Enjoyed this one immensely! Had no idea these came with Plantronics compatibility. Got a machine a few months ago with a Colorplus-compatible card inside and it's a fun thing to mess with indeed. Massive props for updating X3 to support it!
Yes. DBP stands for "Deutsche Bundespost". It's the old name of the "Deutsche Post" and until the 1990s every electronical component had to checked by them, if they emit any radio signals that could disrupt for example radio programs. The printing just says, that the product is checked to comply to this standards. They are the same at the FCC rules for electromagnetic exposure, which were the reason for the big iron fans in the 1970s and 1980s computers to make the computers FCC compliant.
Dear 8-Bit Governator, Sir... no idea if anyone already pointed it out or told you... that "1046/1984" reference in the plastic (@1:43) is just a compliance reference to some German interference regulation law, comparable to a FCC compliance declaration. That's no indication of the year the device/unit was built in.
those "Amtsblattverfügungen" had consequences like a law (you could go to jail if you did not follow), but were not ratified by any parliament or president, but just issued by the minister of postal services. (litterally he was the only one who could make factual laws without asking anybody else)
My first PC compatible was a Commodore Colt. I loved that machine. You could crank this one up to 10 megahertz. I installed the 20 MB hard drive. No one I knew you had one that big.
Hey, I just wanna say that while I'm not hearing impaired, I appreciate how you include closed captions on just about every video you upload. That's the kind of dedication and quality that UA-cam really needs.
Yeah, that is something. From personal experience I know setting up closed captions on youtube (At least, manually - I hear the voice recognition is much better nowadays), is a pain. I did it for my first ever video - 20 minute video, took about 30 minutes to record it, about 2 hours to edit, 3 hours to upload... And about 10 to subtitle it. >__< So, yeah. That's some serious dedication if it's being done manually.
While I'm not hearing impaired when I'm out in public and I usually don't have my headphones I always watch the 8-Bit guy and just put the subtitles on it and watch it that way
One reason why Commodore was unable to compete in the PC clone marketplace is that they never implemented the "Just In Time" production process. Instead they bought huge stocks of parts that would sit in the warehouse waiting to be assembled into computers. This was fine for the C64 or Amiga models that didn't change that often, but in the fast-paced PC world Commodore couldn't keep up with the latest technology. Perhaps that's why they gave so many different model numbers and names to the same basic XT clone design, to try to make it seem like they were constantly updating their PC models even when they still had the same hardware inside.
Am loving this series on Commodore dude. The VIC-20 was my first computer and is the reason I got into the IT industry many years ago. I'm almost 50 now and have loved personal computers and technology my whole life and it all started because of those old Commodore machines. Man, seeing the command LOAD "$",8 sure brings back memories! Wow, thanks for the trip down memory lane, and I love your presentation and content too.
Wow. I had one of those Plantronics cards back in the day, and I had *no clue* it had those extra color modes. It was part of an IBM PC that was given to me by a family friend in the summer of 1988 right before I went off to college. He'd bought the PC new in '81 or '82 and had upgraded it bit by bit over the years, then in '88 he bought a totally new PS/2 and had no use for his old PC anymore, so he gave it to me. I just thought the video card was a plain old aftermarket CGA-compatible card. Learn something new every day. LOL
Don't feel bad.. due to the lack of software support, you aren't the only one. I think many people will be surprised to find out about these cards and any computer that supports the modes.
It’s pretty interesting how Siemens was making processors back then. I work on fire alarms and I’ve been to a power station with a gas turbine system and fire alarm that are at least 30 years old and still working. They really know what they’re doing!
Can't wait for Amiga documentary! Keep up the work! Also I would point out that Commodore's PC and Amigas intersects which each other not only with that mouse port compatibility; in fact Commodore did make expansion cards for Amigas called SideCar (later "bridgeboard") that together with software called Janus changed Amigas into PC-compatible/Amiga hybrids!
That sound of the metal rubbing when you take the case off... takes me back to the day. Nice video. I would never imagined a 386 with PS2 ports! Looking forward to the Amiga episode and your opinion as to why it did not take off.
I used to have a Commodore 486SX-25. It had 4MB RAM and a 120MB HDD and I think the video card was a 512KB SVGA (I think the chipset was Paradise). Later I added a SoundBlaster 16 to it and then later I maxed-out the RAM with another 4MB. (8x 1MB SIMMs) It was a pretty standard desktop case, but didn't have P/S2 keyboard or mouse connectors. The mouse was a standard 9-pin serial mouse on COM1. The video and drive controllers weren't integrated, but were on expansion cards. There was also the "487 maths co-processor" socket, which I've been lead to believe was really just a 486DX that disabled the 486SX, which was a 486DX with a disabled floating-point unit. I still remember the fond times of lugging it over to a neighbours to play Doom deathmatches via a null-modem cable.
Thank you. As a Commodore fan from 1981, it is great to see such an in depth coverage. The last time I saw one of their PCs was in 1995 when I pulled a few Colts out of Hughes Aerospace. It was from an era when departments bought their own computers, before the "Corporate Computer Model" was a thing. Thanks for this look back.
Gosh, you don't know how glad I've been to be a subscriber. I've been with you since you were the iBook Guy. I've always loved the knowledge you have to share on retro computers.
1:44 - The 1984 very likely has nothing to do with the release date of the machine. This is (afaik) referring to a regulation of the german postal office published in 1984 that the machine is in compliance with ;) DBP Vfg. 1046/1984 = Deutsche Bundespost (German postal service) Verfügung (Regulation) 1046/1984 (Number 1046 published in 1984)
The Commodore Colt was an amazing BBS browsing machine. I had mine decked out with a spectacular 28.8k baud modem and TELIX. God I miss the BBSing days on that machine. Even though the Colt was super obsolete towards the late 1990's, nothing beat it's ability to quickly get online and perform reasonably well. (And I did use double-speed while browsing BBS's)
Can I just say thank you for adding proper closed captioning to all your videos? So many people don’t and it’s a really nice gesture for those of us who need captions!
