I thought about getting a 128D, but I feel the 128 is more portable and more flexible.
I'm pretty excited for its arrival. Especially because there's a local option to get a 1571 and so I can get word star on the thing. I have a Kung fu flash coming along further into the future and I'm on the waiting list for an ultimate ii+.
What else is part of the experience. Is there a RAM upgrade I'll need or a rom swapper or anything so I can use the 1571 more effectively?
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Zippy Zapp
- CA, USA
The 1571 paired with the C128 is awesome. The nice thing about 128 mode is you really don't need a fast loader as Fast serial on the 128 and 1571 is fine. You can speed it up more if you use carts or JiffyDOS but I use mine stock and have no problems. If you can get a 1581 you will see even better speeds in 128 mode.
Of course a monitor that is capable of RGBI or some sort of converter will help if you want 80 columns.
You can always get cartridges for 64 mode, like fastload or Action Replay. Because in 64 mode there is no speed up.
If you don't already have the 2 manuals that came with the C128 and the 2 disks, I would get those too.
I really don't think there is a better 8-bit computer, overall, then the C128. Have Fun!
Of course a monitor that is capable of RGBI or some sort of converter will help if you want 80 columns.
You can always get cartridges for 64 mode, like fastload or Action Replay. Because in 64 mode there is no speed up.
If you don't already have the 2 manuals that came with the C128 and the 2 disks, I would get those too.
I really don't think there is a better 8-bit computer, overall, then the C128. Have Fun!
Even with the C128 being an awesome machine, I would suggest getting JiffyDOS
You might want to think about a ROM-switcher if you’re some sort of purist.
The Ultimate II+ is awesome, and then there are really small SD2IECs, microIEC and other variants. I would assume that effectively, you would use that most of the time.
Other than that, you might want to think about use of actual floppy disks. If you want to use them, you should think about how to get the software on it. If you want to use a PC for it, as it is much more convenient than the alternatives, there is a system called ZoomFloppy.
And most of all: have fun.
McT
You might want to think about a ROM-switcher if you’re some sort of purist.
The Ultimate II+ is awesome, and then there are really small SD2IECs, microIEC and other variants. I would assume that effectively, you would use that most of the time.
Other than that, you might want to think about use of actual floppy disks. If you want to use them, you should think about how to get the software on it. If you want to use a PC for it, as it is much more convenient than the alternatives, there is a system called ZoomFloppy.
And most of all: have fun.
McT
It's arrived and I thought I was having issues with the chroma until I tried a second monitor that works like a dream.
I'll need to get my monitor serviced somewhere. I wonder where I can find a CRT technician to service my 1080's s-video. I had no idea there was an issue until today. It won't matter until it does as the RGB seems great.
The c128 has basic 7.0 and no mods. Today I might be testing a 1571 for purchase. I have to figure out how to format a disk, write to it and then later read to it in 128 mode. The keys all work just peachy and it's a handsome specimen that'll need a good cleaning. I'm as always on the fence about retrobriting. I'd say it looks good enough to not need it. I'll need to clean all my contacts. I don't have anything to test the ports.
Thanks for the zoom floppy advice. I have both a Kung fu flash and ultimate ii+. I'm not sure if the Kung fu flash will be able to so it, but I'll weigh that against waiting for the ultimate that I've already paid for.
I'll need to get my monitor serviced somewhere. I wonder where I can find a CRT technician to service my 1080's s-video. I had no idea there was an issue until today. It won't matter until it does as the RGB seems great.
The c128 has basic 7.0 and no mods. Today I might be testing a 1571 for purchase. I have to figure out how to format a disk, write to it and then later read to it in 128 mode. The keys all work just peachy and it's a handsome specimen that'll need a good cleaning. I'm as always on the fence about retrobriting. I'd say it looks good enough to not need it. I'll need to clean all my contacts. I don't have anything to test the ports.
Thanks for the zoom floppy advice. I have both a Kung fu flash and ultimate ii+. I'm not sure if the Kung fu flash will be able to so it, but I'll weigh that against waiting for the ultimate that I've already paid for.
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intric8
- Seattle, WA, USA
Where are you located?I wonder where I can find a CRT technician to service my 1080's s-video.
Zoom floppy is purely a device for reading from or writing to original disks. (It'll let you format and rename them very easily, too.) I exclusively use it for creating disks from images I find online when a real disk is the best (or only) way to go. Maybe half a dozen times a year? It's not often. But when I need it, it's dang handy and dependable.
