1541 Ultimate II+ for Commodore 64/128 - New Features Reviewed Jan. 2021!
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- Опубліковано 4 січ 2021
- Ep 25 : The 1541 Ultimate II+ (1541 UII+) for the Commodore 64 and 128 home computers - demonstration of each of its features and capabilities including 1541 disk drive emulation, virtual IEC mass storage and printer, dual stereo SIDs and Ultimate Audio Module, switchable KERNAL and C128 U36 option ROMs, EasyFlash cartridge support, 16 MB RAM Expansion Unit (REU), Swiftlink RS232 emulation, and the new Hyperspeed KERNAL!
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1541 Ultimate II+ - ultimate64.com/
DesTerm128 UII+ Swiftlink Fix - github.com/GideonZ/1541ultima...
C128 Device Manager Option ROM - www.bartsplace.net/content/pu... - Наука та технологія
For the latest new 1541UII+ features, check out these videos:
Firmware 3.10 (1571/1581 support and Flash Filesystem changes) - ua-cam.com/video/EdL0dlsbMjs/v-deo.html
Firmware 3.11 (REST API and Assembly64) - ua-cam.com/users/liveQPYBGaRYCTM?feature=share
Knight Rider SID edition is darned good to the ears.. :)
Looks amazing, course within the limitations of the C64 sound and graphics. That extra REU memory really shines.
Thank you so much for this amazing review! ❤️
The best user guide I’ve seen
My pleasure. Thank you for creating such a fantastic product that gives new life to our beloved 64s!
Thanks, both of you. Great video as always. Wishing the best for you in 2021!
I own UII+ and recently got c128 and I had no idea it can run with ultimate in 128 mode! Always learning something new. Thanks!
That's good to know. I have an old C128 in the closet
Excellent presentation! I think Gideon's Logic should employ you as his product demonstrator. As a U64 owner, this was incredibly informative. Thank you!
Glad it was useful!
super useful..didn't know about swiftlink or mod tunes player!!..time to flash update and play!!
It's friggin' amazing loaded with all those goodies. Mike J. Henry would be proud of this. ;)
I guess the only things to add to this box is built-in WiFi .... 100Mbps ethernet?! Pffff! Even 10Mbps would be fast enough for the relatively small C64 files.
@@BillAnt it's good for downloading entire libraries of software, like on the Internet Archive, but yes, total overkill for individual file transfer.
@@squirlmy < Even at 10 Mbps you could download a 1MB library in a second... but I digress, I'd love to see any speed WiFi enabled, hopefully via a firmware upgrade since the chip comes on board already.. ;)
Excellent video with a very clear feature walk-through. I appreciate the absence of any distracting background music and that you showed many screen grabs of using the device.
For all who want to get into retro and are still concerned about space and money...
ALL you need is a C64, this cartridge and a joystick.
MAYBE a converter if you need to go HDMI, then get the RetroTINK. But that's it, you're set for life :-)
Been looking for a way to start using my old c64 again because I can’t find my 1541 drive and I know I don’t have my monitor any more This may be what I’ve been looking for. :)
If you want mice support, you can also get adapters which can allow more modern mice to work with it.
Long term I think this is a better investment than an original mouse, collecting aside.
I have one of these and it truly is the "god device" for actual original physical C64s. Incredibly useful. Re-invigorated my love of my C64.
Maybe they could make a usb version for the emulated Mini and Full sized C64's.
Banana Split was always an awesome tune, fantastic to see that demoing the MOD player! XD
Nice, I ordered mine in early December and still waiting on the carriers to get it here from Gideon. I've only refreshed the shipping page like 942 times today :-) Can't wait.
Haha yea, I know what that feels like! Good luck, hope you get it soon!
@@retrobitstv Great summary, enjoying your videos lately
Dude, you didn't just crack 2,000 subs, you blazed right past it! Congratulations man! And I foresee this incredible growth continuing, the content is top notch and without a doubt one of the best retro computing channels on UA-cam. Seriously, same level as 8-bit guy or Adrian's Digital Basement in my book!
