Holger Weßling - C64 Hardware A Compendium

C64 Hardware A Compendium

Hello and welcome to the first Hardware Compendium Book of the Commodore 64 Family C64, C64 II, SX64, VIC20, C128, C16, C116, plus/4

Once upon a time I changed my employer. Lucky me, my new boss is a scener too. So we went together just 2 weeks after I started at my new job, to the Evoke 2014 in Cologne (Germany).

And in just one hour I saw so many new extensions and modules for the C64 that I didn't know existed because the last 25 years or so I do not have any contact to any C64 except some emulators I played with a little sometimes. I was astounded how big the Commodore scene still is and how many are making demos, intros, music and develop games, hard- and software for this machines. My interest arose apparently very quickly. So I asked around what all exist and where to find and get all of it J. Most mentioned were the forums Forum64, Melon64 and Lemon as good sources. So the next day at home I began searching and found out very quickly that those Forums are somehow confusing, incomplete and most of the time you have to search every item by hand and scramble together the Infos. No overview anywhere. In my mind an idea formed. My last book I wrote for Data Backer was many years ago but I liked doing it. So I searched for more new C64 developments and soon I found a lot of them. And not just only for the C64, but also for the whole as I call it C64 Family like the VC20, C128, all 264 Models and the SX64. Additionally there were a whole new area of FPGA related products. I started collecting and collecting all Links that I found. Always looking out to find a book, a web page or anything with an overview of all the new stuff. Nothing. So my idea gets more concrete. In April 2015 I actually started with the concept of this book. And so it began.

Because there are unbelievable many Commodore Projects like DIYs, theoretical essays with hand drawn circuits, printable boards, Ready to go Kits, professional and commercialized Products, Cables, Adapter and so on, I had have to decide what kind of book and how big this will be, because all together this was way too much and I did this in my spare time and holidays only.

I wanted to build a Companion with all new hardware and compatibility tests for each of them to prove whether which on will work on any other Computer. But soon I realized that was a nearly impossible task to manage all comparisons alone and in such a way that the book could be published in foreseeable time.

Somewhere I had to draw a line how many products I include. And so I decided to start with Products within and after the year 2009. Mainly because about 10 Years before that not very much was released and secondly will not supported or developed and cant be bought any more.

So its just a Compendium with everything I could find beginning with 2009. And I hope you will like and can use it this way.

Language
I do believe that I my English is not that bad, but far away from very good as I want to point out. Because of this and I translated all on my own, except what already was in English, some Texts are far away from a good English. But I always tried to leave the context and meaning intact to avoid any misunderstandings. Anyhow, some original texts are badly written in the first place and the spelling in my opinion was sometimes terrible. Mainly I guess because many products came from non-English countries.

Not just therefore some texts sounds strange and seems to be confusing, very often its because I did the translations as close to the original as possible to my abilities and because the formulations are sometimes so funny themselves, so unusual word combinations they almost sounds fictitious. Only when I found technical mistakes I correct them (excluding that I miss some though).

Corrections
I am really and literally thankful for every correction you found and tell me. I will use them all in every new Edition. Glad fully with a thank you note in the book with a reference to you. This includes any technical mistakes.

Because only few developers did this test themselves or have published them, practical experiences are important here. So I ask here for your help. There are so terrifically many combinations that I not as planned, has found the time to realize this too. Please send me your test results as simple and short-held as possible. Otherwise it just becomes too much text for a book. Thanks.

The book shows primarily hardware that's ready to use or which can be started with a few tinkerings. Additional kits with or without board layout. And to most products also the contact possibility to the Author or manufacturer by email, contact side or social platforms like Google +, Facebook & Co. As a specific feature for the eBook the links are of course clickable and in the print version the links exist as a QR code for to be scanned.

I have tried very much to find links which points to web pages that probably will exist for a long time. If you find a better link please send this one to me and I will use him with pleasure in all next editions.

This book raises no claim to be complete, for this there simply is way too much what already only for the C64 was created.

To not blow up the volume of the book from the start, I have not reproduced all web pages completely, sometimes I shorted it to a reasonable size. If there is more to read this is mentioned in the respective chapter. For a later issue the entire sides are planned. This is for the case that a web page, an Article, an eBay Item or Forum entry suddenly do not exists any more.

This book and all upcoming Editions living by you too. Let me know whats missing, whats wrong, whats needed to be added or changed.

Please keep in mind, this Compendium is a start and far from complete or 100% accurate. To get it there I need you and your knowledge and expertise. The goal is a growing Book that eventually can be called The complete Commodore 64 Hardware Compendium.

Not included:
C64 web.it, Commodore Max Machine, C64GS - Game System, Commodore Monitors

eBook Updates
I will do several updates in unforeseeable intervals. Just look regularly at your sources of information. I will spread the news if and when a new Edition will be available.

Print Book Updates
Prints will be updated too maybe not as often as eBooks but still. Because the books will be printed on demand, I will produce now and then an adapted Edition. Those will also be announced together with the changes involved so that you can decide whether to buy it or not.
A new (2nd) Edition will only come as a major Update.

News
In every new Edition the table of content will clearly and separately show the additions and changes to older the editions.
New Editions will be announced on my web page www.c64hardware.com and in all Forums I am in.

As far as possible all eBay Links are pointing not directly to the hardware of a specific vendor, but to the general search so that every vendor gets the same chance. Because of eBay Search engines this unfortunately do not work this way all the time and some links points to the .com or .de search or a specific vendor. If you knew a better fair solution for a specific hardware, please let me know and I will check and change that Link.

All Links have been checked for consistency before I gave the book to the publisher. Nevertheless the Internet is a fast living thing and maybe some links do not work anymore when the book is released. Please let me know if and where is this the case. I will change that in furhter Editions too.

Additionally and your Participation
Do you have a Commodore related Story you like to share that do not have hit the Internet by now? I like to publish it in all next Editions.