Haha, you missed to mention that retro Joysticks can he attached on the MEGA65 without any adapter! :) Just love your videos/blogs. You could sell me a heater in the desert!
I covered that one my previous two lists of reasons you will love the MEGA65 (th-cam.com/video/nAgkn2FpDg0/w-d-xo.html) and didn't want to duplicate it here. You know, depending on the desert and time of year, you might...oh...there I go again! 😂 Thanks for commenting and glad you like the vids!
Great video! I am so impatient for my Mega65 to come. Imagine when 1k+ people receive Mega65 this year and start to discover its hidden potential... It will be amazing!
Agreed and it will finally put to rest the negative comments. Let's hope they are ready for the wave of interest that will occur once we share our MEGA65s!
Great video as always. Probably the biggest point I liked was the point about being distraction free. That’s what I like about a lot of these older machines, or “modern retro computers” like the Color Maximite and RC2014 - very few distractions. You’re not going to fire up a web browser in the middle of coding to look something up and the lose three hours. As I get older, it seems my ADD gets a little worse.
Entertaining and fun list! But you have to admit that you're comparing "Apples" to oranges. In terms of what your M1 Macbook Pro can do, it does a whole lot more than the Mega 65 can. For instance, the onboard computer in my car can boot faster than a Macbook Pro, but you can't edit videos on it, or run an office suite, browse the web, etc... Chhers! Great video to pump up our anticipation of receiving our units real soon!
Oh, I completely understand the "apples" to oranges and as I state, this is really no more than just a fun exercise to get us excited about the release. Glad you understood it for what it was. I know I'll get some interesting feedback and look forward to it. Thanks so much for the comments!
The other thing this has over TheC64 is an inverted "T" cursor key arrangement. :) For realz, this looks cool and I love these modern-retro machines. They bring me many smiles.
@@retroCombs Personally, I love TheC64 and it gets a lot of use but basically, it is a game console, not really a "computer" if that makes any sense. Though, I would like to shoe-horn it as some sort of computer like device but the lack of proper IO / com port leaves it a bit lacking. Thanks for the response! Keep up with the great work!
I do also love my TheVIC20 and TheC64 mini. Let's face it, they both are able to introduce a whole new generation to our hobby in a cost effective and low barrier to entry way.
As far as I know, there's no known virus for the MEGA65 and most C64 software available online has been scrubbed of viruses and copy protection. It's a great comment, though!
Ya know, I didn't put that together. Thanks for bringing this to our attention and agree; if intentional, that is a nice nod to a very influential software publisher of the day.
Sort of like comparing a Paper Plane to Concord. Anyway the best MacBookPro was the model before the pointless touchbar version and all soldered components. MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014) is the best they made.
Tongue in cheek video, of course. The Mid 2014 was a very good MBP but for pure power and battery life, I'll keep the M1. And I know there are a lot of Touchbar haters out there, but I really like the thing. Especially when customized using apps like Better Touch Tool. Thanks for the comment!
@@retroCombs It wasn't just the touchbar, the keyboard was rubbish along with the battery life. But the bonus was when the logic board failed within a year of purchase. It was Apple's darkest days. Where I live we paid $4K for something that really should have become a total refund. This is why I say Crapple now.
Luckily that's all been fixed with the latest M1 version except for repairability, I don't think we'll ever see cost effective and user solutions for Mac's going forward.
Well - comparing the mega and the MBP… the Apple chime is just as “booted” as the ready prompt is.. And you can boot to single user mode and have a way more capable shell in about the same time as flipping the mega switch..
The heck is a Combian Pi 400??? I think the numeric keypad from the C128 should have been kept and the floppy drive should go on the side as with the A1200. What's with the abrupt cut after you type LIST at 10:44? Why not show what it does? Looking forward to an Amiga AGA core. 17:50 would like to see more on this 800KB->2MB floppy storage capacity. If this SD vs HD?
Check out the Companion Blog Post, link in video description for more info and links. "Abrupt cut" was an artifact of not cutting soon enough. Good eye. The decision by the team was to recreate the C65 and as such maintain the design. We'd need to ask those early engineers why they chose to cut the numeric keypad. Again, check out the blog post for the link to Paul's article and videos on his floppy drive work. It's good stuff. Thanks for the comments.
