THIS is how a video/review should be done. Glad to see a reviewer that knows his stuff. Finally something else than 10 print "hello", 20 goto 10. I do hope Retro Games improve firmware based on your suggestions. I would give this video 10/10 but WHY did you mention about the 0 key not aligned properly ? Now I cannot sleep at night ;)
Actually seeing 10 print " hello" in EVERY video made me laugh each time ;) Delivery in the Netherlands has again been postponed, now it's december 31. I do hope they will add a 50/60 forced choice in a future update. I only have one tv, older Sony Bravia, so if it decides to choose 60hz automatically I'm screwed :-/
I will save this video for later, when I purchase one. I need a way to transfer programs from a floppy disk, to a thumb drive. I have hundreds of programs on 5 1/4. Many are programs I wrote, so I can't get them any other way. Any suggestions? Oh yea, I have several c64 and 1541 drives.
@@vbrigham Either use an SD2IEC (copy to blank d.64 image), same with a Pi1541, or get a Zoomfloppy device and use that to copy your disks to a PC with the correct software. I am sure there are other ways, but those are what I have used (and writing d64 images to real floppies as well).
At www.nedgame.nl/afbeeldingen/the-c64-microcomputer/screenshots/3_5066541970.jpg I see a perfect aligned '0' on the zero-key. Perhaps this picture is of a new serie/batch of C64's?
Excellent video, its refreshing when someone with actual knowledge provides a balanced view of these products. And I definitely think a PAL vs NTSC gamer competition should happen!!
Well said..! Too many people around the internet going on about Raspberry Pi is better.. Really? this thing looks like, and feels like a genuine C64, and as this video proves, it's emulation is so deep it even does assembler/machine code programming perfectly I just got one of these, as I remember them from 40+ years ago selling and using them, and it seems perfect (except for the lack or original ports in the back ;-) ) , and for general use; game playing, brushing up on basic skills, reliving the past, this machine is more than perfect.....! It's a fantastic new computer for hobbyists wanting to tinker with newer USB/HDMI equipped hardware, or the general 'target' audience, to relive those old memories - even down to typing-in endless pages of programmes only to get "syntax error" messages all over... but they can be edited, fixed, and then saved to a USB stick just as they would have been saved to disk years ago. It's a real feel-good machine that love these older days of computing, and yet is still totally relevant today.... ;-)
This was an excellent review, answered all my questions about using this as a basic machine. With the built in keyboard that seems like the big draw, yet all the other reviews I've seen have glossed over the keyboard and basic, which made no sense. This was great!
Oh man, these videos are so good. The voice is so pleasant. The information is just spot-on. There is a jump-to section. Really nice. Bless the internet that something like this is made.
I spotted these were being made and was thinking of getting one for my 50th... got a C64 here in the uk when they came out, how I loved it back in the day. Many thanks for a great review, didn't think it could do all that.
Its amazing to see how involved you have been with this community for almost/over 20 years now. Personally i show up to see weird old hardware, but its not often someone is as skilled and interesting as you can be. Loving the content!
I've heard that differences in size comes from the VIC 20, which align perfectly with theC64 Max. There must be some Commodore 64 batches in VIC 20 frames, maybe the firsts.
There were a few different sizes of theC64, there was another youtuber (cant remember which one) who showed them next to each other - thec64 is matches that one.
7:20 i have an at&t electronic typewriter from the late 80's (manual says 1989, but serial number comes up 1987) and THAT doesn't even have a locking shift key. i doubt they would make them now.
Thank you so much, sir! i'm doing a Zelda game for thec64 and really i was needing a blank disk like those D81 formats. i've watched your video and now my problems are solved. great, you're awesome!
Thank you for the best C64 review on RUclips. I just love your channel. I really appreciate it when someone on RUclips really knows what they're talking about. The fact that you're sharing your knowledge here is greatly appreciated.
@@NuntiusLegis Well. You're kinda right about a few things. It's not a C64, it's a "TheC64". And yes. It's emulation. I have two 64c's and two breadbins so I understand what you're saying about the keyboard. Still I can't help liking TheC64. Now I can lie on my sofa and easily program in Basic on my living room TV. I used to do it with a real C64, but TheC64 gives a sharper and more stable image with HDMI. It's all in good fun.
BIG WOW. Great "Reintroduction" of this famous computer. Real blast to watch and admire! Never thought a toy from my childhood be so popular! I played with assembly on it in early 90's. But soon to be forgotten and replaced with i686...
The speed issue is clearly that the games loaded on this machine were the EU/International versions which were designed to run on PAL. The fix in the video is totally valid but the simplest way to get around it is to just select PAL at the system setup. Since this version of the system was built for these markets I would imagine that the majority of the games that are pre-loaded would also be designed for PAL mode. The NTSC mode is most likely there as a compatibility feature so that those with a collection of NTSC based roms can use them without too much issue.
