Expansion port VIC20

Description

The Expansion port of the VIC-20 often called also Module, Cartridge or Memory Expansion Port. This port is a rectangular opening at the back of the VIC-20 case and is intended for expansions of the system. All important signals of the VIC-20 are available on this port. This results in a wide range of applications. From just connecting a simple reset button, a modem and EPROM programming device there are almost all imaginable expansions possible. On the VIC-20 the expansion port is almost only used for plugging in cartridges which contain application software, games or additional RAM. One of the most recent developments for this port is the Final Expansion.

In opposition to the user port there are no free programmable lines at the expansion port, i.e. expansion port modules need to "listen" permanently to the data and address bus of the CPU MOS 6502 and influence the system with a conform timing. Therefore the expansion port is not suitable for simple projects.

Pin assignment

The expansion port is a 2-row EDGE connector with 44 contacts in total. The pitch of the contacts is 3.96 mm (0.156 inch).

pin numbering (view from outside to the VIC20)

Attention: The pin assignment is mirrored to the expansion port of the C64.

Pin	Signal	Description	Comment
1	GND	Ground	(0 Volt)
2	D0	data line 0	data bus of the computer
3	D1	data line 1
4	D2	data line 2
5	D3	data line 3
6	D4	data line 4
7	D5	data line 5
8	D6	data line 6
9	D7	data line 7
10	/BLK 1	Memory block 1	Chip select for block 1; active-low, if address on bus is within $2000-$3FFF.
11	/BLK 2	Memory block 2	Chip select for block 2; active-low, if address on bus is within $4000-$5FFF.
12	/BLK 3	Memory block 3	Chip select for block 3; active-low, if address on bus is within $6000-$7FFF.
13	/BLK 5	Memory block 5	Chip select for block 5; active-low, if address on bus is within $A000-$BFFF.
14	/RAM 1	RAM 1	Chip select for RAM (memory area $0400 - $07FF)
15	/RAM 2	RAM 2	Chip select for RAM (memory area $0800 - $0BFF)
16	/RAM 3	RAM 3	Chip select for RAM (memory area $0C00 - $0FFF)
17	V R/W	VIC Read - /Write	high during read cycle, low during write cycle of the VIC
18	C R/W	CPU Read - /Write	high during read cycle, low during write cycle of the CPU
19	/IRQ	Interrupt Request	Interrupt Request Line
20	NC	not connected
21	+5V DC	Supply Voltage +5V DC	+ 5 Volt DC.
22	GND	Ground	(0 Volt)
A	GND	Ground	(0 Volt)
B	A0	address line 0	address bus of the computer
C	A1	address line 1
D	A2	address line 2
E	A3	address line 3
F	A4	address line 4
H	A5	address line 5
J	A6	address line 6
K	A7	address line 7
L	A8	address line 8
M	A9	address line 9
N	A10	address line 10
P	A11	address line 11
R	A12	address line 12
S	A13	address line 13
T	/I/O2	input/output 2	input/output area 2 ; active low, if address on the bus is within $9800-$9BFF.
U	/I/O3	input/output 3	input/output area 3 ; active low, if address on the bus is within $9C00-$9FFF.
V	SØ2	S Phi 2	system clock (1,108MHz for PAL, 1,018MHz for NTSC)
W	/NMI	non maskable interrupt	Non Maskable Interrupt Line
X	/RESET	Reset	If you pull this line to low, all chips will be re-initialized. The program counter of the CPU will be loaded with the reset-vector $FFFC and $FFFD (usually $FD22).
Y	NC	not connected
Z	GND	Ground	(0 Volt)

Links

Control Port · Expansion Port · User Port · Cassette Port · Power Supply Connector
A/V Jack · RF Jack · Serial Port

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