full size "the 64" coming

[carlsson]

8 hours ago, Flack said:

If you have nieces or nephews who want to mess around on an old computer and you don't necessarily want them banging on your vintage hardware

It makes me wonder how sturdy the keyboard is on the Maxi. As we know, the plungers on the original keyboard break by staring hard at them and it causes a lot of inconvenience finding spares, opening up the keyboard, replacing the entire plunger, sometimes carving out the remains of the old one from the key etc. If the modern keyboard has a design where keycaps easily pop off but can be put back into place again without permanent damage, that would be one plus for the Maxi over the original.

 

Regarding US distribution, I have also wondered  how that works. I understand that in order to get into major retailers, they must work up channels, perhaps have own SKU:s etc but if it is about finding independent resellers and online sales through e.g. Amazon, it should not be that difficult. Over here there seems to be a number of resellers of different size that picked up the system if the margins and demand were good enough, but I suppose Europe and America are different in more than one aspect.

[+OLD CS1]

Yeah, I would have likely picked up a Maxi had the only outlet in the US not been Amazon.  I am still considering getting one, but I would import it.

[carlsson]

I just read this on Facebook posted by Retro Games Ltd:

 

While we can’t be too specific (as we have little more exact details than this)… but we are told by our UK distribution partners, via their USA arm, that the fourth batch of #THEC64 full sized model… IS IN THE USA RIGHT NOW and fingers crossed should hopefully be listed back on Amazon .com ASAP once moved from A to B within the USA, and into the Amazon warehouse!

We are sure one of you guys will spot it before we even do!

 

But please be aware it’s almost certain that no more stock (even if order five is placed soon by us) will be in the USA before 2022 due to production materials like chips, let alone current global shipping time lines and issues. So if you have been waiting for one, and want one this year without importing it into the USA yourself from the EU, make sure you get in quick and order it ASAP once live!

(For clarity our USA partners are called - DEEP SILVER - the USA arm of Koch Media, other sellers are third parties/resellers)

[nadir]

Just checked Amazon and they show 2 available right now.  Was sorely tempted to order one again, but there's really only 2 games on it that I want.  I just can't get to spending $250 just for those 2 games...

[amiman99]

50 minutes ago, nadir said:

Just checked Amazon and they show 2 available right now.  Was sorely tempted to order one again, but there's really only 2 games on it that I want.  I just can't get to spending $250 just for those 2 games...

These are scalper prices. MSRP is $130.

[carlsson]

I just saw a post by some friends of mine who run an independent games store called Spel & Sånt. They carry modern video games, retro games, board games and more. For the longest they thought they had received the last unit of THEC64 full size but suddenly a final pallet arrives so they're in stock again. However they wrote that the product is going out of production so most likely this is the very last chance. That is interesting in combination with the above news that Amazon in the US recently relisted the product, if that batch also is one of the very last ones.

 

Their price is 1299 SEK by the way, but only available within Sweden I would assume (possibly Norway etc).

 

 

[+OLD CS1]

2 hours ago, carlsson said:

I just saw a post by some friends of mine who run an independent games store called Spel & Sånt. They carry modern video games, retro games, board games and more. For the longest they thought they had received the last unit of THEC64 full size but suddenly a final pallet arrives so they're in stock again. However they wrote that the product is going out of production so most likely this is the very last chance. That is interesting in combination with the above news that Amazon in the US recently relisted the product, if that batch also is one of the very last ones.

 

Their price is 1299 SEK by the way, but only available within Sweden I would assume (possibly Norway etc).

 

Just had a conversation with them.  Sadly, they are not set up to ship outside of Sweden.

[carlsson]

I know. Previously I was willing to act middleman, but there is probably too much work plus that the final price even if I have 0% profit on the deal, will be quite a bit above what it is sold for on Amazon US etc whenever it is available.

[+OLD CS1]

I have decided that I have a target recipient for one of these, and I might as well get one for myself while I am at it.  I will not purchase from Amazon, so if anyone in Sweden has the ability to ship to the US and is willing to help me out, please drop me a PM.

[imstarryeyed]

2 hours ago, OLD CS1 said:

I have decided that I have a target recipient for one of these, and I might as well get one for myself while I am at it.  I will not purchase from Amazon, so if anyone in Sweden has the ability to ship to the US and is willing to help me out, please drop me a PM.

I would join OLD CS1 in a group buy for one as well.  It was really hard to get one of those machines here in the states.  The mini was easy to get the Maxi not so much.

 

[amiman99]

Looks like they are back on Amazon for $129, grab them before there're gone.

https://www.amazon.com/C64-not-machine-specific/dp/B08GMTJYXJ/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=commodore+maxi&qid=1631397625&sr=8-5

 

[eightbit]

Has anyone with one of these tried connecting it to a CRT via some sort of HDMI to composite adapter? I wish this had a composite option.

[+OLD CS1]

2 minutes ago, eightbit said:

Has anyone with one of these tried connecting it to a CRT via some sort of HDMI to composite adapter? I wish this had a composite option.

The native output is 720p.  Not sure how that would look converted to a CRT, but worth a try, I guess.

[eightbit]

Just now, OLD CS1 said:

The native output is 720p.  Not sure how that would look converted to a CRT, but worth a try, I guess.

 

You know, I get people are trying to move everything to HD sets via HDMI, but there's something special with having consoles and old computers hooked up to CRT sets. It's really not the same on a flat screen....even with "filters". 