Great coverage and information on getting the assembler running with 512k. I guess you could just save a state on The C64 once all set up? You also asked what advantages The C64 has and why you might choose to use it? I would add a huge feature (which you said you’d save for another time) is it also has a Vic 20 inside. If you are short on space, or want a better Vic output on a modern TV, The C64 does a good job here. :)
Thanks Robin, this is the review this machine deserved. May I suggest to tryout, in eventual upcoming videos for thec64, error codes, original bugs, easter eggs and fastloaders?
Loved this video and for the record, I didn't feel you were biased one way or the other. I found your review very objective and informative. Thanks so much!
(Almost) comprehensive review!! Great and very informative stuff! Now if I may ask a couple things not covered here: 1- How faithful/accurate is the emulation? How does it fare with running hardware limit-pushing and demanding demos and other taxing software of the sort that rely sometimes heavily on specifics of internal workings and quirks of the original machine? 2- Is the joystick useable as a standard USB joystick? Can we plug and use it on a PC (great to play with other emulators), or is it exclusively working with theC64 Maxi? Thank you loads for this excellent review!
29:15 That's no way to motivate a developer! The correct way to state it is: "It might be possible to add this in a firmware update, but it would really require a genius programmer who's on top of his game to be able to implement it."
Just wanted to point out to people: if you're not too sure how to make a D64 image in VICE, that there is a program called DirMaster that makes it very easy.
c1541 utility comes with VICE. # create a new d64 disk image c1541 -format "my disk,01" d64 "mydisk.d64" # add a file to it c1541 -attach "mydisk.d64" -write "myfavgame.prg" "myfavgame" # list the contents c1541 -attach "mydisk.d64" -list
Great review mate! Super informative and detailed... especially with the icon placement on the keyboard, it's going to probably bug me now! Looking forward to getting this for Christmas and writing games out of the old c64 books. Happy Holidays!
Simply one of the best reviews I've ever seen. Thanks. In my declining years, some things that gave me great joy when younger are coming back...The C64...going back to the Moon. Too much to hope for another Golden Retriever puppy? Time will tell...
How easy would it be to hook up a real commodore/amiga joystick?? I got plenty of original competition pro and zipsticks laying around that I would like to use.
How does the new C64 maxi and \ or The C64 mini handle playing text adventures? The mini of course with a USB keyboard? I haven't been able to find anyone on Google, on RUclips or anywhere mention this for neither device. Thank you in advance for any information on this. Tim
I don’t know if you’ve seen the Full Sized “The VIC 20” but i bought one recently and have been having fun with it. The issue you noted with the keyboard number 0 being not lined up with the rest of the numbers has been fixed. My “0” lines up with the 9.
On my C64 unit, the speech in Impossible Mission is correct and not pitched up, I suspect this is because I've set my video output to 50 Hz and my default computer model to PAL. I know that when I run it in NTSC mode, the sound effects in Bowling Night are pitched up. There is a flag you can apply to a file to stop it from scaling the audio to prevent those pitch difference issues.
It's a good system overall, but there are a couple of things that I personally would have liked to have been implemented (perhaps in a future firmware update...) 1. mouse support (would come in handy if you want to fool around with programs like GEOS) 2. Support for memory expansion modules in VIC-20 mode (perhaps with a flag(s))
Yes, mouse support would be great. I was under the impression that the VIC-20 mode already does support different memory configurations, but I haven't played with it myself yet. I know there's a section about it, anyway.
I'm waiting for mine. But it seems that it could be done using the same method as REU hack - preconfiguring snapshot of GEOS and VICE settings to use 1351 mouse
It's a bit sad that they can't make at least one DB9 port for classic controllers. It's literally just a few wires on the IO pins and a linux driver that probably already exists.
@@CrossedCoder Are you sure? I read that that doesn't work because you're required to use a joystick with 8 buttons. I actually mailed the thec64 devs about this before I order an adaptor but didn't get a reply yet
Happy New Year Robin! Great video as always, probably THE best The64 review online, and it's going to help sell a lot of The64 because you really do know what your'e talking about and hack into it. :)
Excellent review, Robin. A couple of things, that I wanted to know about it were mentioned. Back in the 1980s, I liked to play David‘s Midnight pinball. That is now possible, too. I might still wait a bit, but finally, I want to get one, I think.
Easily the best review of the C64 maxi. Most reviews just show this machine playing C64 games or running two-liners written in the useless CBM Basic 2. I was curious how this replica works with TMP and not only you gave an answer, but also provided a "hack" to make it work with TMP+REU. My C64 died several years ago, and I am considering buying the C64 maxi, since it is way cheaper than the alternative options. The information you provided was really helpful. Thank you, and keep up the good work! A few questions, if you have time... Can this machine emulate the NEOS mouse (or any of the old C64 mouses) by plugging in an optical mouse in one of its USB ports? Can it emulate two disk drives? Also, I noticed that VICE often slows down while running TMP. Even cursor movement is noticeably slower after some time working on TMP; sometimes VICE also pops up a window saying memory is "dumped" (and that without messing up with reserved memory). Did you notice anything similar on "the C64"? A soft reset solves the issue in VICE, but this replica does not have a soft reset, so I wonder how it performs when working more "seriously", with larger assembly code.
