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PayPalEnjoy retro computing? It seems one company does, as My Retro Computer have revived the classic Commodore 64 as a barebones PC case.
Inspired by the Commodore 64x replica PC released in 2011, which met an untimely end when the Commodore USA founder Barry Altman died back in 2012. Not to be confused with the original Commodore, as this was a newer company that acquired the name. Commodore USA had a pretty murky history too following multiple controversies, which My Retro Computer are hoping to improve upon and they're not using the Commodore name.
Here we are again though, as someone else is now taking the reigns to keep the spirit of it all alive with Sean Donohue, Director of My Retro Computer Ltd. They've announced today they're going to be shipping two classic styled mini-PC cases inspired by retro systems like the Commodore 64 and the Commodore VIC-20.
Retro is the new modern, according to My Retro Computer. Designed to fit Mini-ITX hardware inside, What do you actually get with each apart from a very cool retro case? They say each has:
- Unique low noise USB Mechanical Cherry Switch keyboard.
- Multi-format SD card reader.
- DVD/hard drive cradle.
- Chassis 40mm cooling fan.
So it needs you to source your own Mini-ITX motherboard and everything else. Even so, if you love building systems it looks like a nice set of retro casing. This means you can run whatever you want with it and whatever operating system.
You can also see a video of them putting one together with a parts list on YouTube. They used Windows at the end but you get the idea clearly at least.
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It seems they plan to expand to cover more retro computing inspired cases, plus they also plan to support mini-computing devices like the Raspberry Pi & OROID. To do that, they will be offering an adaptor plate and panel mount cables which they hope to have before the end of the year.
You can find out more and buy one on their web store.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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The comments on this article are closed.
slaapliedje Oct 14, 2020
Quoting: Liam DaweQuoting: NanobangThis is a fake antique. This is the equivalent of one of those phones that look like a rotary phone, but have buttons instead of holes in a dial, and have modern electronics inside.Doesn't mean it's not cool and that people won't buy it though. Personally, I genuinely like the style of a lot of older things but I like how far things have come. Merging old styles with the new is a good thing for some. A lot of "modern" styling is junk.
I miss desktop computers in general. The beige boxes went away too, but now everyone has such a thing for RGB lighting... it's distracting and pointless... I specifically bought a case with no window so I wouldn't have to see my graphics card and motherboard light up. There's a certain appeal to having a wedge style case. Though anything built as a PC isn't exactly meant to be in such a thing, as they're cramped to work in. Look how they removed the option of an optical drive to mount the HD there instead.
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This looks cool but I would kill for replica Sharp x68000 case. That case is f**kin beautiful, lol but to fit a ATX Mobo you have to chop the internal to pieces plus the shipping from Japan is outrageous for something I might screw up, lol.
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Regarding desktop cases, it may be a bit of a stretch... but I use a 4U 19" server case as my "desktop", with another 2U fuse-and-switch panel below; gives a nice bit of height to the monitor. Probably not going to win any design awards, but it is functional and definitely not cramped inside the case :)
I don't get why people would want to use the 64's keyboard layout, as well as its form factor which doesn't allow to rest your wrists properly? Unless they intend to use the x86 as an emulator and want it to look the part too.
I don't get why people would want to use the 64's keyboard layout, as well as its form factor which doesn't allow to rest your wrists properly? Unless they intend to use the x86 as an emulator and want it to look the part too.
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slaapliedje Oct 15, 2020
Quoting: ValckRegarding desktop cases, it may be a bit of a stretch... but I use a 4U 19" server case as my "desktop", with another 2U fuse-and-switch panel below; gives a nice bit of height to the monitor. Probably not going to win any design awards, but it is functional and definitely not cramped inside the case :)Yeah, for me if I'm going to emulate, I'm going to want the original keyboard layout and such. Try to make it as accurate as possible. But then the c64 is one of those that I didn't grow up with and wondered why they only have two arrow keys with modifiers to go the opposite direction... it's terrible. I grew up with the Atari 8bit, which had proper arrow keys :P
I don't get why people would want to use the 64's keyboard layout, as well as its form factor which doesn't allow to rest your wrists properly? Unless they intend to use the x86 as an emulator and want it to look the part too.
