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Commodore's are NEAT!!

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NathanAllan

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I have a C64 and two disk drives for it, and I ereally want to us eit but I have no power supply for it. I also have that printer I asked about in a different topic, the Okimat 10 that needs the plug'n'print package for it.

As I have been looking it up, I have been getting more and more interested in it. Seems there is a rich history behind Commodore, see this link:

http://amiga.emugaming.com/c64web.html

As far as I can tell it's the newest and released Commodore that there is, and I just ran across it on accident. As I think about it, I would like to get a little TV set for it, and one of those $20 swivel bases for it at WalMart, heh heh. Anyway, I bought my C64 at the thrift shop for $10 adn discovered that the PS is bad, I tested it out and got incorrect readings. I also found new/used C64's for sale, here:

http://www.vintagecomputer.com/index.htm

And the prices are really not that bad. Not great considering that these things have been made obsolete but still reasonable. I wish it didn't, but for me it all boils down to how much can I afford. Got a good job, so I'll see how it goes. I see myself having a computer room with my C64, an Atari ST and a few others and hopefully I'll be able to make them talk to each other, heh heh.

Nathan
 
It shouldn't be hard at all to find a replacement PS for the C64. That particular machine still holds the distinction as the best selling computer ever.

On a similar topic I spent a part of this weekend playing with my new (from 1977) Commodore PET (the original calculator keyboard machine). The computer part is fully functional but the internal tape drive needs work. I'm looking for another external tape drive that'll hopefully be better then the one I've got now.

Erik
 
Erik said:
I'm looking for another external tape drive that'll hopefully be better then the one I've got now.
Click to expand...

This should be dead-easy. The internal workings of the CBM-decks are virtually identical. As far as I know, any bog standard (get-one-thrown-in-yer-neck-when-leaving-a-charity-shop-or-stumbling-over-ten-when-entering-a-fleamarket) 1530 datassette has internals that would fit that of the PET 2001's internal one. Just take out the drive, open it and replace the bits...

NathanAllan said:
I have a C64 and two disk drives for it, and I ereally want to us eit but I have no power supply for it.
Click to expand...

...as for C64 PSU's, they're more common than the tape-drives. I'd mail you one, but it just isn't feasable mailing anything the relatively high weight of a C64-PSU from Denmark :sarcasm: ... The sad thing about those PSU's are that they can't be fixed. They've been filled with some gunky goo, probably to protect the internals, how would anyone know.. Everything is molded into this stuff...
...Just to point out the obvious: You have checked that it isn't just a blown fuse, right?
 
Commodore's are NEAT!

Commodore's are NEAT!

Yes, the fuse was the first thing that I checked. I used a multimeter to check all that, and the fuse was good, I got a constant reading. The PS gave me a non-constant reading, got anywhere from .2-3v coming off it, and fugured that it was shot. It's basically money for me, I have seen them around here, too. But local prices are outrageous. Example: An unknown, untested Mac Quadra is $60 at the local store. I can only imagine what the PS would be. I guess I should have a look though. I get paid soon :wink:

Thinking of a tape drive, I had the idea that if one could be made via USB for a new computer, with today's compression formats and the speed of usb it wouldn't be a bad idea, considering the ability vs. price. Cassette tapes are cheap, usb could be made easy, and then backups wouldn't be such a pain. I've suggested it to people, but am always blown off. They always say things like "It used to take me 20 minutes to record 40k!" Well, whatever. I think it's still a good idea if we were to apply today's techniqes and yesterday's hardware.
 
Commodore

Commodore

I forgot to add, the Macintosh computer is NOT popular around here, which is why I think the price is rediculous for that certain machine.
 
A Quadra certainly shouldn't cost anywhere near that. Unless it was tested, working, with a barrage of periferals (original Apple, of course) and maybe signed by Steve and Steve :lol:

With that price in mind, I can see what you mean. Just noticing that you live in Texas, though, I think maybe you'd want to send a mail to Bo Zimmerman. He's almost an authority on Commodore, and just maybe he might have an extra PSU he'd sell you cheap, or even donate. I can't promise anything on his behalf though, of course. Check his site at www.zimmers.net. He's a nice guy...

With regards to the tape-drive thing, I think it could work. Though, you'd probably want to speed up the tape-drive above the regular speed, to get a better resolution. Storing data at high speeds on a medium like regular audio-cassette at regular speed wouldn't be too good, I think.
That said, although the idea is fairly good, I don't think I'd really want to trust data to an unstable medium like cassette tape. It's a peace-of-mind issue for me. MO or CD for me, thank you very much 8)
...But if you make something work, I'd love to hear about it :wink: ...
 
The Web.it is essentially a x86 based computer with a Commodore 64 emulator included. From what I gather it is not the best emulator of the best computer to keep the emulation up to speed.

One project that has been making progress is the c-one computer which is not a software emulation on froien hardware but proposes hardware emulation on FPGA logic (emulation at chip level... think about it). The C-One extends the features to ultra-cool proportions, read the specifications at:
http://www.c64upgra.de/c-one/

Also recently at AmiWest (last weekend recently) I saw a gaming device the size of a GB Advanced running 64 games (the one I saw was Lode Runner), I can't recall the name of the unit though. The programs are uploaded via USB and it supports .d64 disk image files, but to do keyboard entry looked painful as you use the gme pad to enter via a popup keyboard window) :-/

As far as the dead PSU there are a few sites outr there that have schematics to a) fix 64s b) make your own power supply from scratch or c) add a circuit to a standard PC power supply to get the 9V AC which will make it usable on the 64/128 and/or Plus/4. Fortunately the Commodore Community is very much alive and active. :)
 
joecommodore said:
One project that has been making progress is the c-one computer which is not a software emulation on froien hardware but proposes hardware emulation on FPGA logic (emulation at chip level... think about it). The C-One extends the features to ultra-cool proportions, read the specifications at:
http://www.c64upgra.de/c-one/
Click to expand...

I met Jerri at last year's VCF. Unfortunately I missed her talk because I was tending my display.

The C-One is an amazing idea and machine.

Erik
 
Commodores then and now

Commodores then and now

I have been following the C1 as well, and I am very impressed! It looks liek about the most versatile computer (from a techie perpective) I have ever seen. And a dream to anyone sub-contracting to make them complete units: complete computers, portables, console tops, game systems, the possibilities are endless. I like most that ity does what the original did and then more on top of it instead of replacing it.

It seems I am going to make a circuit to adapt a common PC power supply to work with my machine. It's the easiest way to go for me right now, and I will have planty of juice left over for running any peripherals I might use later (hdds, whatever).

I read the page about the WebIt and would liek to read more, like the original pamphlets or ads for it for sale. Though I can't figure out why it was running windows of any kind (3.x). It would make agreat museum piece.

Going to a ham radio auction today (I hope) and will see what they have and can be used. They always have a ton of hardware of different kinds for sale from $0.25 and up.

Nathan
 
PC to 64 Power Supply Links

PC to 64 Power Supply Links

Here is a simple circuit from Funet archives, don't ask me what it means I'm not a hardware person(it looks like you just add a clock on this circuit instead of 9v. which makes it specific to the computer.)
http://www.funet.fi/pub/cbm/documents/projects/other/c64-with-12volts


Here is a clean looking circuit for 9VAC with circuit board layout, etc. It is for 50hz (european), but I'm sure can be made 60hz (US) readily:
http://www.volny.cz/dundera/stuff.html
 
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