Haha, thanks for the confidence boost :) I think some combination of the holiday break and a few topics (especially the MiSTer vid) being way more popular than I thought they would really contributed to some unexpected growth. Not that I'm complaining, but it caught me by surprise!
When your disc drive has 1000x the computing power of the actual computer ;)
Right!? lol
Funny thing is the original drive also had about as much processing power as the computer. The Commodore64 was built around a MOS 6510 CPU (a modified version of Motorola's 6502), and the 1541 disk drive was built around a MOS 6510T chip (essentially the same chip). At it's start, the drive was $300 and the C64 and drive together was $700. It was kinda a ridiculous situation from the start, so this upgrade doesn't really violate any "authenticity".
@@squirlmy Good point! PS. Sorry to nitpick, but MOS stands for MOS Technologies, the chip manufacturer that Commodore bought in the 70s. Motorola was/is responsible for the 68000 and its successors :)
Thoroughly enjoyed this video! Thank you for breaking down the benefits of a 1541 II+, I didn't know how much I needed one, now I just need to find one
Well done, and thank you, retrobits, for the in depth review video that presents the more recent development features! I have placed a link on my review video from a few years ago here as you have covered way more than I ever did! You have made me want to get my UII+ back out and play with it some more!
Hey Sean, thanks for the comments and the link! Appreciate it :) Always fun to break out the II+ now and then just to mess around with the new features!
I picked up a C64 and an UltimateII+ like a year and half ago. Thanks to this video...I'm finally going to bust them out of the boxes and play around with them this week.
NP, enjoy! There are some cool new features to try too, including the 1571/1581 drive support.
I've learned a ton of new tricks for my U+ cart. Thanks!
Sweet, glad it was useful!
Me too :) i've learned a lot :)
Very useful video, I’ve only just received mine and haven’t had much time to play with it/read the full documentation.
One negative I do have though is that the tape driver adapter isn’t in a case, although it wasn’t too big of a deal for me as I was able to 3D print one.
Amazing video review and right no time, received my UII+ yesterday :). Thanks!
Sweet, enjoy it!
I'm a new user of the C64 and just received my Ultimate II+ in the mail. I came here looking for instructions on how to use this thing and now my head is exploding!
Also check out all the changes with the firmware 3.10 updates if your head isn't already full!
ua-cam.com/video/EdL0dlsbMjs/v-deo.htmlsi=aE9ZeXGOeV5h4fps
Great video. Really thorough and articulated. Good work. Keep them coming
Much appreciated!
Wow thanks for this review, I learned a lot about my 1541+ that I didn’t know
Easier to look at a review like this instead of RTFM
Thanks Matt
No problem -- glad it was helpful!
Very comprehensive review, I liked very much as a 1541 Ultimate (first version) user :)
Great video! And the device looks amazing. Well done 👏🏻
Thanks! It really is amazing.
Great video thanks looking forward to watching more
Fantastic video as always Armi! Very informative and to the point.
Thanks! Don't be a stranger now!
Excellent piece of hardware, and a very good review of its features!
Thanks!
A great informative video! I just ordered an Ultimate II+L cartridge last night in a nice cream colour. After watching your video and seeing it's huge array of features on offer, i'm really looking forward to receiving it, and having a good play around with it! I love SID music and Amiga MODs etc, so to learn that this amazing device plays Amiga MOD's too bowled me over.
I also love scene demos, and have a backbit cartridge, and I usually use that to "burn to disk" the latest demo releases, but unfortunately, some of the disks seem to be bigger than normal sized floppies, such as the Wonderland XIV demo which my backbit cart doesn't like, so i'm looking forward to being able to finally watch some of the demos that i've never been able to put on disk courtesy of the "UII"!
The REU feature is amazing too, so i'll be able to finally try out the games that only cater for that such as the Sonic game that came out not too long ago!!
