Any C-128 users?

[Louis Dias]

When I had both the 128 and 128D, I did open both up and it looked like you could just solder in the extra memory chips on the 128 since it had the pads on the board for them.  Surface-mount back then was so large that you'd really have to have a nervous disorder in order to not be able to solder on the extra chips yourself.  I guess this is a more expensive but simpler solution...

What the 128 really needs is an upgraded 8563 VDC chip that increases the color cell density down to one pixel. ...but then 64k may not be enough...

[Louis Dias]

I think back in the day, I wrote my own 128 mode MFM disk copier that used VDC ram as a buffer for disk copying...  Ah the good old days...
Of course it only worked in 40 column mode, otherwise you'd have a garbled 80 column display...

[Louis Dias]

At 320x200 that's just at 64k.  Possible, I suppose, but doesn't the new VIC used in the D64TV (or whatever it's called) provide better video options?  Could make a nice drop-in for the 128/D, though I wonder how many 128/Ds are actually in use.

I used sockets to solder 64k into my old 128.  The 64k has a good number of uses besides the regular video duties.  One program used it as a buffer for copying disks, and ISTR a program for 64 mode which used the 64k as a RAM disk (much slower than the 1700 but still useable.)

I really like these types of projects.  Take an old hack and turn it into a pretty plug-in expansion.

The whole point about 128 was the 80 column mode.  I was a 'power-user' and I would load a program that did some things like put me into 80x50 column mode by interlacing the 80 column display.  Since I was using a Magnavox monitor for 80 column mode, I was able to get a nice sharp 80x50 display.  640x400 with 1:1 pixel density would have made it a better business and game machine but 2Mhz was still limiting...  Now, CPM mode did run at 4Mhz using the Z80 processor, but there was not enough interest in that.  In fact the Z80 processor runs first when you turn on the 128 then based on the CPM button and the 40/80 column button it would put you in the appropriate mode, etc...  Yea, I used to be into it hardcore...

[Louis Dias]

With a SuperCPU 128 running at 20 MHz., it was much better.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
July 27-28 Commodore Vegas Expo v9 -
http://www.portcommodore.com/commvex

Well, I left the scene in 1994 when I got a CD32 + SX-1 ... of course I never learned to program an Amiga like I did a 128...

I still have the 128D (even added a 2nd SID) but now I get no display when I turn it on.  I'd put it on ebay, but shipping that beast would cost more than I'd ask for it...