Keeping It Real
[the publish date is retroactively published]
As my C64C started (with me, anyway) as a case and keyboard, when I bought the motherboard, it came with a nano SwinSID.
This is a modern take on the original SID chip, emulated on a tiny chip. The original SID chip was both analogue and digital; it was also used to control a mouse or paddle. Unfortunately, the SwinSID doesn’t support those, and I figured that there might be a chance (FORESHADOWING FUTURE POSTS LOL) that I might want to use a mouse at some point. So, I looked around for a better solution. I did find one, and that was the ARMSID
This is an ARM processor emulating a SID chip. It works perfectly, but there were a couple of tracks that I listened to on it that didn’t sound ‘quite right’. So, another Google search took me to Retroleum , and I bought a real SID chip. So now the whole board is completely original, although probably made up of multiple C64 parts. The only problems were that it was still using 3D-printed keyboard mounts, and it didn’t have the RF shield.
With regards to the RF shield, this was added to most electronics because of rather zealous legislation regarding certain electronic devices such as computers and consoles, and it’s not really needed. Also, there is a debate about whether or not they heat up the C64. As it was only £3 or so, I thought I’d take the chance and use it, and if it did heat up the C64C, I would keep it so that the machine was as ‘original’ as possible. It is installed, and with three heatsinks (on CPU, VIC-II and SID chips), the only thing that remotely gets warm (not hot) is the CPU.
So, aside from the PSU/AV cables, the heatsinks and stickers, this C64C is almost a stock C64C. It is certainly not a mint OEM machine, but it’s now a really nice machine that, with a bit of care and attention, should last quite a few more years – hopefully, decades to come.