59 replies to this topic

[DeadlyDiskKun]

As some of you know, I had an original Commodore 64 which I have missed after it broke.
Well, I really didnt feel like buying another for the price people demand.

Anyways, yesterday around noon a friend showed up at my house with a box of things he no longer wanted, and in that box to my amazement was a very good condition "Commodore 64 Direct-to-TV" unit which is basically like Commodores version of the Atari Flashback 2. C64DTV is very easily modified since its not a clone but instead an actual Commodore 64 all built into a Pro 5000 controller.

Possible mods for C64DTV:

* port for the floppy disk drive
* second controller port
* port for a ps/2 keyboard
* VGA output
* external dongle for cartridges


Anyways, I absolutely love the C64DTV; I would recommend it to anyone whom wants to have instant gameplay of 30 classic games. It shows the real Commodore computer text entering screen and is preprogrammed to enter the code for gameplay.

But when you hit all 4 lower buttons with the reset you enter a screen which will allow for your own coding.

[nonner242]

Sounds like I need to get 1!

[nathanallan]

They're really neat, nonner definitely get one! Even for non-modding it's a great game to play on. I got two over time, and gona keep one all stock, mod the heck out of the other one.

[DeadlyDiskKun]

nathanallan, on Fri Jan 22, 2010 7:48 PM, said:

They're really neat, nonner definitely get one! Even for non-modding it's a great game to play on. I got two over time, and gona keep one all stock, mod the heck out of the other one.

Yup, unfortunately I looked them up and they went out of stock in 2006.
Cheapest one I saw on ebay was bidded to 55$, with 11$ shipping.
But 250,000 units exist; so someone should be willing to sell one for cheaper.

[HatNJ]

Could also look for the Hummer Steering wheel game that Radio Shack sold

Since finding an original DTV to mod wasnt so easy for a reasonable price got one of these from a fellow AtariAge member to hope some day mod for c64 fun

[jaybird3rd]

DeadlyDiskKun, on Sat Jan 23, 2010 9:59 AM, said:

Yup, unfortunately I looked them up and they went out of stock in 2006.
Cheapest one I saw on ebay was bidded to 55$, with 11$ shipping.
But 250,000 units exist; so someone should be willing to sell one for cheaper.

Geez, are these things that expensive now?!  I bought two or three of them a couple years ago, but I haven't really used them much.  I've sold or given away all my other C64 stuff, so I should really dig my DTV units out, too; I'd pass them on to another AtariAge member for a lot less than $55.

[DeadlyDiskKun]

HatNJ, on Sat Jan 23, 2010 7:30 PM, said:

Could also look for the Hummer Steering wheel game that Radio Shack sold

Since finding an original DTV to mod wasnt so easy for a reasonable price got one of these from a fellow AtariAge member to hope some day mod for c64 fun

I have heard the "Hummer" ones are just a easy to mod; never seen one in action but they are supposed to be just as good as the "C64 Pro 5000 DTV" units.


@jaybird3rd - That would be cool as alot of fellow Commodore 64 fans want the units but simply cannot find them for a good price as they arent in a high supply.

[Mirage]

Wow, $55, really? That's the cheapest? I had no idea. I think HatNJ up there got my Hummer DTV unit last year.

[HatNJ]

Mirage, on Sat Jan 23, 2010 10:45 PM, said:

Wow, $55, really? That's the cheapest? I had no idea. I think HatNJ up there got my Hummer DTV unit last year.

Yep that was me have not had time to mod it yet

[Mirage]

HatNJ, on Sat Jan 23, 2010 11:38 PM, said:

Mirage, on Sat Jan 23, 2010 10:45 PM, said:

Wow, $55, really? That's the cheapest? I had no idea. I think HatNJ up there got my Hummer DTV unit last year.

Yep that was me have not had time to mod it yet

I hear ya. I'm hanging onto my DTV to someday modify if my real C64 and real C64 backups ever bite the dust for good and I can't find another one. Kinda like "Plan C"

[nonner242]

jaybird3rd, on Sat Jan 23, 2010 8:01 PM, said:

DeadlyDiskKun, on Sat Jan 23, 2010 9:59 AM, said:

Yup, unfortunately I looked them up and they went out of stock in 2006.
Cheapest one I saw on ebay was bidded to 55$, with 11$ shipping.
But 250,000 units exist; so someone should be willing to sell one for cheaper.

Geez, are these things that expensive now?!  I bought two or three of them a couple years ago, but I haven't really used them much.  I've sold or given away all my other C64 stuff, so I should really dig my DTV units out, too; I'd pass them on to another AtariAge member for a lot less than $55.