And I'm so glad you are! Be sure and let me know if there's something you'd like to see and I'll see if I can add it to my production schedule or include in one of my upcoming videos/live streams.
What I miss from these videos are the demonstration of available everydays software. Everybody talks about BASIC and retro gaming and nostalgia but what about serious usable software? Will/does it have a usable word processor or similar software to Excel for example that could save in compatible formats to modern PCs? Can I read ebooks or PDFs with it? Will it have a graphical OS like what GEOS was for the C64?
What I showed is the current state of software. A version of GEOS is in development for the MEGA65 and it includes a high res version. Other than that, productivity software beyond development tools, has not yet matured. Eleven is probably the best example. A modern feeling IDE that takes advantage of the MEGA65's hardware. There is a rudimentary note taker, but I would really love a dedicated text editor. Keeping my 🤞🏻. I'll share updates as more titles become available. For now, enjoy nostalgic Commodore computing at its finest.
@@retroCombs I would love to have one sooner or later and I hope that the hardware will allow some productive everyday usage as this should be more than just a unique C64 replacement machine (which we already have plenty of).
i'm really interested in this computer. I have the "The C64" and really love that it has USB and HDMI. Any reason why you left out the capability to use USB joysticks or gamepads or speakers or mouse?
I covered joysticks in this video: th-cam.com/video/hygz6cjQcM0/w-d-xo.html along with a bunch of other fun tips. Be sure to watch both parts one and two. I have TheVIC20 and do like that machine too, but the MEGA65 is more similar to a real Commodore computer.
Yes, those of us making the first purchase are helping fund the MEGA65 development. That's for sure; however, there's hope that later, the cost will drop. The Dev Kit was a tad cheaper, but didn't include the cool original case design.
@@retroCombs also don't forget that its possible to make a low-cost MEGA65 compatible computer using an Artix7 A100T FPGA board. You can even connect a real C64 keyboard if you make the MEGA65 Widget Board.
I didn't say it, but the graph sure shows it and agree...Whaaaaaat! The graph stops at 1987 so I have to assume the Amiga sold more in the long run. Great eye!
@@retroCombs tongue in cheek comment but I started off on a C64 then Amiga1000 so I’ve got LOTS of love for both and historically I have zero love for any Apple products so my MEGA65 will be in good company when it arrives ;-)
@@f1lupo Well, as you know, I'm a Mac guy, but glad we both have our roots in Commodore. There's always common ground. 😂 Glad you are going to be a MEGA65 owner!
Necessary evils, as they say! The MEGA65 updates are constant, as they should be throughout the development process. I expect they will slow down once the device releases. Hard to say though. I know the team has several ideas on their development timeline.
Ha! I've been dreaming about the MEGA65 since it was announced. Great to finally have it in hand to enjoy. Now I have two great devices, my Mac and the MEGA65.
Haha, you missed to mention that retro Joysticks can he attached on the MEGA65 without any adapter! :)
Just love your videos/blogs. You could sell me a heater in the desert!
I covered that one my previous two lists of reasons you will love the MEGA65 (th-cam.com/video/nAgkn2FpDg0/w-d-xo.html) and didn't want to duplicate it here. You know, depending on the desert and time of year, you might...oh...there I go again! 😂
Thanks for commenting and glad you like the vids!
Great video! I am so impatient for my Mega65 to come. Imagine when 1k+ people receive Mega65 this year and start to discover its hidden potential... It will be amazing!
Agreed and it will finally put to rest the negative comments. Let's hope they are ready for the wave of interest that will occur once we share our MEGA65s!
Great video as always.
Probably the biggest point I liked was the point about being distraction free. That’s what I like about a lot of these older machines, or “modern retro computers” like the Color Maximite and RC2014 - very few distractions. You’re not going to fire up a web browser in the middle of coding to look something up and the lose three hours. As I get older, it seems my ADD gets a little worse.
