for the VIC-20 was: "Ivory" (the case), "Chocolate" (the keyboard) and "Mustard" for the function keys (my family and I have always referred the the function keys as "Peanut Butter", because we feel it's more accurate/fun).

 

The case coloring was consistent throughout the VIC-20's production, but the ever-dreaded sunburn/yellowing-with-age has given us many different shades of yuck over the last 30+ years.

 

IIRC, the first year of production had the PET style keys, the last year of production used a C=64 keyboard (with gray function keys) and the two years in-between had a C=64 style keyboard with yellow function keys.

 

My painted my VIC-20 bright red and put a white keyboard from a 64C into it. Snazzy!

[+OLD CS1]

My painted my VIC-20 bright red and put a white keyboard from a 64C into it. Snazzy!

 

Pictures required.

[R.Cade]

I believe it changed the same time the C64 did, early 1983. The 82 C64's also did not have the rainbow colors, and neither did the first 1541's.

[Muzz73]

These were taken with my old phone, about three years ago. Please pardon the terrible image quality:

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1042853982391910&set=a.554318737912106.134555.100000019541825&type=3&theater

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1042853972391911&set=a.554318737912106.134555.100000019541825&type=3&theater

 

I took it all apart, removed the black, rubber feet, peeled the label off of the bottom, taped off the badge on the top (because they are a pain to get off without ruining them), scrubbed it clean (inside & out), then used a spray-on red paint that was designed to stick to plastic patio furniture without using primer. I then reapplied the label and put four new silicone feet on the bottom while the paint was still tacky, so those aren't coming off anytime soon.

 

It was a lot of fun to do and really took care of the horrible, yellowing problem. It's been 3+ years and it's scratched up from use. Should I apply a new coat, or try a different color? What do all of you think?