3 Likes, Who?
Quoting: wvstolzingas far as I can remember, the original keyboards on those devices were pretty awful, with thick springs under each key (*not* buckling spring style, just a straight spring that the keycap bounces on) with ridiculously long 'action', and no real sense of feedback.Eh, they were okay compared to the competition at the time. I mean, you wouldn't expect a cheap home computer built to a price to have a keyboard as good as a much higher-priced IBM PC built for daily 9-5 use by professional typists. If you compare them to cheap modern rubber-dome boards - which is more realistic - they're really not bad.
Quoting: slaapliedjeBut then the c64 is one of those that I didn't grow up with and wondered why they only have two arrow keys with modifiers to go the opposite direction... it's terrible. I grew up with the Atari 8bit, which had proper arrow keys :PI didn't have one either, but I'm told by people who did that they got used to it and the use of the Shift key became second-nature. The Sinclair Spectrum had linear cursor keys which attracted a lot of criticism at the time, but they were actually very similar to the Vim-like HJKL layout that's so popular these days. It's all about what you're used to.
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slaapliedje Oct 15, 2020
Quoting: DuncThe IIGS also has a linear row of arrows, but an individual key for each arrow. The c64 one is easy to get used to if you use it frequently enough. I use mine maybe every 3 months or so, so it is still odd.Quoting: wvstolzingas far as I can remember, the original keyboards on those devices were pretty awful, with thick springs under each key (*not* buckling spring style, just a straight spring that the keycap bounces on) with ridiculously long 'action', and no real sense of feedback.Eh, they were okay compared to the competition at the time. I mean, you wouldn't expect a cheap home computer built to a price to have a keyboard as good as a much higher-priced IBM PC built for daily 9-5 use by professional typists. If you compare them to cheap modern rubber-dome boards - which is more realistic - they're really not bad.
Quoting: slaapliedjeBut then the c64 is one of those that I didn't grow up with and wondered why they only have two arrow keys with modifiers to go the opposite direction... it's terrible. I grew up with the Atari 8bit, which had proper arrow keys :PI didn't have one either, but I'm told by people who did that they got used to it and the use of the Shift key became second-nature. The Sinclair Spectrum had linear cursor keys which attracted a lot of criticism at the time, but they were actually very similar to the Vim-like HJKL layout that's so popular these days. It's all about what you're used to.
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slaapliedje Oct 16, 2020
Almost on topic, I built one of these tonight for my Amiga V4SA to use a spare A4000 keyboard with it, works brilliantly!
https://github.com/tkoecker/amigakb Got my order from PCBWay really fast! Like 3 days?
https://github.com/tkoecker/amigakb Got my order from PCBWay really fast! Like 3 days?
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Quoting: DuncQuoting: wvstolzingas far as I can remember, the original keyboards on those devices were pretty awful, with thick springs under each key (*not* buckling spring style, just a straight spring that the keycap bounces on) with ridiculously long 'action', and no real sense of feedback.Eh, they were okay compared to the competition at the time.
Nothing compared to the "chewing gum" keyboard of the Sinclair (ZX 81 or Spectrum, not sure anymore)...!
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Quoting: Liam DaweQuoting: NanobangThis is a fake antique. This is the equivalent of one of those phones that look like a rotary phone, but have buttons instead of holes in a dial, and have modern electronics inside.Doesn't mean it's not cool and that people won't buy it though. Personally, I genuinely like the style of a lot of older things but I like how far things have come. Merging old styles with the new is a good thing for some. A lot of "modern" styling is junk.
Oh, to be sure, people will buy this. And even more people will think it's cool. And that's totally groovy! I'm behind people finding a little sunshine for themselves in life, however they can. An inauthentic object can bring people authentic, valid joy.
I meant to underscore what I said at the beginning: that this isn't "retro" because it isn't imitative of a past style, it's a duplicate of a past object. Any perceived ridicule or distaste in my words was aimed at the seller of such a thing, not those who might want to buy it. :)
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Quoting: EikeNothing compared to the "chewing gum" keyboard of the Sinclair (ZX 81 or Spectrum, not sure anymore)...!The original Spectrum had the “dead flesh” board. Later versions had an improved one with plastic keycaps. I believe Sir Clive actually held patents on rubber-sprung keyboards, and gathered massive licencing fees from the likes of Dell in the '90s. His own company's efforts, being early, were pretty awful though.
The ZX81... oh, dear. It was a keycap-less membrane, marketed as “touch sensitive”. I guess if you “touched” it with a hammer...
Last edited by Dunc on 16 October 2020 at 3:34 pm UTC
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