C65 Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ for the Commodore C64DX

General Questions

What is a C65 ?

The C65 is the never officially released succesor of the well-known C64.
Because of it's Prototype-Status, all this Information may not be valid for your C65.
However i tested it on my C65, if you encounter differencies to your C65, please let me know.

How many C65 have been produced ?

Nobody seems to know exactly, the numbers range from 200 to 1000.
There is also a List of Serialnumbers.

Where can I buy a C65?

I don't know. You could try it at eBay

Is the C65 compatible to the C64 ?

About 70% compatible. There are some differences concerning CPU and VIC, so that some Programs dont run perfectly or even crash.

What are the differencies between C64 and C65 ?

Many :-) ! The C65 runs at 3.58 MHz , it can access up to 1MB Ram, it has a VIC3 (Resolution ranging from 320x200x256 upto 1280x400x4), 2 SIDs, built-in 3.5" Floppy, a built-in Blitter and more things.

So the C65 is like an advanced C128 ?

Definitely not! All new Features can be accessed in the C64-Mode, and you need only one Monitor to access the 80-column mode (btw. it is also possible to connect to 2 Monitors ).

What kind of Basic has the C65 in native Mode ?

Basic 10.0. There are different ROMs in the C65. I have only a buggy ROM, maybe the C65 Owners should discuss, which ROM is the best, and the ones without this will get new EPROMS.

The following FAQs are mainly for owners of C65s..

My C65 only spits out B/W or only 16 Colors. What went wrong ?

You can connect different Monitors.

C65-Connection	Monitor	Comment
RF-Modulator	TV-Screen	No Picture
Video-Port	Video-Monitor	Only shades of Grey
RGB-Port	Multi-Sync Monitor	Only 16 Colors
RGB-Port	Analog-RGB Monitor	All 4096 Colors

I strongly suggest for every C65-Owner to get a Commodore 1084(S). The 1084S has also the right Connectors, so you don't have to built your own cable.

I have a missing/defunct Power Supply (PSU). How can I feed my C65 with power ?

Use a cbm 1541-II/1581 Powersupply. As soon as the last 1541-II PSU dies, i will paint a pinout to connect an ATX PSU ;-)

Is there any Software, which can damage my beloved C65 ?

NEVER EVER ACCESS THE SID WHILE RUNNING IN FAST MODE

How can i test, if both SID's are working ?

First switch the C65 to slow-mode, type SLOW .
In 65-Mode, press ctrl-g. You should hear a bing on the left channel.
Then enter SOUND 1,7000,50. You should hear 1 Second a Sound on the right channel.

I have more Questions about the C65