THE128RM (The 128 Remastered)

[RobertBe]

Yow! I saw this on another forum. It's a C128 modernized and redone to fit in a slim-line C64 case. The webpage is at

http://www.the128rm.com/index.php?id=home

snd the German discussion thread is at

http://www.forum64.de/index.php?thread/ ... ost1254330

I used translate.google.com in order to translate the first post there --

"Hello everybody,

For some time I have been working on a C128 version, which fits in the C64 case (slim case). I have some modifications built in like: VIC / VDC output switcher, Control port switch, 8 bit color ram, Accepts 6-36VDC input voltage, Dual SID, etc.

Here are some pictures of the project (still in the prototype phase):

EDIT: Pictures uploaded to the forum and inserted! External links removed! war64burnout"

Looks like I'll be using a lot of Google Translate,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group - http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network - http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
June 9-19 Pacific Commodore Expo NW 2018 - http://www.portcommodore.com/pacommex
Aug. 11-12 Commodore Vegas Expo v14 2018 - http://www.portcommodore.com/commvex

[LoadError]

Very interesting. The C128 was the ultimate 8 bit machine, very underrated, it came out too late. It was all the C64 should have been, plus much more all rolled into one.

[orion70]

Yeah but a bit like having three different (and incompatible) machines crammed into the same box. Not really a super C64, something like a switchable two-processors, three OS machine. Limited fun, as long as you get bored with the C64, the 128 mode (which has practically no software), or a pretty unusable CP/M. The C65 was what the 64 should have been, and I'd really drool if someone planned a commercial C65 remake.

[Schlowski]

I'd really drool if someone planned a commercial C65 remake.

Like this one?

http://mega65.org/
http://c65gs.blogspot.de/2018/

[English Invader]

I'd really drool if someone planned a commercial C65 remake.

Like this one?

http://mega65.org/
http://c65gs.blogspot.de/2018/

Or this (an FPGA C64 motherboard with built-in 1541 Ultimate II+):
http://www.1541ultimate.net/content/ind ... Itemid=127

I would be more interested in these if they provided a case and keyboard for them instead of expecting us to do away with the original hardware.

[groepaz]

U64 has little to do with "c65" though

[RobertBe]

...the 128 mode (which has practically no software)...

Commercial Commodore 128 Specific Software/Hardware list
http://retro-link.com/smf/index.php?topic=1366.0

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group - http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network - http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan
June 9-19 Pacific Commodore Expo NW 2018 - http://www.portcommodore.com/pacommex
Aug. 11-12 Commodore Vegas Expo v14 2018 - http://www.portcommodore.com/commvex

[orion70]

I'd really drool if someone planned a commercial C65 remake.

Like this one?

http://mega65.org/
http://c65gs.blogspot.de/2018/

Once again, I must admit I'm no open source, diy guy. I'd rather buy a ready-to-run machine, be it a fpga or a remake assembled with retro components. As for 128 more hw/sw, it's more than I imagined! Still, I don't like the idea of a three-in-one micro. It's like double face shirts or two-color shoes, a matter of taste

[English Invader]

Commercial Commodore 128 Specific Software/Hardware list
http://retro-link.com/smf/index.php?topic=1366.0

You would think, with all those programming utilities, that there would be an active homebrew scene for the C128.

[English Invader]

or a pretty unusable CP/M.

I have a CP/M emulator for the Atari ST. DRI designed the ST's GEM-based operating system (TOS) so an implementation of CP/M was an obvious branch-out. It gives me a good feeling to know that one of my favourite computers has an OS that was partly designed by someone as awesome as Gary Kildall.

For those who are interested, this is a Computer Chronicles special on Gary Kildall's legacy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMvrxOoeicM

[cbmeeks]

I'm probably going to get some flack for this. But as much as I love the C128 (I do love it...I have several), I really never thought it was a great C64 successor.