Yes indeed this is a stunning piece of kit, and thanks for showing me some of the things I didn't know about it!! Cheers :)
Thanks for the great review! I'd like to mention that JiffyDOS does speed up loading times on the U2+, but you need to have a separate JiffyDOS kernal in place for both the C64 and the (emulated or real) 1541 drive just like it was in the past before U2+ when you had to install the Jiffy chips physically. If you first save a file using the Jiffy wedge command, it will then load faster.
Great point, and something I should have mentioned in the video too. Ah well, hindsight!
Amazing video! Thanks for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hmm, this gives me pause for thought. I had some plans for some 64 mods but this might be an all in one solution that leaves the hardware stock.
Another fantastic video, thanks Matt!
Glad you enjoyed it!
That is a great review. I have ben looking around for information before buying and this answered all my questions.
Awesome, glad it was useful!
thats a really good review might get one as still use the ultimate 1
Great video and review!
Correction: The 16MB RAM expansion was actually already in the very first 1541 Ultimate 1. People could order it without that, but Gideon removed that option already on the second batch IIRC, cause nobody ordered that! ;-) There was also a 1541 I+EN with additional Ethernet before the Ultimate 2, which does not have an "Ethernet option board", but instead supports specific USB-Ethernet adapters!...
Ah cool, thanks for the clarification! I wasn't yet back into the C= scene around then and haven't had the change to use any of the earlier Ultimate devices myself.
I have the original 1541 Ultimate II (not plus). I actually had the plus as well but sold it as the original II non plus model is faster. They are both nearly identical other than the fact that the Ultimate II has a smaller firmware so you have to choose whether you want one drive and audio emulation, or two drives and no audio emulation. I chose the latter as I never use the audio out features personally.
Either device you cannot go wrong. Nothing on the market today comes remotely close to what you can do with this thing. Nothing supports REU emulation on real commodore 64 hardware either. The only problem is that this project is on hold atm due to component shortages :(
This is a great video, thanks! There aren't enough videos online that really get into the nuts and bolts of this product and I appreciate it! Subbed!
Thanks for very useful information.
Glad it was helpful!
Great review 🤪👍instant follow
Awesome, thank you!
Thanks for showing off the 16MB with a NUVIE btw! ;-) Too bad you chose the not very well colorprepared Knight Rider one and not one of Crossbow's.. Or our BluREU Demo! 8)
Can you recommend a NUVIE I should check out? There are a lot and I haven't watched them all. Hey, BluREU made it into Episode 12 (REU and EashyFlash demos)!
"rumor has it the device is nearing a feature complete state.." ...and then, out of the blue, crazy gideon makes it emulate 1571 and 1581, too! ;-)
Hah yea, crazy right? At CRX2021 last weekend, Gideon basically said the UII+ is "full" now so maybe that's it. No complaints from me though, what a great surprise!
@@retrobitstv the fpga is 101% full... ;-)
But that doesn't stop improvements of the UI and 'application code', there is still room for that. Also, the 'fpga is full' issue has some workarounds because few people need all features.
But the next firmware release will be much more Ultimate 64 focussed, wifi for the U64 should be in there.
Nice review! Are there any in depth resources/tutorials/tips on using the UII+ with the C128?
Thanks! I haven't seen a whole lot about UII+/C128 usage out there except some forum posts, but there is this blog post that has a lot of good info: www.bartsplace.net/content/publications/1541ultimate128.shtml
The new 3.9 update have nice features. My old 1541 Ultimate II goes only to update 3.7. Have also the Turbo Chameleon 64 V1 which is the VGA option the best for my BenQ BL702A VGA 17 inch monitor. The 1541UII is on my C64C 250466 and would be great to buy the new 1541 Ultimate II+. Was thinking to buy the Ultimate 64 Elite but I have the C64 Reloaded MK1 and the MK2. Have a very nice C64 collection but have also a big AMIGA 500/1200 collection. Now I do with the C64 Breadbin 250425 RevA and a Nordic Replay.
The 1541U3 needs to have the features of the turbo chameleon 64 AND CMD SuperCPU and ship with an FM Towns Marty core.
