C64x Unboxing videos

[commodorejohn]

Message to you guys: We heard you the first time, so FFS, give it a rest...

When there are no more active CUSA threads here, I will stop stating my opinion of CUSA. It's a fairly simple proposition.

You can buy C64x case without the CUSA's x86 motherboard solution.

Or you can pay $0-10 for a dead C64 and $45 for a Keyrah and spend the extra $190 on something nice.

[A3KOne]

When there are no more active CUSA threads here, I will stop stating my opinion of CUSA. It's a fairly simple proposition.

Or you can pay $0-10 for a dead C64 and $45 for a Keyrah and spend the extra $190 on something nice.

For the vast majority of computer users, this is not a viable solution.  The fabrication skills needed to convert a stock C64 case into a case capable of holding a mini-ITX board is considerable...and it will never be as elegant of a solution. Of course, you know that and are just being contrary and argumentative.  This argument alone shows what the Amiga community has become.  At one time, elegance was appreciated - now a hacked together solution outside of the capability of 95% of all users is proposed as a good alternative.

A quick browse of Tigerdirect (arguably the cheapest retailer top to bottom) reveals that there are a lot of PC cases in the $200 price range without PSU or keyboard.  The C64x case/keyboard/card reader chassis is pricey for a plastic kit, but not exorbitantly so given the quantity manufactured.

...and I don't have a dog in this hunt.  The suggestion that I am somehow affiliated with CUSA is laughable...Not that I need to validate my opinion, but I am sure there are people on here who remember me as A3K (aka Cocoman) from IRC.

[CritAnime]

...and I don't have a dog in this hunt. The suggestion that I am somehow affiliated with CUSA is laughable...Not that I need to validate my opinion, but I am sure there are people on here who remember me as A3K (aka Cocoman) from IRC.

I don't think anyone, appart from Digitex, made the suggestion that you are affiliated with CUSA. I certainly didn't think you were affiliated with them from your post. And I actually really respected your point of view on all of this. And I applaud you for taking the time to post it.
 
@fishy_fiz

Long story short, it's taken both "sides", both C-USA and its opposers for things to have gotten as comical as they have.

Yup I have to add my +1 to this too.
 
I know I have taken mickey about CUSA. But it's usually been in response to something that has either been said or done by them.

[commodorejohn]

For the vast majority of computer users, this is not a viable solution.  The fabrication skills needed to convert a stock C64 case into a case capable of holding a mini-ITX board is considerable...and it will never be as elegant of a solution. Of course, you know that and are just being contrary and argumentative.  This argument alone shows what the Amiga community has become.  At one time, elegance was appreciated - now a hacked together solution outside of the capability of 95% of all users is proposed as a good alternative.

Yes, it is moderately complex to do it yourself. Yes, it's somewhat less than elegant. But it sure as hell isn't $190 worth of inelegance. (And I'm "just being contrary and argumentative?" What kind of insult is that? Are you trying to shame me into agreeing that $250 for a novelty case is totally a good deal? 'Cause that ain't happening.)

A quick browse of Tigerdirect (arguably the cheapest retailer top to bottom) reveals that there are a lot of PC cases in the $200 price range without PSU or keyboard.  The C64x case/keyboard/card reader chassis is pricey for a plastic kit, but not exorbitantly so given the quantity manufactured.

People keep bringing up "well, x also exists, and it costs as much or more!" like that means anything at all. $200 cases? $400 keyboards? Of course there's other ridiculously-priced shit out there, Barry isn't even remotely the first person to think of selling overpriced mediocrity to stupid people. That doesn't make it not overpriced.

[psxphill]

When there are no more active CUSA threads here, I will stop stating my opinion of CUSA. It's a fairly simple proposition.

And I won't stop stating my opinion of the anti CUSA zealots.
 

But it sure as hell isn't $190 worth of inelegance. (And I'm "just being contrary and argumentative?" What kind of insult is that? Are you trying to shame me into agreeing that $250 for a novelty case is totally a good deal? 'Cause that ain't happening.)

If you don't think it's a good deal then don't buy it. Commodore used to make a huge margin on their computers. How do you stop youself from droaning on how big box Amigas were such a bad deal? That includes the X1000.

[commodorejohn]

And I won't stop stating my opinion of the anti CUSA zealots.

"Then we are decided?"
"Then we are...decided."
 

If you don't think it's a good deal then don't buy it. Commodore used to make a huge margin on their computers. How do you stop youself from droaning on how big box Amigas were such a bad deal?

Mainly because Commodore is dead and gone, their CEO isn't posting here yammering about how it's totally a reasonable price because he failed to negotiate cheaper parts, and I never bought an Amiga new anyway.

That includes the X1000.

And again: I'm not an X1000 defender. It does, in fact, appear to be comically overpriced, even by PPC standards - I have a G5 Mac that will likely give it a run for its money, which I got in like-new condition for $25, and that's not even the highest-end G5 Mac! The only reason I talk less about the X1000 is because its zealots do less yammering about it.

[psxphill]

The only reason I talk less about the X1000 is because its zealots do less yammering about it.

What you mean is that there is no X1000 news to post, so the anti X1000 zealots can't trash the threads.

[commodorejohn]

What you mean is that there is no X1000 news to post, so the anti X1000 zealots can't trash the threads.

Possibly. Either way, it's less in-my-face.

[Darrin]

What you mean is that there is no X1000 news to post, so the anti X1000 zealots can't trash the threads.

So anyone who points out one of the following is an Anti-CUSA "zealot"?:

Disney isn't making all-in-one computers, Canadian laptops, fizzy drinks and light bulbs.

Huge retail stores are not selling C64x in the high street.

Units stated as being shipped actually haven't even been manufactured.