For one, it's three computers in one and none of them are great in their own respect. The C64 mode is about the best. With *nearly* 100% compatibility. But if I wanted a 100% compatible C64, well, I probably already had one in the day. The CP/M mode was not a great CP/M machine for reasons I don't really understand. I've read from those who do and they claim it was too slow in CP/M mode. Especially compared to the existing CP/M machines at the time.

Finally, the C128 mode itself wasn't that great. BASIC 8 was nice. 80 columns was nice. And a decked out 16K VDC was nice. But why couldn't it have had sprites, etc.? Other than some business software, the C128 was lackluster in what it could offer.

In my non-expert opinion, the C128 should have ditched the CP/M mode. I know Bil Herd was shooting for 100% compatibility but I don't think anyone would have cared about that one. Make it an add-on or something.

The C128 should have had:

128K (check)
2 SIDS
Sprites in all modes
1-4 MHz while in C64 mode
1-4 MHz while in C128 mode with sprites.

Really, the C128 was a victim of bad timing. All of that would have required a VIC-III and the SID would have had to be redesigned to handle > 1-2MHz (without waitstates). No way Commodore was going to design a new chip for an aging 8-bit line. And I don't blame them.

So, I sit here with my C128's.....wishing they were more. BUT, loving what they were. A stop-gap on the way to the failed C65 and successful Amiga.

[tokra]

Bil Herd always said the C128 was only meant to be produced for about a year, as sort of a last hurrah of the 8-bit-era, which Commodore believed was coming to an end. In the end it was produced until 1989/1990 or so and sold about 4.5 million units, so it was a VERY successful computer. In the end however it cost more to produce than the Amiga, but had to be sold for a much lower price.

I love my C128 and I believe it was so successful, specifically because it was "three in one", even if you only ever really used it in C64 mode.

For kids asking their parents for a computer it was the smarter option, since the C64 had the reputation of being a toy-computer. With the C128 you could convince your parents that this was a computer to learn programming and real business computing on (because it had 80 column-mode and CP/M using industry standard software). Of course, 99% of the kids only used C64 mode, but the trick worked

Personally I used GEOS 128 (which was really usable compared to GEOS 64) and Turbo Pascal on CP/M back in the day and could even transfer MS-DOS 5 1/4 inch disks with the computers at my school, so it definitely worked out for me.

[cbmeeks]

Bil Herd always said the C128 was only meant to be produced for about a year, as sort of a last hurrah of the 8-bit-era, which Commodore believed was coming to an end. In the end it was produced until 1989/1990 or so and sold about 4.5 million units, so it was a VERY successful computer. In the end however it cost more to produce than the Amiga, but had to be sold for a much lower price.

I love my C128 and I believe it was so successful, specifically because it was "three in one", even if you only ever really used it in C64 mode.

For kids asking their parents for a computer it was the smarter option, since the C64 had the reputation of being a toy-computer. With the C128 you could convince your parents that this was a computer to learn programming and real business computing on (because it had 80 column-mode and CP/M using industry standard software). Of course, 99% of the kids only used C64 mode, but the trick worked

Personally I used GEOS 128 (which was really usable compared to GEOS 64) and Turbo Pascal on CP/M back in the day and could even transfer MS-DOS 5 1/4 inch disks with the computers at my school, so it definitely worked out for me.

I'm glad it worked out for you. The C128 was a mystery when I was a kid. I came from a small town that didn't have a lot of computer people in schools (very poor). I saw a C128 a couple of times as a kid and was amazed. I just knew it was light years beyond my C64 that I had at the time. I couldn't believe you could draw and move sprites in BASIC!

So I really didn't know much about it at all. I never got one until I was an adult and eBay came along. So I was a little disappointed learning as an adult that the 2 MHz mode didn't work in C64 mode (not all the time, anyway...just vertical blank). And that C128 mode didn't support the color modes.

But there is something about the C128 that I can't put my finger on. Perhaps it's still a mystery to me which is why I adore it so much.