Reminds me of the graphics card of Amstrad/Schneider XT computers. They were CGA compatible but also had an Amstrad mode that supported 16 colors. I only had one program that supported this mode: Deluxe Paint II by Electronic Arts.
It reminds me of when I used to stock shelves at Target. I saw a product marked STD Pillow and thought, "Well, that gives new meaning to the term: Sleep Aids."
Amazing documentary. Thanks a lot for sharing! Commodore 64 was my first computer, when I was 6. I learned how to code in BASIC at that age and I still remember how fascinating I felt the world of 8-bit computers was. After 34 years, I still feel the same, despite my current education and overall knowledge. Again, thanks a lot for sharing such a huge amount of detailed information. I look forward to your next videos!
Honestly I would watch that. I have seen all the Commodore episodes at least one( earlier ones 5+ times) and I would like to watch all of them as one LONG 5+ hour marathon UA-cam video.
The amount of effort going into these videos is incredible. All the restoration and then research to produce these... I'm in awe! Best channel on UA-cam, hands down!
I had an IBM compatible Commodore PC. I remember it was a 286 with an impressive 1MB or RAM. It was a nice machine. It came with two floppy drives: a 5 1/4 and a 3 1/2. I loved that machine. I think I paid close to 2,000.00 for it back in 1990.
Could you use an Amiga 4000? It has a Newtek video Toaster, a 68040 board, flicker fixer, some TBC cards, hard drive, etc. Let me know if you are interested. original box, discs, many docs, may still have the Commodore unix discs around here somewhere as well. Not sure about that, though.
videodistro Lame show this is, he in not willing to collaborate, not understanding.... He just needs hits by lame nedry people, not willing to do it any good. UA-cam Jobs! SCO UNIX, what do u still have now? any pre 1994 UNIX? I can't find any on the channel....Just do uploads so we can see what you chat here!
Do NOT sell it, you can never buy that computer with that hardware ever again, they cost a LOT now already, wish i had money to buy a Amiga 4000, i always wanted one, back in the 90s, but then they cost about ƒ4000,- that is +/- without inflation $2000,- back in 1992 and later.
Those old Commodore PC's were well made. I saw one still in daily use in 2013 with an SCSI upgrade being used as a program library and a RS 485 coms through a switch box to a machine shop running CNC equipment. It certainly brought back some memories. The burn in was impressive.
in "zak mckraken" you must press shift P to toggle the game to composite mode, if you let it use "normal cga" it won't display the proper colors for composite.
I didn't know that.. but it wouldn't have mattered, they still wouldn't have been right. I verified with many games (including my own) that the hues for blue and green are reversed.
I LOVE this episode. I remember the Commodore Colt on display next to the game consoles on the glass showcase at Toys R Us when I was a kid. At that time I had a IBM PS/1 ... good times ☺️
I've never been much interested in PCs and their history but after I found your channel I'm really enjoying it! Congratulations and keep up the good work!
It's pretty heartbreaking to see how royally Commodore dropped the ball on it. They had technology that was a decade ahead of the rest of the market that they did _nothing_ to develop further.
@@tomahzo if you want to talk about heartbreaking, then Xerox is the biggest loser in all this, they sold the kitchen sink to apple, even buggy, the aldo computer was the first with an gui, ethernet,etc, Xerox could own the industry today, but their were copyheads lol
@@tomahzo This is what they did. They had Amiga, the most advanced computer at the time so they should put all the money into it's development. Who needed overpriced PC clones? For the 8-bit they could just sell C128 and expansions for it because 8-bit era was going to an end soon and basically ended with the failure of Sam Coupe in 1989. Amiga was the future of Commodore...
@@V3ntilator That's true. Unfortunately the company was set up to operate specifically with Tramiel's type of leadership where he is at the centre of all operations and he lets engineers take a very big responsibility for themselves, which was not very common in corporations back then. It was a very different type of culture so it would've been very difficult to make it work with any other boss even if the new leadership was good at their jobs. Although, I'm not entirely convinced that Tramiel's vision would have been the best for Commodore had he stayed on. Tramiel was all about cost-cutting and selling the cheapest possible product (which was exactly the right move for products like the C64). That would turn out to be a problem when faced with competition from the new class of PC machines in the early 90:ies (VGA graphics, sound cards, faster CPUs). As can be shown with the Amiga 1200, the solution would have been to invest in new technology to stay ahead of the competition. Tramiel would not have allowed that with his low-cost mindset, which would have ended in failure too. (just look at what happened to Atari with him as the leader - he was not the right leader to face the PC threat) But Tramiel's replacements at Commodore were definitely not any better (they would have been sued by investors had their incompetence come to light) and they absolutely ran the company in the ground.
I'm really impressed with your knowledge of these machines, and more impressed that you seem to have them all in beautiful clean working condition, and more than that that many have the original boxes, styrofoam packing, cords, and literature, all in pristine condition.
@jdslyman Hah. That's probably it. Saw the "new" cartridge review last night. Didn't realise he posted the full printing video. Class. It's playing on the TV as I write this, and I'm finding it ver......... Um...... Its very rela............... It's.................. Um.................... I'm sorry, what was I saying?
I remember the PC-20! I saw it in 1995, in one of the last Italian stores selling Commodore software and hardware. Of course, back then I wasn't well-versed in the history of Commodore, so I thought it was a desktop version of the Vic-20.
To rule them all, now start every video with "GREETINGS" like Clint's LGR and end it like Techmoan: "And as always, thanks for watching" INFINITE POWER
Thanks very much for doing this, I'm loving the Commodore History series! The Commodore PC-10 was our first PC my father bought. It was in 1988 IIRC. However at least in Germany it did not come with that ATI graphics card, but instead just a display card that could not show graphics, just characters. So when I was excited to get my hands on a copy of the awesome game Digger the disappointment was huge when my father told me that it won't work on the machine. He knew though how much me and my sister wanted to be able to play that game at home we drove an hour to his employer, which was an IT company, to get a graphics card (sadly I don''t know which brand, model etc., but it was a full length card) along with a compatible monitor. So instead of our cool looking green monochrome picture we then had a blue picture which you could also be set to inverted colors. I was in heaven when we fired of Digger :-) That keyboard layout having the key to fire (F1) on the top left was very handy for Digger compared to the later standard layout. Sadly we gave the Commodore away when we upgraded to an IBM PS/2 in 1992, but I have the Atari PC3 my uncle bought in 1989 which offers the same experience but with an cool looking orange monochrome display. Regarding the part of the video at 1:42 that label saying 1984 just shows a year number for when that technical mandate was released by DBP (Deutsche Bundespost = German Mail Service) which at that time were the state-run monopolist for everything related to communication. So they mandated inspections and approvals for technical devices making sure they won't interfere with other electronic devices and over the air transmissions due to excessive electro magnetic radiation. Greets!