Cases claimed to be manufactured were still in the prototype stage.

A brand new OS was actually Linux.

Potential customers get insulted.

Actual customers get insulted.

A $30m advertising campaign doesn't actually exist, in fact, there aren't even any highway billboards in Florida carrying any ads, or online advertising or magazine advertising.

CUSA doesn't actually own a manufacturing plant in China.

CUSA doesn't actually own a shipping facility in China.

A stack of CUSA motherboards ready to ship from China are actually a 2 year old pile of motherboards in Germany.

CUSA's "assembly plant" is a backroom in a Florida shop.

Bazza is a apparently a homophobe.

CUSA takes credit for other people's work.

C64x run hot, were never properly tested and have a major design flaw regarding air flow in the case.

The "top of the range games machine with state of the art graphics" was actually a cheap, low-end PC.

The VIC range isn't a CUSA design, but an off the shelf model produced for several years by a third party.

That the VIC isn't sold at a lost because it is over double the retail price of the actually supplier.

The "Amiga" range of cases are also off-the-shelf designs already on sale by third party distributers.

I could go on and on and on, but apparently I'm not actually entitled to an opinion and I shouldn't be allowed to comment because I'm a "zealot".

If I'm a zealot then you must be a fricking ostrich with your head either stuck up your ass or imbedded firmly in the sand.

Strange how several pro-CUSA posts suddenly appear and we're graced by his Lord & Master(bator) himself.  I suspect a quick PM and a link were sent out to the "faithful".

I think we're entitled to take shots at the constant posts that show up even though "we're not the target customers".  Especially when we're actually handed loaded guns by Spammy and C-USA insists on painting a large target on itself.  The treatment is the same that any company posting here would get.  We judge products and actions based on merit.  C-USA is apparently the new Merlancia.

[Hammer]

So anyone who points out one of the following is an Anti-CUSA "zealot"?:

(SNIP for space)
...

CUSA takes credit for other people's work.

C64x run hot, were never properly tested and have a major design flaw regarding air flow in the case.

The "top of the range games machine with state of the art graphics" was actually a cheap, low-end PC.
...

At least CUSA's X86 ITX solution has a competent northbridge, unlike a certain Teron motherboard.

[chlamb]

Regardless of Barry being the jerk he seems to be, I think CUSA has delivered what they have promised, unlike most commodore/amiga-related companies have done in the past decades.

For the ones complaining about it being an expensive piece of underpowered pc hardware, I think you are missing the point. You are paying for a C64 replica on the outside (with something usable inside). The "actual" product is the novelty case; the atom-based board is just a detail. You can buy a bare bones version, without a board, for $250, and put any mini-itx board with the CPU of your choice. (Destroying a real C64, and spending several days hacking it to put a pc inside seems really a poor alternative.)

And I don't think the case is so expensive, considering it is a nice quality custom case/keyboard, produced in low volumes, to be sold for old nerds/collectors like you and me. And I think you all know about economies of scale, since you often use this argument to justify things like a Sam board, which is hardware that can be compared to what the PC manufacturers and apple produced some 10 years ago, being sold today for about U$800 (and that includes only a bare board!).

Btw, what I liked the most was the keyboard. Have you seen that it includes a custom keyboard made of Cherry MX keys? Do you know these are high quality mechanical keys manufactured in Germany, instead of the el-cheapo silicone dome keys used in every keyboard that comes with PCs? Do you know that a PC keyboard with these keys cost U$150, for the keyboard alone??

To end, I just got an idea for an alternative retro system. What about using a C64x case and putting an FPGA-Arcade inside? As you may know, the FPGA-Arcade is/will be delivered as a mini-itx board, able to emulate most retro systems in its FPGA, including the Amiga, without using any lame PC hardware, and runs fan-less.

Yes, it is moderately complex to do it yourself. Yes, it's somewhat less than elegant. But it sure as hell isn't $190 worth of inelegance. (And I'm "just being contrary and argumentative?" What kind of insult is that? Are you trying to shame me into agreeing that $250 for a novelty case is totally a good deal? 'Cause that ain't happening.)

People keep bringing up "well, x also exists, and it costs as much or more!" like that means anything at all. $200 cases? $400 keyboards? Of course there's other ridiculously-priced shit out there, Barry isn't even remotely the first person to think of selling overpriced mediocrity to stupid people. That doesn't make it not overpriced.

[Daedalus]

At least CUSA's X86 ITX solution has a competent northbridge, unlike a certain Teron motherboard.

So do all 4 of my PCs and all 2 of my Macs. What makes it such a big deal that CUSA were able to do it using a standard x86 board?

[warpdesign]

So do all 4 of my PCs and all 2 of my Macs. What makes it such a big deal that CUSA were able to do it using a standard x86 board?

The C64x is fully working, and didn't need 3 years+ to reach the customer. But you're right, that's no big deal... The big deal is how long it takes for anyone to produce a partially working PPC-based underpowered motherboard compared to the time it takes to put a fully working x86 motherboard to the market...

[Daedalus]

... Which is nothing to do with the C64x.

[dammy]

... Which is nothing to do with the C64x.

True, C=USA is just struggling to get all products shipped to existing pre-orders.  I think that is what truly annoys the anti-C=USA trolls, success.

[J-Golden]

Now dammy, we both know it isn't the success of CUSA that is getting so many people up at arms. I would say what it is but Darrin already said it so well that I don't want to waste the space by repeating it.

I still stand by what I've said.  If you really want to spend money on it and you think it is worth it to you, go for it!  But it isn't for me.  I guess there are others who feel that way and are a bit more agitated about the flood of messages for every little new thing they do.

I'm just glad they stopped short of telling us when the go poo.