WANT. NOW.

[VanillaGorilla]

Not technically arcade related, but GIVE IT TO ME!!!

http://techland.time.com/2011/04/05/beige-is-back-the-commodore-64-and-its-amazing-keyboard-return/


People must be slamming the commodoreusa.net server, cause its down as of now...

[HaRuMaN]

 

[Tumerboy]

Very tempting!

[RayB]

They keep "announcing" this thing or a variation of it at least twice a year now.

[LeedsFan]

Couldn't you like... just build your own? Take an old C64 and gut it... stick a mini-ITX inside and find a way to hook the keyboard up. Job Done.

EDIT:  I see it's $700 for the standard spec. How much would it cost to make your own?

[Bootay]

I know someone who did make their own. And that's all it really is too is a gutting c64 with miniITX...basically a shuttle in a c64 case.
The sad thing is how many old c64s are they going to trash to sell these? Old hardware can be hard enough to come by without some corporate --bags of cream-filled twinkies-- destroying history to make money on something their former owners actually created. heh Oh well...fortunately c64 are quite common...and I don't see these selling that well.

[Tumerboy]

I don't think these are mods of original commodore 64's.  I think these are new productions designed to LOOK like the originals.

[VanillaGorilla]

I don't think these are mods of original commodore 64's.  I think these are new productions designed to LOOK like the originals.

Bingo. 

Hadn't see the price. But do tell, LeedsFan, how you gonna interface the old c-64 keyboard in an easy fashion? That alone has gotta cost you. I would bet that ANYONE here would be hard pressed to work out that solution in a cost effective/time effective manner.

[bkenobi]

Doesn't this do just that?  It seems like this guy made a USB interface for a C64 keyboard.  Just plug it in internally and it would be good to go!

http://symlink.dk/projects/c64key/

[Bootay]

I don't think these are mods of original commodore 64's.  I think these are new productions designed to LOOK like the originals.

Yea, you're probably right. I posted in haste without thinking. Trashing old ones would require cleanup and it would require finding ones without the discoloration. I am sure Commodore USA has the original molds anyway....maybe. Whatever..still not worth the money.

[DaveMMR]

I don't think these are mods of original commodore 64's.  I think these are new productions designed to LOOK like the originals.

Thank goodness for that - the original C-64 is terrible to type on. 

[BobA]

At these prices I definitely DO NOT WANT ONE.   

The C64x can be had in five confusing configurations. The Barebones model is nothing more than the case and keyboard with a card reader and costs $250. The cheapest working version is the C64x Basic at almost $600, and to get luxuries such as Wi-Fi and a DVD drive you’ll need to cough up $700. If you’re in for that much, then you may as well jump all the way and spend $900 on the Ultimate edition, which puts in a 1-TB hard drive, a Blu-ray drive and 4 GB RAM.

[Tumerboy]

Meh, I still think it's cool, and would be awesome to have as a dedicated emulation machine.

[Thenasty]

I still have 5 maybe 6 c64 in the garage.  Modding one is probably easy but the keyboardmight be problem.

[Sir Headless VII]

At these prices I definitely DO NOT WANT ONE.   

The C64x can be had in five confusing configurations. The Barebones model is nothing more than the case and keyboard with a card reader and costs $250. The cheapest working version is the C64x Basic at almost $600, and to get luxuries such as Wi-Fi and a DVD drive you’ll need to cough up $700. If you’re in for that much, then you may as well jump all the way and spend $900 on the Ultimate edition, which puts in a 1-TB hard drive, a Blu-ray drive and 4 GB RAM.

Whats wrong with the prices? Those are fairly standard laptop price points.

[fallacy]

Dear god could someone please link me to some of these awesome Commodore 64 games that are making you people so nostalgic because I just don’t get it.

[MacGyver]

I think they should have taken some creative license and put in a number keypad.  Hell they should have made it a hexadecimal keypad.  Hell they should should sell it as a Commodore 64 look-a-like USB keyboard, with a hexadecimal keypad.
Ok, maybe all I really want is a keyboard with a hex keypad, but is that so wrong?  You try imputing MAC addresses and IPV6 IPs all day long without one and see how crazy it makes you.  

