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Tulip to Relaunch C64

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the blast-from-the-past dept.

Ola "4pLaY" Jensen writes "The Dutch PC manufacturer Tulip who bought the Commodore brand name has decided to finally do something with it and re-launch the C64 in some form. Exactly what it will be is still a puzzle in my mind but from reading their news it seems to be a PC with some OS flavour with a C64 Emulator." I spent many hours on a C64 when I was in elementary school, and this brings back a lot of memories.

23 of 282 comments (clear)

  1. Why wait? by Mr.+Bones. · · Score: 2, Informative

    If you're running gentoo:

    emerge app-emulation/frodo

  2. Same idea as MicroDigital: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    http://www.microdigital.co.uk/alpha.htm also reviewed here: http://www.iconbar.com/comments/view.php?id=353&ty pe=n

  3. Well, I have it on a phone by mccalli · · Score: 4, Informative
    Don't know about a watch, but it's certainly available on phones.

    Got a Symbian Series 60 phone (Nokia 3650, 7650, Ericsson P800)? Well then, go here for a C64 emulator. Works well on my 3650.

    Cheers,
    Ian

    1. Re:Well, I have it on a phone by ultrapenguin · · Score: 3, Informative

      can't say for other mobile operators in japan, but NTT DoCoMo with its 5 manufacturers doing their cellphones (Sony, Mitsubishi, Sharp, Fujitsu, and someone else I cant remember), does not have anything even remotely similar to what you describe. I know for a fact there is no development environment which would allow hardware-access to the phone, and definitely not anything in the hundreds of kilobytes we are talking about with a project such as this c64 emulator.
      There's the Iappli java which is horribly limited, incompatible between different manufacturers, slow, and does not let you directly access any hardware except the vibrator / screen backlight, and is limited to 20k .jar size.

      I think the target market here is different.
      in Europe they go for usability and computer connectivity.
      Here, they go for useless shit like hello kitty backgrounds and 64 voice ring patterns and washed out 640x480 pinhole cameras for underskirt photography.

    2. Re:Well, I have it on a phone by juhaz · · Score: 2, Informative

      Those three mentioned devices are phone/pda combinations and thus it's quite obvious that they need to have bit better software platforms to be of any use.

      For your regular phones, things aren't quite that well. Mostly its those very same java midlets (memory is probably somewhere in ~100-300k range depending on the phone, no size limits other than that for invidual midlet, AFAIK, but I may be wrong).

      No access to hardware worth mentioning (in addition to MIDP standard, manufacturers own extensions that tend to be mostly useful for games, fast screen access, controlling vibrator/backlight, etc. Nokia phones, for example don't even have socket connections for tcp/ip, only http).

      And the stuff still must be downloaded over the air (GPRS in most new phones is max 50kbps or so), or with data cable that tends to cost another ~50 euros. Maybe with bluetooth if the phone has it, cheaper ones dont.

  4. Re:What's in store for a moderm C64? by WWWWolf · · Score: 3, Informative
    Games on tape are replaced with a CD rom... AUDIO CD roms :)

    *Yawn*... that was already done for Commodore 64 around late '80s, if I remember correctly. There was an adapter that plugged in the tape drive connector, and the cable was plugged in CD player audio out.

    And everyone was amazed on how much stuff you could fit on the CD, even when this particular method wasted space tremendously compared to plain old data CDs. =)

  5. VICE emulator by DGolden · · Score: 4, Informative

    If you want VICE, an excellent, essentially perfect, C64 (and C128, and some other CBM-machines) emulator, then it's here.

    I still use it about once a week when I feel nostalgic - while the graphics of C64 games totally suck, some of them still have better gameplay in my opinion than many of today's.

    Plus there's some games I had in primary school that I've never completed (or looped, for those games that don't really end).

    It's about 2 to 4 times faster than a real C64 on my now-ancient 400MHz PC.

    I remember laboriously translating 6502 assembly into DATA statements, by hand, when I was learning to program in the 80s - the C64 BASIC was so unutterably pants (yes, it was made by MS), that people jumped to assembly to get anything non-trivial done. Then I got a C128 with a built-in assembler.

    --
    Choice of masters is not freedom.
  6. C-one. by pmsr · · Score: 3, Informative

    Been there, done that.

    http://c64upgra.de/c-one/

    /Pedro

  7. err, no. learn to read please. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    If you could actually *read* you'd see that they want to sue about 300 commercial sites which are using the commodore trademark, then release the only "official" C64 emulator (and work towards shuttig down distribution of any other emulator), work with one software distributor who currently holds many rights to a lot of games and in general give up up the buttocks to every project which currently keeps the C64 "alive"

    -t

  8. press statement by wdebruij · · Score: 2, Informative

    from http://www.c64.org/ :

    "Global re-launch of COMMODORE by TULIP COMPUTERS N.V. and IR"
    by SCouT on Sat, Jul 12, 2003 15:00:25

    Amersfoort, July 11, 2003

    Today Tulip Computers NV (Tulip) and Ironstone Partners Ltd. (Ironstone) signed a licence agreement for a partnership, which is a major step in the global re-launch of the Commodore brand name.