And be a Mssiah cart / Cynthcart MIDI interface dealy
Great video !
I bought the Ultimate II+ for my 128 flat last year and it's the best investment I ever put into my C128. After watching your video, I'll need to update the firmware for it. I didn't know about the D71 file support or modem capabilities or even the Alt kernal U36 option.
Only minor note, as of 2020, the Turbo Chameleon alternative is not compatible with the 128 and may damage it. I learned this last year when I bought it without realizing it and luckily got most of my money back shortly after I placed the order.
Great video! Please do it for U64 also. I just received mine yesterday!
Nice, enjoy it! I do plan to do a full U64 build and review in a future video.
Excelent review
Best review ever.
Thanks for newer review
You bet!
Great job!!! I've had mine for a bit over a year now and love it. I started with a SD2IEC then got a red EasyFlash 3, but I haven't used them since I got my UII+. I did hook those two things up to my German C64G but I don't use the C64G because I got it so that I could play those great late stage PAL games on real hardware but as you would know its only B&W on my 1702 monitor and when I run it through this cheap SCART conversion box, which puts my Amiga 1200 onto a big screen GREAT, but when I use it with the C64G the pitcher is just not good! fussy and bad colors. Any thoughts on how to be able to use my C64G? You saved me some cash! I was looking into different WiFi Modems, ect. to go online to BBS's but now I see all I need to do is a firmware update to my UII+. Here is a short video of my small retro area. ua-cam.com/video/V1_Iw8Zl2bE/v-deo.html
Nice collection! Yea, I had the same problem hooking my PAL 64C up to the 1084S. Luma worked fine but no color. They do make PAL to NTSC converter boxes, but if your big screen has HDMI input I'd say look into a retrotink, that would probably fit the bill.
I got confused after he said. Happy new year.
Fantastic video! In your opinion, is it worth it to upgrade from a Ultimate-II to a Ultimate-II+?
Thanks! Full disclaimer: I've never owned the Ultimate or Ultimate-II, only the II+. The II has many of the same exact features as the II+ including two emulated1541s, dual SIDs, REU, and easyflash support. I'll leave it up to you to decide is the price is worth the new features, bearing in mind that some of them aren't fully developed yet!
I am seeing 64c's on Ebay for $250 to $400 lately and may not be fully working. It is getting crazy. The U64/E can be a better choice. Thank you for the video. I am waiting for my 1541 U II+.
Yea the prices of retro machines has gotten crazy during the pandemic!
Really good video. Just getting back into the retro stuff myself. So just to clarify, I don’t need an sd2iec or easy flash if I get the U2+ ??. I’m still using real floppies and tapes atm, just so slow so was considering an sd2iec.
Cheers.
Correct, the UII+ will let you mount .d64 and .g64 disk images, .crt cartridge files (including EasyFlash), and .tap files. When using 1541 disk emulation, the speed will be identical to your original floppy drive, unless you use one of the built-in speedload carts or drop in an enhanced kernal and drive ROM such as JiffyDos. You can also DMA load .PRG files straight from USB or out of an image file. sd2iec still has a compatibility and speed advantage as a mass storage device, but that gap is closing with the virtual IEC drive + hyperspeed.
@@retrobitstv perfect. Thanks.
The only feature I wish this had was super cpu, it would literally be perfect then!
I love this device and the SID that it outputs is very acceptable in my opinion except has anyone ever played Commando and does your device not output all the channels?? I've tried changing every setting that I can think of and still Commando always has a missing channel. Thanks for the video! I am talking about the 1541 II+L
Do you intend to make a video about the Turbo Chameleon? It'd be great to hear your opinion about it.
