Commodore 64 Ultimate (commodore.net)

Is this using Jeri Ellsworth's implementation of Commodore 64 in FPGA?

Ordered a founder's edition in August. Looks like I might get it this year (originally estimated October). Retro Recipes x Commodore posted a video update about the manufacturing process recently: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BffeaLbKHkw

(In my case, it's not about nostalgia. I actually have been using a shared one in a hackerspace to play around with 6502 machine language and want my own.)

They kept the cassette port, but got rid of the User port? The User port is where all the good stuff goes.

They could have put the Ethernet and other new stuff on the left side where there's plenty of room.

$299 is about half the price, not corrected for inflation, of the original, which started at $595 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_64).

I think that’s impressive, given the (likely) way lower production run.

I'm excited for Christian (Peri) and team... but also kinda bummed that the RR channel has gone on a bit of a hiatus (understandable). Wishing everyone success with this amazing new chapter...

I miss the days of BBS'ing on my 300 baud modem, boosted to 420-ish. Things were so much simpler. I'm thinking this might make a good xmas present for myself! :)

Maybe I can finally debug that cool-looking boxing game I typed in by hand from a magazine. To this day, I am sort of surprised I wound up a coder given that was my initial experience with programming.

Does not come with joy controllers and they are $40/ea.

"Your childhood just leveled up" as a tagline is pretty revealing. I'm not sure where the company goes after they have mined all the nostalgia. I like the statement "[t]his isn’t tech that controls you. It invites you to play, learn, and create" but I'm struggling to think of how that converts into a long-term product line. I wish them success though. More diversity would be nice!

Is it feasible to fabricate new MOS 6581 chips?

It’s the same as the Ultimate 64 Elite II from Gideon, which is great. It got me back into C64 coding https://github.com/sandlbn/whisper64 , now in C.

I am making music with original C64s. I am excited about this one to get maybe a more noise free experience. Let's see. I've ordered in July.

Pretty neat but I don’t love the price. I got a real working C64 for $100, and a turbo chameleon that can bring all the fpga benefits and connectivity for less.

I also wonder whose fpga core they are using and if they licensed it or not.

I hope the keyboard is a USB keyboard so I can use it as input for my linux box :)

I might get one, I have the C64 Max and the kids are having a lot of fun on it with their friends playing Bruce Lee 1 and 2 as well as Archon. I'm also really really interested in http://www.apollo-core.com/gfx/A6000.jpg the amiga was my first programming machine and having a mostly useful computer that is compatible would be awesome.

That means no more screwing around with the cassette heads.

> Isn't this just an emulator or rebadged something-or-other?

>The Commodore 64 Ultimate from the only original Commodore® brand (est. 1958) is brand new hardware-based Commodore 64 technology. It features SID chip-reactive LEDs (case, keyboard, power light), the world's first transparent keyboard PCB, original and modern creators’ autographs etched in copper, and an updated FPGA that replicates the original C64 motherboard (not emulation). All customisable via a new, easy main menu. It’s a fully authentic new build from Commodore - who else?

I was hoping they would have authentic SID chips. The analog side of the SID is a large part of it's sound so it comes down to how well they can model that.

I really wanted to buy an official Commodore T-shirt, and all the designer had to do was put the chicken lips logo on a white background, but whoever was in charge decided to instead get creative and come up with a range of very bad designs that have zero resemblance with anything ever produced by Commodore.

Pleasantly surprised to see it's not just a Raspberry Pi in a keyboard shell.

I'm ordering one for each finger I have. This is my childhood like many here.

I would find the product more compelling in a puck form factor (sans kbd). I can't imagine missing the extra key labels. That would make it significantly smaller, more robust, & less expensive.

I'd also prefer DisplayPort to HDMI, but that might have been chosen for cost, or for the home gaming / nostalgia play.

It claims 99% compat. Anyone know what the holdouts are?