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Welcome back to the ValorosoIT channel, the channel dedicated to vintage computers and electronics. I'm at Varese RetroComputing 2024 with Simone Nasa and William.
Thanks Amedeo! What do you want to talk to us about?
Let's talk about something that is now very well known to most people, which is the Commodore world. We have machines that are classic to say the least, I would say: an Amiga 500, now very well known to the public, with a variation on the theme, a Gotek which largely replaces the traditional floppy disk drive. We have a memory expansion...
So, the Gotek, rightly, instead of the floppy disk drive, allows you to load games via the USB pen drive. So, you can download games from the internet and load them onto your Amiga, right? Exactly!
We have a 1084S, which I would say is a famous monitor also in the field not only of the Amiga, but also of the Commodore 64, as many people brought it with them from the previous Commodore 64, 64C. It is a very popular monitor.
It's beautiful, beautiful. Unfortunately I don't have it in my collection yet.
This is an example in particularly good shape, because it has been, let's say, fixed up. It has all the capacitors replaced and you can see it: a return has been made and it is in very good condition.
The image is also very stable.
Yes, if you see it flickering it's my camera's fault, but the monitor is very stable. It's absolutely beautiful.
Then we have a historic Commodore Vic-20 in the most common version in Italy, which is the second series, therefore with the classic aluminum label, equipped with SD2IEC to facilitate loading games.
Ok, in this case, instead of using the Commodore 1541 drive, you use microSD storage, right? Yes, exactly.
We have here a very normal LCD for convenience, with the Jelly Monster, the Pac-Man game, which had been renamed by Commodore for copyright reasons. Much appreciated.
So is this computer here part of your collection?
Yes, these... actually I'm not a collector, but I like to have a representative example of Commodore in general. I don't have everything, but I have the main machines. I care about preserving them, I use them, I take them to fairs and have them used. I like this kind of use. I'm not a collector.
I mean, you're not a collector who keeps cars off. I also like collecting them, but also keeping them turned on, because in fact it is through use that one learns things, right?
Then we have a classic cookie, the Commodore 64, now the best-selling in Italy. It needs no introduction. It has a modification on the joystick to be able to use the additional buttons, which is not a standard thing but a GitHub modification.
So, did you have to make this change inside the Commodore?
No, this modification is a GitHub modification, a HomeBrew modification, let's say, to be able to use more than one button on the Commodore 64. There are also modified versions of games to make them work with these buttons.
Ah, ok, so do you use the additional inputs that are available on the control ports?
Exactly, it uses what was not used at the time and is used to be able to play more comfortably, without having to use the space bar in many games. It's all much more ergonomic.
In fact it seems even more fun to play like this. I'm not a gamer, but perhaps one of the limitations was the single button, right?
It was a big limitation, unfortunately, even on the Amiga. Despite having two buttons, many of the games only use one. On the Commodore 64 there was a button. And I would say that the lack of more buttons is more noticeable on the Commodore 64. This is where this project was born, which is appreciated and is still in the development phase.
Ok, so you were telling me that there are specific games?
Yes, absolutely, there are collections of more famous games. To name one: Commando, which had the bomb throw with the space bar, very inconvenient. Today it is replaced by a button, and it is much more convenient to play this way.
This Commodore 64 also has a version of PI1541 for loading games, we can see it a little hidden here.
So, so this is the connection port, the IEC, right?
Yes, always on serial. Let's follow the thread, see where it goes. Ah, here it is. This object is nothing more than a Commodore 1541 emulator. It is called PI1541 and essentially replaces the legendary Commodore 1541 drive. It is so-called cycle perfect, because it reproduces in great detail the reading and writing cycles of the original Commodore drive.
Ok, I have the SD2IEC in my collection, but in this case are you telling me that this is more precise? Yes, this one is much more precise in reading. It allows you to use many more games, even multi-disc ones, which is not a given. Also because many cartridges, such as the famous Kung-Fu Flash, do not allow disk swapping. This instead allows the disc to be changed and I would say that it is an important peculiarity.
Oh yes, I would say yes, especially with games that have multiple discs. On the Commodore 64 there are many.
A very banal Raspberry is added, because essentially the board is made up of the display and the electronics. We add a Raspberry Pi 3B, a microSD with the few configuration files and any titles.
So just put it all there, up to 300 million titles, exactly!
And is this the IEC port here? Yes, we also have the option of having the HDMI port. So there is the possibility of having not only the game and the track being read on the small OLED display, but also on a normal PC screen with HDMI port, the display of the BAM of the disc and the reading status in real time.
So, basically, you have a secondary monitor to the Commodore 64 with which you can view the files. You can also choose files from the list. They are listed and selected from a small USB keyboard.
And then, in the meantime, the Commodore continues to run the old game, right?
Yes, because it is loaded as if it were a 1541. You can remove the disc and, if the game does not require subsequent loading, it continues like this. The extraction of the disc takes place on the PI-1541 and then, when you give it the OK, at this point, we proceed with the classic LOAD *, 8 (or 9) command and the game loads. Then you choose from the PI1541 and load from the vintage computer.
Ok, Amedeo, then let's talk about the refurbished power supplies, because the original Commodore ones are not reliable over time.
It is highly recommended, when you have a machine that has not been used for a long time, not to turn it on with its power supply. I always recommend measuring the supply voltages. Then, in the way I use computers, not being a gamer and turning them on very little, I still trust the original power supplies. However, in your case, where you make massive, more prolonged use, for example for trade fairs or for long periods of switching on, such as exhibitions and not just for playing, it is a little stressful. Remaking them is neither expensive nor complicated. For example, I rebuild them myself.
I realize the 5V DC part, perhaps providing a more generous power supply in amperes, even reaching 2.5 A or 3 amps against the 2 A originally requested. For the 9V AC part, I use a small dedicated modern transformer, which I then simply solder to the Commodore connection pin.
So, for the Commodore 64, which requires both the 9V AC line (which can be replicated with a transformer) and the 5V DC line. For the continuous part I use a switching power supply, which is very easy to find and guarantees good operation.
A small quirk is to add a voltmeter, which could also be installed on the alternating side. These days I'm making a power supply with dual functions: this example, however, only has the DC part and a very simple power button.
Well, now you're ready for Varese Retrocomputing, where computers stay on all day to play or be displayed!
Thanks so much for all the explanations! Please, for those interested in these topics of vintage electronics and computers, subscribe to the channel, activate the notification bell, and we'll see you in the next video.
A thousand thanks! Bye bye!
Thanks, bye!