[1]The C64 Community Loading... This site is best viewed in a modern browser with JavaScript enabled. Is this anyway related to the MEGA65 project? seeking_virtue [2]http://mega65.org i had been following for a bit, and was wondering, is this some how related? -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ReflectedLightEntertainment No. They are different projects and in no way are in relation to each other. MEGA65 is a project using FPGA based technology to "emulate" (used very loosely and in no way the same as software based emulators like VICE) of the Commodore C65 which was only in prototypes. The MEGA65 also can be sort of a completion of a successor model to the Commodore 64 (and to an extent the Commodore 128). The THEC64 (tm) is an ARM based computer that runs some kind of emulator like VICE or Frodo or whatever to emulate the Commodore 64 so as to play those games. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- WeZzy Wow. Glad you edited that post... Guess you had a rough very sour day today? -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ReflectedLightEntertainment [3]WeZzy I'm just wondering why they didn't go the extra mile in hardware compatibility with real C64 peripherals? Emulators to play C64 games existed for over 20 years for free including the games. It's like the C64x but using an ARM processor that probably has less computing power than the processor used on the C=USA's C64x some years ago. To do something that stands out..... perhaps make a real C64 ???? Why give people a water-down version of the C64 experience when they can have the FULL experience? I say that from someone who used the Commodore since the 1980s and knows full well this is not a C64 any more than my Intel based PC is a C64 with WinVICE. Can I use my C= disk drives? Can I use my datasette on this? Can I use my game cartridges? Can I use my plugin hardware upgrades? That's part of the experience of the Commodore. Can I use my actual Commodore 64 joysticks? Can I use the light pen? Can I use the Koala Pad graphic tablet? Can I use GEOS and Commodore & third-party printers on this? If there are a lot of NOs to those questions, then how is this providing any real world value beyond what I already can do on a PC with emulators such as WinVICE which costs nothing more than $0.00 when we almost all have access to a Windows PC? There's even versions of VICE for non-Windows systems as well for $0.00 as well as the games for the past 20+ years? I wish there is a reasonable answer to this? Seriously, emulators hasn't been a secret for the last 20+ years. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- WeZzy I think there is a perfectly simple and reasonable answer: This product is just not targeted at you. You like to fiddle? Fine, go fiddle. Just don't use this for that. You like to just plug in and get thrown back in-time? Perfect! Buy this. Don't go around slapping these guys in the face. Great of you to say "perhaps make a real C64 ????". These people seem like they are actually making something. Now it's your turn... Go and invest into that "FULL experience" you are talking about. Let me know when I can back you at IndieGoGo or Kickstarter. [4]:wink: -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ReflectedLightEntertainment [5]WeZzy We can easily put an Intel x86 netbook PC with a Keyrah adapter, use any one of the reproduction cases such as the C64C cases currently made, C64/C64C keyboard and with some modifications of the emulator for key mapping and joystick ports. Then implement a scale down ZoomFloppy for with just the IEC (Commodore Serial Bus) port, USB header cable linking header on a micro-Zoom Floppy module to the mobo header and the small IC. Then I'm already at that point would be providing a fuller C64 experience than what you would be getting on THEC64. ZoomFloppy provides WinVICE the ability to use a real Commodore serial bus disk drive, printer, plotter, hard drives, and SD2IEC devices on the emulator. This ability was implemented so even the Flyer Internet Modem could be used with the emulator because the ability was implemented on device #6 & 7 in addition to using real CBM devices on device #8 through 11 and so forth. This had been already implemented in WinVICE. All that's really missing is datasette port, user port and expansion port which alot can be emulated and to extent linked to real hardware on the PC like ethernet and possibly Wifi as well. In short, I can already do this full-size (regular ZoomFloppy) and Keyrah. If I had the gumption and got a good working deal with Jens Schoenfeld and Jim Brain to implement this technology into a single system. I would even argue, it could be integrated onto a single PCB with the KeyRah board but connected accordingly. Just a slight revision with otherwise two separate USB 'devices on the same PCB so the IEC connector (Commodore Serial bus connector) would be at the right location to the back port. In theory, with one of those C64c remake cases, a C64 keyboard reproduced (if possible) would be awesome and be more in line with being acceptable albeit not a 100% full C64 experience with a near 100% compatible C64 clone. If I was going for something using software emulation, I would be going the extra mile to provide as much compatibility with existing C64 hardware as I can like the real disk drives, printers/plotters and so forth. I would try to work with existing products and find a way to integrate them in a sensible way for obvious reasons. They could have done that but for some reason I doubt they even gone anywhere close to that level. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ReflectedLightEntertainment I could also pursue a further near 100% compatible C64 clone using FPGA implementation of the C= chips. If worked out, it could be really close to 100% compatible with C64 software. It maybe more expensive unit than the mini at unless you produce in very high volume and use ASIC instead of FPGAs costing around the price of the C64DTV but with better compatibility. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ReflectedLightEntertainment If I were to develop games for the system, it would be for the Commodore 64 (and maybe also MEGA65) as there is no particular point in creating a game for THEC64 because it's just an emulator. The bright side of this system is it might draw more attention to the C64 and possibly draw people into the C64 community and perhaps we can also point those people with other C64 emulators on their system. So maybe something good out of that could happen. If people wanted to run C64 software, they could just download a C64 emulator for their system even Windows PC and use it. You can even run WinVICE from a USB thumbstick or USB hard drive or whatever. It doesn't have to be on the C: drive on Windows. I might as well inform people about the options that already existed for a decade and does a darn good job from an emulation based experience. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- cicavec this is a better solution [6]:) [7]http://www.1541ultimate.net/content/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=74&catid=9&Itemid=127 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- References Visible links 1. https://community.thec64.com/ 2. http://mega65.org/ 3. https://community.thec64.com/d/8/3 5. https://community.thec64.com/d/8/5 7. http://www.1541ultimate.net/content/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=74&catid=9&Itemid=127