It does support .tap files and most games work fine with it, Ocean loader and all. The only problem I'm aware of is that there's no way to fast forward / rewind the virtual tape, so the relatively rare games that require it won't work. But as long as they load linearly, from beginning to end, it's fine.
Yep, i hate cracked games (i find the screens and music a tad pretentious lol) and so I have been recording my own game tapes to wav files and converting them to tap files on the PC. Works just fine but as said, if you have a game that needs to load from tape during the game it wont work as there are no emulated tape controls to pause or ff etc. I would like such controls just like on vice. They could be controlled via the menu.
My brother and I have a tradition of playing Christmas Lemmings every Christmas. While this is hectic enough, it is far less frenetic than Sarah's Santron game. So congratulations to Sarah for creating the game and to you for making it so far without getting blown to smithereens :-)
Others may have touched on it But do you think they'll release a USB interface so you use real a disk / tape drive and what happens if you try to use the UserPort? Different Games use different ports, how easy is it to switch the USB stick to be other port and how about 2 player games do 2 sticks work?
The main reason I'm asking all this is because of the 4 player game BomberMan, players 3 and 4 could be connected though the user port and I was wondering how this could be done on this.
This thing seems like the best of both worlds. I have what is in effect a very fast hard drive, yet I can load and save from and to a (virtual) floppy with good old comma-eight commands. The one thing this needs now is support for an external Commodore FDD, with some sort of adapter to connect through the USB. Pull all my old files off the floppies I kept all these years.
I wish they would let you remap the keys for navigating the menu. I use the Apple II a lot, so I've gotten used to using cursor keys for left and right and using A and Z to move up and down.
Great Review and you earned another Subscriber! I haven't messed around on a C64 since the mid to late 80s. I look forward to picking one of these up and re-living my childhood memories with playing the C64 with my Dad and starting to dabble in learning to use BASIC! I look forward to watching more videos from you for "TheC64" and have a good day! :)
@@NuntiusLegis Since leaving this comment my dad and I uncovered our Commodore 64, 1541 Disk Drive and 1702 Monitor. We also found all our accessories and software. It’s currently out of order, but I’m going to be sending it out for inspection/repair tomorrow afternoon. I look forward to getting it up and running again.
@@Zion767318 Great. I got my C64C and !541 II out a few months ago, connected it to a 4:3 TFT TV from Ebay via s-video and enjoy better picture quality than ever in the 80s when I only had a worn out CRT TV. But a proper CRT monitor like your 1702 should be even better.
You can set additional memory banks by having certain letter combos on filename of d64, and also select speed (pal/ntsc). It's on the big manual. Saves you the "hacking" hassle :)
Provides a working REU hack and file for download as part of a review! How brilliant is our Robyn? Mine arrived a few days ago and I have to say it's pretty good overall but the Joystick, although micro switched, is very stiff and a bit cheap it often gets stuck in an active position. It's nowhere near as quality as an original Competition Pro.
I haven't had any trouble with my joystick, but maybe there's some (bad) variation in the individual units. I know the C64DTV joysticks varied a lot, unfortunately, from decent to terrible.
Thank you - great video btw - but I must be doing something wrong - just does not work - tmp unloads it's self. Do you know if TMP+REU+SS saves as a snapshot?
Can you connect a floppy to read/write actual Commodore floppies? Can you USB soundcard and cassette to read/write Commodore cassettes? Are USB hubs usable?
Kinda like the Timex Sinclair 1500 which would default to TV channel 2 unless key 3 was pressed upon boot-up which would make it change to channel 3 instead.
I've seen videos where the original Commodore 64 keyboard sounds identical to THEC64's keyboard. What I think is happening here is that different Commodore 64s were released with different keyboards: some have membrane keyboards like THEC64, some have something a little more robust. I *know* this is true of the TI-99/4A. The one I bought has Stackpole keyswitches (making it relatively easy to fix the key glitches I experienced), but some TI-99/4As shipped with Alps or membrane switches, even considering just the silver model. Darn... now I want a THE99/4A. Maybe with emulated PEB, 32k expansion, and certainly speech synthesizer!
