The C64 MINI - Unboxing Teardown and Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 เม.ย. 2018
- USA Amazon: amzn.to/2Hlp92u
UK Amazon : amzn.to/2F7yido
eBay : ebay.to/2F7UXp
In this video I unbox, Teardown and review the all-new C64 Mini.
Is it worth the price?
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DISCLAIMER: This video and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.THIS VIDEO IS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY! DISCLAIMER: Under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. No Games Or Applications Are Included Or Added On Or To Any Device In This Video - เกม
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you could build the C64DTV in this case, for those asking the zip stick type micro switch joystick internals will fit in that shell.
The box looks amzing as does the console.
I've got one myself. No input lag, but I agree the joystick isn't good. Hawkeye was the first game I tried and it was unplayable. But some games aren't too bad. Some knockoff snes pads are working atm, the controller needs 8 buttons to work (and even then not all of them work). They already have put out 2 firmware updates and there's an active community, so no doubt there will be a fix.
I had all the Commodore's from the VIC 20 on. Wish I had kept them, not so much for their value today, but to reminisce about the good ol' days!
Another great video and review 👍🏻
You can order a second joystick for £19.99. It's the exact same joystick that comes with the C64 mini and comes in it's own packaging. You can find them on amazon uk.
judging from how much air was in the console, i suspect the controller will be like that too. So you could conceivably remove the board and add it into a GOOD controller with microswitches. Should be a fun project.
If I got one of these, I'd gut the controller shell and put in an arcade stick mechanism or something.
Instead of putting a raspberry pi, could you open the joystick and try to make the contact fit in another controller or even an arcade joystick and buttons.. I don't know. You're ETA Prime, I'm sure you can figure out something 😁
Thanks for the video and your opinion about this crappy joystick. I have two things I want to throw in here.. first the C64 emulation on the Pi is not perfect either, I have a big problem getting the latest Vice to work flawlessly on a stock pi 3b (nothing optimized or overclocked yet). The "FastSID" emulation doesn't sound right or missing voices, while scrolling is fluid, but when I choose the better "ReSID" option even with reduced video resolution to 320x200 pixels, the scrolling in games is junky and not fluid at all .. I hope this will run better on an (overclocked) Pi 3b+ .. The other thing is.. some user wrote a small documentation in the forum section of "TheC64" website, how someone got "access" to the software of TheC64 console.. using the 4 serial pins on the motherboard.. The forum entry is "Modding TheC64 mini"
I went maxi. I bought an untested C64 for the keyboard. A Pi 3B+ and a Keyrah v2. I'm building a C64 with a working keyboard. I tried using Vice64 with a normal keyboard and found it to be unfriendly. I'm hoping the real deal keyboard will improve things.
Wait for a firmware update first. If it takes too long and doesn't happen, THEN put a pi in it. But I really want to find out if they fix the software up first.
Too bad about the joystick. Nice review.
I'm a huge fan. Watch all your videos.
Great review, thank you! I grew up with the C64 and it's my mother's favourite machine also, so I'm tempted to pick one of these up for her at some point - though only when it's hacked so that she can launch her favourite games from the UI and not via BASIC.
Throwing a Pi in this would be awesome, especially with so many of the incredible new themes for RetroPie that you'd be able to keep the C64/SNESC/NESC style interface too. It's a shame about the dodgy joystick, and seemingly it's a hardware fault so no amount of updates would fix it :\ Funnily enough, as much as we all loved the joysticks on the C64 at the time, my elder brother and I just plugged in our Megadrive and/or Master System controllers instead! They worked like a dream :D
Oh and just to add, you said you'd post links and information in the description (like to the, amazing looking, Amiga Pi case.. or a link to the C64 Mini website for list of games) though there's nothing there -- just some purchase links from Amazon and a broken bit-ly link for eBay :)
Nice review. I'll wait to see if there's any improvement.
I like you chose Hawkeye, the first Dutch game I ever played which was released commercially and Cybernoid by the great Jeroen Tel, also Dutch.
