2.4.4 Programming the new VIC (4567)

The C4567R6 is a high performance single chip video controller designed to bring exceptional graphics to low cost computer and game systems. It presently is available in NTSC and PAL versions to match European and North American television standards.

The following are new features that are added as a superset of the old VIC-II video controller functions incorporated in the C4567R6.

1. New-Vic mode
2. 80 column character and 640 horizontal pixel mode
3. Scan interlace and 400 line mode
4. Character attributes (blink, highlight, underline, reverse),
5. Fast clock mode (3.58 vs. 1.02 MHz)
6. Bitplane mode
7. Color palettes
8. Additional ROM
9. 1280H pixel mode
10. Display Address Translator (DAT)
11. Horizontal and vertical positioning
12. External sync (Genlock)
13. Alternate character set
14. Chroma killer
15. NewVic Mode

After power-up and reset, the C4567R6 performs as if it were the "old" VIC chip. In this mode, none of the new features are accessible. The old VIC II registers appear at addresses $D000-$D3FF, echoed 16 times every 64 addresses, and any new registers within the 64 byte block will not exist.

To put the C4567R6 into "NewVic" mode, the user must write first an $A5 and then a $96 to the KEY register. Once these values have been entered the C4567R6 will be in "NewVic" mode, and access to the "NewVic" registers and modes will be possible.

To take the C4567R6 out of "NewVic" mode, simply write any value to the KEY register. After doing this, all of the new modes will be disabled. The registers that were programmed in "NewVic" mode will retain their current values. It should be noted, however, that since all old modes are available in new mode, there is little reason to exit new mode.