Same! I always end up some rabbit hole when working on the Mac. I really need to explore the RC2014 and CM one of these days.
Entertaining and fun list! But you have to admit that you're comparing "Apples" to oranges. In terms of what your M1 Macbook Pro can do, it does a whole lot more than the Mega 65 can. For instance, the onboard computer in my car can boot faster than a Macbook Pro, but you can't edit videos on it, or run an office suite, browse the web, etc... Chhers! Great video to pump up our anticipation of receiving our units real soon!
Oh, I completely understand the "apples" to oranges and as I state, this is really no more than just a fun exercise to get us excited about the release. Glad you understood it for what it was. I know I'll get some interesting feedback and look forward to it. Thanks so much for the comments!
Wait....
Waiting... 😂
The other thing this has over TheC64 is an inverted "T" cursor key arrangement. :) For realz, this looks cool and I love these modern-retro machines. They bring me many smiles.
Hmmmm….should I do another where I compare the MEGA65 to TheC64? Glad to have assisted in the smiles department.
@@retroCombs Personally, I love TheC64 and it gets a lot of use but basically, it is a game console, not really a "computer" if that makes any sense. Though, I would like to shoe-horn it as some sort of computer like device but the lack of proper IO / com port leaves it a bit lacking. Thanks for the response! Keep up with the great work!
I do also love my TheVIC20 and TheC64 mini. Let's face it, they both are able to introduce a whole new generation to our hobby in a cost effective and low barrier to entry way.
I wonder if there are fewer viruses in the wild for the Mega65 as well.
As far as I know, there's no known virus for the MEGA65 and most C64 software available online has been scrubbed of viruses and copy protection. It's a great comment, though!
"Slightly" tongue-in-cheek comparison - I love it
Someone got it! Glad you like it and understood it the way I intended.
love the "pond" logo on the boxed game!! nice homage to "ocean" :)
Ya know, I didn't put that together. Thanks for bringing this to our attention and agree; if intentional, that is a nice nod to a very influential software publisher of the day.
Sort of like comparing a Paper Plane to Concord. Anyway the best MacBookPro was the model before the pointless touchbar version and all soldered components. MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014) is the best they made.
Tongue in cheek video, of course. The Mid 2014 was a very good MBP but for pure power and battery life, I'll keep the M1. And I know there are a lot of Touchbar haters out there, but I really like the thing. Especially when customized using apps like Better Touch Tool. Thanks for the comment!
@@retroCombs It wasn't just the touchbar, the keyboard was rubbish along with the battery life. But the bonus was when the logic board failed within a year of purchase. It was Apple's darkest days. Where I live we paid $4K for something that really should have become a total refund. This is why I say Crapple now.
Luckily that's all been fixed with the latest M1 version except for repairability, I don't think we'll ever see cost effective and user solutions for Mac's going forward.
Well - comparing the mega and the MBP… the Apple chime is just as “booted” as the ready prompt is..
And you can boot to single user mode and have a way more capable shell in about the same time as flipping the mega switch..
Awesome point and a little known feature of the Mac.
The heck is a Combian Pi 400??? I think the numeric keypad from the C128 should have been kept and the floppy drive should go on the side as with the A1200. What's with the abrupt cut after you type LIST at 10:44? Why not show what it does? Looking forward to an Amiga AGA core. 17:50 would like to see more on this 800KB->2MB floppy storage capacity. If this SD vs HD?
Check out the Companion Blog Post, link in video description for more info and links. "Abrupt cut" was an artifact of not cutting soon enough. Good eye. The decision by the team was to recreate the C65 and as such maintain the design. We'd need to ask those early engineers why they chose to cut the numeric keypad. Again, check out the blog post for the link to Paul's article and videos on his floppy drive work. It's good stuff. Thanks for the comments.
Wonderful Steve, i know why i am a supporter :-)
And I'm so glad you are! Be sure and let me know if there's something you'd like to see and I'll see if I can add it to my production schedule or include in one of my upcoming videos/live streams.
