New Commodore or fake?
xlar54
http://www.commodoreusa.net/CUSA_Home.aspx
If so, Im sold.
Joe Forster/STA
the ~70 keys of this hybrid. By resizing the keys, it would be
possible to make it resemble a real PC keyboard but still keep the
original C64 design feeling. Also, I would rather have two columns of
grey keys on the right, F1-F6 and F7-F12, and these damn multimedia
keys in a third column - if at all... If this has exactly the same
size as a C64 then, I think, there's enough space for all these keys.
( I HATE laptop keyboards where some keys can only be accessed via a
key combination - like, I assume, F1 is C=-1 on this one - because I'm
using the keyboard extensively - no mouse! - and I don't have time for
this shit.)
Also, two questions and these aren't completely jokes:
- where's the more elegant C64C variation (it's large enough, larger
than many laptops);
- where are, at least, _some_ of the original C64 connectors (a' la C-
One)?
xlar54
Maybe a 128D version would be better? I see your point.
Markus Grob
> I mentioned this in a previous thread - is it for real?
>
> http://www.commodoreusa.net/CUSA_Home.aspx
Hm, Design like a C64, but inside a "slow" PC. I'm not sure, if someone
would have this?
Greetings, Markus
David Murray
ever buy anything like this. It only "barely" resembles the original
style of Commodore computers and obviously the innards are in no way
similar.
Ruud
I'm impressed indeed. If the price is reasonable, I would buy one and
use it for software devellopment and test it under VICE.
I just name four names that had a big succes with retro cars:
Volkswage, Chrysler, FIAT and the Mini (= BMW nowadays).
What intrigues me a bit is this: Commodore Licensing, BV. To be more
exact: BV. If I'm right this means that Commodore still is Dutch? Or
does BV also have a meaning in other languages?
Groetjes, Ruud
Brandon
I don't see the point. If I want a computer that looks like a C64 and
runs C64 software, I will use my C64. If someone else wants a C64,
they can buy one on eBay for $20 or $30.
If I want a modern computer with an emulator, I will use my modern
computer with an emulator.
They'd be better off selling a USB C64 keyboard for use with
emulators, instead of shoving mediocre computer parts into a C64
breadbin size box.
--
-Brandon
http://www.brandonstaggs.com/c64.html
BruceMcF
It could be. Rights to the names, a contract with a Chinese case
fabricator and development of a distinctive user interface front end
for Linux, and you're in business.
Joe Forster/STA
> fabricator and development of a distinctive user interface front end
> for Linux, and you're in business.
If it's this "easy", why not ask Jeri Ellsworth first/instead, add the
original C64 connectors and integrate a C64DTV - which supports these
connectors - besides the PC, reroute the C64DTV's output to/through
the PC video card and, with real-time capturing or dual-monitor
support, make it possible to use the C64DTV _and_ the PC in parallel,
on two monitors or picture-in-picture. Or integrate a bit more, a
dumbed down C-One. Or, perhaps, drop the PC and integrate a full C-One
right away into the stylish box: a low enough price and many enough
potential buyers (registration? advance money?) could result in a
virtuous cycle. Ahhh, just dreaming... :-)
Angry Dove
noe...@c64.invalid says...
with our old Wico sticks. Too bad, that would have been cool.
dott.Piergiorgio
meh.... IMRHO at least this umpteenth attempt to re-commercialize the
brand try to actually implement actual commodore design(s)... an
improvement of sort, I guess.
but where I guess money can be actually done is around MOS chips...
whose in the case of the SID isn't only a spares market.
Actually what is the IP/patent status of the Commodore/MOS products ?
ISTR that the SID patent has expired a pair of years ago....
Best regards from Italy,
dott. Piergiorgio.
J. Robertson
Agreed. I wish people would leave the Commodore name dead and buried
already. It's in good hands within our community and should remain
that way. This "I can bring back Commodore!" attitude (which happens
nearly every other year) is getting ridiculous, tired, and old.
This new "CommodoreUSA" is no different then all the other Commodore
name licensees that have come up over the years. For instance any one
remember "Commodore 2000" and their typical "We'll bring back
Commodore!" claim from the late 90's? Where are they now? lol.
