Subj : Re: Commodore 64 mini
To   : Rudolf Harras
From : Michael Freitag
Date : Wed Jan 08 2020 10:05 am

Rudolf Harras <[email protected]> wrote:
> Simon Geddes schrieb:
>> Has anyone had any experience of this device?
>
> The C64 mini has too much lag.
> The C64 (maxi) should be better there.

Well, I've got THE_C64 (maxi) around christmas and tested it.

Now here he is, a modern C64 with on current state of the art.

The basic features like CRT mode which simulates a tube monitor with stripes
etc, have been mentioned in other reports. It's running cool as well as the
delivered games. The look&feel is exactly as I am used to from my C64 time.

I'd like to give some additional infos not being mentioned.

The first impression of the new C64 is of high quality. Original size with love
to the details. The place where the power plug was one is a pushbutton for
on/off now. Power supply is by micro USB. All in all you got 4 USB ports. It is
able to read .d64
files of own disk images on usb port. So playing of other games is no problem
at all.

You get the menu with the delivered multi use joystick. Here you can switch
between VC20 and C64 as well as BASIC console or carousel mode to choose the
games you want to play.

And here is the only bad point I've seen so far. Playing is only possible with
this Joystick. Original C64 joysticks with SUB-D connector and USB adapter
didn't work for me so far. The manual says, there are many other joysticks
supported. They also give
the buttons for special things like menu. I will check if the adaptors are
being supported by trying with 2 player games like spy vs spy, etc.
And there is a possibility to update the core os of THE_C64. So maybe in future
there will be more.
OK, to be honest, I never was a big fan of the competition pro. It's not handy
at all and the stick is very motion-intensive due to long ways. The
microswitches trigger after a long way and a fast movement e.g. from up to
right are quite are very slow by
this. I am a pilot stick freak but it's everybodys own decision. Apart from
that, the joystick gives also the impression of good quality. This is also very
important as the joystick is being needed for the menu and "Summer Games" are
being delivered :)

Every C64 of mine have been opened as I am electronic technician. So also this
:)
My first fear was, that there would work a Raspberry with some VICE. This is
definitely NOT the case. The small mainboard has a smd mounted custom chip and
lots of internal connectors. Whatever it is, it's no raspi. It looks like they
put the complete
C64 hardware and their own system on a custom chip. I've not seen any lag, so I
think its original hardware pressed in the chip or a very very fast emulation.
Not bad anyway!
THE_C64 boots also without the delivered masterjoystick. And there shall be a
way to use it (also the menu, etc) with key combinations.

All in all "felt original" C64 with modern features.

The price of below 120€ (119,99€ in germany) definitely worth.




Website: https://retrogames.biz/thec64
Supportfiles (Manuals, Firmware, etc): https://retrogames.biz/thec64/support
Manuals: https://retrogames.biz/thec64/support/manuals-thec64


--
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