I wouldn't be opposed to it but they're quite expensive and don't fill any need that I currently have. Sorry that's probably not the answer you were hoping for :(
True, the Ultimate-II costs €150, whereas the Chameleon €230, however, the Chameleon can be operated as a standalone FPGA device similar to the MiSTer (and we all know how expensive the MiSTer has gotten), while it also has the C64 accelerator. I've been inching towards buying the Chameleon (the frequent shortages of the Ultimate don't help), but there aren't many videos about it on UA-cam, so it'd be very interesting to hear the opinion of an expert like yourself. Oh well, thanks anyway.
Is it possible to input the original sid's output through the audio line in and then mix it with the internal FPGA SID to create a stereo effect (by using different SID chip revisions)?
Yes, that was the idea behind the line-in port on the cartridge but I've never actually tried to use it for that!
I have and u64 need to learn more
I love retro computers for the sake of nostalgia but when the modern add-ons have more raw power than the systems they're being plugged into, it's time re-examine one's priorities. The PiStorm for the Amiga is a good example.
@retrobits, please add your episode # to the title, will make it lots easier to find (and re find) desired information. thanks
So, it emulates dual SIDs and can integrate with audio from the real SID, but can it replace a bad SID? My C64 is one with the unlabeled ports so the SID was fried from plugging power into the Monitor port. I now have a SwinSID Ultimate since I wanted to retain paddle/mouse support and other SwinSIDs couldn’t do this. If my original SID’s analog inputs still work, perhaps I can use those and get audio from the FPGA SIDs inside the Ultimate II Plus? Hope so, since I wouldn’t have a need for three replica SIDs. ;)
I haven't tried it, but the Ultimate should be able to replace a faulty sid outright, although I don't know if it implements the analog->digital converter for the game port. Something I should test I guess :) I think it'd be a neat experiment trying your old SID to see if that functionality still works or not. That, or you could have the SwinSID and II+ and have 3 emulated SIDs! I don't know off-hand of any 3-SID software though.
Quick question on using with a 128 and your coverage on this. I 'assume' ALL the features work on the 128 when it is in C64 mode or are the limitations still there in either mode because it is a 128? I am on the brink of purchasing one for my 128, my usage will mainly be for 64 mode hence the question. Thanks, Thanks. Great Video and review.
I think the biggest feature that doesn't work with the 128, even in 64 mode, is kernal replacement. This is kind of a biggie because the feature is really nice. Most everything else you'd want works fine on the 128: cartridges, REU, disk drives, stereo SID emulation, etc.
@@retrobitstv Thank you so much for your response. Very useful to know. I don’t think that will impact my personal usage that much as I want to keep the retro feel as much as possible. My biggest requirement is the utility cartridge feature such the Final Cartridge etc
where does the disc sound come from ? from the cardrige itself or extermal loudspeaker ?
I didn't show it, but there's a little internal speaker on the bottom side of the case. You can turn the drive sound off and adjust its volume through the menu as well!
Know this is an older video now, but can you tell me if it would be Possible to run the ultimate 2 plus cart, alongside a real 1541 as say device 9 ?
Yup, it's absolutely possible to mix real drives with emulated drives as long as they have separate IDs!
How do you supply external power to it? Does the 1541 Ultimate + work with the SX-64?
Great questions. When connected to the expansion port, the UII+ is powered by the computer itself. If using it as a stand-alone IEC drive on a system without a C64-style cartridge port like a VIC-20/C16/Plus4, there's a micro USB port you can use to provide external power. It does work with the SX-64, but your mileage may vary. Due to the layout of the machine, the cartridge port timings are different and it can cause issues. The UII+ has a bunch of settings you can tweak to try and overcome this and I've had pretty good luck but it's not 100% reliable.
Were you playing the NTSC version of Sam's Journey there?
As far as I know, the NTSC version is only available as a set of 4 .d64 files. Since it's unclear how the game is being loaded here, I'm not certain. The NTSC version requires the REU which is also available with the U2+. Runs well on my NTSC hardware, using the .D64 files from a USB stick.
@@SP9000 Sam's Journey was the main reason I was looking at getting an REU. I have an EasyFlash 3 and initially thought it was meeting all my needs, but seeing this thing and everything it can do... it's really no contest. Polaventris has been recommending these to me for some time. I just need to bite the bullet and get one. It does everything but 1581 emulation, it seems.
