Comments on the CBMSTUFF WiModem?

[Keatah]

I'm thinking of getting a couple of these.

https://www.cbmstuff.com/proddetail.php?prod=WiModemOLED

 

Any comments or complaints?

[+OLD CS1]

I have nothing constructive or useful, only a wish that these devices would start supporting 5GHz wireless.

[Arnuphis]

I have one and it works fine except on my C128D and my C64 Reloaded MK2. There are other ones from other suppliers as well. Some come in nice cases.

[Keatah]

Others make these things too? Can you direct me to ones that are perhaps better?

[Arnuphis]

Sure thing. Here are some other options.

 

http://sharewareplus.blogspot.com/2018/01/commodore-64-wifi-modem-now-finished.html

https://www.ebay.com/p/Commodore-64-WiFi-Telnet-Modem-V2-1-300-to-9600-Baud/26005034887

 

The CBM stuff one has the nice OLED but I like the one that comes with the BBS cards. My friend has one and the build qualiity is excellent. I got one of the ones from Ebay that I listed above but mine came in a case. This one works fine with my Reloaded MK1 board.

[Keatah]

I totally failed to mention I plan on using this with various RS-232 computers, like PC or Apple II.

[+OLD CS1]

You will not want something Commodore-specific, then. You might be able to find other platform-specific models or generic RS-232 models. Over in the TI forum the guys are using something RS-232, I believe.

[+OLD CS1]

Here ya go, first Google result for "RS-232 wifi modem":

 

http://biosrhythm.com/?page_id=1453

 

(Sold out, of course.)

[AMenard]

I have a wimodem232. Bought it and never used it.

[RobertB]

I have one and it works fine except on my C128D and my C64 Reloaded MK2. There are other ones from other suppliers as well. Some come in nice cases.

I did not know that it wouldn't work on a C128D or C64 Reloaded. I have the SharewarePlus one and the StrikeLink v1.1.

 

Truly,

Robert Bernardo

Fresno Commodore User Group - http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm

Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network - http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan

[Flojomojo]

That's really neat, a real bridge from the present to the past of computing. I keep reading "wimodem" (presumable wireless modem) as WinModem, the dumbed-down cheaper modems one could buy in the 1990s to save a few bucks and offload some telco functions to your PC CPU, slowing things down and crapping things up. I'm glad we don't have do deal with them anymore. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Softmodem

 

though maybe Keatah has some misplaced nostalgia for them?

[Arnuphis]

I did not know that it wouldn't work on a C128D or C64 Reloaded. I have the SharewarePlus one and the StrikeLink v1.1.

 

Truly,

Robert Bernardo

Fresno Commodore User Group - http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm

Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network - http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan

 

In 128 mode it interferes with the disk drive mode. Fine in 64 mode though. It works with the Reloaded Mk2 but causes a lot of screen jitter due to issues I will not go into here

 

and to the OP, I assumed you meant the commodore version since that was the one you referenced. The same source has a standard RS232 version which I use on my TI-99/4a.

Edited October 31, 2018 by Arnuphis

[Keatah]

Good info. Thanks all. I will make my decision in a coupla weeks and then order!

[MrMaddog]

I have nothing constructive or useful, only a wish that these devices would start supporting 5GHz wireless.

 

Eh, just get a MiFi router or use a smartphone with WiFi tethering. No messy wires lying about...

[Flojomojo]

I have nothing constructive or useful, only a wish that these devices would start supporting 5GHz wireless.

 

May I ask why? 5GHz is mostly for speed, which isn't needed for this kind of thing. Most modern routers have multiple SSIDs so your fast traffic won't be slowed down by the B/G traffic on the other radio.

[tschak909]

Jim's CBMSTUFF modem is a good choice, if a bit higher priced. It has some niceties like WPS setup, but it lacks XON/XOFF flow control, if you need it.

 

For C64/128, you _Really_ want to use an RS232 based device, connected to a Swiftlink (one could be combined into a single cart, but nobody has done this yet), the reason is, that you have a nice fast UART that can handle 19200 and 38400bps DTE rates.

 

both user port and RS232 solutions for the C64/128 have hardware flow control capabilities. Which, despite what some people seem to say, you actually do need it, if you intend to reliably use higher data rates.

 

For user port, you'll nominally get 2400bps, and with the right drivers, you CAN marginally do 9600bps, just expect to lose some bits. 2Mhz operation on the 128 (with the 8563) can go faster.

 

Many of the available modems use the same basic firmware that Paul Rickards wrote, a few years ago, with the same basic circuitry.

 

-Thom

Edited October 31, 2018 by tschak909

[+OLD CS1]

 

Eh, just get a MiFi router or use a smartphone with WiFi tethering. No messy wires lying about...

 

Does not resolve connecting retro devices to the wireless. I see what you are saying, now, but still an unacceptable solution for my environment per below.

 

 

May I ask why? 5GHz is mostly for speed, which isn't needed for this kind of thing. Most modern routers have multiple SSIDs so your fast traffic won't be slowed down by the B/G traffic on the other radio.

 

2.4GHz is a ridiculously crowded band. In my house there are between 42 and 53 2.4GHz networks in range depending upon location in the house, and across the three non-overlapping channels they are strong enough to cause signal quality issues. As well, 2.4GHz wireless stomps on Bluetooth reducing the effect range of Bluetooth devices and causing popping sounds in the headset profile.

 

The 5GHz band, up until recently, remained virtually unused. In all areas of my house, including in the far corner of garage on the exactly opposite from my wireless access point, I can still get 700Mb/s or more on a roughly half-strength signal, indicating excellent signal quality. Bluetooth devices function almost just as well, allowing me to send audio from my workstation to my headphones as I walk around the entire house with minimal drops in the farthest areas.

 

The 5GHz band is getting a little more crowded now, and the fact my Draytek does not support four of the 5GHz channels which appear to be unused but supported by my wireless card, I see a drop in signal quality, but it is still a damn sight better than my measured results with 2.4GHz.

 

Thus, for range without repeaters or additional access points, speed, and lack of interference with my Bluetooth, 5GHz is the correct prescription in my environment.

[RobertB]

 

In 128 mode it interferes with the disk drive mode.

Ack!

 

Truly,

Robert Bernardo

Fresno Commodore User Group - http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm

Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network - http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan

[JimDrew]

I have one and it works fine except on my C128D and my C64 Reloaded MK2. There are other ones from other suppliers as well. Some come in nice cases.

 

It works fine on the C128D, that's what I used for my original development. You need to change a jumper pad for the C128/D to work with BURST mode loading. This is due to the UP9600 baud hack support, which is not compatible with the C128/D. I made a jumper pad where you can disable the UP9600 support if you are using a C128/D.

 

ANY USER port device, from EPROM programmers to audio capture devices does not work with the C64Reloaded Mk2 board without video interference. The WiModem is the same. For the Mk1 board you can remove the fake 8701 chip and replace it with a real 8701 chip and the video is now perfect - with any USER port device. There is a problem with the C64Reloaded Mk2 board (and Mk1 w/fake 8701) being too sensitive to the 5v rail due to the 8701 logic.

Edited February 19, 2019 by JimDrew