    Tulip will receive a license fee for all Commodore C64 products delivered by Ironstone, installed on all computer brands using the Microsoft or any other operating system and all Commodore 64 branded products. In addition, Tulip will receive a license fee over the revenue from software downloads, subscriptions and advertising.

    Even today there is still an extensive group of about 6 million loyal Commodore users and enthusiasts around the world. This community is currently spread over hundreds of unofficial websites. The community craves acknowledgement and authenticity from the true Commodore C64 brand. Tulip is the owner of the brand name Commodore. Through this partnership Tulip grants to Ironstone the exclusive rights to exploit the official Commodore C64 web-portal and use of the Commodore 64 brand name.

    Ironstone and Tulip invite the Commodore community to join the official Commodore C64 web-portal. Currently there are about 300 commercial websites that use the name Commodore or Commodore 64 without having a license from Tulip. Tulip will not allow unauthorised use of the Commodore brand.

    In this partnership, Ironstone will create the official Commodore C64 games and community portal designed to focus and harness the power of the Commodore C64 user base and to efficiently provide the services required by these individuals for a fee. The founders of Ironstone are experienced and successful, in previous similar projects Ironstone achieved a subscriber to pay subscriber conversion rate that was unparalleled in the Internet space.

    The main objective of the Ironstone official C64 portal is to unite this massive global fan base of passionate enthusiasts. Through its web portal, Ironstone will market the official C64 emulator in various software and hardware formats. The games offered by the Ironstone web-portal will include the famous 'classic' C64 games as well as exciting new games and will also sell its Commodore-branded products through the site.

    Tulip will get full access to the estimated 6 million users and will also sell its Commodore branded products through this portal. Tulip will introduce, the upcoming months, new hardware products under the Commodore brand name, being able to use the C64 emulator.

    According to Bjorn Bruggeman, Brand Manager Commodore: "Through strategic partnerships we're creating a web of Commodore partner companies. Each partner, or licensee, is selected on his unique expertise and will focus on a specific market segment within the Commodore strategy. The synergy advantages are huge. The license agreement with Ironstone is an important step in this process and will enable Tulip to enter a complete new era with almost unlimited e-commerce opportunities. "

    Darren Melbourne, Creative Director, Ironstone Partners commented, " The license deal with Tulip is a huge breakthrough for the millions of C64 enthusiasts and retro gamers around the world who are still loyal to this incredible games system. Ironstone is committed to bringing this technology and games library back to prominence on every platform available to us."

    Commodore C64 facts and figures

    The C64 is the biggest selling home computer in world history.
    The C64 has an unparalleled heritage as a groundbreaking games and home use PC.
    The C64's role in the evolution of the modern games industry was incredible powerful and the echoes of its influence still reverberate through the industry today.
    Even today there is still an extensive group of about 6 million loyal Commodore users and enthusiasts around the world.
    A countless number of hobbyists and Commodore

  9. Danish C64 band by henriksh · · Score: 3, Informative

    There's a danish band called Press Play On Tape that makes music based on old C64 games. The music's very good.

    You should especially check out their "Game Boy Band Video" (downloadable from the band's website) - it's hilarious!
  10. a bit of history by wdebruij · · Score: 3, Informative

    As a dutch citizen I have seen many Tulip computers through the years. The company has been on the brink of bankrupcy a number of times. To divert this they have tried to reuse the commodore brand name previously.
    I'm not quite sure when it was. Even google
    (= god) couldn't tell me. It was probably somewhere around 1995

  11. Re:You can run a C64 emulator in smart phone by martingunnarsson · · Score: 2, Informative

    There's also an emulator called Pocket C64 for PocketPC PDA:s.

    --
    Martin
  12. Re:What's in store for a moderm C64? by avij · · Score: 4, Informative

    Forget the "low-powered FM transmitter", try the official radio stations instead. When I was young (circa 1987 or so), there was a weekly radio show for computer enthusiasts. It had an interesting feature: they were broadcasting C64 programs on the air, and anyone with a tape recorder and a radio were able to record the programs and then run them. It actually worked pretty well, all the programs I received that way worked nicely. A really efficient method for transmitting programs, I'd say.

    --

    Follow your Euro bills at EBT
  13. Not the first time the C64 has been re-released by Cloud+K · · Score: 2, Informative

    Slashdot article on Commodore C-One here

  14. Re:What's in store for a moderm C64? by mrkrittman · · Score: 2, Informative

    Back in the early 80's, when the BBC Micro used to be around, the BBC used to transmit a programme called "The Chip Shop" on Radio 4 which featured software for the Beeb that you could tape off the air and then load into the computer.