But seriously, it would have given it a whole "80's programmer" vibe if it had one.

[LeedsFan]

I suppose as a dedicated emulation machine it would be pretty cool. It was just the prices that surprised me a little. But then again if someone really wants something cool/different/unique then it's money well spent. What's that processor like? Intel Atom D525 1.8 GHz dual core?

[Malenko]

I still have 5 maybe 6 c64 in the garage.  Modding one is probably easy but the keyboardmight be problem.

I can haz one? I doubt you have a spare monitor to go with it.  The C64 was my first computer

10 Print "you suck",
20 goto 10
run

[BobA]

At these prices I definitely DO NOT WANT ONE.   

The C64x can be had in five confusing configurations. The Barebones model is nothing more than the case and keyboard with a card reader and costs $250. The cheapest working version is the C64x Basic at almost $600, and to get luxuries such as Wi-Fi and a DVD drive you’ll need to cough up $700. If you’re in for that much, then you may as well jump all the way and spend $900 on the Ultimate edition, which puts in a 1-TB hard drive, a Blu-ray drive and 4 GB RAM.

Whats wrong with the prices? Those are fairly standard laptop price points.

But it is not a laptop (No screen or battery)  A fast mini itx board in an enclosure with the same accessories would be half the price. 

[HaRuMaN]

I still have 5 maybe 6 c64 in the garage.  Modding one is probably easy but the keyboardmight be problem.

I can haz one? I doubt you have a spare monitor to go with it.  The C64 was my first computer

10 Print "you suck",
20 goto 10
run

Look what I just picked up on eBay for $9:

[Malenko]

I'll give ya $20 for it, lol

[HaRuMaN]

I'll give ya $20 for it, lol

No.   

[DaOld Man]

You should gut it and put in a widescreen HD LCD

[bobotech]

Do people still collect those old school tube monitors?  I have a pile of them, well maybe about 6 or 7 various mid '80s commie monitors.

[BobA]

They make great arcade monitors for testing or a mini cab.

[RayB]

People still pay as much as $40-$50 for those monitors (or maybe I am thinking of the model with stereo speakers).

MacGyver: Your idea of a USB keyboard in C64 style is great. THAT would sell.

[Mikezilla]

Dear god could someone please link me to some of these awesome Commodore 64 games that are making you people so nostalgic because I just don’t get it.

 

[Bootay]

Do people still collect those old school tube monitors?  I have a pile of them, well maybe about 6 or 7 various mid '80s commie monitors.

I personally only use them for old computers unless a better solution exists. Most of the older computers (Commodore, Apple, Atari) don't have a way to hook up newer LCDs. Some have ways around it, like my Amiga has an Indivision installed which has a VGA port on it allowing you to hook up LCDs (I still prefer to use CRT though). Without it the only option is a Commodore monitor or other RGB monitor that can display 15khz. It does have composite too but games display at 15khz which will not display on US TVs both CRT or LCD.

The C64 on the other hand has no problem using composite so you can hook those up to any TV, although the games do not look proper on LCD...but this falls into the same category as the Arcade Monitor Vs. LCD debate. Everyone has their own preference.

[markronz]

Dear god could someone please link me to some of these awesome Commodore 64 games that are making you people so nostalgic because I just don’t get it.

 

For me, I guess I'm just nostalgic about it because it was the first computer we had ever had.  My brother had a modem hooked up to it, and he dialed into a bunch of BBS's and downloaded like every game every there was.  So having this massive collection of games is probably why I am on this forum with all you good folks, emulating all these classic games, and taking pleasure in having every game ever.

I will admit though that, while at the time, it was amazing, I have a hard time playing the C64 games now.   I much prefer the versions of the games released on other systems, or in the arcade.  But still, there are a few games on there that, to my knowledge weren't on other systems.   Like Law of the West, and Skool Daze.  Although I just looked it up and it says Law of the West was on NES... I will have to investigate this!  I'm sure there were more games though, just can't think of them at the moment.

Any way you look at it though, there will always been a special place in my heart for the C64.

