Connect your Commodore 64 keyboard to your PC via USB

by Cyrus Farivar, posted Aug 31st 2006 at 6:37AM

This Danish hacker has converted an older clacky Commodore 64 keyboard to a more modern real-deal USB keyboard. We won't bore you with the gory details, but if you're interested, Mikkel Holm Olsen has a long play-by-play account of his travails on his website, linked below. Apparently, he was asked to create the keyboard for some buddies of his, a Commodore 64 revival band, appropriately called "Press Play on Tape." We honestly had no idea there were so many Commodore 64 fanboys in Denmark, but given their progressive culture it only makes sense that they're super obsessed with oh, only the best computer system ever.

[Via MAKE:Blog]

Filed under: Desktops, Misc. Gadgets

Tags: c64, commodore 64, Commodore64, denmark, keyboard

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

Rumplestiltskin @ Aug 31st 2006 6:52AM

He should combine his work with this: http://www.mini-itx.com/projects/c64/

Neutral

Engberg @ Aug 31st 2006 7:17AM

Danes rule!

Neutral

Rynth @ Aug 31st 2006 7:27AM

This arises the question - "Why bother?"

Neutral

Megan Swaine @ Aug 31st 2006 8:02AM

omg, I LOVE PPOT. Their songs rock. You guys should check out their 'boy-band' video, it's hysterical:
http://pressplayontape.com/?pid=streamingvideos
(it's the one called "comic bakery")

Neutral

Rob @ Aug 31st 2006 9:49AM

The should hook up the modified C64 to a computer running a C64 emulator...

Neutral

Grandalf @ Aug 31st 2006 10:03AM

Ahh! I'm so proud of being Danish right now (Thats right, Danish is a nationality, not a pastry!).

I've even seen Press Play on Tape live in, '99 I think it was. They're always a sure party starter :)

Neutral

space_bean @ Aug 31st 2006 10:43AM

O_o I'm eating a danish right now.

... Ugh, I think I'm gonna be sick.

I personally love the idea of a C64 keyboard for my pc, I hate these new-fangled ones as it is. Now, if they'd start manufacturing these puppies, then we'd have something.

Neutral

Vince C @ Aug 31st 2006 10:46AM

What are the odds? I have the same case mod. =P

Neutral

John Sununu @ Aug 31st 2006 12:31PM

Yeah, but can it hold a full loaf of sourdough rye?

Neutral

ChrisXS @ Aug 31st 2006 12:57PM

My C=64 keyboard is so worn out that some of the keys must be pounded on in order to register. Due to this reason, such a mod is out of the question for me.

Neutral

blurry @ Aug 31st 2006 1:09PM

Best system ever my ***!

][ infinitum!

:-P

Neutral

Thomas @ Aug 31st 2006 2:01PM

Sweet.. C64/128 was my first pc, and Id love to do that to mine.. Too bad I aint got it no more..

Neutral

Beanybaby @ Sep 4th 2006 3:29PM

Hey, theree is actually a commercial product that does the same. Not only with C64, but also C16 and C128 keyboards. Try looking for "Keyrah"!

Neutral

Shinderpal Stevens @ Sep 17th 2006 12:04AM

What a blast.
I had a friend who ran a garage on Commodores 64 /128s in a way that would shame most of the nubes today with their high powered dim lamps running Windows XP .

Some of the Commodores ran JiffyDOS.

http://vintagecomputermanuals.blogspot.com/

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