Topic: Re: C64 mini? Updated with C64 Maxi and MEGA65

[Nemesis]

Any of you "old" C64 guys played around with one of these?

[Nemesis]

And now another reboot of the C64

Link to full article

Users can switch between three different modes, including C64, VIC 20, and Games Carousel. If you are one of the many old school gamers and PC users who have fond memories of typing Load"*",8,1 on a blue background, that will be an option in C64 mode.

Of course, modern amenities abound for this reboot. TheC64 can connect to any modern TV via HDMI, to deliver "crisp 720p HD visuals" at 60Hz (USA) or 50Hz (Europe). It also comes with an updated joystick featuring 8 buttons, micro switches, and USB connectivity. It bears a passing resemblance to the original, but with additional bells and whistles.

[Tulwar]

I want one, but it seems it's not available in the USA, and I don't have any friends in Britain, Germany, Italy, or Spain.

[Javora]

At this point anything other then a PC/Mac emulator with all the games included is a waste of time.

[Nemesis]

I want one, but it seems it's not available in the USA, and I don't have any friends in Britain, Germany, Italy, or Spain.

The Mini has been available in Walmart Canada.  Since it seems to be the same company I don't see why the full size one wouldn't be available as well. 

[Nemesis]

I want one, but it seems it's not available in the USA, and I don't have any friends in Britain, Germany, Italy, or Spain.

Just stumbled on a youtube video of the C64 Maxi and it is apparently available in the U.S. finding one might be a problem as the company is in the U.K. and has it manufactured in China. 

Haven't seen one myself.

Video link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxx2F4ffmeE

[Nemesis]

This may be interesting to C64 fans the Mega65  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEz3CQ343r4ssvIdmhDauMQ/videos

[Nemesis]

On the Mega65 the chip is implemented on an FPGA and the machine allows up to 8 total cores to be used with the Mega65 so it can be made to function as other machines at this point the Sinclair Spectrum has been done but hypothetically machines like the Apple II, Amiga and Atari ST could be done. 

It runs at 1mhz, 2 mhz, 3.5 mhz and 40 mhz.  It uses the floppy to make floppy noises even when you access your program from either the SD card or the microSD card just to maintain the C64 ambiance.

[Panzergranate]

I never had a C64, even though it was the 2nd most popular 8 bit micro-computer, during the 1980's, in the UK.

I had the vastly more popular & functionally superior 48 K ZX Spectrum +, Spectrum 128 K, Spectrum +2A and Spectrum +3 (which I eventually ran and IBM 10 M. Byte Hard Drive on).

The spectrum featured the faster & more versatile Z80 processor, 41 K. bytes of user memory (compared to the C64's 38 K. Bytes) plenty o f 3rd party peripherals such as virtual memory pericon modules, parallel floppy disc drives, video capture cards, IO ports, robotics kits, etc.

I've walked around a factory and witnessed a Sinclair Spectrum running a CNC milling machine. NASA even took one (a Timex 2068 version) up on the Space Shuttle, in 1986, to send down 2 metre Ham radio band slow scan TV for schools. The Ham Radio astronaut operator was W5WFL.

All the C64 had going for it was the nicer keyboard.

 

[Sirgod]

Oh man, I wish I hadn't missed this.

I loved the old Commodore. Did the whole C-64 to C-128 to Amiga -500 to Amiga -1200 ( I think) w/ Video toaster.

Talk about good times.  I still have some old kickstart disks in a box here in my office. LOL

[Nemesis]

Your old programs could be run up to 40 times faster, or normal speed for games.  It is an active project.   

[Sirgod]

I will def. be checking it out.

Now just to get time to actually do anything. Working a lot. 14 hour days at times.

[Nemesis]

Never got into the Commodores myself but did look at them.  Lots of people began on them. 

[Sirgod]

I remember when Bobby Kotnick (sp) of Activision tried to take control of Commodore. Wanted to remove the keyboard and Disk drive, to make a 16 bit gaming system.

Man, so many good times with that game. Being a 7-8 yo kid, and after hours of peeking and poking memory addresses just to make a hot air balloon float across the screen... I was a programmer ! LOL.

[Nemesis]

Back then the C64 was out of my price range.  Didn't really get into computers until I bought a PC Jr and upgraded it to 384K and dual floppies.  Before that I did help build Heathkit H11 computer  64K and dual 8" floppies and got to play around with it.

[Sirgod]

I have to admit, I had help from my Grandmother. She told me , if I paid for half of it, she would pay the other half.

LOL, I busted my ass that summer, and had I think it was around 60 or 80 bucks saved up in three months. Mind you , I was still a snot nosed kid, not even a snot nosed teen, let alone a snot nosed man child.

She took me to Monkey Wards (what we called montgomery wards) and not only got me the C64, but the little cassete drive as well. Told me to keep my money, and that weekend, we went to Toy City (later became Toys R us) and I grabbed my first games. Telengard, Temple of Apshai, and I think Bards Tale 1.

[Nemesis]

Back then when you built something like the H11 you REALLY built it.  They provided the marked circuit boards and baggies of components which you had to sort out the correct parts and solder them to the boards then put all the boards together in the provided case with other components.  I don't think I told them I didn't have any experience soldering or with electronics assembly but all the things I made worked flawlessly.  Comparatively assembling a computer now from parts is child's play.

[Sirgod]

Oh man, I know it. Years ago, I had a job at a local pc shop. The high cost for simply replacing the vid chip on the c-64, wasn't the soldering, but having to take it apart, top down , to get to the thing.

[Nemesis]

I will def. be checking it out.

Now just to get time to actually do anything. Working a lot. 14 hour days at times.

The first run of 400 sold out.  The 2nd run of 1000 is set for preorders.  Price apparently 666.66 euros.