 

It's so difficult now to find things that will natively hook up to composite or s-vid. It's one of the reasons I haven't bit on any of those Analog consoles. It's great to have HDMI sure...but damnit give me the option

[carlsson]

How did Nintendo, Sega, AtGames/Atari, Sony, NEC etc do with their replicas? I suppose the oldest Flashbacks have composite output, but what about the latest ones? Since all these units are meant to mainly be mass market, not targeted towards a small group of enthusiasts, I see why they're focusing on HDMI which is what the mass market has/expects today. However it would be interesting to know how good C64 image one could obtain from modern technology outputting a composite video signal. As you know, the original one has adequate quality at best which is why most will want to utilize separate video (S-Video) instead, but that type of signal seems even more enthusiast oriented today.

[+OLD CS1]

@eightbit @carlsson The only CRT I have readily available is a 10" TI monitor.  I have two 32" in storage I could try later, but I think the 10" will give a basic idea.  I also have a down-scaler so I could hook up my C64 Mini to have a look-see.  Maybe I can add that to my to-do list for the weekend.

 

I also have several of the Flashback consoles with composite output, as well as a bunch of the Jaxx Pacific TV games.  They utilize the 4:3 aspect of the CRT, and most of them work in the 240p pseudo-mode.

[carlsson]

I had forgotten about those Jakks Pacific direct-to-TV joysticks. However per the listing compiled by onmode-ky, those date some 15-20 years back in time, so fully adequate that those had composite video. While HDMI 1.0 was released in December 2002, I can't recall at which point it started to become the norm. Even over here, some of the top of the line TV sets lack the good old composite, component and SCART inputs in favor of only HDMI. Oddly enough, it seems the more you pay, the fewer inputs you get.

[mdivancic]

11 hours ago, eightbit said:

You know, I get people are trying to move everything to HD sets via HDMI, but there's something special with having consoles and old computers hooked up to CRT sets. It's really not the same on a flat screen....even with "filters". 

This is a sentimental I have never understood. I’ve tossed all my old CRT or retired them to the basement years ago and good riddance. When I see people spending hundreds of dollars for old Atari or Commodore monitors it blows my mind. I find nothing special about old monitors. 

[eightbit]

Just now, mdivancic said:

This is a sentimental I have never understood. I’ve tossed all my old CRT or retired them to the basement years ago and good riddance. When I see people spending hundreds of dollars for old Atari or Commodore monitors it blows my mind. I find nothing special about old monitors. 

 

I used to agree. I moved all of my equipment not too long ago to modern devices (OSSC, RGB SCART) and I was getting the "best" picture ever....or so I thought. Just did not look right to me. I felt something was off....and it was.

 

I pulled the old Sony Wega Trinitron out of retirement and connected a system or two to it. Now THAT is what I remember! It looked as great as it ever did. It was exactly what I remembered and the look on a CRT I had discovered was as much a part of the experience as using a real console or vintage computer and its parts/games. 

 

I have two more CRT TV's in storage now because I never want to be without one of them.

[mdivancic]

4 hours ago, carlsson said:

I had forgotten about those Jakks Pacific direct-to-TV joysticks. However per the listing compiled by onmode-ky, those date some 15-20 years back in time, so fully adequate that those had composite video. While HDMI 1.0 was released in December 2002, I can't recall at which point it started to become the norm. Even over here, some of the top of the line TV sets lack the good old composite, component and SCART inputs in favor of only HDMI. Oddly enough, it seems the more you pay, the fewer inputs you get.

My 2007 TV which is still going and was top of the line back then had only one HDMI port but it has three component inputs (and two composite). I wish it had more HDMI these days. Let’s be realistic about current TVs. Unless you have a eclectic hobby like us how many normal people are using component or composite inputs. 

[mdivancic]

1 minute ago, eightbit said:

It was exactly what I remembered and the look on a CRT I had discovered was as much a part of the experience as using a real console or vintage computer and its parts/games. 

It’s one of those “to each his/her own then” things because I have never felt this way about the CRT (or vinyl records for that matter).

[carlsson]

6 minutes ago, mdivancic said:

three component inputs (and two composite)

Wow! I suppose they overcompensated for the fact that SCART is not a thing over there, so every device which would be RGB SCART over here would be component video in your region.

[zzip]

35 minutes ago, mdivancic said:

My 2007 TV which is still going and was top of the line back then had only one HDMI port but it has three component inputs (and two composite). I wish it had more HDMI these days. Let’s be realistic about current TVs. Unless you have a eclectic hobby like us how many normal people are using component or composite inputs. 

TVs made 10-15 years ago had tons of ports:   HDMI, 1 or more component, 1 or more composite, VGA, RF, Svideo was all common.   You could connect virtually anything!   TVs made today have 3 HDMI ports (give or take) and RF.   If you're lucky you can find one with a single component or composite, but not both,  and maybe a 4th HDMI.    Worse they often don't seem to list the ports in the specs anymore nor show them on the box.  You have to download the manual to find out what is supported.

[eightbit]

And, the TV's today with composite have a horrible composite decoder. It is obviously put in just to add something to the spec. But, as said previously, nobody really uses composite or s-video anymore. I had an older HDTV a few years ago (can't recall the brand) and it actually had S-Video...and the decoder was incredible. The Sega Saturn on that TV looked like RGB quality through s-vid. 

 

Things change and HDMI reigns supreme on everything now. B

[eightbit]

6 minutes ago, zzip said:

TVs made 10-15 years ago had tons of ports:   HDMI, 1 or more component, 1 or more composite, VGA, RF, Svideo was all common.   You could connect virtually anything!   TVs made today have 3 HDMI ports (give or take) and RF.   If you're lucky you can find one with a single component or composite, but not both,  and maybe a 4th HDMI.    Worse they often don't seem to list the ports in the specs anymore nor show them on the box.  You have to download the manual to find out what is supported.

 

 

I had one of these a few years ago. Heaviest TV I have ever owned, but, like you said, had it all! The back looked something like this. I was suprised to see HDMI on it...although I remember it was early HDMI with no sound pass through hence the need for L/R audio jacks.