How hard would it be to get this to boot a web browser in Linux and use a wifi USB dongle? It would be so cool to have the best of retro gaming and still be able to access the web or linux. Is the processor in this board capable? I would hate to replace with a Pi
Last I heard, they're still working on a distribution deal for North America. Hopefully we'll see it later in spring, but there's nothing official yet. Meanwhile, I've seen some people on Facebook say they're happy with their purchase from this place: www.shop4megastore.com/retro-consoles/the-c64-retro-console-uk-plug
Yes, it's a software emulation and it's "pretty good". Check out the last chapter of my video 'TheC64 "Maxi" Q&A, VIC-20 Mode, Programming & More' for a long A/B demo comparison with a very complex tune to get a listen.
I’m an Apple II fanboy, but the quality of C64 games is far superior than the Apple ports in most cases. You’ve done a great job of showing that TheC64 can emulate the actual functionality of a real C64. Will buy. Also, the PAL vs NTSC thing is what killed the PS Classic out-of-box experience. Sony used PAL versions of some of the games to cut costs. This was fixed in the modding community by allowing users to change settings either in the emulator or by just using NTSC images via USB. Thanks for the detailed review.
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
THIS is how a video/review should be done. Glad to see a reviewer that knows his stuff. Finally something else than 10 print "hello", 20 goto 10. I do hope Retro Games improve firmware based on your suggestions. I would give this video 10/10 but WHY did you mention about the 0 key not aligned properly ? Now I cannot sleep at night ;)
Agreed Jan. What an awesome video - Merry Xmas
Actually seeing 10 print " hello" in EVERY video made me laugh each time ;) Delivery in the Netherlands has again been postponed, now it's december 31. I do hope they will add a 50/60 forced choice in a future update. I only have one tv, older Sony Bravia, so if it decides to choose 60hz automatically I'm screwed :-/
I will save this video for later, when I purchase one. I need a way to transfer programs from a floppy disk, to a thumb drive. I have hundreds of programs on 5 1/4. Many are programs I wrote, so I can't get them any other way. Any suggestions?
Oh yea, I have several c64 and 1541 drives.
@@vbrigham Either use an SD2IEC (copy to blank d.64 image), same with a Pi1541, or get a Zoomfloppy device and use that to copy your disks to a PC with the correct software. I am sure there are other ways, but those are what I have used (and writing d64 images to real floppies as well).
At www.nedgame.nl/afbeeldingen/the-c64-microcomputer/screenshots/3_5066541970.jpg I see a perfect aligned '0' on the zero-key. Perhaps this picture is of a new serie/batch of C64's?
26:59 "so you know I'm not violating any licenses. This is, THIS IS MINE."
The license is money without job...
9:00 From the 'for what it's worth' department; my unit, delivered 6-weeks ago on October 29, 2021, has a serial number 48,535.
I would have really loved it, if they had kept the old power-flick-switch - it was so iconic (to me, anyways).
Yeah why would they not do that? Never mind i dont want a preyellowed one that infact is more expensive than a working original...
Excellent video, its refreshing when someone with actual knowledge provides a balanced view of these products.
And I definitely think a PAL vs NTSC gamer competition should happen!!
Well said..! Too many people around the internet going on about Raspberry Pi is better.. Really? this thing looks like, and feels like a genuine C64, and as this video proves, it's emulation is so deep it even does assembler/machine code programming perfectly
I just got one of these, as I remember them from 40+ years ago selling and using them, and it seems perfect (except for the lack or original ports in the back ;-) ) , and for general use; game playing, brushing up on basic skills, reliving the past, this machine is more than perfect.....!
It's a fantastic new computer for hobbyists wanting to tinker with newer USB/HDMI equipped hardware, or the general 'target' audience, to relive those old memories - even down to typing-in endless pages of programmes only to get "syntax error" messages all over... but they can be edited, fixed, and then saved to a USB stick just as they would have been saved to disk years ago.
It's a real feel-good machine that love these older days of computing, and yet is still totally relevant today.... ;-)
This was an excellent review, answered all my questions about using this as a basic machine. With the built in keyboard that seems like the big draw, yet all the other reviews I've seen have glossed over the keyboard and basic, which made no sense. This was great!
Oh man, these videos are so good. The voice is so pleasant. The information is just spot-on. There is a jump-to section. Really nice. Bless the internet that something like this is made.
that's because he's got a cold... Wait till you hear his actual voice :)
I spotted these were being made and was thinking of getting one for my 50th... got a C64 here in the uk when they came out, how I loved it back in the day. Many thanks for a great review, didn't think it could do all that.
Its amazing to see how involved you have been with this community for almost/over 20 years now. Personally i show up to see weird old hardware, but its not often someone is as skilled and interesting as you can be. Loving the content!
I've heard that differences in size comes from the VIC 20, which align perfectly with theC64 Max.
There must be some Commodore 64 batches in VIC 20 frames, maybe the firsts.
There were a few different sizes of theC64, there was another youtuber (cant remember which one) who showed them next to each other - thec64 is matches that one.
@@francistaylor1822 8bitguy?