[VanillaGorilla]

People still pay as much as $40-$50 for those monitors (or maybe I am thinking of the model with stereo speakers).

MacGyver: Your idea of a USB keyboard in C64 style is great. THAT would sell.

If you go to the commodoreusa.net site, that is an option. You can buy a bare cassis with keyboard/card reader/usb hub for $250.

http://www.commodoreusa.net/CUSA_C64Select.aspx

[Bootay]

For me, I guess I'm just nostalgic about it because it was the first computer we had ever had.  My brother had a modem hooked up to it, and he dialed into a bunch of BBS's and downloaded like every game every there was.  So having this massive collection of games is probably why I am on this forum with all you good folks, emulating all these classic games, and taking pleasure in having every game ever.

I will admit though that, while at the time, it was amazing, I have a hard time playing the C64 games now.   I much prefer the versions of the games released on other systems, or in the arcade.  But still, there are a few games on there that, to my knowledge weren't on other systems.   Like Law of the West, and Skool Daze.  Although I just looked it up and it says Law of the West was on NES... I will have to investigate this!  I'm sure there were more games though, just can't think of them at the moment.

Any way you look at it though, there will always been a special place in my heart for the C64.

My feelings exactly except I still enjoy a lot of C64 classics. People who don't understand didn't grow up with them like I did. Much like the kids who were NES nuts back in the day still are today. I was a Commodore nut and still am. Sure the graphics aren't great today but the same can be said for all classic game systems. Who cares..its about what you grew up with. No one needs to piss on someones else's parade because they didn't like/own one or are too young to remember when those graphics were considered good. 

Just like some people can't appreciate when Atari 2600 looked good. I can because I was one of those kids playing that ---smurfy--- Pac-Man port and liking it because it was the best we had without going to the arcade.

[RayB]

Any way you look at it though, there will always been a special place in my heart for the C64.

Sounds like you adore your 64 !

[Bootay]

LOL

[VanillaGorilla]

Dear god could someone please link me to some of these awesome Commodore 64 games that are making you people so nostalgic because I just don’t get it.

It wasn't just the games, my young friend.

I can STILL remember how it smelled when I cracked open the boxes straight home from K-mart! I dont think anything could ever top that level of excitement and anticipation I felt that day. I remember it cost $400, and I can still see the cringing of my dads face as he laid out the cash for it I ran a punter BBS on it called The Pleasuredome...1200 baud goodness, I had my own phone line in my bedroom just for it. I used to have bushy bearded dudes driving over to my parents house in IL from Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin, etc and we would set up 5 or 6 machines, with stacked up 1541's and have massive copy/trading sessions...Fred Fish disks, Telengard, Temple of Apshai, Fast load cartridges, writing my first term papers using the Paperclip word processor, the memories are truly endless.

Who remembers user group meetings!!! Demon dialer? Taking over the phone lines in Canada and setting up party lines with 100 or so geeks/hackers! We were 12 year old kids for gods sakes!!!

Then once I got a hold of Sprint telephone codes, I began trading with people in Belgium, England, France... That machine opened up the whole world for me... I used to shudder in fear if a truck from the telephone company came down our street! Ultimately one of my buddies did get busted for sharing phone codes. He had to do 400 hours of community service! (He also went on to develop the I-sight camera for Apple in the early 2000's).  Eventually I got the Amiga 500 and I've never really been the same since. Now I'm a database developer/web programmer. That single computer cast the die for the course of my life. Amazing. I do adore my Commodore 64. And my dad thought it was all 'just a phase'  

[MacGyver]

VanillaGorilla, funny I was pretty much the same, except I was too poor to have a floppy/tapedrive, so I would sit there for hours writing huge programs in Basic and then my mom or someone would turn it off, and I had to start all over again.   What was that magazine that always had Commodore Basic code snippets in it? I had a stack of them a foot high. 

[ark_ader]

http://www.mini-itx.com/projects/c64/

[Grasshopper]

I've been eagerly anticipating the new C64 since I first found out about it on these forums in December (link). I think it's a truly inspired idea. However, I've got to say the prices are utterly insane.