Loving the historical documentary series, keep up the great work! I don't find myself ever yelling at you like I do with other creators who interject their own theory or opinion into their "documentaries". Thank you!
So interesting fact: I'm in Ottawa, Canada and we had a TON of those 386SX-25 models in my high school. I could be wrong but I want to say we later got some 486 models too. So it does appear they were sold outside of Europe but I wonder if it was only sold to educational channels in North America as my school board had a long-standing relationship with Commodore right up until they went under. After that, they started buying machines from a local retailer for a while, then switched to Digital Pentium 75 systems which were absolute junk and failed left and right.
Thanks for reminding me why I stayed with the Commodore 8 bit and then the Amiga all throughout the eighties. I suspect the Commodore engineers rolled their eyes when these came of the assembly lines, knowing that the Amiga was so much more versatile.
The integration of many accessories at the time of these Commodore computers is really something. Even though they were PC compatibles, the styling and feel stayed true to Commodore.
Beautiful! I had that exact ATi graphics card in my IBM 5150 ca. 1990, and enjoyed running the ATi-supplied diags to see 16-color 640x200 mode in action. Was always disappointed that Windows 3.0 did not support it.
Just seeing that image viewer interface and the 'full color' photo displayed brought back the weirdest nostalgia... I remember one time browsing some local BBS' limited stash of (semi) dirty pics, waiting at least half an hour for *one* to download on our 1200bps modem... all just to see some random swimsuit model rendered in glorious/hideous CGA.
AdLib, Hercules, CGA. OMG, this is my tens and early 20s. Just recently found your channel a d have been watching the Commodore history vids. Brings back so many memories.
Oh I remember that article in _COMPUTE!'s Gazette_ where I first read about those, and some time later Commodore PCs popped up in the local Commodore store alongside the 64s and Amigas.
Very nice article and very informative. In the past (1987 to 1994) I owned a C128 with 1541c (everything except the C128 is still exexisting) and this is still my field of interest in vintage computers. OK, a C128 I would have to get a new one first. But I still own my first PC, a 93 Conrad AT 386 which I like to use again and again. From the attic of a flat I could save an IBM 5170, but in the beginning of the 93s It was pimped by the unknown owner with a 386 motherboard. I love this one too. And exactly this PC has the same keyboard as the shown Commodore PC-20 III at 12:47. The type label on the bottom is on the manufacturer Mitsumi. I am always fascinated how clean you get the cases. I tried to clean the black spots on my 1541c the other day - no success. Not with Testbenzin, not with Isopropanolalkohol, not with WD-40, not with Kaltreiniger (for dirty car parts) ... pffff, not with Spiritus oder Brennspiritus ... I ran out of ideas. But anyway, a way will be found. Now is a lot of time for that ... ;o) Oh, yeah, I forgot about the C386SX-LT. I got it at a flea market once. Runs Windows 3.1 and DOS 6.22. Crazy stuff. It looks exactly like the device shown at 22:03.
Man, this was a great video! So much nostalgia! I didn’t have one of these, but I do remember my first 386, and then my 486. It’s amazing to see how far tech has come with the PC! Thanks for your great video, and have a great day!
As always, very interesting documentary, and for me personally, great timing, as I've been releasing an Atari PC documentary and you are my prime example! Looking forward to see the Amiga video. Thanks.
I DID NOT KNOW, 20 YEARS AGO WE TROW ALL THOSE PC 20 INTO ONE BIG CONTAINER TO DISTROY, DID I NEVER TROW IT AWAY, THOSE THINGS ARE MONEY THOSE DAYS, luf your vids👍
Holy !@#$, my jaw hit the floor when you mentioned the 3 speed modes of the PC20-III that i donated to you!!! Who knew??? As it was my mother's computer, i never saw or read any of the documentation that it came with. As my Tandy 1000-TX defaulted to 8Mhz mode (you could slow it to 4Mhz if it ran too fast) I just assumed that the 4.77Mhz was all it had to offer. Man was it painful to play Kings Quest or Mixed Up Mother Goose on that old Commodore PC20. sigh I'm almost wishing I kept that old thing.... Not. Good documentary, was good to see it after all these months waiting to see if my donations was worth it or not.....
Ugh I loved the fact that you actually have the Colt. I had one when I was a kid. I remember how chunky sounding that hard drive sounded. Such amazing memories.
I love these episodes! I had a PC 10III en a PC20 exactly matching the one in this video. I bought my PC 10III, i think back in 1986, for a staggering 4000 Dutch Guilders or $1600. It had a green monochrome screen, two 360 floppy drives, 640k ram and a very nice (for the time) graphic mouse (with three button mouse) interface to design your own user menu and a drawing program. It was the folluw up for my Sinclair ZX Spectrum. I had a special program to emulate a better graphics mode called HGCIBM which worked fine.
Markus RK200 well the cd32 is pretty good. It can even be turned into an Amiga 1200! But the games were mostly amiga ports with CDDA audio, very awful exclusive games
Superb stuff. Awesome to see not only the documentary but to also see your other videos that document your acquisition and cleanup/restoration of the Commodore PC clones featured here. Only negative is that it would have been fairly trivial to have purchased a step-up transformer to then be able to demonstrate the PC-1.
