A portable C64 project, I'm trying.

   From: greg.nacu@pausecafe.gryn.org (Greg Nacu)
   Reply to: [1]Greg Nacu
   Date: 22 Nov 1998 19:31:12 -0500
   Organization: Posted via Supernews, http://www.supernews.com -
          Discussions start here!
  Hey everyone!


    I just got a dead C64, a live c64c, 2 1541's, and some cables and junk
from a friend.  And I got to thinking.  Because I can't possibly use all of
my C64's at the same time, And my main C128 beaster is now permanently inte-
grated into the desk that it sits on, That I should try to convert a C64 into
a portable, carry around in a brief case kind of computer.

   So here is what I've done so far for those interested.

   I decided to strip the computer down to it's bare minimum necessity for
being able to work on projects, and/or homework and other such tasks, away
from home.  It has a C64c  Motherboard and Keyboard. First of all, Everything
has been stripped of it's case, and holders.  a 1541 II, (the kind  with
external powersupply), an EPYX FastLoad Cart (only thing still in its case),
and a commodore1200 baud modem.  Once you strip down a 1541 II, there is a
fairly small Molded steel thingy, and a circuit board, the modem is just a
small circuit board, and Computer's mother board is also remarkably small!

   So I cut a piece of wood 39cm x 27cm.  Then covered the top of the wood
sheet with non conductive plastic. (not that any plastic is conductive,
but anyway. :)  )  Those dimensions are about twice the size of the mother
board.  It is  the same width, but twice as deep.  So I stuck Screwed the
mother board on the front half of the wood sheet.  Then out the back port
I stuck the 1200 baud modem.  The phone jacks are then positioned at the back

of the wood sheet.  Then I put in the fast load like normal.  Now, in the space
between the modem and the fastload, perfectly fits the 1541 II's ciruit board
(sideways).  I put the keyboard on top of the mother board, the keyboard has
this nice little lip on the front and back of it. The front lip is over the
front of the mother board, so I screwed a 1cm x 1cm x 25cm piece of wood in
there.   The 1541 molded metal thing I put sidways so that the opening points
in the direction of the left side of the keyboard.   The drive is behind the
keyboard, screwed to the back lip of the keyboard, and the other side of the
drive, (at the very back of the whole darn contraption) it rests perfectly on
the phone jacks of the modem.

   Then the 1541 power supply fits in behind the fastload cart.  Everything
is bolted down nicely, and doesn't move.  There is still plenty of room for
air flow, and it is the most compact that I could possibly make it.  It
works great, I brought it down to the living room and just plugged in two
wall plugs, plugged in the phone jack, and plugged to video into the VCR.
a minute after I had  brought it down, I was checking Email, with everything
about the computer sitting on my lap!  :)


   Now here is my problem, and my question.  At school there are some broken
portable 286's, (thats what sparked my idea) and they have really thin
monitors.  On the back they have RGB ports, even labeled so.  So I was
wondering if I put my porta-comm (portable commodore) in a suitcase, and
one of these monitors in the top part of the case, Would I be able to
wire up the composite output to display on the RGB monitors? Even if it
is in black and white that would be fine.



             Questions? Comments?  Confused by my less than perfect
verbal description?? You're not alone.  :)

          But seriously comments and critiques are welcome and wanted.


                                        Greg Nacu.

References

   1. mailto:greg.nacu@pausecafe.gryn.org