The only price that really matters is the price for the barebones keyboard and case as they're the only unique components. The idea of a semi-portable computer fitted with a high quality mechanical keyboard is certainly very appealing. But you can still buy Unicomp Model M "clicky" Keyboards for about $80. I'm simply not willing to pay over three times that amount for a C64 case (which is essentially just a large keyboard).

I hope they succeed because I'd love to see a revival of 80s style all-in-one computers. It would be a shame to see such a good product die because of an unrealistic pricing strategy. But I certainly won't be buying one at their current prices.

[GibsonRiddler]

They are promoting it. I found out about it from an insert in the "Tron Legacy" blu ray.

[VanillaGorilla]

VanillaGorilla, What was that magazine that always had Commodore Basic code snippets in it? I had a stack of them a foot high. 

I think you are referring to Compute! magazine.

[Thenasty]

I hack one of the keyboards back in 92-95 to connect to regular arcade pushbuttons. I just trace the wire (using ohm-meter,continuity) and it work good.
I was thinking just now, maybe you could trace ALL the keys from the C64 and hook it up to a IPAC or Keywiz (then program it) and plug it into the USB that would be inside the case.  

I think that would work.  

Anyone willing test it ?

Just do the keyboard part before buying the mATX, DVD etc...parts.

[BobA]

The C64 and other Commodore units used a matrix for their keyboard as linked below.   Someone has already done work to make it into a USB keyboard also linked below.



Keyboard Info

C64 USB Keyboard

[Bootay]

Dear god could someone please link me to some of these awesome Commodore 64 games that are making you people so nostalgic because I just don’t get it.

It wasn't just the games, my young friend.

I can STILL remember how it smelled when I cracked open the boxes straight home from K-mart! I dont think anything could ever top that level of excitement and anticipation I felt that day. I remember it cost $400, and I can still see the cringing of my dads face as he laid out the cash for it I ran a punter BBS on it called The Pleasuredome...1200 baud goodness, I had my own phone line in my bedroom just for it. I used to have bushy bearded dudes driving over to my parents house in IL from Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin, etc and we would set up 5 or 6 machines, with stacked up 1541's and have massive copy/trading sessions...Fred Fish disks, Telengard, Temple of Apshai, Fast load cartridges, writing my first term papers using the Paperclip word processor, the memories are truly endless.

Who remembers user group meetings!!! Demon dialer? Taking over the phone lines in Canada and setting up party lines with 100 or so geeks/hackers! We were 12 year old kids for gods sakes!!!

Then once I got a hold of Sprint telephone codes, I began trading with people in Belgium, England, France... That machine opened up the whole world for me... I used to shudder in fear if a truck from the telephone company came down our street! Ultimately one of my buddies did get busted for sharing phone codes. He had to do 400 hours of community service! (He also went on to develop the I-sight camera for Apple in the early 2000's).  Eventually I got the Amiga 500 and I've never really been the same since. Now I'm a database developer/web programmer. That single computer cast the die for the course of my life. Amazing. I do adore my Commodore 64. And my dad thought it was all 'just a phase' 

Vanilla: You and I came from the same background. I also ran a BBS in my bedroom with a stack of 1541s and 1581s, and traded phreak codes. LOL
I also had a friend that was busted trading phreak codes and did some time in the youth home. It was a very exciting time. I had friends that were members of FBR, Fairlight, and Eagle Soft Inc. and a lot of the friends that I have now I met on the BBS's back in the day. One of them is now a developer at Mozilla. I have very fond memories of the times I had with my C64. My Amiga days were almost as equally exciting.

[RayB]

Mags: Compute, Compute's Gazette, Ahoy, Computer Fun

Bootay and Vannilla: Are you guys from the Montreal area? Your stories echo similar experience with some guys I knew in Montreal.

[Bootay]

I am in Michigan

[VanillaGorilla]

IL chicago suburbs here...we should all get together and shoot a documentary  .. speaking of, have either of you guys seen "BBS: A Documentary"? Really worth a watch.

www.bbsdocumentary.com

[Bootay]

Been meaning to check it out. But haven't yet.

I will jump on that.