@@medinachete73 might be
I can't like this video enough because of the TMP+REU instructions. Thank you so much!
I don't know why it took until now to sink in, that you had worked on the C64DTV. This just makes mine so much more precious to me.
I second that!
I have five. I treasure them
@@WarrenPostma Well, I only have the one... so I guess I'll just go view it through a kaleidoscope then :P
A great exploration of TheC64, Robin. I've watched quite a few reviews but yours covers details the over folks missed. Great video. Well done!
Chuck Peddle (1937-2019), rest in peace.
C64 TEAM STAFF -REAL GENIOUS
The clicks of the micro-switches on the joystick provided untold amounts of joy in me :D
I'm so tempted to get one of these. I'd love an Amiga 500 done this way, too :)
THEA500 Mini is coming out later this year!!! It doesn't just emulate an Amiga 500, but an Amiga 1200 as well!
7:20 i have an at&t electronic typewriter from the late 80's (manual says 1989, but serial number comes up 1987) and THAT doesn't even have a locking shift key. i doubt they would make them now.
Thank you so much, sir! i'm doing a Zelda game for thec64 and really i was needing a blank disk like those D81 formats. i've watched your video and now my problems are solved. great, you're awesome!
Thank you for the best C64 review on RUclips. I just love your channel. I really appreciate it when someone on RUclips really knows what they're talking about. The fact that you're sharing your knowledge here is greatly appreciated.
It's not a C64, it's an emulator with half-decent keyboard.
@@NuntiusLegis Well. You're kinda right about a few things. It's not a C64, it's a "TheC64". And yes. It's emulation. I have two 64c's and two breadbins so I understand what you're saying about the keyboard. Still I can't help liking TheC64. Now I can lie on my sofa and easily program in Basic on my living room TV. I used to do it with a real C64, but TheC64 gives a sharper and more stable image with HDMI. It's all in good fun.
@@baardbi Ordinary PC with VICE plus keyboard with C64 key stickers also works on the sofa and is way cheaper. ;-)
@@NuntiusLegis Absolutely. I just need to get those stickers.
BIG WOW. Great "Reintroduction" of this famous computer. Real blast to watch and admire! Never thought a toy from my childhood be so popular! I played with assembly on it in early 90's. But soon to be forgotten and replaced with i686...
I love your content 8-bit guy! You are a powerhouse of c64 knowledge. God bless you
The speed issue is clearly that the games loaded on this machine were the EU/International versions which were designed to run on PAL. The fix in the video is totally valid but the simplest way to get around it is to just select PAL at the system setup. Since this version of the system was built for these markets I would imagine that the majority of the games that are pre-loaded would also be designed for PAL mode. The NTSC mode is most likely there as a compatibility feature so that those with a collection of NTSC based roms can use them without too much issue.
Selecting the pal version in the setup doesn't change the speed of Impossible Mission on my one.
Mine is coming next week :) Haven't been this excited since I was 8.
much better review than the 8-bit guy
Great coverage and information on getting the assembler running with 512k. I guess you could just save a state on The C64 once all set up?
You also asked what advantages The C64 has and why you might choose to use it? I would add a huge feature (which you said you’d save for another time) is it also has a Vic 20 inside. If you are short on space, or want a better Vic output on a modern TV, The C64 does a good job here. :)
Thanks Robin, this is the review this machine deserved. May I suggest to tryout, in eventual upcoming videos for thec64, error codes, original bugs, easter eggs and fastloaders?
This is an INCREDIBLE review! Saved all your The C64 videos to watch again and again. Thank you!
Many Many thanks for that "different to others" review! That's exactly what I was looking for! Merry Christmas! Greetings, Doktor64!
Loved this video and for the record, I didn't feel you were biased one way or the other. I found your review very objective and informative. Thanks so much!
(Almost) comprehensive review!! Great and very informative stuff!
Now if I may ask a couple things not covered here:
1- How faithful/accurate is the emulation? How does it fare with running hardware limit-pushing and demanding demos and other taxing software of the sort that rely sometimes heavily on specifics of internal workings and quirks of the original machine?
2- Is the joystick useable as a standard USB joystick? Can we plug and use it on a PC (great to play with other emulators), or is it exclusively working with theC64 Maxi?
Thank you loads for this excellent review!
29:15 That's no way to motivate a developer! The correct way to state it is: "It might be possible to add this in a firmware update, but it would really require a genius programmer who's on top of his game to be able to implement it."
17:20 the infamous scream also used in another absolute classic game 'Beach Head 2'. The sounds/speech in that game were also incredible!!
Amazing pro review. Looking forward to you take a look at vic-20 mode. Merry christmas.
I have a feeling there is going to be a huge demand for the Commodore key and logo to make this look more authentic.
