ULTIMATE COMMODORE 128 SYSTEM (No CMD Products Allowed)

[airship]

It's been awhile since we had one of these discussions, so...

How would you trick out a C128 if you had the money and could find all the items you want? We're talking products that actually exist, not magical wishlist stuff.

I'm excluding CMD products here, just because.

Here's my list. ( * = I actually have this.)

What would you add or subtract? Discuss.

INTERNAL
   Dual SID adapter board - for stereo sound
   2M Internal Memory Expansion - with 2nd MMU for maximum banked memory
*   64k Video RAM
   JiffyDOS

USER PORT
   User Port Expander Card - for plugging in 3 things at once
   VICREL 64 relay cartridge - for controlling real-world stuff
   Game Controller Adapter - for 4-player games
   9600 Baud RS-232 Adapter

IEC
*   1571 disk drive
      JiffyDOS
      RAMBoard
*   1581 disk drive
      JiffyDOS
*   XE1541 Adapter & Dedicated 64HDD File Server
*   Serial Printer
*   1520 Plotter
*   Parallel Printer Adapter

CASSETTE CONNECTER
   Dual Cassette Interface - for copying tapes
   C2N232I 'RS-232' PC Interface

AUDIO INPUT/OUTPUT
*   Stereo amp & Speakers
   Audio I/O Processing Equipment

RF OUTPUT
   Is there anything you can do with this?

Y/C 40-COLUMN VIDEO OUTPUT
*   S-Video Adapter

80-COLUMN OUTPUT
   VGA Converter
   LCD Monitor (with S-Vdieo in for 40-column)

CARTRIDGE PORT
*   Multi-slot Adapter
   1541U+ (with Network)
   56K RS-232 Cartridge
   MIDI Interface Cartridge

JOYSTICK PORTS
   Static Guard Protector - internal board with diodes
*   2x Joystick Y-adapter Cords
   1351 Mouse
*   Suncom Stick-on Joystick
   Atari Trackball
*   Epyx or (insert brand here) Joysticks
   Flexidraw Light Pen
*   Paddles
*   AtariLab port adapter

POWER SUPPLY JACK
   Uninterruptible Power Supply

[Blacklord]

> I'm excluding CMD products here, just because.

Just because they're impossible to get new anymore ?

[airship]

Just because they're impossible to get new anymore?

Well, there's also some other stuff on the list that's old and kind of hard to find, or new and in very, very limited production. But I think Maurice has sort of spoiled the whole CMD thing for me. The prices CMD stuff commands on the eBays just seem ridiculous, and there are viable alternatives to the CMD RAM expander and hard drive. As for the SuperCPU, well, it's a one-of-a-kind, and it would be easy to say it belongs in there. But I'm going to let my prejudice rule on this one.

[8502]

1750 Ram Expansion Unit upgraded to 2MB with KeyDOS in its function ROM socket.

BASIC8 or The Servant in the internal function ROM socket.

[bacon]

I'm excluding CMD products here, just because.

Except for JiffyDOS, apparently ;-)

Anyway, JiffyDOS is absoultely essential. Couldn't live without it.

I'd add the new 1541 Ultimate. I've ordered one from the second batch which should arrive in October.

[airship]

I'd add the new 1541 Ultimate. I've ordered one from the second batch which should arrive in October.

I H8 you. This is official notice: I hate anyone who owns more toys than I do. So there!

Also, the 1541U+ (with network) is already on my list.

[bacon]

I'd add the new 1541 Ultimate. I've ordered one from the second batch which should arrive in October.

I H8 you. This is official notice: I hate anyone who owns more toys than I do. So there!

Also, the 1541U+ (with network) is already on my list.

Yeah, it's the network model I've ordered so I don't need my RetroReplay with RR-net plugged in at the same time. I can stick it in my SX-64 instead . Btw, for the second batch it's only possible to order the 1541U+, with or without network. There wasn't much demand for the basic version (without the REU emulation) so Gideon decided to only produce the + version this time.

[RobertB]

How would you trick out a C128 if you had the money and could find all the items you want? We're talking products that actually exist, not magical wishlist stuff.

[snip lots of stuff]

Take all of your proposed stuff and make a transportable C128.  Think of a bigger SX-64 -- the SX-128!  I've always thought that a transportable C128 would fit into a Compaq Portable (wow, that's a big suitcase).  Hey, if Dale Luck can have a SX-500 (Amiga 500 in a SX-64 case, why not?!

           Still eyeing my father's Compaq Portable
           after all these years,
           Robert Bernardo
           Fresno Commodore User Group
           http://videocam.net.au/fcug
           The Other Group of Amigoids
           http://www.calweb.com/~rabel1/

[Andrew Wiskow]

I was going to mention that JiffyDOS is a CMD product, but it looks like Bacon beat me to it. 

Robert, I like the way you think...  An SX-128 would be way-cool. 

[airship]

An SX-128 would be way-cool.

I'm getting a hernia just thinking about this. 

[Golan Klinger]

We may as well see this through to its natural conclusion...

SX-65!

[airship]

SX-Amiga4000! 

[RobertB]

I'm getting a hernia just thinking about this. 

Now hook up the GABE.4.U.PAK (external battery pack using motorcycle batteries!) from CUG Kansas City's Lenard Roach and then you'll have a portable (not just transportable) SX-128 in that Compaq case.

          Weight now distributed for your right hand and left hand,
          Robert Bernardo
          Fresno Commodore User Group
          http://videocam.net.au/fcug

[RobertB]

SX-Amiga4000! 

Well, kind of done already.  A member of the Sacramento Amiga Computer Club put an A1200 with hard drive into a SX-64 case.  The keyboard was redone with that from an A600, and it still folded into the SX case!  Video still output through the original SX screen.

          I wish I took photos of it when I saw it,
          Robert Bernardo
          Fresno Commodore User Group
          http://videocam.net.au/fcug

[bacon]

I was going to mention that JiffyDOS is a CMD product, but it looks like Bacon beat me to it. 

Robert, I like the way you think...  An SX-128 would be way-cool. 

I actually started building one a few years ago. I was going to use an old 7'' color TV, a flat C128 motherboard and the electronics and mechanics from a 1541 drive. I started building the case using plywood and managed to get quite a long way until I realized my carpeting skills are next to non-existent: the casing became much too big – and butt-ugly. I scrapped the project last winter. Don't worry, I didn't throw away the C= stuff

[airship]

Well, kind of done already.  A member of the Sacramento Amiga Computer Club put an A1200 with hard drive into a SX-64 case.  The keyboard was redone with that from an A600, and it still folded into the SX case!  Video still output through the original SX screen.

I don't know if it's common knowledge like it used to be, but Dale Luck used to lug around an Amiga he had hacked into an SX-64 case, way back in the day. I'm not sure which motherboard he used - might have been an Amiga 500.

[bacon]

I don't know if it's common knowledge like it used to be, but Dale Luck used to lug around an Amiga he had hacked into an SX-64 case, way back in the day. I'm not sure which motherboard he used - might have been an Amiga 500.

According to Cameron Kaiser's Secret Weapons of Commodore he used an Amiga 500. It's featured at the bottom of the portables page

[airship]

Yep, that's it. I didn't know it was documented on Secret Weapons. I actually had my hands on the keyboard of that pup way back in the day.

[RobertB]

I actually had my hands on the keyboard of that pup way back in the day.

Dale Luck has exhibited the SX-500 a couple of times at the Vintage Computer Festival.  For a look at it, go to http://www.floodgap.com/guests/robert/

            Truly,
            Robert Bernardo
            Fresno Commodore User Group
            http://videocam.net.au/fcug