Using a Commodore 64 on the modern internet!

That's right! Now your Commodore 64 can surf the web! Well, kinda.

In today's video, I go over two ways to get the venerable Commodore 64 online. The C64 is one of my favorite retro machines, and I hope you enjoy this trip down (a slightly modernized) memory lane.

Here's a few links to the tools I referenced in today's video, and other things which might be helpful!
🚧 Items I 3d printed for this episode:

Commodore BASIC commands used during the making of this video:
`LOAD"*",8` - load the first thing (or last opened file during current session) on the Commodore floppy drive
`RUN` - runs the program it just loaded
`LOAD"$",8` - load the list of files from the Commodore floppy drive
`LIST` - actually list out the list-of-files loaded with the previous command
"Esoteric command" that renames the file: `OPEN 1,8,15,"R:NETCONF.PRG= NETCONF.PRG":CLOSE 1`
`LOAD"SETMAC",8` - sets the mac address for your device in Contiki
`LOAD"CONTIKI",8` - loads the CONTIKI program itself

If you'd like to help support the channel, the best way is to join the Patreon!

Chapters:

00:00 Intro
01:03 What is a Commodore 64?
03:55 "Online" in the 1980s
06:25 Modern modem options for retro computers
07:15 The C64 Wi-Fi Modem from Retro Rewind!
13:47 Contiki and the 64nic+
18:42 Credit to those keeping retro alive
19:48 Ask Veronica

#retro #retrocomputing #commodore

[Umtree]

My first computer was a C64 back in the 80’s.
Shaped who I am today, in a big way.
I was reading books on how to program that thing when I was 8 years old.
Watching my kids play games on their iPads today, I can’t help but think how lucky I was, to experience the C64.

[gobofraggel]

Growing up in a gang infested neighborhood in Sunset Park Brooklyn it was very easy to end up with the wrong people doing the wrong things. I walked with my brother 13 miles round trip to Toys R Us and back home to get my very first computer, the Vic20. For the Commodore 64 my dad drove us. I quickly got a modem and began dialing phone number ranges looking for carriers and programming in Basic with no interest in games. I made a new group of friends, these friends did not carry knives or guns. Today I am self-employed managing IT for small to medium businesses. From a simple printer issue to a failover cluster connected to a flash array with immutable checkpoints replicating to a DR site and to Azure and much more. Each day is an adventure and at 57 I feel very lucky to do what I love for a living and to be my own boss.

[CVObservatory]

I have many wonderful memories using my C64 in the 80's. I had just about every accessory you could get for it. My hobby then and now is astronomy. I would write my own software for recording my observations and photography sessions and store them to a floppy. I still have all those today even the nightly observations of Halley's comet in 85/86. Loved that little computer.

[ytuser]

Educational level of your videos is truly astonishing. Absolutely loving almost each and every video you made!

[dougsholly]

My first computer was a C-64. A friend of mine had a vic-20, and I was completely enamored. I literally had a paper route to earn money to buy one. I also bought a 1541, and then (if memory serves) a 1571 floppy. I also had a modem... 300 baud. I was fascinated with programming, and between the various books I found in book stores, I had memorized all 64k of memory, and had made a few rudimentary games. It was, and still is, my favorite computer of all time. I learned so much playing with that thing. My most vivid memory of any game I played on it was a text based game for Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and visiting BBSs to get tips on how to beat it. Good times.

[NicolSD]

Thanks for the trip back memory lane. I was a grown adult BBSing regularly. After the C64, I moved to the Amiga. Eventually, I read in an Amiga magazine about this new thing called the Internet. I quickly signed up to a dialup service and the world opened up to me. As soon as ISPs offered always online services, I signed up right away. To make a long story short, I was BBSing from the 80's until 95 when I reached out to the world thanks to the Internet. It has been a great adventure for this 64-year-old man.