Just wanted to point out to people: if you're not too sure how to make a D64 image in VICE, that there is a program called DirMaster that makes it very easy.
c1541 utility comes with VICE.
# create a new d64 disk image
c1541 -format "my disk,01" d64 "mydisk.d64"
# add a file to it
c1541 -attach "mydisk.d64" -write "myfavgame.prg" "myfavgame"
# list the contents
c1541 -attach "mydisk.d64" -list
Great review mate! Super informative and detailed... especially with the icon placement on the keyboard, it's going to probably bug me now! Looking forward to getting this for Christmas and writing games out of the old c64 books. Happy Holidays!
Simply one of the best reviews I've ever seen. Thanks. In my declining years, some things that gave me great joy when younger are coming back...The C64...going back to the Moon. Too much to hope for another Golden Retriever puppy? Time will tell...
How easy would it be to hook up a real commodore/amiga joystick?? I got plenty of original competition pro and zipsticks laying around that I would like to use.
you would beed a usb encoder & have to wire it yourself- the controller support is off the wall
retrobit sega saturn works so im fine w/ it
I'm not at all in the market for one of these but I greatly enjoyed this examination of it.
Your channel is great. I'm so happy I found it. Best regards and happy new year.
I actually feel better about the machine knowing you had a hand in it!
How does the new C64 maxi and \ or The C64 mini handle playing text adventures? The mini of course with a USB keyboard? I haven't been able to find anyone on Google, on RUclips or anywhere mention this for neither device. Thank you in advance for any information on this. Tim
I don’t know if you’ve seen the Full Sized “The VIC 20” but i bought one recently and have been having fun with it. The issue you noted with the keyboard number 0 being not lined up with the rest of the numbers has been fixed. My “0” lines up with the 9.
Forgot to ask, is there mouse support for using programs like GEOS?
USB mouse should be possible in a firmware update? Add C128 mode too.
@@SmoothTouchDown Wouldn't a C128 mode require an extended keyboard?
Were can we get this in Canada
Thanks
Great videos!
And Canadain! Good work
Probably the best technical review I found on this device, Thanks a lot !
Excellent review. Love the song at the end too.
On my C64 unit, the speech in Impossible Mission is correct and not pitched up, I suspect this is because I've set my video output to 50 Hz and my default computer model to PAL. I know that when I run it in NTSC mode, the sound effects in Bowling Night are pitched up. There is a flag you can apply to a file to stop it from scaling the audio to prevent those pitch difference issues.
What a great video and the ending was very heartwarming.
Bookmarking this as it seems to be the go to for how to use this newfangled whatchamacallit, great video!
It's a good system overall, but there are a couple of things that I personally would have liked to have been implemented (perhaps in a future firmware update...)
1. mouse support (would come in handy if you want to fool around with programs like GEOS)
2. Support for memory expansion modules in VIC-20 mode (perhaps with a flag(s))
Yes, mouse support would be great. I was under the impression that the VIC-20 mode already does support different memory configurations, but I haven't played with it myself yet. I know there's a section about it, anyway.
8 Bit Guy has a demo showing how to use VIC-20 expansion modules by way of flags.
I'm waiting for mine. But it seems that it could be done using the same method as REU hack - preconfiguring snapshot of GEOS and VICE settings to use 1351 mouse
The 'brown rainbow' of C64 colours! 😂
Would a rainbow of brown candy be called Shittles?
@@mal2ksc I'm not sure the marketing people would go for that, but a C64 themed bag of skittles would be ace.
64 shades of brown.
What were Retrogames Limited like to work with?
Did you make any new disk drives. And did you ever try the mega65
It's a bit sad that they can't make at least one DB9 port for classic controllers. It's literally just a few wires on the IO pins and a linux driver that probably already exists.
You can use a DB9 to USB adaptor for those classic controllers
@@CrossedCoder Are you sure? I read that that doesn't work because you're required to use a joystick with 8 buttons. I actually mailed the thec64 devs about this before I order an adaptor but didn't get a reply yet
So true!! +1 to this!
Breakfast of Champion
@@MrEDET let's hope they will answer!
Happy New Year Robin!
Great video as always, probably THE best The64 review online,
and it's going to help sell a lot of The64 because you really do know
what your'e talking about and hack into it. :)
the locking shift key today would be a normal power button repurposed likely, you can still get these type switches but they tend to cost more
I'll definitely use this and your other Q&A video as references when I get my C64 Maxi, great review!
Excellent review, Robin. A couple of things, that I wanted to know about it were mentioned. Back in the 1980s, I liked to play David‘s Midnight pinball. That is now possible, too. I might still wait a bit, but finally, I want to get one, I think.
Easily the best review of the C64 maxi. Most reviews just show this machine playing C64 games or running two-liners written in the useless CBM Basic 2. I was curious how this replica works with TMP and not only you gave an answer, but also provided a "hack" to make it work with TMP+REU. My C64 died several years ago, and I am considering buying the C64 maxi, since it is way cheaper than the alternative options. The information you provided was really helpful. Thank you, and keep up the good work!