Nice. My father used to have a PC-20-II (I think). Must've been around 1989 when he had it. He was able to even do telebanking (old skool internet banking) with some old modem. It also was able to a multitask thing; it was able to speak in our native tongue at a specific time telling me it was time for bed.The laptop reminds me of my old Toshiba T3200 laptop. Keep it up!
This was very interesting. I'm 32 so I was very young when Commodore went away and too young to understand what was going on with computers. At that time I'd only ever used a Mac because that's what we had a school. It's so fascinating to see how computers and PC's specifically have evolved over the years.
These documentaries about Commodore are great. I really enjoy watching these. Thank you for the effort you put into these videos and please keep up the good work!
That sound of opening the case ... Remembers me of buying my first MS-DOS computer back in 1988 with a 40MB hard-disk... I was 15 years old at that time; worked all summer to buy that computer (and got a big financial help of my parents). My mom always loved to be on the pc; playing games, getting into a BBS (and later internet)... She always loved using a computer; typing her texts for the local volleybalclub-magazine (first in Notepad, later WordPerfect and Word), wondering around BBS & internet (and telling her stories about the old city she was born at a Facebook-group) or just playing a simple game. She passed away last november; the memories just came back by that simple of the case (and that first computer I bought wasn't a Commodore at all - My parents had a C64, so I do have any connection to your channel ;-) )... Thank you, 8-bit-guy!
Ty so much for the documentary on the Commodore's history! Fascinating to see where we came from! lol i wish we can still overclock our CPU's by hotkeying today!
Hi 8bit guy! To answer your question you asked at 1:36min: It says on the back of the computer "Funkentstört nach 1984". So: at 1984 there was a law that told the producers how to manufacure electronic stuff so that it doesn't send signals and disturb other equipment while running. Thats not the year of production. Thats the year the law came out! Nearly every C64 from Germany has this on their lable at the back. If you have a 1983 silverlable C64 for example that says "Funkentstört nach 1984" at the back: its definately a fake and not worth a lot of money!
Enjoyed this one immensely! Had no idea these came with Plantronics compatibility.
Got a machine a few months ago with a Colorplus-compatible card inside and it's a fun thing to mess with indeed. Massive props for updating X3 to support it!
@@Angelgreat Why not?
Maybe they are friends? Why do you care?
@@Angelgreat Maybe because he's allowed to like other people's videos and not just his own :o
@@Angelgreat why not?
@@Angelgreat why do you like your own comment?
The PC-1 was build in 1987, the 1984 date stamp is only for the radioshield guidelines of 1984 in Germany.
Thanks, just wanted to say that too
Yes. I came here to say the same thing 😉
same :D
It was build among many other commodore hardware at Commodore Büromaschinen GmbH in Braunschweig, its my home town, too.
Yes. DBP stands for "Deutsche Bundespost". It's the old name of the "Deutsche Post" and until the 1990s every electronical component had to checked by them, if they emit any radio signals that could disrupt for example radio programs. The printing just says, that the product is checked to comply to this standards.
They are the same at the FCC rules for electromagnetic exposure, which were the reason for the big iron fans in the 1970s and 1980s computers to make the computers FCC compliant.
Dear 8-Bit Governator, Sir... no idea if anyone already pointed it out or told you... that "1046/1984" reference in the plastic (@1:43) is just a compliance reference to some German interference regulation law, comparable to a FCC compliance declaration. That's no indication of the year the device/unit was built in.
Long live the 8-bit Governator
I just wanted to pint that out, but UA-cam comments are as reliable as always. Thank you!
Or the 8-Bit Keymasher Vs the Perifactorial Retro Rythm in a epic Synth battle. *whoo*
those "Amtsblattverfügungen" had consequences like a law (you could go to jail if you did not follow), but were not ratified by any parliament or president, but just issued by the minister of postal services. (litterally he was the only one who could make factual laws without asking anybody else)
If i ever start a punk band... i'll call it Funkentstört
My first PC compatible was a Commodore Colt. I loved that machine. You could crank this one up to 10 megahertz. I installed the 20 MB hard drive. No one I knew you had one that big.
It's 1am and I need to go to sleep. What have you done!
same
@Sam Zurick here have this instead injects LIQUEFIED weed in your veins
@@raven4k998 that’ll put him to sleep
@@EthanDoezYT or at least make him docile at the very least
@SammyZurick I see your 4:39am and I give you 5:38am
8:28 Your reflection in your monitor scared the hell out of me because I thought it was my own.
Hey, I just wanna say that while I'm not hearing impaired, I appreciate how you include closed captions on just about every video you upload. That's the kind of dedication and quality that UA-cam really needs.
Yeah, that is something.
From personal experience I know setting up closed captions on youtube (At least, manually - I hear the voice recognition is much better nowadays), is a pain.
I did it for my first ever video - 20 minute video, took about 30 minutes to record it, about 2 hours to edit, 3 hours to upload...
And about 10 to subtitle it. >__<
So, yeah. That's some serious dedication if it's being done manually.
You're welcome! I have actually made it a habit to transcribe every video I do. It helps with translation to other languages.
While I'm not hearing impaired when I'm out in public and I usually don't have my headphones I always watch the 8-Bit guy and just put the subtitles on it and watch it that way
@Anshul Birajdar No time soon, with an attitude like that.
@@The8BitGuy Would you mind telling me what's your e-mail, please? I want to collaborate to this video with Spanish subtitles.
One reason why Commodore was unable to compete in the PC clone marketplace is that they never implemented the "Just In Time" production process. Instead they bought huge stocks of parts that would sit in the warehouse waiting to be assembled into computers. This was fine for the C64 or Amiga models that didn't change that often, but in the fast-paced PC world Commodore couldn't keep up with the latest technology. Perhaps that's why they gave so many different model numbers and names to the same basic XT clone design, to try to make it seem like they were constantly updating their PC models even when they still had the same hardware inside.
Always interesting to watch older machines run modern software...and run it well. Great job on adding the enhanced color modes to Planet X3!
call of boot E: modern software
Am loving this series on Commodore dude. The VIC-20 was my first computer and is the reason I got into the IT industry many years ago. I'm almost 50 now and have loved personal computers and technology my whole life and it all started because of those old Commodore machines. Man, seeing the command LOAD "$",8 sure brings back memories! Wow, thanks for the trip down memory lane, and I love your presentation and content too.
