C64, MSX, etc. on a Chip

[Greg2600]

I know there's some kind of pirate C64 system out there that runs off like SD cards, can't remember the name. Anyway, this is the model the company with the Commodore rights is supposed to make.
http://www.commodoreusa.net/PC64.html

It's not a C64 at all, but it's supposed to play C64, Vic-20, maybe Amiga out of the box (software not carts).

Anyway, what is the name of that C64 "clone" and anyone know of any news on the MSX on a Chip system? It came out in Japan 4 years ago and was never exported to the West.

[Gapporin]

There's a pretty good Wikipedia article about the 1chipMSX: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1chipMSX

I've gotten the chance to see one in person, and it's very nice. Not only can you use normal MSX cartridges with it, but you can run ROMs from an SD card. It also has S-Video and VGA output, a PS/2 connector, and 2 USB slots -- everything an original MSX never had.

And you're right, it never was released outside of Japan; not even in Europe, where I daresay the MSX fanbase is even stronger. However, there are ways and means of acquiring one...for instance, there's one on eBay right now, but be prepared to throw down a thousand bones for it:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1chip-msx-MSX-Co...item4aa4664f7f

[Ze_ro]

That PC64 is literally just a regular PC that happens to come with emulators pre-installed.

As for FPGA-based C64, maybe you're thinking about the C-One? It was supposed to be able to serve as a replacement for a C64, while also being able to transform into other systems. However, it's very expensive, and development hasn't taken off the way most people would like.

There's also the C64 DTV. It looks like just a cheap all-in-one system, but the designers actually made it in such a way that you could modify it to have a real keyboard and disk drive ports and such. I don't think they're commercially available at the moment though.

--Zero

[Steve W]

There's also the C64 DTV. It looks like just a cheap all-in-one system, but the designers actually made it in such a way that you could modify it to have a real keyboard and disk drive ports and such. I don't think they're commercially available at the moment though.

--Zero

You can find the C64 DTV in thrift stores every once in a while. I know I find them fairly often. The one you don't find much was a plug-and-play made by Radio Shack that was an unlicensed Hummer game that is built into a steering wheel style controller and plays like a top-down offroad racing game, like Power Drive Rally on the Jaguar. That device's C64 'innards' are supposed to be even more compatible and modifiable than the C64 DTV device.

I would love to see the tech from the MSX-on-a-chip used to make a Colecovision-on-a-chip device. Colecovisions were so cheaply made they rarely seem to work nowadays.

[Greg2600]

I've seen the MSX 1chip in person as well, Eduardo (opcode games) had it at a NAVA couple years ago. I would not use it for carts, I'd use roms on an SD. That's what he had, and it worked very well. There's no chance in me buying one of the "priceless" Japanese models though. Incidentally, Eduardo has been working on an expansion module for the Colecovision, and he's also toyed with a CV II, which would I think be an all new board. However, he had a big meltdown on AA a few months ago, and is only giving infrequent updates.

As for the PC64, I know it's a standard PC, but it looks just like the old C64! Otherwise it has little value, as I would never recommend anyone buying one of those all in one PC's. I also know about that DTV C64, but without modification, it only plays a handful of games. But there was definitely a new device that emulated the C64.

However, I did find links to several SD card readers for the C64, like this uIED (although it's currently unavailable) or the SD2IEC. So basically if you had a C64, get one of these and you can play likely every C64 game ever. However, like the Atari 8-bit SIO2SD requires soldering and stuff like that, which people like me are horrible at. I think this 1541 Ultimate is the most comprehensive, but is done by a single guy in Holland, and pretty expensive.

[Ze_ro]

I think this 1541 Ultimate is the most comprehensive, but is done by a single guy in Holland, and pretty expensive.

I have one of these (the original model, not the Mk 2), and it really is an amazing device. It's expensive, but for what it does, it's totally worth it.

--Zero

[Pantechnicon]

There's also the C64 DTV. It looks like just a cheap all-in-one system, but the designers actually made it in such a way that you could modify it to have a real keyboard and disk drive ports and such.

There's also a virtual keyboard built in as well as a way to straight-up access the C64 command prompt. Not the most efficient means of getting to the Commodore goodness therein, but good enough if you just want to play around a bit.