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Commodore 64 Devotee Side Projects Lab has released a teaser video showcasing the “real HDMI Full-HD” adapter for the popular 8-bit home computer. Obviously, it took a full year to develop this amazing HDMI solution with stereo sound routed through an HDMI cable. If you are interested New HD-64However, there is still some waiting time, as the first production batch will not be ready until later in the first quarter.
Finally, Full HD HDMI for Commodore 64 – YouTube
Side Projects Lab (SPL) thanks fellow C64 video enthusiast com. c0pperdragon Early in the video, you’ll see that the new FHD HDMI converter builds on this impressive previous work (which includes RCA YPbPr video outputs). SPL purchased the RF modulator replacement subboard from c0pperdragon about a year ago, and while she was happy with the RCA video output, she was left wanting a clear HDMI option, with 1080p upscaling and stereo My voice via one cable.
The C64’s VIC-II graphics chip has no digital video output, and its analog video is “often irreparably noisy and distorted,” according to SPL. In other words, this is a GIGO situation that can’t be fixed with filters or other image processing techniques – after the fact. c0pperdragon knew this too, so he created an interleaving device that captures digital video signals before they reach the VIC-II graphics chip.
However, SPL wanted to output to the ubiquitous HDMI connector at true FHD resolution. Moreover, for maximum convenience, they decided to route the SID’s audio through the same HDMI port. This became the HD-64 Project, which is now claimed to be “the ultimate HDMI solution for the Commodore 64.” You can read the GitHub pages linked above for deeper details on how to get all the necessary video frames and audio data and feed them to the VIC-II emulator into the FPGA – with just the addition of sub-1ms latency.
In addition to all the modern conveniences, the new HD-64 comes with some old-school gaming niceties like scanlines, anti-aliasing, color adjustment, and aspect ratio adjustments in the C64 software. Furthermore, the developer promises to add adjustable overscan support in due course.
Pure retro versus modern comfort
Owning, cherishing, and using old computers comes with a corresponding penalty, and that idea applies to the classic 1982 Commodore 64 as much as it does to its 16-bit contemporaries and successors. This HDMI solution makes using the C64 with modern HDMI TVs and monitors extremely simple.
Old supporting hardware and peripherals e.g Cathode ray tuberibbons, Floppy disksetc., they simply wear out or break with less and less hope of repair or service as we emerge halfway through the 2020s. Meanwhile, convenient and accurate emulation software for PC, Mac, and consoles continues to improve. This seems to be why retro gamers have been taking notice lately Back off Of public purity.