    They also used to broadcast BBC Micro software using Ceefax, which you could download onto the machine using a teletext adapter.
  15. Re:Release it as a wrist watch... by usotsuki · · Score: 2, Informative

    Yesh.

    -uso.

    --
    Dreams, dreams, don't doubt dreams, dreaming children's dreaming dreams. Sailor Moon SS
  16. The CommodoreONE by downix · · Score: 2, Informative

    What I'm concerned about is Jens CommodoreONE project. First new-Commodore hardware in ages, and I have this feeling that Tulip is going to squish her, for nothing other than keeping their brand name alive.

    --
    Karma Whoring for Fun and Profit.
    1. Re:The CommodoreONE by Tumbleweed · · Score: 2, Informative

      The thing about the Commodore-One, despite it's name, is that it's not _just_ a C64 platform - it runs 'personalities' like C64, but also the Atari 8-bits, Apple ][, etc. Basically anything that ran on a 65C02-type platform. Also, it's using the version of the 6502 with the 24-bit memory addressing, so it'll have lots of RAM, and it is a MicroATX mobo, so it fits into normal computer cases, etc. The newer proc they're using is 20MHz, too, so it's a bit faster than the original hardware platforms.

      The original hardware platform I find the most interesting is the Atari 800 - I had no idea Jay Miner started there - the machine had several co-processors to handle graphics, sound, and i/o, all to take more of the load off the CPU. Plus the CPU ran at 1.79MHz, unlike the Apple ][, which ran at 1. If I had known that, I may have been an Atari user instead of an Apple user at the time. The bad thing about the Atari 800 was the expandability compared to the Apple. The Apple had like 8 slots in it, with great stuff like 80 column cards, super serial board, etc. Plus it was easy to expand to beyond 48K of RAM. The Atari 800, as far as I can tell, was stuck at 48K, and never got beyond 128K in its line (with Atari 130XE). I had a 512K RAM expansion card for my Apple //e towards the end of its life, and that made a _huge_ difference.

  17. Smart phones by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    You mean you can load arbitrary software in the 100k-byte range on your cellphone in europe/america and use/play the software you just loaded

    Short answer: yes. As for memory, my Nokia 3650 has something like 2.5 Mb of phone memory free. I also have a 64 Mb MMC card for images, contact backups, etc. That's plenty.

    So yes, you can put your own stuff in. Create a .sis package and upload it via IR, BlueTooth, or even send it as an e-mail message, then fetch with the phone. Or use an MMC card writer to write the package to the MMC card. Or write a "wget" client to fetch from the internet.

    We're talking about Symbian programs... don't confuse them with Java midlet stuff... The Java stuff is quite limited.

    You will never ever get Java stuff that can access the hardware directly, that's a fact of life. You will probably never get that close with SymbianOS either, very much closer, but you'll never have the "whole hardware for yourself".

    As for the loading of stuff into the phone... there's emulators available, I think, so you don't theoretically even need a phone if you wish to develop applications to the phone (of course at some point you need to test with hw too).

    Pretty amazing that nokia/etc phones are so much further along when it comes to writing your own software for them.

    Well, it's just common sense.. you have the gadget and the skills, so who can come and say "verboten" and stop you from doing things with it? Nobody. So, as a side effect of the new phone features requiring a better OS, you get the possibility of storing your own programs etc. there.

  18. Just remember by t0ny · · Score: 1, Informative

    LOAD "*",8,1

    --

    Manipulate the moderator system! Mod someone as "overrated" today.

  19. Re:Neato... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    The Tandy 102 did have a portable disk drive but it was for the Tandy 102. It has a serial interface, so I would imagine you could hack it up to work with the C64 or another 8 bit machine with a serial or bit-banger serial port.

    http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/6310/d .h tml

  20. Re:I was hoping they'd bring back the hardware. by wkitchen · · Score: 2, Informative
    Then there's the big cartridge port that I've never programmed, but I think it's something like the user port, perhaps a bit more advanced.
    The cartridge port gives you access to the processor bus, minus a few address lines. It can only address 8K directly, but has a couple of i/o lines that were sometimes used to swap different pages of ROM or RAM into the 8K space. It was typically used for ROM cartridges and RAM expansion cartridges, but it could also be used to map in additional i/o ports (potentially lots of 'em, if that's what you needed), or other neat tricks. Technically quite a different animal from the user port, but certainly very versatile and accessible in the same geek-friendly spirit as the user port and joystick ports. There was a company called Jason Ranheim (I think) that sold an EPROM programmer and blank cartridges with eprom sockets, along with some nice little software tools for rolling your own cartridges with up to 128K of EPROM. That was a fun tool. I learned a lot while playing with my C64.