Building a Frankenstein 64 | Hacker News Reader

Building a Frankenstein 64

celso.io

132 pointscelso19 comments

Last year, I decided that I was going to build a Commodore 64 from scratch. This is the blog documenting the project.

Nice work and thanks for the writeup. Ted Fried has a variety of microsequencer based CPU cores based on FPGA (and ARM) and I think they are quite good.

https://microcorelabs.wordpress.com/2021/04/19/mcl64-worlds-...

https://github.com/MicroCoreLabs/Projects

whoa, this is nice, might give it a try someday, thanks.

Here are some other examples: http://talk.binarytask.com/task?id=8711454161308077109

Here are some new keycaps: http://move.rupy.se/file/blue.jpg http://move.rupy.se/file/brown.jpg

Unfortunately they are a bit fragile: http://move.rupy.se/file/fragile.jpg

There is also Mechboard64 for a new Cherry-switch keyboard, unfortunately it uses 3D printed adapters.

For the CPU you can replace it with this but it has alot of shortcomings: https://monotech.fwscart.com/MOS_CPU_Replacer_(65108501)/p60...

The CIA, SID and VIC2 are unreplacable... the ARM/FPGA versions don't look or sound anything near the originals.

That R1 is too rare to only put sticky heatsinks on it.

I can’t tell about the CIA or VIC2, but the ARMSID sounds pretty good imho. I have to test it with proper speakers and compare.

Yeah, that R1 deserves better. What would you use?

The ARMSID can replicate most things perfectly, but it can't replicate the flaws.

The problem is the R1 has a bump on it so these don't really work: https://klsele.com/products/418/419/3771.html

If you can find those for 40-pin still, I would try padding them OR solder a frame + lid on the new motherboard or if you can find one of the RF shields that covered the whole left side of the motherboard (can't find a picture of it now, they are rare)... But yes the situation is tricky so I don't blame your solution really.

I know it's hard but ideally you would try to preserve this incredible chip, that is flawed like some old poststamp!

I totally relate to your love for the flaws. The MOS team was incredible at the time, true hackers at scale, and the flaws are documented history on their release early, release often process.

I was curious to see where the author sourced a SID chip, perhaps the most prized component of a C64 these days. It's an ARMSID, an ARM-based emulator.

I keep thinking I'll pull my C64 out of the attic, but the nostalgia is kind of fading for me at this point. That compact flash cartridge looks really cool, though. I would have loved something like that back in the day.

I’ll take it off your hands if you want it to get some use :p

I nabbed a pretty trashed but good chips C128 board with a SID this past summer on Craigslist. They can be had.

You can still find original SID chips selling on eBay, it's just that they're expensive now.

Another strategy is buying cheap faulty C64 boards and ripping the SID from them, but it's risky. The SID might be dead (or not there at all).

So glad that of all the various C64s and even more various power supplies I had in the 1980s, none were Bricks of Death. Ignorance is bliss.

Great project and write-up!

If you still use the original C= PSU , it is a good idea to invest some money on a OverVoltage Protection -OVP- box. Better safe than sorry guys.

I never see people making their own keyboards, and would love it to see a blog about making high-quality custom keys and a case for the keyboard.

check this out https://www.breadbox64.com/blog/the-mechboard64/

Thanks for the link but:

> In order for the original C64 keycaps to fit the stems of the Gateron switches, 3D printed key adapters have to be used.

It still relies on a set of original C64 keycaps.

Now do one for the Amiga.

Actually I will. I'm restoring an Amiga 1000 this year, slowly.

Bravo.

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