What I miss from these videos are the demonstration of available everydays software. Everybody talks about BASIC and retro gaming and nostalgia but what about serious usable software? Will/does it have a usable word processor or similar software to Excel for example that could save in compatible formats to modern PCs? Can I read ebooks or PDFs with it? Will it have a graphical OS like what GEOS was for the C64?
What I showed is the current state of software. A version of GEOS is in development for the MEGA65 and it includes a high res version. Other than that, productivity software beyond development tools, has not yet matured. Eleven is probably the best example. A modern feeling IDE that takes advantage of the MEGA65's hardware. There is a rudimentary note taker, but I would really love a dedicated text editor. Keeping my 🤞🏻. I'll share updates as more titles become available. For now, enjoy nostalgic Commodore computing at its finest.
@@retroCombs I would love to have one sooner or later and I hope that the hardware will allow some productive everyday usage as this should be more than just a unique C64 replacement machine (which we already have plenty of).
Great point and it is designed to last for 40 years!
i'm really interested in this computer. I have the "The C64" and really love that it has USB and HDMI. Any reason why you left out the capability to use USB joysticks or gamepads or speakers or mouse?
I covered joysticks in this video: th-cam.com/video/hygz6cjQcM0/w-d-xo.html along with a bunch of other fun tips. Be sure to watch both parts one and two. I have TheVIC20 and do like that machine too, but the MEGA65 is more similar to a real Commodore computer.
What if one of your viewers wanted one of these C-65s?
Links on the companion blog post and here: mega65.org/
If you're having it shipped to the US, have a little more than $900 ready to drop.
Yes, those of us making the first purchase are helping fund the MEGA65 development. That's for sure; however, there's hope that later, the cost will drop. The Dev Kit was a tad cheaper, but didn't include the cool original case design.
@@retroCombs also don't forget that its possible to make a low-cost MEGA65 compatible computer using an Artix7 A100T FPGA board. You can even connect a real C64 keyboard if you make the MEGA65 Widget Board.
And here's my build of that option! th-cam.com/video/gfsNLwCtIjo/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for the reminder, Paul!
18:35 you're sayin more STs sold than Amigas? Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat???
I didn't say it, but the graph sure shows it and agree...Whaaaaaat! The graph stops at 1987 so I have to assume the Amiga sold more in the long run. Great eye!
This would've made a great MARCHintosh video. 😄
You are correct and one of the few times I would have had something for that month. Oh, woe is me! 😂🍎
Apples days are NUMBERED! Take that Tim!
Ha! Look out Apple, the MEGA65 is in town. Thanks for understanding the spirit of the video and giving me a chuckle.
of course it’s better than a Mac but doubt it’s better than my Amiga BUT I’ll let it sit next to it in my mancave 😉
You never know, there's some cool stuff that puts this thing on a par with an Amiga; however, it's the OS that makes the Amiga extra special.
@@retroCombs tongue in cheek comment but I started off on a C64 then Amiga1000 so I’ve got LOTS of love for both and historically I have zero love for any Apple products so my MEGA65 will be in good company when it arrives ;-)
@@f1lupo Well, as you know, I'm a Mac guy, but glad we both have our roots in Commodore. There's always common ground. 😂 Glad you are going to be a MEGA65 owner!
@@retroCombs indeed it’s all good 👍
I guess I should throw in there that I'm also a Linux user.
Commodore could have been a two trillions company if it wasn't for its short-sighted management
Absolutely. If they had survived we might all be running a variation of Amiga OS. Just like Apple innovated with Mac OS, the OS I use today.
I hate constant updates.
Necessary evils, as they say! The MEGA65 updates are constant, as they should be throughout the development process. I expect they will slow down once the device releases. Hard to say though. I know the team has several ideas on their development timeline.
An Apple a day keeps the doctor away... as long as you have good aim... just kidding 😁
😂
The Mega 65 boots fast because there’s basically nothing being booted into the system.
And "ain't that awesome!" I just miss those days when an on switch meant on, not wait. 😂
yeah....sure...in ur dreams
Ha! I've been dreaming about the MEGA65 since it was announced. Great to finally have it in hand to enjoy. Now I have two great devices, my Mac and the MEGA65.