A few questions, if you have time... Can this machine emulate the NEOS mouse (or any of the old C64 mouses) by plugging in an optical mouse in one of its USB ports? Can it emulate two disk drives? Also, I noticed that VICE often slows down while running TMP. Even cursor movement is noticeably slower after some time working on TMP; sometimes VICE also pops up a window saying memory is "dumped" (and that without messing up with reserved memory). Did you notice anything similar on "the C64"? A soft reset solves the issue in VICE, but this replica does not have a soft reset, so I wonder how it performs when working more "seriously", with larger assembly code.
Thank you Retro Games for truly having done a remake of the C64. I love you.
Great video. Everything works great but the REU hack did they patch it?
I can't get the REU hack working either.
Does The C64 include both PAL and NTSC versions of games? i.e. will ALL games run too fast if you run it as a 60Hz NTSC?
Does this support .tap files? So you actually can experience realistic load times with lets say, Ocean loaders and all?
It does support .tap files and most games work fine with it, Ocean loader and all. The only problem I'm aware of is that there's no way to fast forward / rewind the virtual tape, so the relatively rare games that require it won't work. But as long as they load linearly, from beginning to end, it's fine.
Yep, i hate cracked games (i find the screens and music a tad pretentious lol) and so I have been recording my own game tapes to wav files and converting them to tap files on the PC. Works just fine but as said, if you have a game that needs to load from tape during the game it wont work as there are no emulated tape controls to pause or ff etc. I would like such controls just like on vice. They could be controlled via the menu.
My brother and I have a tradition of playing Christmas Lemmings every Christmas. While this is hectic enough, it is far less frenetic than Sarah's Santron game. So congratulations to Sarah for creating the game and to you for making it so far without getting blown to smithereens :-)
Would love to know why mine did not come with an adapter. Even says so on the box.
Others may have touched on it But do you think they'll release a USB interface so you use real a disk / tape drive and what happens if you try to use the UserPort?
Different Games use different ports, how easy is it to switch the USB stick to be other port and how about 2 player games do 2 sticks work?
The main reason I'm asking all this is because of the 4 player game BomberMan, players 3 and 4 could be connected though the user port and I was wondering how this could be done on this.
Does anyone know where I can get a replacement joystick? I've repaired mine 3 or 4 times already but now it's pretty much toast.
Thanks for another fantasic video!!! I just ordered my own "The C64". Hope to get it before the weekend, Greetings from Sweden ;)
How about a mouse? Can I plug in a mouse and emulate the 1351 to run with GEOS?
23:59 Speaking of Spectrums-will you be getting the Spectrum Next?
if you choose pal mode does the imppoible mission built in speak correctly ????
This thing seems like the best of both worlds. I have what is in effect a very fast hard drive, yet I can load and save from and to a (virtual) floppy with good old comma-eight commands.
The one thing this needs now is support for an external Commodore FDD, with some sort of adapter to connect through the USB. Pull all my old files off the floppies I kept all these years.
I wish they would let you remap the keys for navigating the menu. I use the Apple II a lot, so I've gotten used to using cursor keys for left and right and using A and Z to move up and down.
Great Review and you earned another Subscriber! I haven't messed around on a C64 since the mid to late 80s. I look forward to picking one of these up and re-living my childhood memories with playing the C64 with my Dad and starting to dabble in learning to use BASIC! I look forward to watching more videos from you for "TheC64" and have a good day! :)
Emulator on PC and / or real C64 should cover your needs better for less money.
@@NuntiusLegis Since leaving this comment my dad and I uncovered our Commodore 64, 1541 Disk Drive and 1702 Monitor. We also found all our accessories and software. It’s currently out of order, but I’m going to be sending it out for inspection/repair tomorrow afternoon. I look forward to getting it up and running again.
@@Zion767318 Good luck!
@@NuntiusLegis They specialize in servicing vintage computers like the Commodore 64. I’ve dealt with them before, very professional.
@@Zion767318 Great. I got my C64C and !541 II out a few months ago, connected it to a 4:3 TFT TV from Ebay via s-video and enjoy better picture quality than ever in the 80s when I only had a worn out CRT TV. But a proper CRT monitor like your 1702 should be even better.
What a brilliant video. This is not just a review, but it's a wealth of tips and tricks and pointers to info...
3 years later and still not for sale in North America
yes... this exactly! Sad!
Nice review. That Wasteland box in the background though...
You can set additional memory banks by having certain letter combos on filename of d64, and also select speed (pal/ntsc). It's on the big manual. Saves you the "hacking" hassle :)
Unless I missed something, those memory bank options are only for VIC-20 mode, while the REU hack I showed is for the C64 mode.
