nce I'd started writing a game for the C64 and started playing some of the great new games available, I decided that I needed a 64 that I can switch on and use as much as I like without worrying about stressing 35-year-old components (at least one of which is destined to fail in time).
Emulation is fine, in fact when I'm spending a lot of time playing one game I like to use all of the mod cons; big chair, big screen, Duoshock controller and VICE which makes loading up and saving the game at any point a breeze.
That's not the same as switching on a 'real' 8-bit computer and playing a game from the time.
I had a 'black screen' C64 and so there was an opportunity with a few options. Fit the original case / keyboard with a Pi, or with one of the modern boards - Ultimate 64 or C64 Reloaded
These boards are new boards which emulate the original components. So we're still talking emulation, albeit hardware rather than software. In the case of the Reloaded, you fit your own key components = a new board with original chips, which is the opposite of what I'd really like.
While the original chips (6510 CPU, SID, PLA) aren't made any more, there are new replacements for some of those. An original board in an original case with those modern replacements seems like the best compromise to me. (I still have a couple of working original 64's).
So the 'bionic C64' project was born. Collecting the components was fun. Recapping was fun. The SID and the 8701 were socketed on my board, so switching those for an ARMSID and TOLB was a breeze.
Taking off the PLA, which was not socketed, was not fun. But I managed that without damaging the board. After that, fitting a socket and pushing in the PLAnkton was straightforward.
That last step is the one that (predictably) fixed the machine. (Disclaimer: not fully tested at time of writing.)
Next on my shopping list is an internal SD2IEC. What other replacement components / mods are available?
Emulation is fine, in fact when I'm spending a lot of time playing one game I like to use all of the mod cons; big chair, big screen, Duoshock controller and VICE which makes loading up and saving the game at any point a breeze.
That's not the same as switching on a 'real' 8-bit computer and playing a game from the time.
I had a 'black screen' C64 and so there was an opportunity with a few options. Fit the original case / keyboard with a Pi, or with one of the modern boards - Ultimate 64 or C64 Reloaded
These boards are new boards which emulate the original components. So we're still talking emulation, albeit hardware rather than software. In the case of the Reloaded, you fit your own key components = a new board with original chips, which is the opposite of what I'd really like.
While the original chips (6510 CPU, SID, PLA) aren't made any more, there are new replacements for some of those. An original board in an original case with those modern replacements seems like the best compromise to me. (I still have a couple of working original 64's).
So the 'bionic C64' project was born. Collecting the components was fun. Recapping was fun. The SID and the 8701 were socketed on my board, so switching those for an ARMSID and TOLB was a breeze.
Taking off the PLA, which was not socketed, was not fun. But I managed that without damaging the board. After that, fitting a socket and pushing in the PLAnkton was straightforward.
That last step is the one that (predictably) fixed the machine. (Disclaimer: not fully tested at time of writing.)
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