Need help choosing C64

Hi all,

I was hoping for some help here, please...

I have often wondered what it would be like to actually own a C64\C\128 or the-like, as I never owned one as a kid (ZX81 & Speccy only) and never had a friend that did either. So, I never experienced the whole Spectrum vs Commodore thing! :D

Won't be in the market to purchase for a little while (expensive Holiday to pay for! And then have a 1240t that I'm looking at upgrading to a 1260...) but maybe in the autumn/winter, so no rush, my question to you then is:-

As a good all-round, playing games/demos, bit of programming/fiddling with the system, what is the best model to go for? I'll only be buying one, so which is the best all-round model?

Will probably use it with a datasette at the beginning, but will need a model that I can 'upgrade' along the way.

So, over to those more knowledgeable...

Cheers!

A C64 would fit your needs perfectly. All the old and modern expansions with a few exceptions are designed for the C64. C128 offers only the 128 mode, which has a small software library compared to the 64 and CP/M mode, which is done better in probably all other Z80 based systems.

If you can get a good deal on a C128 or plan to do a lot of programming in Basic, do get it but otherwise a C64 should fulfill all your needs.

So, the original 'bread-bin' type or a newer 'C' type - does it matter?

I second protek. Any C64 will do. Older model is better suited for games, while the newer for watching demos. Why? Because of the different sound chip. You will rarely spot a difference in games but some new demos sound really awful with the older SID model.

Even if you would like to program in BASIC, you are better off with C64 and Simon's BASIC. Beware that some carts don't play well with every C128 model (1541 Ultimate-2 I am looking at you:).

i have a few c64's and my favorite is the breadbox model with 6581,but with the 250425 mainboard.

if you dont care about that sort of thing then a cheap and cheerful c64c will do you just fine.

its all about preference really...and knowing what your looking at or hearing.

I'd stay clear of the last cost reduced version of the 64C model, in which the case is a clip-on and not screws.

As a question that might benefit the OP, are there any differences in visual clarity? I own a C, indeed probably the one with clips, and it has mild jailbars using an RGB cable (doesnt bother me). Is there any other reason protek to avoid this version?

As already said any c64 will do really and i would get the basic sd2iec for it

Classic breadbin style C64 all the way! Although any model will likely suit you and there is a multitude of expansion devices you can get along the way.

My all time favourite 8bit system I can't get enough of em lol

Regards

you can get rid of the jail-bar effect with a small amount of electronics,i wont get into that here as most arnt bothered by it.

if your a stickler like me youll want to use the s/video(chroma/luma)instead of composite.


first thing i add to mine is jiffydos to speed up disk access.


other than the case differences on the model c64c there isnt much difference inside...sram fitted on motherboard as apposed to integrated onto one of the ic's on the main board etc on later models.. funcionally there the same and can be found in either case style on the 64c modles