Jason
BruceMcF
> > It could be. Rights to the names, a contract with a Chinese case
> > fabricator and development of a distinctive user interface front end
> > for Linux, and you're in business.
> If it's this "easy", why not ask Jeri Ellsworth first/instead, add the
> original C64 connectors and integrate a C64DTV - which supports these
> connectors - besides the PC, reroute the C64DTV's output to/through
> the PC video card and, with real-time capturing or dual-monitor
> support, make it possible to use the C64DTV _and_ the PC in parallel,
> on two monitors or picture-in-picture.
Because that's harder.
> Or integrate a bit more, a dumbed down C-One.
Because that's harder still.
> Or, perhaps, drop the PC and integrate a full C-One right away into the stylish box: a low enough price and many enough potential buyers (registration? advance money?) could result in a virtuous cycle.
Because that's much, MUCH harder.
Compare to all of those, a C64 looking stock mini-ATX in a keyboard
case and a modern mini-ATX in a keyboard case, combined with a
Workbench looking UI on top of a linux distribution, is all much
easier.
Brandon
Come to think of it, a USB peripheral with a C64 keyboard (with
correct layout and labels, of course) AND two joystick ports on it
would be a real nice item to have.
I prefer Kraft Mazemasters, myself.
--
-Brandon
http://www.brandonstaggs.com/c64.html
Joe Forster/STA
> [...]
> Because that's harder still.
> Because that's much, MUCH harder.
>
> Compare to all of those, a C64 looking stock mini-ATX in a keyboard
> case and a modern mini-ATX in a keyboard case, combined with a
> Workbench looking UI on top of a linux distribution, is all much
> easier.
I know, I know, I was just trying to come up with ideas that make more
sense... (?!?!?!) 8^)
Groepaz
http://icomp.de/products/keyrah_e.htm
--
http://www.hitmen-console.org http://magicdisk.untergrund.net
http://www.pokefinder.org http://ftp.pokefinder.org
Wenn man nicht gegen den Verstand verstößt, kann man überhaupt zu nichts
kommen.
<Albert Einstein>
BruceMcF
> I know, I know, I was just trying to come up with ideas that make more
> sense... (?!?!?!) 8^)
That make more sense from the perspective of a very small subset of
the market, not that make more sense when looking at commercial costs
and benefits.
"We are going to make a computer in a keyboard, and are going to give
it a nostalgia C64 case as well as a modern case, and save more money
by putting an easier to use front end on Linux with open source
software ported to use that new front end, instead of using
Windows" ... the Amiga and C64 emulation is an effort to cobble
together multiple market niches to get to a viable market.
The C64 emulation side alone is just an adjunct. Bundling a C64
emulator and making it a boot option and inviting the customer to just
get bootlegged copies of games online is much, much easier than any
hardware emulation.
Clocky
is a bit defensive about it's amatuerish website and a suspicious vapour
eminating from some of it's products...
http://www.osnews.com/story/23753/Commodore_Gets_Rights_to_Amiga_Hyperion_Takes_Legal_Action
http://www.osnews.com/story/23756/Commodore_USA_Threatens_OSNews_with_Legal_Action
More...
http://www.osnews.com/story/23983/Amiga_Inc_Selling_Amiga_Trademark
Aplogies if it has been posted before.
BruceMcF
> Sorta related, I came across this article today, and it looks like somebody
> is a bit defensive about it's amatuerish website and a suspicious vapour
> eminating from some of it's products...
... a Chinese OEM case fabricator, stock mini-AT-X parts, the best
distribution of AROS that they can find as operating system, and Bob's
your uncle. If it were *more* ambitious, it'd only be more likely to
be vaporware as opposed to CheapChinaWare.
Seems Hyperion bought the AmigaOS trademark and all related IP (Acer
now owns the patents, since they bought Gateway), but it seems highly
unlikely that the Amiga name itself would be considered related IP,
since it was a hardware system trademark.
And after licensing the name, the guy who is "Amiga Inc." who licensed
it is selling out.
The fact that the website *invites* you to get your C64 games as
"widely available" (and obviously pirated) from the internet kind of
lets on how mainstream it is as a business.