The c64 was my first computer ever in the 80's so anything that is not exactly correct like the colour and the non microswitched joystick kinda ruins it.
Isn't there any Suzo Arcade stick in usb you can use?
The pi 3b is crying to get inside it 😂😂😂😂 hope to se you testing it with a better controller. Here in Spain is 79.95 Eu only. Waiting to see The C64 upgraded video. Keep The good work 👍👍👍
This remind to try C64 games on my Retropie.
I would love to see a teardown of the controller and see if it can be modded with decent microswitches.
Glad I waited, only 40$ on Amazon now!
Just a small correction on your comment on the incorrect colour of the C64 mini - it actually perfectly mimics the colour of the European version of the computer.
As Darren McCowan mentions for the colour being European - the Cybernoid II music, is seemingly playing at PAL speed. That would seem to back the idea that the European version is the one being modeled.
Thanks for the review and tear-down. Could you do the controller next time?
Was that an SD card solder point on the system also? If so, it may be possible that like the SuperRetro-Cade that a properly arranged USB directory structure would be seen as by the system to expand the library of software by what ever .d64 and such files are added to the drive. Not sure if the Basic environment sees all such files, or only files specifically structured for that device mode (ie emulation of a single floppy) If you could make a video on that, that would be useful for stoking the hardware hacking flames We're sure!
Again, thanks for the video.
After your video i tried some of mine joysticks. The dual Analog4 from trustmaster. Had no lag in the games you played. Only its getting used to some of the button cominations.
Hey ETA Prime I've looked on Ebay for one of these and came across a USB mod that someone's selling for $30 already which has over 2000 games on it so just letting u know if u didn't. In Australia the C-64 was really big back in the day. Like, all my mates had one when we where little. A couple games that are nostalgic and cool for me are Monty Mole, The last ninja and Wizball. Only Monty Mole out of those are on the actual system though. No worries m8, PEACE
For the price, surprised they didn't throw in a power supply!
Great video though! 👍
By having it use a 5 volt DC micro USB power connection that just about everybody already has for their mobile phones, they avoid the hassle of all the different types of electrical plugs used around the world. However, there is a place on the board for a different 5 volt power supply. I read somewhere that the A20 chip only support 3 USB ports. If they would have used the other connect for power, it might have free up a USB port which could be used to have the Joystick, USB stick, and a USB keyboard all connected at the same time without using a powered USB Hub. Their is also a place were they were going to put a SD Card Reader, which I prefer over putting my games on USB sticks. I don't know if they could be hacked, so we could have another USB port and SD Card Reader or not.
I'd like to see a review after a firmware update. Keep up the good work!
Update it or hack it but dont put a raspberry pie in it.
Put a pi in it LOL That seems to be the answer lately for some of these retro systems.
C64DTV is unique!
It is an FPGA based machine, there is no comparison.
I know I'm late to the party on this but I'd love to see the firmware update first...hopefully it'll include other controller support. But yes I agree with the person who said to get a refund
I would imagine it's some plain Linux, as SysRq commands (ALT+PrtSc+O for poweroff, for example) all work on this. Even SysRq I, which terminates all processes (in this system is literally softlocks it. Restarting, whether via SysRq B or else, brings it back to normal).
I’m looking forward for the Raspberry Pi version vs C64!
This looks cool
Altough i have never played with a comodore 64, im a bit curious
I have an original Comodore 64 and the color is the same. So, I suppose that many Commodore has this color too.
I would suggest opening the controller. See if it is possible to mod it slightly. I would rather do that than throw a RPi in it.
I miss Giana Sisters on the C64 mini. :(
In Germany you pay about 80 €
The unpopulated space on the board above the SRAM in both shape and test pads looks suspussiously like an SD card.
Dualshock 4 will work in the USB port and give you a better experience, but you'd have thought that the console engineers would have realized their current joystick was unacceptable during play testing.
