13 replies to this topic

[JohnnyRockets]

Hi,

Need some help from some C64 gurus out there...

How much does a C64 go for these days? I'd like to snag one if I find it.

Also, is there a way to program it with some form of cartridge rather like the "harmony" cartridge for the Atari 2600? I'd rather not deal with tapes, etc. like back in the day....

Just wondering what is available these days in the way C64...?



Thanks!



JR

[Rybags]

Price - variable, you might get lucky and score for $20 or might pay nearer $45 for machine only + power supply.

There's various modern-day devices around as alternatives to disk or tape drive. IMO it's well worth getting a real 1541 in any case.

EasyFlash cartridge allows you to run games specifically written for it, and some older file-based games will run from it. Not really a cure-all solution but worth getting hold of. Cartridge was never a big media form on the C64, the best games were mainly disk, some also on tape.

There's various tape and disk emulation devices that run SD cards but you're looking at probably $70 minimum.

A self-made XM1541 adaptor can be made from about $10 worth of parts, lets you talk to a real 1541 drive from PC parallel port which in turn means you can create real floppies from downloaded .D64 image files.

If you can tolerate tape loading times (which aren't totally bad if they use turboloaders) there's utilities to create audio files from .T64 files which you can then record to cassette.

Tape drives for the C64 are practically throw-away items, you should get one under 10 bucks.

[Mirage]

If you want the gold standard and don't mind paying for it: http://1541ultimate....ntent/index.php

If you want something that is much less expensive, but still very good and a lot of fun: http://store.go4retr...ts/uIEC_SD.html

Either way, agree with Rybags, get a real 1541 either way (don't pay much, look for one locally, like CraigsList where you can probably get a C64, 1541, and monitor for a good price if you're patient). The XM1541 is a good and inexpensive solution if you don't mind it being tethered to your computer.

Other than the 1541 Ultimate-II having a lot more features than any of the other solutions, it's main selling point is that it pretty close to 100% emulates a real 1541, meaning the compatibility is exceptional, including with copy protected disk images. Pricey, but amazing.

[SoulBlazer]

I might suggest trying to get what I had as a kid -- the 128D. Built in disk drive that's quite fast and reliable, easy to place a monitor or TV on it, and a keyboard you can place on your lap (seperate from the computer). Very much like a modern system. Some people have said the power supplies have issues sometimes but I had and used mine for almost ten years, every day almost, with no issues.

Edited by SoulBlazer, Mon May 14, 2012 10:32 AM.

[JohnnyRockets]

Thank you all! Very informative! I appreciate your knowledge greatly.

[fernando marrin]

I would say

Go for 1541 ultimate if you have the money, can even run easyflash carts,tapes and disk files
Or
The less expensive ide 64 can run 1 file games very fast

[hardhat-ric]

FWIW (which isn't much) what was once the world's largest user group in still in parlous existence, and will help Commodore and Amiga users where possible. See www.icomm.ca/tpug/

[mimo]

fit jiffydos, you will be banging your head with the loading times if you dont!

[Seob]

why has everything have to be fast? I use a 1541 floppydrive, and I don't have a problem with the loading time. Have yet to build the xe1541 cable, but since I already am used to transfer file from pc to msx using a floppy drive, I don't think it is a lot of trouble working like that.
maybe I'm a bit to nostalic, but I love to customize a disklable and put it on a disk and then flip trough the games and pick on out to play.

[high voltage]

Thing is if you load FSII on a 1541 you might as well dig your grave. Pushing up daisies will come earlier.

[Mirage]

Seob, on Thu May 24, 2012 7:36 AM, said:

why has everything have to be fast? I use a 1541 floppydrive, and I don't have a problem with the loading time. Have yet to build the xe1541 cable, but since I already am used to transfer file from pc to msx using a floppy drive, I don't think it is a lot of trouble working like that.
maybe I'm a bit to nostalic, but I love to customize a disklable and put it on a disk and then flip trough the games and pick on out to play.

Once in awhile I don't mind waiting, but I don't get all that much time anymore to play with computer or videogame systems, so I want stuff to just load! Plus, sometimes I just browse through randomly to see what I can find, trying games I've never heard of. If I had to wait forever for every one of them, it wouldn't be practical. Using a bunch of utilities is much less painful with a quicker drive solution too.

[Seob]

For browsing trough games and trying out, one could also use a emulator. You can have them with screenshot, or even gameplay movies showing to see what the game is like. It is just taking away the charm of playing on original hardware I think. I haven't got to much time to play games also, but using the diskdrive or even the tapedrive, let's you try the game loaded a bit longer. Because you don't want to load a new game, you try the game longer, and discover that some games aren't that bad.

Edited by Seob, Today, 1:16 AM.

[Mirage]

Seob, on Fri May 25, 2012 1:16 AM, said:

For browsing trough games and trying out, one could also use a emulator. You can have them with screenshot, or even gameplay movies showing to see what the game is like. It is just taking away the charm of playing on original hardware I think.

Yes, I like to play on original hardware. I've found that messing with the emulators, even in this context, isn't worth the trouble, nor is it appealing to me in any way, so, no, that's not a good option for me. Been there, tried that.

Seob, on Fri May 25, 2012 1:16 AM, said:

I haven't got to much time to play games also, but using the diskdrive or even the tapedrive, let's you try the game loaded a bit longer. Because you don't want to load a new game, you try the game longer, and discover that some games aren't that bad.

Erm, no, I don't see it that way at all, don't have that problem.

Hey, if it works for you, that's great, not arguing that, I'm just saying that for some of us, there is definitely an appeal to having a fast SD/CF solution over old, slow drive hardware.

More reasons!!! There's also the issue of space for me, and I already have way too many floppies around as it is. Actually, the biggest reason I don't like messing with too many of the original disks anymore is that it not only takes time to load them, but I'd have to create them too in many cases, from downloaded files. Forget all that. It would take forever, and I'd never do it. I can try out at least several titles in the amount of time it would take me to create one floppy, then load it up... no way. By then, the baby is screaming, and I have to go tend to him lol. Oh, yet another reason... I have, on one computer desk, my C64, A8, and Vic-20. If I had floppy drives for each of those (even if the 2 C= machines shared a drive), they wouldn't fit, or at least not nearly as nicely.

Yeah... SDrive micro for the A8, 1541-Ultimate-II for the 64, and MegaCart (& 1541-U-II) for the Vic-20 are the best things I've ever bought for retrocomputing, hands down. I'd probably give it all up by now if it wasn't for these amazing products making it more time-effective, and therefore, possible for me to enjoy as an adult.

[JohnnyRockets]

If you get the 1541, that would be all you would need right? The Megacart is more just pre-loaded games right?

You can't put your own programs on the Megacart right?