I/O ports could be added to connect to sensors, interface relays, an ASCII keyboard, or a printer.

It also had a hex keyboard for input, which had 16 keys spanning the hex digits 0 to F. LED indicators were used to display power status and tape input; a third LED along with an on-board beeper were activated by the CPU's 1-bit "Q" register.

It allowed one to type in programs using its hex keyboard, show memory contents on its display (step through the bytes of RAM), and view the values of the processor registers.

The ROM monitor was accessed by holding the "C" key while switching from Reset to Run.

The COSMAC VIP was created by Joseph Weisbecker of the RCA Laboratories in New Jersey.