Is there a way to open this Joystick and Upgrade/mod it with better switches or something. A different Joystick is ok but to Boost the original would be much better to keep the original look.
Super cool ... I may have to get one of these!! :-)
YOU should check out the rs 97 handheld
Oppo fast charger..
5v and 5amps..
Best charger for all devices I've ever used.
I never played CYBERNOID 2 but the soundtrack sounds sooo dam familiar as if it was used on another game?
I am wondering if this board could be used in the C64 Maxi. The Maxi is unavailable and I have known someone who had their Maxi board just fail. It appears you could add an internal connector for the keyboard but not sure. Any thoughts?
1st nice job man
I want to see you fix the controller .
I can see someone putting a raspberry pi in the case
$150 USD??? They retail for $150 AUD here!
Also would love to see a raspberry pi in there!
i think there is firmware updates for this already out that lets you use usb controllers, you should update first just to be sure. i would rather have this the way it is and with a usb controller or a different usb joystick over this with another raspberry pi inside it, we seen the pi been done a million times over so if this baby can let us use usb controller i would buy it for that reason. putting a pi in it just takes away from the c64 feel of it, update firmware and try snes buffalo controller in it, i think it works now, try get games onto the built on memory so that we dont need to use usb stick, i put my faith and trust in you eta because you are the man. edit, i just found out the inext snes, ibuffalo controller and the ps4 controller work on this but not many others, such a shame that the joystick ruins the whole thing completely
i don't understand why people want to put pi in it. i takes away real thing from system.
the ps4 controller and the ibuffalo snes controllers do
we have to hope for a firmware update that will support usb controllers then i suppose,
6:34 they spell German wrong :D. Should be "Deutsch", not "DeutschE".
Ist mir auch aufgefallen. :)
pass the deutschE to the left hand side
Deutsche Sprache. Ja, doof.
Wait for update
Wait for the FW update
I don't recall any Atari style joystick ever working very well. That has always been one of my frustration with Amiga and C64 gaming - horrible joysticks. Even back in the eighties I hated them.
plz do a teardown of the controller
I'll like to see if things improve after a firmware update. Also, is Cybernoid 2 this laggy on C64?
C64 games are really hard , I remember as a child asking for new joysticks almost every Christmas. If you can improve the controller hacking it yourself or changing it for another, please do it!! As it comes it's useless :(
Cool vid! Too bad the joystick sux :(
Only ome thing is interesting for us: When will you hack it and flash SNES or similar on the board?
ETA Prime or anyone on the page able to assist! I purchased one of these consoles recently and inside where ETA Prime does the tear down he has a part I am missing! It’s the black and red moped connector that it labelled UBOOT on the board anyone know where to source one or what’s on the other end in between the two weights so I could make one!
Se if you can find a keyboard to fit inside and do a mod.
Gary Stinten
The C64 doesn't have a traditional keyboard layout.
looks like a very difficult diy project, idk if somebody is going to invest time on it
hook up sd card and see what other fun can be had before putting a pi in it..
USB and you can't use different joysticks? not even the other C64 looking one you showed there?
Maybe open up that joystick and see whats what?
Not feeling it for the c64 mini I'd prefer a c64 repro case with a live keyboard for a sbc pi or rock64
Can you connect a second usb pad?
Raspberry pi beats yet another miniature console!
raspberry pi did not beat the nes or snes classic, the pi has almost 3 times more lag than those to consoles, tests have been done, retroarch on pc beats them but then close after is snes and nes mini but the pi is miles behind and the input lag is joke on the pi and its the reason i will never use a pi
The Boogeyman yeah, well that's just your opinion man 👍
Actually the pi beats the nes classic in an input lag contest. Canoe (the snes mini emulator) is indeed better than the raspberry pi but not 3 times better, more like 3 frames better (and only one or 2 frames worse than a "regular" pc). I don't know about retropie but with recalbox, the lag isn't noticeable if you use the right cores.
the lag on the pi is much worse man tests have been done to the extreme forums.libretro.com/t/an-input-lag-investigation/4407/582
and thats a lot considering tvs are bad enough as it is most tvs are in general 40ms lag in game mode and then the extra lag of what you are using on top of that, the pi is too much for a lot of games like mario world. the snes classic beats the pi nintendo done a great job with canoe.