Wow. I had one of those Plantronics cards back in the day, and I had *no clue* it had those extra color modes. It was part of an IBM PC that was given to me by a family friend in the summer of 1988 right before I went off to college. He'd bought the PC new in '81 or '82 and had upgraded it bit by bit over the years, then in '88 he bought a totally new PS/2 and had no use for his old PC anymore, so he gave it to me. I just thought the video card was a plain old aftermarket CGA-compatible card. Learn something new every day. LOL
Don't feel bad.. due to the lack of software support, you aren't the only one. I think many people will be surprised to find out about these cards and any computer that supports the modes.
"The more you know."
Is that Plantronics is who makes headphones and headsets now?
It’s pretty interesting how Siemens was making processors back then. I work on fire alarms and I’ve been to a power station with a gas turbine system and fire alarm that are at least 30 years old and still working. They really know what they’re doing!
Can't wait for Amiga documentary! Keep up the work!
Also I would point out that Commodore's PC and Amigas intersects which each other not only with that mouse port compatibility; in fact Commodore did make expansion cards for Amigas called SideCar (later "bridgeboard") that together with software called Janus changed Amigas into PC-compatible/Amiga hybrids!
Still can't wait for it...
2 years later :(
@@StabStabStabStabby soon :)
But wait you did. But now its here! And there was much rejoicing.
>get home from work
>See a new Commodore History video
Ah, Life is good.
Direrain - OOF
@@itsJWPH F*** LG and anyone else who tries to claim a common expression as a trademark, copyright or patent. :-(
Kek
It was actually just a reference to Leela's boss in Futurama. First Episode.
This is literally my favorite series on all of UA-cam.
That sound of the metal rubbing when you take the case off... takes me back to the day. Nice video. I would never imagined a 386 with PS2 ports! Looking forward to the Amiga episode and your opinion as to why it did not take off.
I used to have a Commodore 486SX-25. It had 4MB RAM and a 120MB HDD and I think the video card was a 512KB SVGA (I think the chipset was Paradise). Later I added a SoundBlaster 16 to it and then later I maxed-out the RAM with another 4MB. (8x 1MB SIMMs)
It was a pretty standard desktop case, but didn't have P/S2 keyboard or mouse connectors. The mouse was a standard 9-pin serial mouse on COM1. The video and drive controllers weren't integrated, but were on expansion cards. There was also the "487 maths co-processor" socket, which I've been lead to believe was really just a 486DX that disabled the 486SX, which was a 486DX with a disabled floating-point unit.
I still remember the fond times of lugging it over to a neighbours to play Doom deathmatches via a null-modem cable.
Thank you.
As a Commodore fan from 1981, it is great to see such an in depth coverage.
The last time I saw one of their PCs was in 1995 when I pulled a few Colts out of Hughes Aerospace. It was from an era when departments bought their own computers, before the "Corporate Computer Model" was a thing.
Thanks for this look back.
Me:well time to go to bed
The 8-bit guy: uploads video
Me:well I’m not that tired
My exact sentiments!
Haha same
My exact thought
Same!!
I second this notion, and please highlight this reply.
Gosh, you don't know how glad I've been to be a subscriber. I've been with you since you were the iBook Guy. I've always loved the knowledge you have to share on retro computers.
1:44 - The 1984 very likely has nothing to do with the release date of the machine. This is (afaik) referring to a regulation of the german postal office published in 1984 that the machine is in compliance with ;)
DBP Vfg. 1046/1984 = Deutsche Bundespost (German postal service) Verfügung (Regulation) 1046/1984 (Number 1046 published in 1984)
yep. this is correct. this date has nothing to do with the date the computer was sold. it is purely the year of the regulation paper.
Just started typing a similar answer, and then saw you came first. Cheers!
@@cardinalcam Cheers! ;)
Yes. The Commodore 116 has DBP 529/1970, so the Number 529 published in 1970 not the computer:
gagada.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/com116.jpg
The Commodore Colt was an amazing BBS browsing machine. I had mine decked out with a spectacular 28.8k baud modem and TELIX. God I miss the BBSing days on that machine. Even though the Colt was super obsolete towards the late 1990's, nothing beat it's ability to quickly get online and perform reasonably well. (And I did use double-speed while browsing BBS's)
Telix! Those were the days.
Can I just say thank you for adding proper closed captioning to all your videos? So many people don’t and it’s a really nice gesture for those of us who need captions!
You're welcome! I do it for the hearing impaired as well as to make it easier to translate to other languages.
Reminds me of the graphics card of Amstrad/Schneider XT computers. They were CGA compatible but also had an Amstrad mode that supported 16 colors. I only had one program that supported this mode: Deluxe Paint II by Electronic Arts.
i really like your content :)
Dank je!
Hello
I know that we're running out of models one day, but I just wish the commodore history series to go on and on forever.
Ctrl+Alt+STD.
Wait what?
Better get some protection.
XtreeM FaiL semen chip.
Gives computer viruses a whole new meaning
@surfitlive Siemens chip
It reminds me of when I used to stock shelves at Target. I saw a product marked STD Pillow and thought, "Well, that gives new meaning to the term: Sleep Aids."
4:17
Love the video. My high school in the early 1990s in Ontario had about a dozen Commodore 386s, FYI.
That Plantronics mode for X3 is just amazing on a machine like that. Congrats, man. That's a great achievement.
Your synthwave soundtrack continues to amaze. Never change.
Yeh.
Amazing documentary. Thanks a lot for sharing!
Commodore 64 was my first computer, when I was 6. I learned how to code in BASIC at that age and I still remember how fascinating I felt the world of 8-bit computers was. After 34 years, I still feel the same, despite my current education and overall knowledge. Again, thanks a lot for sharing such a huge amount of detailed information. I look forward to your next videos!
A 5 hours video??