I actually filmed the whole episode using a PAL 64C and was using the .crt version of the game. I didn't choose that machine for any other reason than I felt like it :P
20:48 but what about the one feature everyone is clamoring for - how does it perform in CP/M mode??
Because you asked, I had to go find out... It works, as one would expect, but it also performs as one would expect. That is to say, without 1571 burst mode, you better not be in a hurry :P
I use a rom image to boot cpm with REU preloaded. Takes 5 seconds to the prompt
I can't decide between the Ultimate II or the Blackbit C64 Pro, any advice?
I haven't tried the Backbit Pro yet so I can't really comment. The devices do have overlap in functionality, especially where cartridges and dma loading software is concerned, but there things the UII+ does that the Backbit doesn't and vice versa. I guess I should probably try one soon.
How did you do the knight rider video demo?
It's a Nuvie file, so you just need the player: csdb.dk/release/?id=100031 Note that Nuvies only work properly on PAL 64s (or emulation)!
With all those optional DOSes and other programs included, I'm guessing they are no longer copyrighted? Or does U2+ have a licensing agreement with them? Anyway, this is the Cadillac of C64 accessories for sure. For people who just want simple drive emulation and/or the ability to load programs from an SD card, there are less expensive options out there.
I would have to assume they're no considered abandonware. The same isn't true of JiffyDOS which still has to be purchased so that's probably why it doesn't come with the firmware like the other stuff.
I hope you can help me.
I purchased the Ultimate II+ from a seller in Bavaria. And it works very well too. But when I want to load a cartridge, no cartridges are listed. What am I doing wrong or is the Certridge manipulated?
I purchased the cartridge, among other things, because of the implemented cartridges.
To load a cartridge, just navigate to where you've stored the .crt file on your USB device and hit enter. It will give you the option to run the cartridge. If you want to install fasterloader/freezer carts into flash memory so they are available to select as a startup cartridge from the F2 menu, you'll need to follow the instructions in this video: ua-cam.com/video/EdL0dlsbMjs/v-deo.htmlsi=SYc0pt3ha56mvGX6&t=205
Thank you SO MUCH, you gige me all the informations i need. That is interesting that certridges are no longer pre installed. Wish all the best.@@retrobitstv
Can I use an internet modem to dial up to the internet?
Great job, Matt. I learned a lot and just received my UII+ in the mail last week, so this will help. It would probably take me weeks to learn all you included - a worthwhile update with the new modem features and hyperspeed kernal driver.
One thing you didn't mention is that the Ultimate II+ runs FreeRTOS, internally: www.freertos.org/ for the ethernet and related apps. I found this digging into its code on github, e.g., with the ftp server that is listed as "needs improvement" in the docs. I am considering contributing to that portion of the device with some software mods.
I just found your channel and subscribed b/c of this video!
sorry to be late.. so this cartridge has an actual action replay II integeated? one of the most famous things you could put into this slot? and you onjly name it "a menu, a freezer or machine language monitor"?
this is one of the best things to be... only second to the "finale cartridge" ... i am 44 now... i was a teen in this time when those things were selled... hell i even had an action replay on my amiga later...
Hi. This Ultimate II also works as REU for Commodore 64 ?
Yes it does, up to 16 MB. For a more comprehensive look at the base feature set, check out our overview video here: ua-cam.com/video/L3JwAmPUIIw/v-deo.html
im trying to load a REU file on mu U1541+.. but nuvieplayer keep saying nothing is loadet in REU... have chceked setting.. REU are enabled and set to 16Mb.. any clue? :-)
Hrm, I haven't had that happen to me before. Just to confirm, before loading nuvieplayer1.0.prg you are going into the Ultimate's menu, locating the video's .reu file on your USB drive, and selecting the "load into REU" option?