I only use it with an external original 1541-ii or 1571. I've never been able to get it to write to a 1581 disk, which it is supposed to be able to do. As a result, since the Uii+ now can emulate the 1581, I'll use the Uii+ and a 1581 and write to a real drive that way. There is always a way...
For regular C64 disks, though? Or GEOS disks? Zoom Floppy has been great. I have an old Windows XP Thinkpad that I've used for years whenever I have odd tasks to do. I use it for the Zoom Floppy, Amiga Explorer, burn a CD in some funky format or more recently EasyFlash 3 programming. There are still browsers out there that work perfectly with it, too (I like SeaMonkey, which looks like Netscape Navigator 4, which is so cool). Honestly, I kind of love that old thing for what it provides. I've even bought spare parts for it in the event something should fail some day...
Anyway, as for testing the 1571 drive in theory I don't think it matters if you write or read in 128 mode to check the status of the drive. You could even drop down to C64 mode and do the same thing to ensure the integrity of the hardware. The heads either read/write or they don't as far as I know.
Formatting a disk if you ever get Jiffy DOS all set up is SO easy. If you have to do it in BASIC, it's kind of cumbersome to type out the command but it's not that big a deal for a task you'll only need to do a couple of times a year.
I live in Orlando, Florida. I might be and to find someone to tune her up. In the meantime she can stay on RGB duty.
The zoom floppy is tempting for those odd times. I am under the impression I use the ultimate to copy to a real floppy. I only really want to use the ultimate for gaming and keep productivity to floppies. It's a weird concession sort of like only utilizing modern equipment that'll let me keep using Kickstart 1.3 on my A1K.
The reading and the writing is if I use a blank disc as I don't have any software. Literally zero disks. I ordered a handful online and I'm still waiting to hear back on the floppy drive. I'm reading up on what software I'll want and even what cp/m games are turn based and potentially still satisfying
The zoom floppy is tempting for those odd times. I am under the impression I use the ultimate to copy to a real floppy. I only really want to use the ultimate for gaming and keep productivity to floppies. It's a weird concession sort of like only utilizing modern equipment that'll let me keep using Kickstart 1.3 on my A1K.
The reading and the writing is if I use a blank disc as I don't have any software. Literally zero disks. I ordered a handful online and I'm still waiting to hear back on the floppy drive. I'm reading up on what software I'll want and even what cp/m games are turn based and potentially still satisfying
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intric8
- Seattle, WA, USA
I think there may be some CPM Infocom games, but frankly the C128-targeted Infocom games are great. They:
Have fun!
- Autoboot, which is pretty wild to witness
- Give you 80-column mode
- (I would argue) give you access to a much better keyboard
Have fun!
You don’t have to keep a WindowsXP PC around.
With a somewhat recent PC, you can set up a virtual retro PC with e.g. VirtualBox (or VMWare) and run WinXP on that.
You can then pass-through USB devices and some system devices like CDRoms or whatever. I have a retro system set up this way to use with my KryoFlux to write disk images to actual disks.
With a somewhat recent PC, you can set up a virtual retro PC with e.g. VirtualBox (or VMWare) and run WinXP on that.
You can then pass-through USB devices and some system devices like CDRoms or whatever. I have a retro system set up this way to use with my KryoFlux to write disk images to actual disks.
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Zippy Zapp
- CA, USA
Yeah the ZoomFloppy and SuperCard Pro work perfectly fine on modern Windows 10 systems. I use an XP station too just because I have all manor of old software and devices that I need to access from time to time.
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intric8
- Seattle, WA, USA
I use the WinXP machine because 1) it was REALLY cheap but well-made (mostly) and 2) I have no need for a modern Windows machine. I'm not a PC Gamer. We have an XBox S and XBox One if we need to go that route, or Steam on Mac.
For the tasks I need to perform with my old vintage hardware, the software created for XP still does the job perfectly so I've never felt the need to upgrade. It still just works.
My daily driver is an Apple MacbookPro M1 Max and it does have Parallels with Windows 11. But USB assignments when trying to hit this or that often don't work on the 1st go and I don't have the patience to try and force that to work. WinXP Laptop FTW.
For the tasks I need to perform with my old vintage hardware, the software created for XP still does the job perfectly so I've never felt the need to upgrade. It still just works.
My daily driver is an Apple MacbookPro M1 Max and it does have Parallels with Windows 11. But USB assignments when trying to hit this or that often don't work on the 1st go and I don't have the patience to try and force that to work. WinXP Laptop FTW.