Tag Archives: mods

My Ultimate 64 and a Commodore SX-64

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I finally got my new C64C case from Pixelwizard Retro Shop. If you don’t know about these: these are new cases made from original Commodore C64C molds. They are a perfect fit for real hardware because they are from the real molds. And they make a great option for pairing with a new Ultimate 64. And if you don’t know about that: the U64 is a modern FPGA implementation of the C64 (and then some), with network, USB storage, and HDMI output.

I chose the SX-64 style case. I happened to come across an Aldi C64 keyboard, actually pretty rare in the USA. I like this keyboard because it is nearly white, making a good style match to the original SX-64 colors.

So here are some pics!

Commodore 64 Power Supplies: Patient Killers of Vintage Computers

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A Commodore power brick, waiting to kill a computer. Its arms are tied; we are safe for now.

The original Commodore 64 power supplies are the ticking timebombs of your Commodore hardware collection. The 5-volt DC output of these power bricks tend to increase over time, eventually damaging various parts of the computer it is powering. Typically, the RAM is the first victim of overvoltage.

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C64C Gold: uIEC/SD, JiffyDOS, Reset Switch Commodore mod

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The C64C was an update to the C64 that brought a more modern look (for its time) to the Commodore 64. After Commodore finished off its stock of motherboards, it also got a new updated “short board” that cost a lot less to produce. By the time the Commodore 64 was discontinued, they were able to make them at about $20 a pop. Pretty good for something that retailed for about $100.

These short boards were not actually 100% compatible with the older version.  Many of the parts were not interchangeable with older boards, and the famous SID chip was actually changed. (If you’re curious, you can test this with a C64C by playing Impossible Mission. If you can’t hear “stay awhile…. staaaaay forever!” then you have the updated SID chip.) Compatibility with the older C64 approached 100% but didn’t quite get there.

Anyway, this particular model has one great advantage: lots of empty space under the keyboard for modifications! So below is what I did with mine, in video and in higher resolution pictures.

  • Added a reset switch.
  • Replaced the KERNAL ROM with JiffyDOS. (My board did not have socketed chips, so I had to remove the old ROM and install a socket.)
  • Internally mounted a uIEC/SD — a great sd2iec-based device for mass storage from Retro Innovations. Easily the most gratifying part of this project!
  • Installed all four control switches for the uIEC/SD, too, and
  • Gave it a gold paint job with a shiny clear coat.

Video and Pictures follow.

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Commie Red with 1541 Ultimate-I

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One of my earliest mod projects is Commie Red.

  • JiffyDOS
  • Reset Switch
  • Sports-car Red Paint Job

Also, this is the C64 that gets the 1541 Ultimate, which you can see in these pictures. My 1541 Ultimate has a specially designed case for earlier units that did not come with a cartridge case.

There are some flaws in my work — I was a bit impatient to complete the painting part of the project and did not take the time to paint the inside of the case first. So if you look for it, you can see the original color in some areas where the case separates.