+sm3 Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 https://www.c256foenix.com/ I just learned about this one today. Maybe this is old news to everyone else. Here is a link to a blog where they did an interview with the woman creating it: http://blog.snapeda.com/2018/06/06/building-the-commodore-computer-that-should-have-existed-an-interview-with-stefany-allaire/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sm3 Posted August 13, 2018 Author Share Posted August 13, 2018 The C256 project seems to be moving right along. She now has a fully populated development board https://www.c256foenix.com/single-post/2018/08/12/Behold-The-C256-Foenix Looking good! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sm3 Posted September 3, 2018 Author Share Posted September 3, 2018 Here is a presentation given by Stefany Allaire on her C256 at CRX2018. Thanks to Jim Drew for posting these on YouTube: Part 1 Part 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jsmith73 Posted September 3, 2018 Share Posted September 3, 2018 Well, that's interesting. I'm intrigued to see how this turns out. Thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sm3 Posted December 26, 2018 Author Share Posted December 26, 2018 Well, that's interesting. I'm intrigued to see how this turns out. Thanks for sharing. Seems Stefany has changed the board design a bit, here is Revision B now: https://www.c256foenix.com/single-post/2018/12/02/Revision-B-is-Great It's going to be hard to choose between this and the Mega65. I'll probably end up getting both 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sm3 Posted March 4, 2019 Author Share Posted March 4, 2019 Seems a couple of new videos have been released on the C256 if you are interested: System architecture: Memory map: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hwlngmad Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 Very interesting to see where this project will go. However, I just wonder what this project is actually for, what games/programs will be available, and what the price point will be? Also, considering that David Murray (the 8-bit Guy) is doing his own psuedo 8-bit Commodore computer system, it just makes me wonder if there is enough room and/or interest in two projects like this. Seems a couple of new videos have been released on the C256 if you are interested: System architecture: Memory map: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 Two? I don't think the count ends there. Where's Mega 65, and I'm sure at least a few more similar projects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hwlngmad Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 I didn't know that there were other notable Commodore / 8-bit computer projects out there. I guess it now becomes a race of what projects will get done first and which ones (if any) will find any traction with the retro and/or mainstream gaming and/or computer enthusiast crowds. Two? I don't think the count ends there. Where's Mega 65, and I'm sure at least a few more similar projects. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sm3 Posted March 5, 2019 Author Share Posted March 5, 2019 Very interesting to see where this project will go. However, I just wonder what this project is actually for, what games/programs will be available, and what the price point will be? Also, considering that David Murray (the 8-bit Guy) is doing his own psuedo 8-bit Commodore computer system, it just makes me wonder if there is enough room and/or interest in two projects like this. I don't think the C256 will be for everyone. Unlike the Mega65 there will be no 64 mode. I believe the only thing it will have from a 64 will be an FPGA SID implementation. This will be a new 8-bit platform, a what if? I suppose. The design will be open source so anyone later can pick it up and do what they like as well. There is a post on the website that mentions why make this when there is the Mega65. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hwlngmad Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 I wish the project luck. I know that OpCode is doing something similar with their 'Project Omni' console, so it will be interesting to see what development is done on this project once it is completed and how much support it will get. However, I suspect something more mainstream (like the Mega65) might see more success. Still, you never can tell. I don't think the C256 will be for everyone. Unlike the Mega65 there will be no 64 mode. I believe the only thing it will have from a 64 will be an FPGA SID implementation. This will be a new 8-bit platform, a what if? I suppose. The design will be open source so anyone later can pick it up and do what they like as well. There is a post on the website that mentions why make this when there is the Mega65. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sm3 Posted May 4, 2019 Author Share Posted May 4, 2019 The C256 project keeps chugging along. They have some development boards for sale now on their site: https://c256foenix.com/shop/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christo930 Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 (edited) https://www.c256foenix.com/ I just learned about this one today. Maybe this is old news to everyone else. Here is a link to a blog where they did an interview with the woman creating it: http://blog.snapeda.com/2018/06/06/building-the-commodore-computer-that-should-have-existed-an-interview-with-stefany-allaire/ Am I missing something? Is there a particular reason to invent a new obsolete computer? What are the advantages which would make it worth it? $500 for an obsolete new computer with no software available? I just am unable to grasp why. I do like the idea of a "new" computer that exists only in software that could run on a modern PC which would come with an "easy" environment for writing software like if you were 15 again with your C64 or if our sons could work on it. Edited May 13, 2019 by christo930 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sm3 Posted May 13, 2019 Author Share Posted May 13, 2019 Am I missing something? Is there a particular reason to invent a new obsolete computer? What are the advantages which would make it worth it? $500 for an obsolete new computer with no software available? I just am unable to grasp why. I do like the idea of a "new" computer that exists only in software that could run on a modern PC which would come with an "easy" environment for writing software like if you were 15 again with your C64 or if our sons could work on it. I think she is working on it because she can and to meet a challenge. If