"8-bit Guy: The Movie - Extended Cut"
Would watch
Honestly I would watch that. I have seen all the Commodore episodes at least one( earlier ones 5+ times) and I would like to watch all of them as one LONG 5+ hour marathon UA-cam video.
@@gustavgurke9665 Will buy!
8-Bit Guy: The Movie - Retrobright Edition
I read it as "8-bit Guy: The Movie - Extended Cat"
I love how these PC compatibles look, prefer the Amiga line tho, looking forward to that episode!
+
2 years later :(
If they were designed in Germany as it appears, it's the same design team as the Amiga 2000.
Since the PC10 says Made in W-Germany on the back, it probably made sense to use a Siemens 8088, saving customs and shipping...
The amount of effort going into these videos is incredible. All the restoration and then research to produce these... I'm in awe! Best channel on UA-cam, hands down!
Thank you for the great video! You make nerds happy all around the world 😂 Greetings from W. Germany 😉
I had an IBM compatible Commodore PC. I remember it was a 286 with an impressive 1MB or RAM. It was a nice machine. It came with two floppy drives: a 5 1/4 and a 3 1/2. I loved that machine. I think I paid close to 2,000.00 for it back in 1990.
Excited to see this. I've really enjoyed your entire Commodore History series!
Same.
just realized you're quickly approaching 1M subs! good job!
Could you use an Amiga 4000? It has a Newtek video Toaster, a 68040 board, flicker fixer, some TBC cards, hard drive, etc. Let me know if you are interested. original box, discs, many docs, may still have the Commodore unix discs around here somewhere as well. Not sure about that, though.
videodistro
Lame show this is, he in not willing to collaborate, not understanding....
He just needs hits by lame nedry people, not willing to do it any good. UA-cam Jobs!
SCO UNIX, what do u still have now? any pre 1994 UNIX? I can't find any on the channel....Just do uploads so we can see what you chat here!
Email the 8-Bit Guy instead of commenting.
Do NOT sell it, you can never buy that computer with that hardware ever again, they cost a LOT now already, wish i had money to buy a Amiga 4000, i always wanted one, back in the 90s, but then they cost about ƒ4000,- that is +/- without inflation $2000,- back in 1992 and later.
Those old Commodore PC's were well made. I saw one still in daily use in 2013 with an SCSI upgrade being used as a program library and a RS 485 coms through a switch box to a machine shop running CNC equipment. It certainly brought back some memories. The burn in was impressive.
The Orville on a Commodore? That must be a first... :))
😁 loved it!
Is this the same Orville where they time warp a banana?
The lack of static fuzz in that transition between the intro and the actual video threw me in for a loop.
Looking forward to the Amiga history! Thanks David!
So am I!
Same here, it's been 4 months :P
AMIGA!!!!!
The PC-10, I remember that one. It looks very sleek and modern still!
in "zak mckraken" you must press shift P to toggle the game to composite mode, if you let it use "normal cga" it won't display the proper colors for composite.
I didn't know that.. but it wouldn't have mattered, they still wouldn't have been right. I verified with many games (including my own) that the hues for blue and green are reversed.
Sold my C-64 and SX-64 and never paid attention to Commodore again. Never heard of any of this from them. Thanks for the education!
When I saw this video come up in my que I could not click like fast enough. Awesome work as always Thank You!!
I LOVE this episode. I remember the Commodore Colt on display next to the game consoles on the glass showcase at Toys R Us when I was a kid. At that time I had a IBM PS/1 ... good times ☺️
I finished binge watching the commodore videos last night. I did not expect to get this today.
You are seriously amazing
I've never been much interested in PCs and their history but after I found your channel I'm really enjoying it! Congratulations and keep up the good work!
Its amazing how far ahead of 1985 PC's the first Amiga was, literally night and day.
It's pretty heartbreaking to see how royally Commodore dropped the ball on it. They had technology that was a decade ahead of the rest of the market that they did _nothing_ to develop further.
@@tomahzo if you want to talk about heartbreaking, then Xerox is the biggest loser in all this, they sold the kitchen sink to apple, even buggy, the aldo computer was the first with an gui, ethernet,etc, Xerox could own the industry today, but their were copyheads lol
@@tomahzo This is what they did. They had Amiga, the most advanced computer at the time so they should put all the money into it's development. Who needed overpriced PC clones? For the 8-bit they could just sell C128 and expansions for it because 8-bit era was going to an end soon and basically ended with the failure of Sam Coupe in 1989. Amiga was the future of Commodore...
@@tomahzo Commodore went to shit when Tramiel quitted as boss. The new boss were totally clueless and ran Commodore in to the ground.
@@V3ntilator That's true. Unfortunately the company was set up to operate specifically with Tramiel's type of leadership where he is at the centre of all operations and he lets engineers take a very big responsibility for themselves, which was not very common in corporations back then. It was a very different type of culture so it would've been very difficult to make it work with any other boss even if the new leadership was good at their jobs. Although, I'm not entirely convinced that Tramiel's vision would have been the best for Commodore had he stayed on. Tramiel was all about cost-cutting and selling the cheapest possible product (which was exactly the right move for products like the C64). That would turn out to be a problem when faced with competition from the new class of PC machines in the early 90:ies (VGA graphics, sound cards, faster CPUs). As can be shown with the Amiga 1200, the solution would have been to invest in new technology to stay ahead of the competition. Tramiel would not have allowed that with his low-cost mindset, which would have ended in failure too. (just look at what happened to Atari with him as the leader - he was not the right leader to face the PC threat) But Tramiel's replacements at Commodore were definitely not any better (they would have been sued by investors had their incompetence come to light) and they absolutely ran the company in the ground.
I'm really impressed with your knowledge of these machines, and more impressed that you seem to have them all in beautiful clean working condition, and more than that that many have the original boxes, styrofoam packing, cords, and literature, all in pristine condition.
Hell yeah an LGR ASMR video and a 8 bit guy video in the same day, perfect
Where is the LGR vid of which you comment??
@jdslyman Hah. That's probably it. Saw the "new" cartridge review last night. Didn't realise he posted the full printing video. Class. It's playing on the TV as I write this, and I'm finding it ver......... Um...... Its very rela............... It's.................. Um.................... I'm sorry, what was I saying?
ua-cam.com/video/98bK1Lww3hY/v-deo.html
You forgetting Techmoan?
