I have one of these that someone gave me years ago. It used to function, but after sitting in a shed for some years, the mice got inside it and chewed the wiring.
Would it be possible to make a functioning pc mod out of this Commodore 64 PET 4032?
I'm thinking small LCD display, and the VIA EPIA platform. You'd need to do some wiring haxx0ring on the keyboard, but it could be done. Or you could mod a compact keyboard in.
If you're creative enough and determined enough, you can cram a PC into just about any enclosure. There's plenty of room in that old PET to cram a PC.
I used to LOVE the PET. My neighbor had one and I would go over there and type in games on it.
It is the only computer that I know of that you could write a program on that would literally destroy the computer. Talk about destructive virii!
There was a command to poke a value into a register that would heat up some element on the motherboard until it popped, destroying your computer. So, you would write a program like:
10 POKE 2343,12
20 GOTO 10
(I forget the exact values)
And run that, and in about 20 minutes, poof. Bye bye $2500 computer.
This isn't completely related, but I saw on [H] the other day a guy that put a F@H machine into a cardboard box. I'm sorry, but to me that isn't "creative" or "inventive." I guess some could say it's thinking "inside the box."
primesuspect said If you're creative enough and determined enough, you can cram a PC into just about any enclosure. There's plenty of room in that old PET to cram a PC.
I used to LOVE the PET. My neighbor had one and I would go over there and type in games on it.
It is the only computer that I know of that you could write a program on that would literally destroy the computer. Talk about destructive virii!
There was a command to poke a value into a register that would heat up some element on the motherboard until it popped, destroying your computer. So, you would write a program like:
10 POKE 2343,12
20 GOTO 10
(I forget the exact values)
And run that, and in about 20 minutes, poof. Bye bye $2500 computer.
That is funny!!!
I thought I saw an article on megarad about a guy that somehow got an amd processor to run in a modded out commodore 64. I have no idea how this could be done, and it sounds far fetched. I would look for the article but Im @ work and the proxy blocks megarad
I mean, there's tons of people who have "upgraded" the C64 with modern processors - but what that really means is they used an old computer enclosure to put modern guts inside. It's technically impossible to put an AMD on a C64 motherboard.
primesuspect said It is the only computer that I know of that you could write a program on that would literally destroy the computer. Talk about destructive virii!
There was a command to poke a value into a register that would heat up some element on the motherboard until it popped, destroying your computer. So, you would write a program like:
10 POKE 2343,12
20 GOTO 10
(I forget the exact values)
And run that, and in about 20 minutes, poof. Bye bye $2500 computer.
No, the PET was ages before the C64 - it was the precursor to the VIC 20. That picture is the PET. It was gigantic and heavy. It is a far cry from portable.
Despite it's massive size, the monitor is only 6" or 7" and monochrome. It was a blast to play with. The biggest downside of the PET was the terrible, simply awful "Chiclet" keyboard. It was similar to a cash register type of key.
I've opened up a PET exactly like the one you pictured EDR. There is more than enough room to stick even a full ATX mobo where the old one is. You'd have to make your own mobo plate out of sheet metal, and have it mount to the existing mounts the original mobo was attached. Something someone with a ruler and drill could easily accomplish.
As for the keyboard, I'd remove the existing keyboard. Then, get a cheap modern keyboard, take it apart and mount it where old one was. Being as the old keyboard was missing a few buttons to todays, you might want to (or nearly have to, for the CTRL/ALT keys) cut a notch for each pair on either side of the spacebar to fit them. I'm not sure where you could jam the arrow keys, but I'm sure I could think of something.
The keypad's spot is no doubt farther away from the main keys than current keyboards, but that would be easy to fix. You see, most any keyboard made now a days uses contacts on soft, easily cut able, plastic. It would be easy to cut this soft plastic apart, without cutting the traces embedded in it (they are very easy to see). The keyboard's hard back (was a PCB in those days, now a sheet of hard plastic) must be mounted on the back of the newly reformed keyboard, to give the keys something to press agenced. Replace the keyboard's original keycaps with the PET's, thus giving the new "old" keyboard a great original look.
If you’d like, I could draw a nice “PET fit-able” keyboard layout, featuring all of the modern keyboard’s keys. Just PM me.
As for the monitor.... The PET had what? a 12-13 inch? If I were you I would locate a similarly sized (and working) SVGA monitor, remove all the guts from the case (only do this if you know what you're doing, as the stored power in the caps/flyback transformer could easily kill you, possibly even after the monitor has been long shut off and unplugged), remove the PET's original monitor/monitor guts, and move the new monitor's guts in. If only the tube of the monitor will fit into the original monitor cavity (which that might be the case) you may be able to put the monitor's controller board by the motherboard, as long as you properly shield it.
All cables would be routed internally to the motherboard. As for the needed external connectors, you may have to cut a slot on the back where all the wires could fit, and connect them by opening the cabinet (you may also make them fit to the back, for a more “original” look, using extension cords which where the ends would be mounted (using the existing mounts on the extensions) to the back of the computer, replacing those originally there.