If he comes out with something, and someone buys something from him,
and it turns out to be a reasonable way to save on per-item shipping
from China, I'd still consider buying one. But not the fake C64 box:
I've got two real C64's in my bedroom.
xlar54
renders. In other words, he doesnt yet have a finished product. Not
that putting a PC motherboard into a C64 case would be difficult to
do: (http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/commodore-64-lives-
again-same-keyboard-modern)
There seems to be alot of confusion over the ownership of the Amiga
and Commodore names/products. I mean, if someone wanted to completely
reintroduce the *original* C64, who would legally be able to do it? (I
emphasize original)
Clocky
> Probably the more telling thing about this is that the images are just
> renders. In other words, he doesnt yet have a finished product.
He does have some prototype images, if you look here...
http://www.commodoreusa.net/CUSA_C64Prototype.aspx
The case looks to be thicker than original and is a customised prototype,
and the keyboard is a custom USB device which does indeed seem to be a real
prototype from a legit company also.
It still looks like there may not be enough clearance between the keyboard
and the board though when fitted to the case but that may be an illusion.
Apart from the physical resemblance to a C64 (or VIC in it's current
development stage, actually) it's really just a mediocre PC under the hood.
I would be more interested in the case and keyboard if they would be
available seperately.
Having said that, if the case is really going to be much taller it will be
even more of an ergonomic disaster than the original breadbox was ;-)
xlar54
Cant argue that. Thanks for the photos - I missed those. Oh and btw,
re-reading what I wrote earlier, putting a PC into a C64 case is not a
difficult thing to do for someone with such skills (Stiggy).
Rudolf Harras
>Hm, Design like a C64, but inside a "slow" PC. I'm not sure, if someone
>would have this?
Exactly. I'd maybe buy something like this if the computer inside is up
to date but just having an expensive price and a slow computer inside
does not work for me. Same for the Commodore Netbook. However, you don't
see these things for sale anywhere anyway.
The only new thing with a Commodore name I bought was a C64 DTV which
now is lying around somewhere since I modified it and am too lazy to
flash any other games on it. It would have been so much more useful with
some SD-Card-Reader...
BruceMcF
(1) Have to go to whoever buys Amiga Inc. for the name
(2) I have no idea where the 8-bit hardware intellectual property
ended up ~ as far as I am aware, Gateway only bought the Amiga IP
(3) Have to go to Microsoft for permission to use the Basic Rom.
Martijn van Buul
> On 29 dec, 21:47, David Murray <adri...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> I hate to say it, but as much of a Commodore fan as I am, I'd never
>> style of Commodore computers and obviously the innards are in no way
>> similar.
>
> I'm impressed indeed. If the price is reasonable, I would buy one and
> use it for software devellopment and test it under VICE.
Likewise. If I had more disposable income, I could see myself getting one
just for the heck of it. I know it's just a standard PC with a custom
case, but at least it does try to pay homage to ye olde breadboxe.
Those "Amiga" cases, on the other hand, are plain rubbish, only intended to
cash in on the name.
> I just name four names that had a big succes with retro cars:
> Volkswage, Chrysler, FIAT and the Mini (= BMW nowadays).
True - and they too are out of my budget :P
> What intrigues me a bit is this: Commodore Licensing, BV. To be more
> exact: BV. If I'm right this means that Commodore still is Dutch?
Probably. It's not that strange - having your international company be
"based" in the Netherlands makes sense fiscally; it's a bit of a tax haven in
some cases (as ridiculous as that may sound). It's the reason why Ikea is
based in the Netherlands. Or at least, their PO-box is.
> Groetjes, Ruud
Best wishes for 2011 :)
--
Martijn van Buul - pi...@dohd.org
BruceMcF
> What intrigues me a bit is this: Commodore Licensing, BV. To be more
> exact: BV. If I'm right this means that Commodore still is Dutch? Or
> does BV also have a meaning in other languages?
That seems likely to be a shell arising from Tulip's Commodore
International BV. Tulip picked up the rights to the Commodore hardware
name in the ESCOM bankrupcty ~ the ESCOM bankruptcy seems to be where
the Commodore 8-bit hardware rights and the Amiga rights parted
company. Commodore Int'l BV sold the rights to the Commodore name in
2004 to California-based Yeahronimo Media Ventures.
Whether its a shell on the Tulip side or the buyers side, Yeahronimo
Media Ventures, that'd be vaguely interesting to know.