User avatar
intric8
Seattle, WA, USA

Posted Tue Jun 09, 2020 7:46 pm

Are you like me where you curse every time you have to swap joystick ports on your C64?

Hilariously, a few weeks ago I was watching a stream on Twitch where the gamer had to do the swap from port 2 to port 1 and sarcastically said under his breath, "Ah, the sign of a truly great game - a port 1 game."

How many times over the past 35+ years have you had to swap joystick ports just to play a game? I lost count when I was in my teens, so that's saying something. Poor ports.

Well, Evie Salomon at Backbit has invented what she calls the TwoBit.
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The TwoBit plugs into both joystick ports. You then plug your joystick into it. It has 3 settings: 1, 2 and B. "B" stands for "Both", which means you can leave the switch set to B and it will automagically use both ports at the same time so you never have to even think about it. This works for most games. If, however, it doesn't seem to work, you can flip the switch to 1 or 2 to dedicate the joystick to the port the game is seeking.

Never pull your joystick out and swap ports again! Reduce that wear and tear, yo.
Works with the Commodore 64/64C, Commodore 128/128D, and VIC 20/VC20!

All for the criminally low price of only $25! You can get yours here and support an awesome, incredible dev here in the good ol' US of A.
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Note:
Not for use with paddles, mice, light pens, 2nd button of joysticks;

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User avatar
kerobaros

Posted Wed Jun 10, 2020 6:44 am

I have seen similar devices for sale before, but rarely so professional looking. Doesn't look like it's also acts as an ESD protector, though.

Another device on their site, the GenAssister, looks quite interesting to me, but I grew up on gamepads and not joysticks, so I'm biased. 8-)

User avatar
dddaaannn

Posted Wed Jun 10, 2020 5:39 pm

The TwoBit uses analog electrical switching with three CD4066BE chips and capacitors. So that's about as ESD resistant as I would want and certainly exceeds expectations for something in a 3D-printed plastic case.
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TwoBit internals

The case also has a thoughtfully designed bottom plate that sits flush with the bottom of a Commodore, so it doesn't wobble or strain the connectors when you attach/detach a joystick. It's really well done.

User avatar
kerobaros

Posted Wed Jun 10, 2020 8:01 pm

Neeeever mind! Haha. Yeah, I'm satisfied with that. Thank you for the correction!

User avatar
intric8
Seattle, WA, USA

Posted Wed Jun 10, 2020 10:12 pm

so it doesn't wobble or strain the connectors when you attach/detach a joystick.
Actually, on a 64C there is a bit of a gap between it and the table. But I slide a 3.5" floppy under there for now and it's fine. Also, worth noting that you can't use this with a C128 due to the design of the case. But it will fit on a C128D.

User avatar
intric8
Seattle, WA, USA

Posted Thu Jun 11, 2020 8:57 am

Here's what my "C" looks like with the TwoBit.

Note:
This is a Kickstarter Case from a few years ago, which used the original molds. It did come with brand new rubber feet. The TwoBit seems to not take the rubber feet into account. Or maybe the rubber feet are slightly higher than yesteryear.

I did plug the TwoBit into one of my original Breadbins, and it sat squarely on the table - zero gap.

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I will be adding some rubber feet to the TwoBit since I plan on using it with this new machine the most.

User avatar
Zippy Zapp
CA, USA

Posted Thu Jun 11, 2020 12:08 pm

intric8 wrote:
Thu Jun 11, 2020 8:57 am
I did plug the TwoBit into one of my original Breadbins, and it sat squarely on the table - zero gap.
[snip] Perhaps this was fit using an original 64? That makes sense to me since it would be slightly off on some original 64s since there was a few case changes over the years before the 64c came out.
Last edited by Zippy Zapp on Sun Jun 14, 2020 8:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
dddaaannn

Posted Sun Jun 14, 2020 6:06 pm

It fits my vintage C64C just fine in terms of reaching the table. I think intric8 is correct that the Kickstarter cases have a bit more height to them.

User avatar
Zippy Zapp
CA, USA

Posted Sun Jun 14, 2020 8:06 pm

Perhaps it is the feet, as suggested? As far as I remember the Kickstarter cases were made from the exact molds Commodore used to make the 64C cases.

User avatar
intric8
Seattle, WA, USA

Posted Sun Jun 14, 2020 8:44 pm

I found an old pack of felt pads and made a minor modification to my TwoBit this weekend. It's fine now - no biggie.
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