[chotaire]

You've done an outstanding job explaining the unexplainable. And it's great to see you're doing really cool stuff with your setup. Best wishes from a former c64 scener (I ran one of the most acclaimed C*Base BBSes on a c128d with 100MB SCSI HD, 6MB Ramlink, Swiftlink, 56k modem in the mid 90s). I hear that my gear is still used today by someone to run a telnet-enabled scene BBS.

[GregHuston]

Around 1989 or so my Buddy had a Commodore 64 and when he showed me you could send a "letter" by hooking the thing up to the phone line, it blew my mind. I was only 9 years old and it was my first experience using a computer beyond games or "educational programs". At the time we couldn't even imagine we'd be watching people make their own "TV Shows" on a computer monitor.

[electrictao]

I was a certified Commodore repair tech back in the 80's. At Commodore training in Pa. I spoke with the lead tech about their competition, and he explained that his company was focused on their current marketing through department stores. That's how they sold millions. It was the best product for that price range.
I spent many years repairing them. The floppy drives always needed realignment though. Thanks for the memories. Cheers!

[AcoriSage]

Instant sub! I wish I'd known about your channel when I was still learning the basics. Such a breath of fresh air to see genuinely interesting (even for experienced users) topics approached in this beginner-friendly way. Props for the good subtitles too!

[JorgeEscobarMX]

I love these episodes. Retro computing is interesting.

[RigoMuniz]

❤ Veronica thank you so much. I was co-sysop myself of “The Quarter Mile BBS” and I ran it remote. My friend Fred was hosting the computer in his house. It was the first BBS in the Glades. And we offered Fidonet networking. You explained it all so well! My first PC was a C-64 in 1982. We used an ad logo “The Quarter Mile bbs, the other alternaltive”
This is the best explanation of a C-64 on youtube channel.
Thank you again! Yes we restricted users for 15 minutes.
Then if they upload files, we will offer them credit minutes. Our BBS used Searchlight BBS platform by Frank Larosa
You brought emotions of nostalgia to my heart. Those were the golden days. With fidonet we even connected soldiers on the war of Irak in 1991. The BBS was disconnected in 1993. Sadly the Internet took over.
I also still own a C-64 original, Amiga 500, 600 and 1200
Greetings from Wellington, Florida

[billymania]

Youtube served up your channel and I'm glad it did. I'm an old IT professional but I came up through the PC lineage so I lack knowledge of all the other platforms from the 80's thru the 90's. You are helping me get into that history. I think you and your channel are awesome.

[Phrancis]

What a wonderful video review! The C-64 (with tape drive) was my first computer as a kid, because my parents wanted something educational, I never had an Atari or any gaming console growing up. Consequently, I went into an IT career and just stuck to PC gaming. This brings back fond memories just as I turned 50. Thanks!

[nik]

As someone who has been watching classic computer YouTube videos for years now (and wanting to get into the hobby) I really appreciate the amount of effort you put into teaching us about it instead of going straight into the jargon of the projects.

I'm glad I stumbled across your channel and I hope your channel continues to grow because your videos are incredibly informative. Thank you!!

[KailashNathan]

I got a Technology Connections vibe.
Great presentation.
It's amazing what people still do with these retro computers.

[mastersummersjr]

This was really great! I've noodled a tiny bit on Commodore emulators, but never the real deal. I'm really glad you went through what each section of each command does, instead of just typing them in or telling someone what to type. I also love that you go through the device's ports, switches, and peripherals. A lot of videos assume we already know this stuff, but these things are decades older than a lot of us, and they're hard to get your hands on today. Awesome video! I'm really glad I found your channel!

[chethelesser]

I got my first computer in 2006 (it was an old Pentium even by those standards) but learning about the older technology is so fascintaing. I feel nostalgic about the times I never experienced...

[MrTableDesk]

As a new C64 owner, I'm 100% interested in more videos on Commodore's legacy in the computing world. This video was absolutely fascinating.

[whizwart]

I appreciate you go into a bit of detail on everything. Lots of vintage tubers assume its the hardcore crowd viewing and skip a lot of info that's helpful to those of us that don't know PCjr from PCloadletter.