Retro Snippets - Bits & Pieces from the world of retro gaming.

[Brad]

Menkind still have stock by the look of it

[ZipZap]

How much would an original 'bread bin' C64 with jail bar fix and SD card loading cost?

The most basic kind of SD loading is the SD2IEC which you can get for about £40 on ebay (you just plug them into the back, no installation required). These devices replicate the functions of a C64 disk drive, but there's a problem...

The C64 disk drive is painfully slow, but it contains a 6502 processor (the same as the C64, and the reason they cost so much at the time!). This means you can run code on the disk drive itself to make the load times much faster. As you can imagine, a lot of people utilised this function. Whilst the SD2IEC recreates the function of a drive, it doesn't have an emulated processor, therefore anything that uses a fastload won't work. In the case of games, you can often find cracks that either allow you to disable the fastloader, or never had a fastload installed in the first place. This will make them playable, but the load times might be quite slow (though better than cassette by some way). You can speed up the initial load with certain fastload cartridges, but they won't work for multiload games. Very few demos will work at all, if that's something you were interested in.

As Brad mentioned, there's the pi1541, which is a a Rasberry Pi disk drive emulator, which I don't have much experience of. By far the best option though is the 1541 ultimate (https://ultimate64.com/) which is a cartridge that fully emulates the disk drive (near-as 100% compatibility), cassette drive (if you want that ) and also allows you to boot cartridge games (a number of games that have were never released on cartridges have been converted to work this way, for instant loading). It's a very hassle-free way to boot from SD (take a look on youtube and compare this with the other options!), but it costs 139 euros, so isn't cheap! Again it just plug into the back, no installation required.

The lumafix (for jailbars) is very easy to install yourself. No soldering is required, the VIC chip just lifts out and you slot the lumafix in. On breadbin C64s the jailbars are less visible (because the picture is less sharp!). You could see how you feel about them before buying one. They are more prominent than say the PC Engine though.

If you did decide to go down the SD2IEC route, I have one that I'd sell along with a clone Final Cartridge (for fast-loading) for a better price than you'd get on ebay, so let me know!

[Leon Retro]

@ZipZap

Thanks for all the info.

I've looked at lots of videos of the THEC64 and also read people's thoughts on forums, and it looks like most people are reasonably happy with it. I like to game from my sofa on a big screen, so THEC64 feels like my best option.

If I end up not liking it for one reason or another, I'll just sell it. It would be nice to have a genuine C64, so if I end up really enjoying playing C64 games again, I'll probably want genuine hardware later on. THEC64 is a nice way for me to embrace the machine again and see how much I enjoy it these days. I know it's not 100% accurate in all departments, but it seems to be reasonably authentic.

[gunrock]

I can recommend an Ultimate 64, but they are super expensive, but then again have a cycle exact Ultimate 1541 cartridge as part of their configuration.
I got one just before Xmas and haven't had loads of time with it, but the few hours I had with it so far, has been great.

[Brad]

I can recommend an Ultimate 64, but they are super expensive, but then again have a cycle exact Ultimate 1541 cartridge as part of their configuration.
I got one just before Xmas and haven't had loads of time with it, but the few hours I had with it so far, has been great.

Tempted just for the decent video out. I have a Pi1541 so I'm covered there but S-Video into my LCD (via DVDO-Edge) isn't great. I have jailbars. I could get a device to remove them I guess but I already replaced the broke SID with an FPGA implementation so it's less and less genuine C64 as time goes on so may as well get a full FPGA implementation. The case and keyboard are really good condition and I have a decent PSU for it though. Hmmmm.

Let us know what THE C64 is like Leon.

[vanpeebles]

Tempted just for the decent video out. I have a Pi1541 so I'm covered there but S-Video into my LCD (via DVDO-Edge) isn't great. I have jailbars. I could get a device to remove them I guess but I already replaced the broke SID with an FPGA implementation so it's less and less genuine C64 as time goes on so may as well get a full FPGA implementation. The case and keyboard are really good condition and I have a decent PSU for it though. Hmmmm.

Let us know what THE C64 is like Leon.

Ey! What about a QL!

[ZipZap]

I have jailbars. I could get a device to remove them I guess but I already replaced the broke SID with an FPGA implementation so it's less and less genuine C64 as time goes on so may as well get a full FPGA implementation.

The Lumafix64 just goes between the motherboard and the VIC chip, so you're still using genuine C64 hardware. It just allows you to tune out the jailbars. Conidering how cheap they are, the Lumafix offers a very big improvement. You can almost get rid of jailbars completely (and some C64s have bad jailbars!)

[gunrock]

[MENTION=9465]Brad[/MENTION], the Ultimate 64 SID implementation is getting very good, but I have a 6581 in there and will get a 8580 to go in there as well, so the Ultimate 64 gets a bit more like a real 64, in contrast to your direction.

I got the Ultimate 64 as although I had a perfectly good working C64 (now sold), I was going to have to replace the PSU soon and I just wanted to have some peace of mind that the hardware would last and look good on LCD screens- all the video streaming and 8 emulated SIDs etc., are just nice optional extras.

[Wools]

Has anyone here picked up a Mega SG from Analogue?

https://www.analogue.co/mega-sg/

Despite thinking Emulation on my PC will cover all bases with retro gaming, I've found myself wanting something tangible to play and collect. My search for collecting has gone back to my happy house of Sega with either the Saturn or Mega Drive fitting the bill. But getting a console connected up to a modern HDTV combined with reliability of the console itself has me running. So this FGPA console, supporting all region cartridges, HDMI out and SD Reader for 'those' situations seems really appealing. Although the postage costs, import charges, less so.

[CMcK]

I have the Mega SG and it is frankly awesome. Video is lovely and clear, audio is sensational and with the jailbreak firmware you can run homebrew etc from the SD card. I haven't powered on my real MD since I bought the SG and I must admit it keeps me from powering up my modern systems too.

[Mayhem]

I was trying out some new C64 games over Christmas

Was this via the Zzap Annual as we reviewed both in there?

Currently working on the third annual for later this year... deciding what games to use, there's quite a nice lot on the horizon for 2020!

[Wools]

I have the Mega SG and it is frankly awesome. Video is lovely and clear, audio is sensational and with the jailbreak firmware you can run homebrew etc from the SD card. I haven't powered on my real MD since I bought the SG and I must admit it keeps me from powering up my modern systems too.

Nice! It sounds like you can't tell the diffrence between the real hardware and the SG?

Did you import it from Analogue's website in the US to home, I'm guessing you're in the UK? I've heard conflicting reports that it's another £100 ontop of the RRP by the time you factor in postage and duty?

[Leon Retro]

Currently working on the third annual for later this year... deciding what games to use, there's quite a nice lot on the horizon for 2020!

I've just purchased the 2020 annual, due to ordering a TheC64 from Germany and being really interested in the C64 again. Any chance of getting me the 2019 annual that's out of stock? Saw one on Ebay but it went for over £20.

[CMcK]

Nice! It sounds like you can't tell the diffrence between the real hardware and the SG?

Did you import it from Analogue's website in the US to home, I'm guessing you're in the UK? I've heard conflicting reports that it's another £100 ontop of the RRP by the time you factor in postage and duty?

I did buy it directly from their website. I’m in Scotland and IIRC it was £54 in import charges. I did manage to claim back the extra FedEx charge though. You can find template letters for that online.

[Wools]

Thanks for that CMcK, I've got a real hankering for the SG and trying to justify it to myself.