Commodore 64/128

[Calum]

I don't know anything about commodores. i have never used one or owned one.
I don't know anything about CP/M, or BASIC, whatever version the commodore has, i don't know the real difference between a commodore 128 and a commodore 64, wouldn't the entire chipset need to be changed for it to have more than 64k of memory?
also, i don't know anything about LUnix, the 'little unix'. Now i can read up on lunix, but does anybody know anything about the rest of the stuff? what hardware does a commodore come with? if i buy one second hand, will i need to buy seperate tape/disk drives, will it usually come with software? system disks? what monitor will i need to get for it? can i download stuff for use on it, on another machine, or is there no storage facility/filesystem that it will have in common with a modern 'PC'.
Anybody got any input? i will do my own research but if anybody has anything to say about the C=64, now is the time to say it.

thanks in advance...

[Refalm]

Commodore 64:

I recommend a tape AND a disk drive. If someone's got all the Commodore 64 gadgets, just buy it, it will make your box much faster.

For the screen part, the best screen for the Commodore 64 is an old colour television. Those old monochrome monitors plain suck.

If you want to have Lunix on your Commodore 64, I think you should buy a PC tapestreamer and place the Lunix files there.

If you want to emulate Commodore 64 programmes and games in DOS, go here and download the emu. The images come in *.d64 and *.t64 files.

[Calum]

well, do i want to run a c64 emulator on top of dosemu? (which i have never used?)

actually, this was one thing that really got me excited... it's a new c64 released to fit inside a normal ATX case! haven't taken a real look yet, but it sounds interesting...

[Refalm]

You want to buy one of those? I heard they are hard to get, but when you have one, you have one of the most special and greatest computer in the world .

The Lunix operating system comes in *.c64.gz format, but I'm not sure how to extract this programme on a tape or disk... you might want to check out the Lunix page.

I only boot the Commodore 64 emulator to make BASIC programmes and to play cool games.

[hm_murdock]

Commodore BASIC was the best EVER.

[Refalm]

I agree. Bill Gates fucked up BASIC so much. Just look at what a piece of crap Visual Basic is (yes, I have experience and coding skills in Visual Basic, and I think it sucks, so shut the fuck up, Zombie 91210 or Windows XP Luser #31337)...

[Master of Reality]

ha, i got here before void main.

I got a commodore 64 and a commodore 128.
The C128 can switch to C64 mode somhow.
The C128 also uses a different type of keyboard than the C64 (i dont have one.. so i cant use my C128).
The C64 has 64k of memory.. the C128 obviously has 128.
Its got BASIC... i used to be able to program a bit on a C64 but the maximum number of characters u can use to make a program right there is 63999 or somethin like dat.
They can come iwth a datasette(tape drive), a disk drive, a monitor and a keyboard and a joystick or 8.
ummmm... i cant tell you much more other than there is a fucking lot of games for it.
They can have a modem which usually is a cartridge that is shoved in the back of the keyboard.. .some games also go in a port at the back of the keyboard. The disk drives require some delicate saudering (or is it spelt soldering?) if you break it.... a mine stands now it is broken.
the C64 is quite an upgrade from the Vic20 though... even if you had the 8k expansion card for the vic20.

I can tell you the exact names for the hardware if you need them... i use the C64 monitor not a crappy low res TV. You dont fucking need a datasette(tape drive) i never used it, i just use my disk drive. It would be extrememly hard to find many things that are on tape for a C64/128.

I might post a pic of my C64 and C128 because i'm bored right now.

[ November 05, 2002: Message edited by: The Master of Reality / B0B ]

[Calum]

this does leave me a bit confused and i heard that the UK and US versions of the commodores were very different machines...

i wonder if a C64 emulator will run lunix... or if it just emulates the c64 operating system (if there is such?)

[Master of Reality]

uhhhhh.....

[Kintaro]

Lunix is loaded atop of the basic, and then executed independantly.

[HPC GUY]

my mom used to have one, if i remember correctly you could plug in a sega genesis controller into the joystick port. i tried it vise versa and worked (kind of)

[voidmain]

m0r, how can you have a C64 and yet not have a C64 keyboard? The keyboard and computer are all in one little unit. Like I said, I gave two of them away a couple of years ago. I pulled one out of the closet and hooked up the old 1541 disk drive and actually got a couple of my old games to boot. Then I gave it away because I forgot how painfully slow computing was back then (waiting for disks or tapes to load) and I don't have the time to waste on something like that today. But they were great in their time!

[Master of Reality]

my C128 is separate from the keyboard. it uses a special type of keyboard which i dont have.

[Calum]

that's handy...

also that's what i mean about the US and UK versions. The UK version of the 128D (i think it is) supposedly have offboard tape drive or something. or maybe the keyboard is onboard on the UK version. not sure.

[voidmain]

my C128 is separate from the keyboard. it uses a special type of keyboard which i dont have.

Oh, I thought you said you had a C64.