The PET, or found in a pile of garbage, looked perfect. The original mobo was trashed. Never thought of modding a modern PC into it, but I wish I had now...
Thanks theSmJ. I think I may take a look at this on Sunday.
I've had it opened up once before, just to see what the inside looked like. I'll probably be PM'ing you later on.
Straight_ManGeeky, in my own wayNaples, FLIcrontian
edited November 2004
Sheesh, I had that happen to me the first time I wrote a Sinclair program, but all IT did was invert the screen from black on white to withe on black, etc. Screen was a 9" TV....
The early days were fun....
Yeah, there was a poke that could fry something on the Sinclair also....
And one of the first really Hardware-destructive viruses for the PC tried to ram drive seek head arms against motion stops with a seek beyond end of drive per BIOS, park drive to return them to zero point, unpark drive, repeat seek beyond limits, until computer HD died from bent arms crashing heads onto media platters on drive or BROKEN arms resulted. That one was not fun to kill, either, as it happened to be one of the earliest STEALTH viruses.
Comments
NS
(C64 Attached)
I used to LOVE the PET. My neighbor had one and I would go over there and type in games on it.
It is the only computer that I know of that you could write a program on that would literally destroy the computer. Talk about destructive virii!
There was a command to poke a value into a register that would heat up some element on the motherboard until it popped, destroying your computer. So, you would write a program like:
10 POKE 2343,12
20 GOTO 10
(I forget the exact values)
And run that, and in about 20 minutes, poof. Bye bye $2500 computer.
That is funny!!!
I thought I saw an article on megarad about a guy that somehow got an amd processor to run in a modded out commodore 64. I have no idea how this could be done, and it sounds far fetched. I would look for the article but Im @ work and the proxy blocks megarad
I think that PET is a Laptop/carryable version of the 64.
There is another "Lappy" as well though.
As always, this question's answer can only be properly found with a screwdriver and a free weekend
And plenty of imagination.;D
No, the PET was ages before the C64 - it was the precursor to the VIC 20. That picture is the PET. It was gigantic and heavy. It is a far cry from portable.
Despite it's massive size, the monitor is only 6" or 7" and monochrome. It was a blast to play with. The biggest downside of the PET was the terrible, simply awful "Chiclet" keyboard. It was similar to a cash register type of key.
As for the keyboard, I'd remove the existing keyboard. Then, get a cheap modern keyboard, take it apart and mount it where old one was. Being as the old keyboard was missing a few buttons to todays, you might want to (or nearly have to, for the CTRL/ALT keys) cut a notch for each pair on either side of the spacebar to fit them. I'm not sure where you could jam the arrow keys, but I'm sure I could think of something.
The keypad's spot is no doubt farther away from the main keys than current keyboards, but that would be easy to fix. You see, most any keyboard made now a days uses contacts on soft, easily cut able, plastic. It would be easy to cut this soft plastic apart, without cutting the traces embedded in it (they are very easy to see). The keyboard's hard back (was a PCB in those days, now a sheet of hard plastic) must be mounted on the back of the newly reformed keyboard, to give the keys something to press agenced. Replace the keyboard's original keycaps with the PET's, thus giving the new "old" keyboard a great original look.
If you’d like, I could draw a nice “PET fit-able” keyboard layout, featuring all of the modern keyboard’s keys. Just PM me.
As for the monitor.... The PET had what? a 12-13 inch? If I were you I would locate a similarly sized (and working) SVGA monitor, remove all the guts from the case (only do this if you know what you're doing, as the stored power in the caps/flyback transformer could easily kill you, possibly even after the monitor has been long shut off and unplugged), remove the PET's original monitor/monitor guts, and move the new monitor's guts in. If only the tube of the monitor will fit into the original monitor cavity (which that might be the case) you may be able to put the monitor's controller board by the motherboard, as long as you properly shield it.
All cables would be routed internally to the motherboard. As for the needed external connectors, you may have to cut a slot on the back where all the wires could fit, and connect them by opening the cabinet (you may also make them fit to the back, for a more “original” look, using extension cords which where the ends would be mounted (using the existing mounts on the extensions) to the back of the computer, replacing those originally there.
The PET, or found in a pile of garbage, looked perfect. The original mobo was trashed. Never thought of modding a modern PC into it, but I wish I had now...
I've had it opened up once before, just to see what the inside looked like. I'll probably be PM'ing you later on.
10 FOR CT = 0 TO 15
20 POKE 53280,CT
30 POKE 53281,CT
40 NEXT CT
50 GOTO 10
I think it was like that, it just changed the screen background & border colour repeatedly, forever
~Cyrix
The early days were fun....
Yeah, there was a poke that could fry something on the Sinclair also....
And one of the first really Hardware-destructive viruses for the PC tried to ram drive seek head arms against motion stops with a seek beyond end of drive per BIOS, park drive to return them to zero point, unpark drive, repeat seek beyond limits, until computer HD died from bent arms crashing heads onto media platters on drive or BROKEN arms resulted. That one was not fun to kill, either, as it happened to be one of the earliest STEALTH viruses.