The C64, returns.

Steve Elliott · February 04, 2020, 23:12:17

Just spoke to the seller and he tells me it's still in Glasgow and showing delayed. And also he has switched from Hermes to DHL because of problems in the past.

Steve Elliott · February 05, 2020, 13:07:53

C64 arrived.

Xerra was right, a nice looking machine. I always remember the breadbin design, but I've heard they're not so reliable.

I've ordered a modern replacement C64 Power Supply because the old one's would sometimes fry the computer (no surge protection).

iWasAdam · February 05, 2020, 13:52:06

Yay \o/

Steve Elliott · February 05, 2020, 18:19:46

These 3 videos are appropriate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6vytxOoFeg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15nf2EBBNu0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sHVWL_Cybs

Steve Elliott · February 06, 2020, 19:51:04

To connect the C64 to my monitor I've ordered this setup.

https://lyonsden.net/commodore-64-video-over-hdmi/

Plus the disk drive emulator and fast loader cartridge as seen in the last video above.

Qube · February 07, 2020, 02:39:01

Quote from: Steve Elliott on February 05, 2020, 13:07:53
C64 arrived.

A real life C64 \o/ - super cool

Is it the early version of the C64c as that had the original SID chip in it. Later models had a different board design including a different SID chip which had a weak bass and not as punchy as the original 6581.

Overall though I'm jealous and getting an urge to buy the real thing too

- Wonder if I could squeeze an old CRT TV on my desk?

Steve Elliott · February 07, 2020, 08:13:11

Quote
A real life C64 \o/ - super cool

Yep, after Menkind let me down with my 'The C64' replica, and playing some games under emulation I thought sod it lets get the real thing!

Quote
Is it the early version of the C64c as that had the original SID chip in it. Later models had a different board design including a different SID chip which had a weak bass and not as punchy as the original 6581.

I haven't opened it to gather more information and am waiting for all my goodies before I can actually use it. Maybe I'll be lucky and have the better SID. Although I do have some nice speakers connected to my monitor so that should give some good bass. Weither the SID Chip in the breadbin design is slightly better or not, it ran hotter and had far more chips and components, therefore a higher failure rate is possible from this old hardware version. I didn't want to take a risk on that model.

Quote
Overall though I'm jealous and getting an urge to buy the real thing too - Wonder if I could squeeze an old CRT TV on my desk?

lol I might get a CRT at some stage, but I'm quite happy with a 24 inch flat screen possibly running in 4:3 ratio.

It's expensive but did you know you can almost buy a brand new C64 today? You still have to supply a couple of the old chips so it's not quite 100% new, but you can get a new circuit board and new cases printed from the original Commodore moulds as mentioned in the above videos.

https://icomp.de/shop-icomp/en/produkt-details/product/c64-reloaded-mk2.html

https://shop.pixelwizard.eu/en/commodore-c64/cases/37/c64c-case-classic-beige

Steve Elliott · February 08, 2020, 16:18:20

The extras have started to arrive lol. A C64 Manual, which includes details on moving hardware sprites about in BASIC, a very classy manual too. The Speccy Manual was huge in comparison because it used a large font. I prefer this C64 version because it's a perfect size and more like a technical document. A video out cable arrived too, and now my RCA to HDMI converter.

Qube · February 09, 2020, 00:55:05

Oh I'm so tempted to follow suit

- Real hardware, real manuals and real media, ahhhh

iWasAdam · February 09, 2020, 06:14:32

when the words 'help' and 'documentation' meant something

Xerra · February 09, 2020, 09:19:57

From memory, the C64 and Vic 20 technical documentation was excellent. I'm getting myself the original documents in paper form as well as my current downloads as sometimes it just works better.

Steve Elliott · February 09, 2020, 09:30:15

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Oh I'm so tempted to follow suit - Real hardware, real manuals and real media, ahhhh

You can't beat it. One beer away from pushing the button?

Quote
I'm getting myself the original documents in paper form as well as my current downloads as sometimes it just works better.

Yes I have a couple of C64 manuals in PDF format too, but wanted the real printed User Guide at least.

Pfaber11 · February 09, 2020, 13:24:36

Strange how a company as successful as Commodore went bust same story for Atari. Their computers were excellent and everywhere around the globe. So what happened?

Steve Elliott · February 09, 2020, 13:34:01

Poor management choices.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3grRR9-XHXg

Xerra · February 09, 2020, 16:16:56

Quote from: Steve Elliott on February 09, 2020, 13:34:01
Poor management.

This. I read a detailed book about Commodore a few years back that went into the back story in great detail as the author had researched it very well and spoken to lots of key people. Jack Tramiel was a very good businessman, although by the sounds of it he probably would have struggled in today's environment where managers need to have molly-coddling skills. A big part of the problems came after he sold up and bought into Atari. The rest of it is just bad management and excessive, wasted spending.

It's a crying shame as they had genius tech people there such as Dave Haynie and Andy Finkel. Stiil, at least a lot of us were there for the good years. I went the Vic 20, C64, Amiga route and couldn't have been happier with those machines.