It's a shame desterm128 cannot recognize its swiftlink emulation. Had to buy a Gglabs 232T. I wonder why there is no a open source terminal for C128 like CCGMS. Desterm128 is great but it needs some update and optimization
I've been using the exact same turbo232 clone with my wimodem232 on the 128 for quite some time now. But, I just found out today about a patch you can make to DesTerm128 to allow it to work with the UII+'s Swiftlink. Check it out here: github.com/markusC64/1541ultimate2/issues/25
@@retrobitstv if you're talking about
dload "desboot"
poke 10377,226
dsave "desboot-u41"
We're subscribed in the same GitHub issue. Didn't tried it yet tho
Yup, that's the one. I tried it last night and it worked for me!
@@retrobitstv It was quite suspect. That was an old issue, the same exact day your video was published, it has been revived and a patch popped out
Hi there is the ultimate 2+ still available if so where can I get it also where can I get the knight rider SID file thanks I appreciate any help
It is still available, but shipping can sometimes take a while. ultimate64.com/
The knight rider SID was built into the nuvie file but I think this is the same one: deepsid.chordian.net/?file=/MUSICIANS/R/Ross_Mark/Knight_Rider_2.sid
@@retrobitstv hi there can you send me the two links that you sent me for the ultimate 64+ or shall I say the ultimate 2+ website and also the knight rider S ID can you send that to my email address here it is
allencoco@yahoo.com
Thanks again
Define save state- can you save your place in a game? (a regular game, not something like Sam's Journey) The only video I've seen this demonstrated in is the promotional video for the BackBit cartridge
For disk and tape-based games, you can use one of the built-in freezer carts to save your machine state to a disk image. I didn't demonstrate this in the video, though it does work just fine to save your place in a game that doesn't have its own save mechanism.
These things are currently harder to find then unicorn pubes. The component shortage is killing us.
Yea, Gideon recently stated that he put in an order for FPGAs back in spring and was given a delivery date of this December. Later, the supplier removed the delivery date altogether :(
@@retrobitstv I mean I guess there's always the SD2iEC:/
@@Trollioli I've heard good things about the BackBit cartridge as well. Haven't had a chance to test one out.
@@retrobitstv I was wondering why there weren't more things like the Ultimate 2. Thanks for the info, I'll look into that.
22:35 you got it right! next year more memory faster same price or more. think apple
What game was running at 7:29 ?
The game is Sam's Journey. It's one of the most impressive platformers for the 64! www.protovision.games/games/sams_journey.php
My you went over 128 device manager as I did read or hear it was ROM u36
Here's the link for the 128 Device Manager u36 option rom: www.bartsplace.net/content/publications/devicemanager128.shtml
@@retrobitstv looks like my 128d will now boot as it fails to boot when internal drive fails. It will take me awhile to learn all this
Yes yes yes
great video. where can we download this knightrider.reu file?
There are a bunch of nuvie files including the Knight Rider file here: www.c64-wiki.de/wiki/Nuvie
@@retrobitstv thank you very much, I found them. at 1'st it didn't work with my ultimate ii+ cartridge, but I had to disable any 3rd party cartridge rom in the ultimate ii+ to run the nuvie player after loading the actual video
15:17 - uhhhh...
15:19 - there ya go...
I think I'm just so used to typing 2020 that it was completely automatic :P
@@retrobitstv Yeah I'm still writing 2020 for sure
With these kind of devices, I'm always wondering how much the C64 is still a computer, and not just an accessory to the much more powerful FPGA. The way I understand it, the FPGA is doing the DMA, so when loading with the Hyperspeed KERNAL, you're basically just instructing the FPGA to write to its own memory. It's not necessarily something bad, but just a question why you wouldn't simply use an emulator at that point.
At the end of the day, whatever program you are loading is running on the actual C64/C128 hardware, not the FPGA.
@@Otakunopodcast It might be running on the original CPU, yes, but that's about it.
Anyone else thing this guy sounds like Captain Dissolution?