It’s Pi time!
just wait
If it's time, please show how to hack and update the system. Would be great. Thank you
I wish the controllers were microswitched.. The controller needed to be spot on with this one, so it's just a shame :p
Kim Clausen mod the motherboard.. it's the day and age.
how does that get past testing. bummer cant use 3rd party controller
Too bad they did not retrofit it with a working DB9 Port for those who have classic joysticks to use.
Is there any way it can run emulationstation?
Can someone recommend some good joysticks that are fully compatible with the C64 mini?
5:56 is that a mistake from TH-cam?
What ia m seeing is the sound of something and then the video showed it, but it could be just youtube.
What about a game like wasteland?
12:13 Another visitor, stay awhile, stay forever!
Try the firmware then Pi it if it's still junk.
Pi! Of course, or maybe a tinkerboard with retropie!!
🥧 it!!..😊
Thanks for your honest review. I will not be purchasing one . Go go raspberry pi :-)
Throw a RaspPI in this ETA!!
the fake keyboard really put me of purchasing this set
It's awfully tiny. It wouldn't be usable anyway. I believe the devs are planning on a full size version with a working keyboard in the future
Not authentic enough, didn't take half a day and two attempts to load the game. :p
As for the joystick, that's probably pretty authentic. I ALWAYS had problems back in the day with joystick buttons not responding well ESPECIALLY problems with the joystick directions. I was SO happy once joypads started to become the norm.
Very disappointed they didn't include a functional keyboard as that would have made it all the more interesting to hack.
is 4/3 not 1.333... in america?
Firmware update.
Pie it baby
What a letdown.
Yep the microswitched competition pro usb joysticks are excellent. This sounds like a dud joystick. They cheaped out.
You would be better of buying a microswitched competition pro joystick, and a raspberry pi.
Get a competition pro usb joystick, that is microswitched, and its excellent for these old computers like c64 games. Playing with todays d-pad, really misses alot.
andyhello23 The microswitched competition pro usb joystick has extreme lag(a full second).. I know, because I own one, and c64 games can't be played with it on my pc, so it's collecting dust in my closet.
I think it would be even more unplayable than the stick that comes with this c64 mini.
Pi it up!
Raspberry pi
For the lack of quality, seems WAY over priced... Especially being much older than the SNES for example. I had one of these things (different model, C64-C i believe) and it was awesome for my childhood, don't get me wrong...
Please label the inputs next time.. just for reference..
Gary Stinten
Label the inputs?
Input lag is terrible on mine. Don't use mine at all now. Total waste of cash.
Your friend who doesn't let his kids touch his games even though he includes them in some of his vids like it's a family thing when he goes out shopping grabbing pic ups from swap meats, flea markets etc... And the kids are excited like it is a family thing until they touch any of the games and he gives them that "Back Off" look
Riggs I believe John?
Get a refund, buy a pi3 and a case, call it a day. It's like this was one of those projects that seemed super smart 3 years ago and then gets released 2 years too late to still be relevant.
interesting, change the fake keyboard to a usb keyboard
It comes with an hdmi cord but no power supply. That may be the dumbest thing ive ever heard
Put in the pi please. Also i have the c64 mini too would you be interested in putting a pi in my mini i will pay for everything please let me know thank you
I've been all over these guys. They've taken what was to be a solid unit, functional keyboard and the like (what they originally promised), and gave us this cheap garbage. I'd have a difficult time sleeping if I put out this trash.
I'd pay, oh, $50 MAXIMUM for one of these, NOT $150, nor will I pay the MASSIVELY overpriced street prices for the Nintendo mini stuff. This crap is made in China, probably for less than $10 per unit.