Ultimate-64

On Thu, Mar 15, 2018 at 09:40:05AM +0000, smf wrote:
>On 14/03/2018 22:59, silverdr@wfmh.org.pl wrote:
>
>>>Isn't this ultimate thing the real thing?
>>Depends how you look at it. For me it is. For smf it isn't. :-)
>
>No matter how I look at it
>
>https://ultimate64.com/Ultimate-64
>
>doesn't look anything like
>
>http://www.mos6502.com/images/C64Internal/C64i_large.jpg
>
>You will be able to grab the source code, compile it and install it on 
>the Ultimate 64 so that it pretends to be a C64. You could also modify 
>the source code so that it pretends to be a VIC20 or plus 4 etc.
>
>So "real thing" definitely not, it doesn't mean that I won't buy one.

The Ultimate-64 is an interesting product, if it really is based on open 
source VHDL and works with any HDMI display. One could theoretically 
emulate any C= 8-bit home computer with it. And implement any hardware 
extensions that you could not afford back in the day. :)

The only hardware feature request that I can think of is connectors or 
adapters for detached keyboards, so that you could attach a C128D or 
8032-SK or SX-64 keyboard. I guess normally one might attach a USB 
keyboard, and the VHDL would emulate a keyboard matrix.

For covering the PET or PET-2 features, another nice-to-have would be an 
IEEE-488 interface. I wonder if it would be possible or feasible to 
implement this by using a USB adapter and translating the interface in 
VHDL. (Which ones are good?  I have a HP laboratory power supply that I 
might like to control via GPIB.)

	Marko