Just got a C64 and a SD2IEC, and I am totally lost....

[Greg2600]

Is the Ultimate 1541 easier to setup and use than the SD2IEC?

I'm not a C64 expert, but with the Ultimate, I turn it on, scroll the menu, and start a game with the trigger button. That's it. Plus there's a curated rom set out there, that is pretty accurate with compatibility.

 

Same here. Only problems I've experienced are when trying to run PAL programs, but that's to be expected. Besides them, really have yet to run across much that didn't work with the SD2IEC.

Anything multi-disk was a nightmare for me. Also couldn't get tape images to run, which is most of the European library. To me, it wasn't compatibility as much as speed. The fast loading is worth the price upgrade to the 1541. Sure, the early/mid-80s stuff mostly loads, but the later 80's stuff was just not feasible.

[Raticon]

I found that using the SD2IEC was extremely easy and simple to use. The version i got was from "The future was 8 bit" from UK. It draws it's power from the cassetteport and in other respects plug in the floppy port and work like a floppy drive.

All documentation followed with it and it's really easy to play 2-tape/2-sided games too. I could type down or scan/upload some of the instructions if anyone lost theirs/didn't get it with the device.

I'm not on any kind of speedloader though. Looking to get one in the future but seeing as i'm used to tapes and the SD2IEC loads at normal floppy-pace it's still lightning fast compared to what i'm used to.

EDIT
Oh yeah and it also looks like a mini 1541. He even sent a sticker with it looking like a small floppy to stick to the SD-card making it look like a small floppy.

Edited July 29, 2017 by Raticon

[spacecadet]

I'm not on any kind of speedloader though. Looking to get one in the future but seeing as i'm used to tapes and the SD2IEC loads at normal floppy-pace it's still lightning fast compared to what i'm used to.

 

I have the same one you have, and agree that it's very easy to use. Mine came with the sticker for the floppy already on the SD card, unless you meant you got yours without an SD card (I opted to get the loaded SD card with it).

 

I remember thinking 1541's were slow as dirt when I was younger, but somehow I don't notice it anymore with this. I don't have a fastloader either. It's a bit of a wait when starting a program but that's it, and I'm not usually in a big hurry when doing stuff on the C64.

[carlsson]

As long as one works with D64 images containing single filed programs or at least programs that don't implement their own fast loader, my uIEC/SD combined with Action Replay Mk 6 and a 1581 ROM installed into the root of the SD card, performs at JiffyDOS compatible speeds or possibly better.

[scotty]

I have the Ultimate 1541 II+ on order. Can not wait to get it. I thought about the SD2IEC, but I figured if I was going to do it, to do it right.

[danny_galaga]

I found that using the SD2IEC was extremely easy and simple to use. The version i got was from "The future was 8 bit" from UK. It draws it's power from the cassetteport and in other respects plug in the floppy port and work like a floppy drive.

 

All documentation followed with it and it's really easy to play 2-tape/2-sided games too. I could type down or scan/upload some of the instructions if anyone lost theirs/didn't get it with the device.

 

I'm not on any kind of speedloader though. Looking to get one in the future but seeing as i'm used to tapes and the SD2IEC loads at normal floppy-pace it's still lightning fast compared to what i'm used to.

 

EDIT

Oh yeah and it also looks like a mini 1541. He even sent a sticker with it looking like a small floppy to stick to the SD-card making it look like a small floppy.

 

To the OP,

 

Although I got mine from elsewhere, the future was 8 bit was indispensable for finding out how to use one. And he has a great set of disk images to download most of which work straight up (",)