there are enough people interested, it may progress further. Here's an interview: http://blog.snapeda.com/2018/06/06/building-the-commodore-computer-that-should-have-existed-an-interview-with-stefany-allaire/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 Am I missing something? Is there a particular reason to invent a new obsolete computer? What are the advantages which would make it worth it? $500 for an obsolete new computer with no software available? I just am unable to grasp why. I do like the idea of a "new" computer that exists only in software that could run on a modern PC which would come with an "easy" environment for writing software like if you were 15 again with your C64 or if our sons could work on it. Right. The only interesting aspect I can think of (and what this project could illustrate) is an alternate timeline. What if the C64 evolved into this? Well, whatever happens, I think the best solution is a newer soft computer. An emulator. An emulator on a modern computer. A fusion between the old and the new and the alternate. And being a soft computer, it can evolve in a highly cost-effective manner. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sm3 Posted May 13, 2019 Author Share Posted May 13, 2019 Am I missing something? Is there a particular reason to invent a new obsolete computer? What are the advantages which would make it worth it? $500 for an obsolete new computer with no software available? I just am unable to grasp why. I do like the idea of a "new" computer that exists only in software that could run on a modern PC which would come with an "easy" environment for writing software like if you were 15 again with your C64 or if our sons could work on it. The final regular version (if they get that far) is supposed to be cheaper since it will be a cost reduced PCB etc... This is just a development board. $299 will get you what you need to start playing around with the platform from what I can see in their store. $349 if you want one with the floppy drive. Of course then you'll need to supply the PS2 keyboard, mouse and a monitor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keatah Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 A new modern machine packed with emulators exceeds the nostalgia, the cost/performance ratio, the versatility, the reliability, the convenience and software availability, and the potential for discovery many times over. IMHO this is too vertical and barren. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 I cannot agree that an emulator can feed everyone's nostalgia, as that hunger comes in many forms. For some, the look-and-feel in software, to use or to program; for others, the creation of a new machine with links to the past and future in hardware, or to touch and hold. Check out "Soul of a New Machine." 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sm3 Posted May 16, 2019 Author Share Posted May 16, 2019 Here's a short video just created by a guy creating the BASIC for the C256: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_BDClP2kQ8 I wanted to mention, unlike the C64 and C128 the 256 after the C doesn't denote memory size, but color amount on the C256. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted May 16, 2019 Share Posted May 16, 2019 Colour amount? Is that a 6x6x6 RGB cube with extra levels for primaries and grey scales to make up for a 256 colour palette like PC graphics cards with 8-bit colour depth used to do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sm3 Posted May 16, 2019 Author Share Posted May 16, 2019 Colour amount? Is that a 6x6x6 RGB cube with extra levels for primaries and grey scales to make up for a 256 colour palette like PC graphics cards with 8-bit colour depth used to do? Good question, you can see specs here: https://wiki.c256foenix.com/index.php?title=Main_Page I just wanted to clarify that it was not for memory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted May 16, 2019 Share Posted May 16, 2019 Aha, a 256 colour redefinable palette out of 16 million colours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmer Posted May 16, 2019 Share Posted May 16, 2019 Right. The only interesting aspect I can think of (and what this project could illustrate) is an alternate timeline. What if the C64 evolved into this? Yep, I believe that's what her design goal is ... "Stefany Allaire is building the Commodore 256, what she believes should have been the successor to the Commodore 64 and 128, the best-selling computer line in history." I'm sorry, but IMHO, that's absolute bollocks and very strange thinking. Not the dream that Commodore might have continued to develop the C64 if they hadn't imploded ... but the idea that a machine with 6MB of 5ns static RAM, and a 4-layer 640x480 256-color screen mode ... but yet still driven by a 65C816 processor, would have ever been created by *anyone*. The whole history of home-computer/consoles was limited by the availability and cost of CPUs and, more-importantly, RAM in the 1980s and 1990s. By the time that anyone could afford to manufacture home-computers/consoles that could display 640x480x256, the entire landscape had switched to 32-bit processors, with the sales-pitch that RISC CPUs were going to solve all of our computing problems. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+sm3 Posted May 16, 2019 Author Share Posted May 16, 2019 Aha, a 256 colour redefinable palette out of 16 million colours. Yes, I guess my statement was poorly worded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 So this is the 1980's equivalent to a steampunk computer? For that matter already in 1986, Commodore entertained the thought of a 65816 based computer, possibly an upgraded C128 but they pretty much never went to production with one. At the same time the Amiga was looking to have a brilliant future with many options of further improvements and possibly even selling the custom chipset to 3rd party manufacturers, something Commodore rarely or never had done before (but this was post Tramiel era). So yes while Commodore still believed there was a little more air to squeeze out from the 8-bit market, their main focus was the 16/32-bit market. In an alternative timeline where Commodore never bought the Amiga Lorraine, and might have kept developing the CBM 900 for business users (before finally giving up and realizing PC compatibles was the future), they may have put a little more effort into a final 8-bit system but probably nowhere near the specs of this one, 30 years later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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