@@Clay3613 Dammit, I'm not going to bed anytime soon, am I?
I remember the PC-20! I saw it in 1995, in one of the last Italian stores selling Commodore software and hardware. Of course, back then I wasn't well-versed in the history of Commodore, so I thought it was a desktop version of the Vic-20.
To rule them all, now start every video with "GREETINGS" like Clint's LGR and end it like Techmoan: "And as always, thanks for watching"
INFINITE POWER
He could squish a clay figurine under a stack of CRTs à la The Hydraulic Press Channel
I love your intro...very uplifting, especially in these times. I was a CoCo guy, but I do love this series.
So close to 1 million,great job!!! (Been here since like 300k)
I never get tired of your musical intro
11:35 "Something modern"
Hey, you watch the Orville too, huh??
nope.. Stupid show.
He's a man of taste
STD would have been far too dim to show.
DirtyBob6969
Better than the shit that is Star Trek Discovery and all the shit SJW pandering it does
Yeah, he's watching it. I know because I read a dummy text file he wrote when doing a documentary on the VIC-20 or something.
Thanks very much for doing this, I'm loving the Commodore History series!
The Commodore PC-10 was our first PC my father bought. It was in 1988 IIRC. However at least in Germany it did not come with that ATI graphics card, but instead just a display card that could not show graphics, just characters. So when I was excited to get my hands on a copy of the awesome game Digger the disappointment was huge when my father told me that it won't work on the machine. He knew though how much me and my sister wanted to be able to play that game at home we drove an hour to his employer, which was an IT company, to get a graphics card (sadly I don''t know which brand, model etc., but it was a full length card) along with a compatible monitor. So instead of our cool looking green monochrome picture we then had a blue picture which you could also be set to inverted colors. I was in heaven when we fired of Digger :-) That keyboard layout having the key to fire (F1) on the top left was very handy for Digger compared to the later standard layout.
Sadly we gave the Commodore away when we upgraded to an IBM PS/2 in 1992, but I have the Atari PC3 my uncle bought in 1989 which offers the same experience but with an cool looking orange monochrome display.
Regarding the part of the video at 1:42 that label saying 1984 just shows a year number for when that technical mandate was released by DBP (Deutsche Bundespost = German Mail Service) which at that time were the state-run monopolist for everything related to communication. So they mandated inspections and approvals for technical devices making sure they won't interfere with other electronic devices and over the air transmissions due to excessive electro magnetic radiation.
Greets!
yesssss commodore is one of my favorite retro brands I’m so happy this is finally out
Just-no
favorite retro brands, why you need them, running what?
Nerdy wet dreams? weirdo guy? uber nerdy?
@@lucasrem why are u here in this channel if u dont like retro stuff
Loving the historical documentary series, keep up the great work! I don't find myself ever yelling at you like I do with other creators who interject their own theory or opinion into their "documentaries". Thank you!
So interesting fact: I'm in Ottawa, Canada and we had a TON of those 386SX-25 models in my high school. I could be wrong but I want to say we later got some 486 models too. So it does appear they were sold outside of Europe but I wonder if it was only sold to educational channels in North America as my school board had a long-standing relationship with Commodore right up until they went under. After that, they started buying machines from a local retailer for a while, then switched to Digital Pentium 75 systems which were absolute junk and failed left and right.
Thanks for reminding me why I stayed with the Commodore 8 bit and then the Amiga all throughout the eighties. I suspect the Commodore engineers rolled their eyes when these came of the assembly lines, knowing that the Amiga was so much more versatile.
The integration of many accessories at the time of these Commodore computers is really something. Even though they were PC compatibles, the styling and feel stayed true to Commodore.
Beautiful! I had that exact ATi graphics card in my IBM 5150 ca. 1990, and enjoyed running the ATi-supplied diags to see 16-color 640x200 mode in action. Was always disappointed that Windows 3.0 did not support it.
Alpha Centauri B is now one of my favorite songs.
Just seeing that image viewer interface and the 'full color' photo displayed brought back the weirdest nostalgia...
I remember one time browsing some local BBS' limited stash of (semi) dirty pics, waiting at least half an hour for *one* to download on our 1200bps modem... all just to see some random swimsuit model rendered in glorious/hideous CGA.
AMAZING! Your videos are entertaining, and relaxing. Keep your work! ILY
yeh
DanielEthanMC
entertaining, uber nerdy levels.......
Old people, still up in mums house.....
UA-cam job you need too, 2019 work!
AdLib, Hercules, CGA. OMG, this is my tens and early 20s.
Just recently found your channel a d have been watching the Commodore history vids. Brings back so many memories.
Awesome history, I didn't recall commodore PCs.
Oh I remember that article in _COMPUTE!'s Gazette_ where I first read about those, and some time later Commodore PCs popped up in the local Commodore store alongside the 64s and Amigas.
Had a Colt, it was my first PC(IBM clone), Got a EGA card for it and a 3.5 floppy drive, I was living on the bleeding edge hardware wise.
Very nice article and very informative. In the past (1987 to 1994) I owned a C128 with 1541c (everything except the C128 is still exexisting) and this is still my field of interest in vintage computers. OK, a C128 I would have to get a new one first. But I still own my first PC, a 93 Conrad AT 386 which I like to use again and again.
From the attic of a flat I could save an IBM 5170, but in the beginning of the 93s It was pimped by the unknown owner with a 386 motherboard. I love this one too.
And exactly this PC has the same keyboard as the shown Commodore PC-20 III at 12:47. The type label on the bottom is on the manufacturer Mitsumi.
I am always fascinated how clean you get the cases. I tried to clean the black spots on my 1541c the other day - no success. Not with Testbenzin, not with Isopropanolalkohol, not with WD-40, not with Kaltreiniger (for dirty car parts) ... pffff, not with Spiritus oder Brennspiritus ... I ran out of ideas.
