Connect your Commodore 64 keyboard to your PC via USB

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]

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 31st 2006 6:52AM]

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

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 31st 2006 7:17AM]

Danes rule!

[Danja Posted Aug 31st 2006 7:27AM]

This arises the question - "Why bother?"

[(Unverified) Posted 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")

[ChrisXS Posted 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.

[misterdna Posted Aug 31st 2006 9:49AM]

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

[Latt Posted 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 :)

[(Unverified) Posted 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.

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 31st 2006 10:46AM]

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

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 31st 2006 12:31PM]

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

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 31st 2006 1:09PM]

Best system ever my ***!

][ infinitum!

:-P

[7r1ck13 Posted 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..

[(Unverified) Posted 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"!

[(Unverified) Posted 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/