Ultimate 64 for those of us who don't already have a C64/C128... :-)
They could probably cram an entire C64 onto the FPGA chip, all you need is to attach a monitor and keyboard. ;D
@@BillAnt ultimate64.com/ why do youthink I said Ultimate 64... Gideon has already done that... :-)
@@thiesenf < Wait, the cartridge has an entire C64 inside, or their other product the Ultimate C64 board? Does any of them have built-in WiFi or an add on accessory?
@@BillAnt The U64 do have a WIFI module onboardb but so far Gideon haven't activated it in the firmware...
I should have put the link directly to the product page instead... but I hope you will find it... :-)
@@thiesenf < Thanks, I wonder why they haven't activated WiFi besides ethernet, since essentially they both serve the same function of providing a TCPIP connection... hmmm. Obviously WiFi pairing/encryption and other advanced functions cannot be handled by the C64's original ROM, however it should be doable in the Ultimate's ROM quite nicely via a function hotkey.
Technically you could connect a WiFi bridge/extender dongle into the ethernet port of the U2+ box, basically bridging the air interface to wired ethernet. Course the bridge/extender dongle has to be configured previously using a pc to pair it with a router/hotspot/etc. Sorry about my rambling, just thinking out loud on how to accomplish it before they enable it on the board. he-he
To bad you didn't demonstrate the tape adapter, i guess it was not very popular in the US since you guys used floppy disks since the begining but in europe things weren't like that, a 1541 drive would cost almost as much as a C64 and it was dificult for most kids to convince their parents to buy one, so tapes were much more affordable and the only alternative.
My family's first computer, the TI99-4/a had a cassette tape drive as its only storage. By the time I got into Commodores, the 64C was already out and the system and 1541-II were around $100 apiece, so I never had or even used a tape with one. I don't have the tape option for the Ultimate II+ since I have never used one in real life and don't have the patience to start now :P
Boulderdash in surround sound. Need best option to RGB/DVI now and have the ultimate C64. Haven’t booted mine up in years but have all the gear. Check out Knight Rider theme ua-cam.com/video/Ck7pFE9McJw/v-deo.html
Sweet, I love these floppotron songs :)
super cool but now they just need to be in stock lol
What kind of SONY monitor is that?
PVM-1342q, check it out! ua-cam.com/video/4aaRi_yN0ds/v-deo.html
Nice but no more are being made! Some BS excuse about the fauxdemic parts shortage! Funny I can still order ANY part I need!
You might be lucky, depending on which part of the world you live in. I'm having a lot of trouble finding parts, and when I do, they are often 5 to 10 times the price compared to a year ago. And Gideon probably need bigger quantities than me… at least on their website they're very open about which parts they're missing and what the status is. This is not some BS excuse, it's affecting everyone. Just look at the car industry, they're halting production left and right, sitting on thousands of cars they can't ship because they're still missing the chips.
(oh.. and I see you already have my device manager... update to v1.99.. or drop me a message for a 2.0 alpha version if you like.. beta will be in a few weeks)
I recently tried out 1.99, thanks for this great project! I have been fiddling around with getting GEOS128 to REU cold boot after restoring the contents from .reu file when the bootloader code is no longer in main memory. Curious what you have planned for the future, might make a good episode on its own :)
@@retrobitstv for geos 2.0, the boot code you need at $c000 is in the REU, and can be restored. The GRB source on github shows how to do that for GEOS128, I'm not 100% sure the address is the same for GEOS64. A disassembly of the geos64 rboot program should tell where it is.
@@retrobitstv as to future plans... 2.0 is approaching a first public beta, which adds a new, much faster user interface, faster iec probing.. and most important, a directory browser somewhat similar to fb for mounting images, starting 64/128 programs directly etc (which also supports floppy drives, sd2iec, pi1541 etc)
@@c128stuff Awesome, that sounds like a great set of new features. Looking forward to it!
Price is too high
For $150 I'll pass, thanks.
Very expensive .
It would be helpful to link to the software that you are demonstrating. csdb.dk/release/?id=172787 csdb.dk/release/?id=160800