But anyway, a way will be found. Now is a lot of time for that ... ;o)
Oh, yeah, I forgot about the C386SX-LT. I got it at a flea market once. Runs Windows 3.1 and DOS 6.22. Crazy stuff. It looks exactly like the device shown at 22:03.
We need Amiga for the Next Documentary episode! At least this one is Cool! 👏🏻🤩🤘🏻
yea
Man, this was a great video! So much nostalgia! I didn’t have one of these, but I do remember my first 386, and then my 486. It’s amazing to see how far tech has come with the PC! Thanks for your great video, and have a great day!
The 386 looked an awful lot like what would become the Amiga 4000 case.
As always, very interesting documentary, and for me personally, great timing, as I've been releasing an Atari PC documentary and you are my prime example! Looking forward to see the Amiga video. Thanks.
The PC50 II look like so much as an Amiga 4000 inside and outside!
Dear 8-bit sir! many many thanks to you for getting me back in days, student's days. Good times
I DID NOT KNOW, 20 YEARS AGO WE TROW ALL THOSE PC 20 INTO ONE BIG CONTAINER TO DISTROY, DID I NEVER TROW IT AWAY, THOSE THINGS ARE MONEY THOSE DAYS, luf your vids👍
Holy !@#$, my jaw hit the floor when you mentioned the 3 speed modes of the PC20-III that i donated to you!!! Who knew??? As it was my mother's computer, i never saw or read any of the documentation that it came with. As my Tandy 1000-TX defaulted to 8Mhz mode (you could slow it to 4Mhz if it ran too fast) I just assumed that the 4.77Mhz was all it had to offer. Man was it painful to play Kings Quest or Mixed Up Mother Goose on that old Commodore PC20. sigh I'm almost wishing I kept that old thing.... Not.
Good documentary, was good to see it after all these months waiting to see if my donations was worth it or not.....
good video's. cant wait for the Amiga and C65 videos
Ugh I loved the fact that you actually have the Colt. I had one when I was a kid. I remember how chunky sounding that hard drive sounded. Such amazing memories.
Just to be exact on the last one:
That's not a jumper but a header.
A jumper is a link between pads/traces/pins...
I love these episodes! I had a PC 10III en a PC20 exactly matching the one in this video. I bought my PC 10III, i think back in 1986, for a staggering 4000 Dutch Guilders or $1600. It had a green monochrome screen, two 360 floppy drives, 640k ram and a very nice (for the time) graphic mouse (with three button mouse) interface to design your own user menu and a drawing program. It was the folluw up for my Sinclair ZX Spectrum. I had a special program to emulate a better graphics mode called HGCIBM which worked fine.
I hope you can talk to some of the original Amiga hardware designers.
I would like to also ... So i can yell at them for the fuckup called the cd32
Unfortunately, one of the most important Amiga designers - Jay Miner, died in 1994
Markus RK200 well the cd32 is pretty good. It can even be turned into an Amiga 1200! But the games were mostly amiga ports with CDDA audio, very awful exclusive games
This series definitely belong to museums. The huge amout of knowledge (technical and historical) is unprecedented.
yasss, I love commodore history, I was waiting for this...
We all were.
This series is one of the reason I subbed to this channel. This documentary format is interesting.
The PC-10 is one of the most beautify Commodores every made ... the first being the Amiga 500, BTW ... at least in my book
Superb stuff. Awesome to see not only the documentary but to also see your other videos that document your acquisition and cleanup/restoration of the Commodore PC clones featured here. Only negative is that it would have been fairly trivial to have purchased a step-up transformer to then be able to demonstrate the PC-1.
A friend owned at the time an Amiga 1000 with the very interesting Sidecar..... this was a combination with an MS-DOS compatible XT-hardware
Nice. My father used to have a PC-20-II (I think). Must've been around 1989 when he had it. He was able to even do telebanking (old skool internet banking) with some old modem. It also was able to a multitask thing; it was able to speak in our native tongue at a specific time telling me it was time for bed.The laptop reminds me of my old Toshiba T3200 laptop. Keep it up!
Ramadan Feast gift for me, thank you 8-Bit Guy. 👍
This was very interesting. I'm 32 so I was very young when Commodore went away and too young to understand what was going on with computers. At that time I'd only ever used a Mac because that's what we had a school. It's so fascinating to see how computers and PC's specifically have evolved over the years.
>What should I watch next?
*8-bit guy video appears*
>Ah, perfect!
Same
Same
Literally the same!!!!!!!!!!!
I was life shit what next.
-Phone vibrates-
Email: The 8-bit Guy just uploaded a video.
Me:Fuck Yea!!!!
These documentaries about Commodore are great. I really enjoy watching these. Thank you for the effort you put into these videos and please keep up the good work!
That sound of opening the case ... Remembers me of buying my first MS-DOS computer back in 1988 with a 40MB hard-disk... I was 15 years old at that time; worked all summer to buy that computer (and got a big financial help of my parents). My mom always loved to be on the pc; playing games, getting into a BBS (and later internet)... She always loved using a computer; typing her texts for the local volleybalclub-magazine (first in Notepad, later WordPerfect and Word), wondering around BBS & internet (and telling her stories about the old city she was born at a Facebook-group) or just playing a simple game. She passed away last november; the memories just came back by that simple of the case (and that first computer I bought wasn't a Commodore at all - My parents had a C64, so I do have any connection to your channel ;-) )... Thank you, 8-bit-guy!
Ty so much for the documentary on the Commodore's history!
Fascinating to see where we came from!
lol i wish we can still overclock our CPU's by hotkeying today!
You do a very good vídeos. Thanks from Portugal!
Hi 8bit guy!
To answer your question you asked at 1:36min:
It says on the back of the computer "Funkentstört nach 1984".
So: at 1984 there was a law that told the producers how to manufacure electronic stuff so that it doesn't send signals and disturb other equipment while running.
Thats not the year of production. Thats the year the law came out! Nearly every C64 from Germany has this on their lable at the back.
If you have a 1983 silverlable C64 for example that says "Funkentstört nach 1984" at the back: its definately a fake and not worth a lot of money!