@@8_Bit Hmm, you might be right on this one... Time to suggest to c64 this then -->
If they make a 64C version of this, I'll be getting one for sure.
"Amen" to that thought. But I'll still get a bread bin unit just in case...
Oh wow you did the programming on these, that's really impressive and cool!
Can you use music sid software and does the original keyboard overlay fit?
Yes, I show it in another video, called: 'TheC64 "Maxi" Q&A, VIC-20 Mode, Programming & More'.
When is the USA release date? Hoping to play some old-school Infocom games on it.
Provides a working REU hack and file for download as part of a review! How brilliant is our Robyn? Mine arrived a few days ago and I have to say it's pretty good overall but the Joystick, although micro switched, is very stiff and a bit cheap it often gets stuck in an active position. It's nowhere near as quality as an original Competition Pro.
I haven't had any trouble with my joystick, but maybe there's some (bad) variation in the individual units. I know the C64DTV joysticks varied a lot, unfortunately, from decent to terrible.
How do you get TMP + REU + Super Snapshot working together? Which do you load first the REU disk or do the SS reset??
First do the REU hack, then launch a Super Snapshot cartridge image. Then you can load Turbo Macro Pro+REU.
Thank you - great video btw - but I must be doing something wrong - just does not work - tmp unloads it's self. Do you know if TMP+REU+SS saves as a snapshot?
Can you connect a floppy to read/write actual Commodore floppies? Can you USB soundcard and cassette to read/write Commodore cassettes? Are USB hubs usable?
Wouldn't it be nice of you could hold the 5 or 6 key on boot to force 50hz or 60hz, just in case a mistake was made?
Kinda like the Timex Sinclair 1500 which would default to TV channel 2 unless key 3 was pressed upon boot-up which would make it change to channel 3 instead.
Canadians literally apologise for everything, such nice people. Great content! Keep it up!
Unless you're Don Cherry. LOL
We're sorry about that
I've seen videos where the original Commodore 64 keyboard sounds identical to THEC64's keyboard. What I think is happening here is that different Commodore 64s were released with different keyboards: some have membrane keyboards like THEC64, some have something a little more robust. I *know* this is true of the TI-99/4A. The one I bought has Stackpole keyswitches (making it relatively easy to fix the key glitches I experienced), but some TI-99/4As shipped with Alps or membrane switches, even considering just the silver model.
Darn... now I want a THE99/4A. Maybe with emulated PEB, 32k expansion, and certainly speech synthesizer!
can't wait to see this one in sales in Canada...I defenitively will buy it!
Anyone planning on putting a pi in it soon? I think that the keyboard is USB, right? How hard would it be to change the connectors?
Walter Chapman this! I would be a great box to host a bunch of different emulators using a rpi!
Brilliant review. May I ask what the Commodore Security badge is about?
Hope they will create an *Apple IIGS* replica or *Amiga* replica! 👍👍👍👍
I doubt if they'll ever do an Atari 800 replica since they have an emulator that works quite well.
Apple will not allow anything like a IIgs retrobox
How about a later pet, as in one with a proper keyboard and a semi-pyramid screen - wow some ask!!!
How hard would it be to get this to boot a web browser in Linux and use a wifi USB dongle? It would be so cool to have the best of retro gaming and still be able to access the web or linux. Is the processor in this board capable? I would hate to replace with a Pi
I was looking forward to this! Great review, thanks! :) And pretty good SHMUP skills as well if I might add. ;)
I have a few original games on 5.25" disk. Wonder if they'll come out with an add-on disk drive? :)
Where can you buy this in Canada? Their website still says coming in December 2019....
Last I heard, they're still working on a distribution deal for North America. Hopefully we'll see it later in spring, but there's nothing official yet. Meanwhile, I've seen some people on Facebook say they're happy with their purchase from this place: www.shop4megastore.com/retro-consoles/the-c64-retro-console-uk-plug
The common Spectrum control keys would be QAOP and M (or Space). They’ve got some sort of hybrid keyboard controls.
Is it safe to assume the sound is a software emulation of the SID, and if so, how well does it replicate it?
Yes, it's a software emulation and it's "pretty good". Check out the last chapter of my video 'TheC64 "Maxi" Q&A, VIC-20 Mode, Programming & More' for a long A/B demo comparison with a very complex tune to get a listen.
Link: ruclips.net/video/88cJVoESSps/видео.html
I’m an Apple II fanboy, but the quality of C64 games is far superior than the Apple ports in most cases. You’ve done a great job of showing that TheC64 can emulate the actual functionality of a real C64. Will buy. Also, the PAL vs NTSC thing is what killed the PS Classic out-of-box experience. Sony used PAL versions of some of the games to cut costs. This was fixed in the modding community by allowing users to change settings either in the emulator or by just using NTSC images via USB. Thanks for the detailed review.