Id be done for one if ya do sell!

[mimo]

ouch $55!!
I just bought one (A PAL one) for $7. I also have the intention of modding it into a full blown C64

[jaybird3rd]

nonner242, on Sun Jan 24, 2010 2:18 AM, said:

Id be done for one if ya do sell!

Okay, I just dug my DTV units out of storage and posted them in the Marketplace.  I thought I had more, but I was able to find two joysticks: one new (which I'm offering for $30), and one loose but in excellent condition (which I'm offering for $25).  PM me if you're interested!

[jamesk]

I totally missed the boat on these things when they came out. If anyone wants to sell one let me know. It's really too bad they don't make them anymore.

[DeadlyDiskKun]

jamesk, on Sun Jan 31, 2010 5:27 PM, said:

I totally missed the boat on these things when they came out. If anyone wants to sell one let me know. It's really too bad they don't make them anymore.

They were discontinued after legal problems with a couple games on the system that Commodore didnt have permission to put onto the system.

[akator]

I bought one jaybird3rd had for sale last week and it arrived on Saturday.  I've played it several hours over the weekend, and I'm incredibly impressed with it.  Even without having done any mods yet, it's one of the best plug-n-play units I've used.  And it's definitely easier than unpacking and setting up my C64, especially since I don't have space to do that right now.

It's a real shame these aren't still produced, even if licensing would require changes to the game lineup.

I think it would be incredible if there were other units like this one, but running software from other classic computers.  I would happily purchase different versions for any number of computers -- the Atari 800, Apple II, TI-99/4a, and CoCo all come to mind.  How cool would that be?

EDIT:  Does anyone know where to download a manual for version 1 of the C64 DTV?  The manual from the official website is for a later PAL version and doesn't have the same games...

Edited by akator, Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:36 PM.

[nathanallan]

akator, on Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:26 PM, said:

I think it would be incredible if there were other units like this one, but running software from other classic computers.  I would happily purchase different versions for any number of computers -- the Atari 800, Apple II, TI-99/4a, and CoCo all come to mind.  How cool would that be?

Heck yeah, I'd love a Tandy version, but it would most likely need a keyboard for some games to work (I'm still okay with that, keyboard gaming is pretty fun). TI would be just great!

[jamesk]

akator, on Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:26 PM, said:

I think it would be incredible if there were other units like this one, but running software from other classic computers.  I would happily purchase different versions for any number of computers -- the Atari 800, Apple II, TI-99/4a, and CoCo all come to mind.  How cool would that be?

An Apple IIe would be cool. If I got something like that I could stop eyeballing Laser 128s on Ebay.

[DeadlyDiskKun]

akator, on Sun Jan 31, 2010 7:26 PM, said:

I bought one jaybird3rd had for sale last week and it arrived on Saturday.  I've played it several hours over the weekend, and I'm incredibly impressed with it.  Even without having done any mods yet, it's one of the best plug-n-play units I've used.  And it's definitely easier than unpacking and setting up my C64, especially since I don't have space to do that right now.

It's a real shame these aren't still produced, even if licensing would require changes to the game lineup.

I think it would be incredible if there were other units like this one, but running software from other classic computers.  I would happily purchase different versions for any number of computers -- the Atari 800, Apple II, TI-99/4a, and CoCo all come to mind.  How cool would that be?

EDIT:  Does anyone know where to download a manual for version 1 of the C64 DTV?  The manual from the official website is for a later PAL version and doesn't have the same games...

I couldnt find the NTSC model 1 manual, so I have printed and stapled the Model 2/3 manual but wish I had the model 1.

Also yes, it would be really cool if we got a C64 DTV 2; With different games... that would be so great.

[DeadlyDiskKun]

http://picobay.com/d...DTV_Easter_Eggs
Secrets to unlock on the C64 DTV!

Edited by DeadlyDiskKun, Sat Feb 13, 2010 8:43 PM.

[nathanallan]

Thanks for posting the link!

[DeadlyDiskKun]

nathanallan, on Sun Feb 14, 2010 1:54 AM, said:

Thanks for posting the link!

No problem, Nathan.
I know you also have a high liking of the C64 DTV.

I tested them all actually, and they all work.
The pictures are priceless.

Edited by DeadlyDiskKun, Sun Feb 14, 2010 8:39 AM.

[nonner242]

Pretty cool, gotta try it one day.

[DeadlyDiskKun]

nonner, they are fun to use.

[nonner242]

DeadlyDiskKun, on Sun Feb 14, 2010 4:26 PM, said:

nonner, they are fun to use.

Im sure, I just want mine modded first!