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Codey
Registered: Oct 2005
Posts: 79 |
C64 Clones
Why weren't there any C64 clones when the C64 was in it's prime? Considering the volume of units sold, there was definitely an opportunity to make money. Even the 1541 was cloned, but I'm guessing this was due more to the reliability of the 1541. There were other 8-bit computers that were heavily cloned. So, why not the 64?
-Codey/2D |
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Jon
Account closed
Registered: Apr 2005
Posts: 247 |
My guess would be the cost of the custom chips. Could MOS chips be cloned at a cost that would be competitive?
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Moloch
Registered: Jan 2002
Posts: 2924 |
Considering Commodore sued a few of the 1541 clone makers out of existence for ripped code, sent C&D to people announcing C64 clones, etc. Years ago Doug Cotton told me that Commodore even threatened to go after "Fellows, Inc." (pre-CMD days/1986-1987) for their JiffyDOS kernal replacement.
With such a big gorilla, that did follow through with threats, it's no surprise that machine clones never made it to market.
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Crimson Twilight Dev Updates [C64 CRPG] |
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DemongerX
Account closed
Registered: Jun 2002
Posts: 137 |
Moloch,
I seem to remember that the 1541-II was originally a drive that was developed by another developer, then commodore sued them, and took over the product. I may be off on this, but I think it was one of the 1541 clones, and I think it was this one.
Also, not sure if I misread or not, but I think on Lemon there was a feed about c64 use in previously Russian countries. I thougth someone there mentioned a blurb about a c64 clone, but maybe that was a clone of some other 8bit as well.
DemongerX |
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Cresh
Registered: Jan 2004
Posts: 354 |
I remember ZX Spectrum clones like: Timex, Elwro 800 Junior (made in Poland) or Pentagon, Scorpion (Russia).
No C64 clones known to me.
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Graham
Account closed
Registered: Dec 2002
Posts: 990 |
ZX Spectrum and the 1541 can be build with off-the-shelf parts. But for C64 you need VIC2 and SID where Commodore/MOS was the only source. That pretty much killed every possibility to build a clone.
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macx
Registered: Mar 2002
Posts: 253 |
"Licensed clones" (made in the original factories) were sold though, like the Drean C64. |
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Moloch
Registered: Jan 2002
Posts: 2924 |
More like "licensed clone" ... Drean C64 is one, not many. ;)
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Crimson Twilight Dev Updates [C64 CRPG] |
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macx
Registered: Mar 2002
Posts: 253 |
Quote: More like "licensed clone" ... Drean C64 is one, not many. ;)
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Crimson Twilight Dev Updates [C64 CRPG]
Well, there were several types of Commodore stuff with the additional brand name Drean, and it was done in order to avoid bureaucracy. But I get your point :_)
Edit:
http://richardlagendijk.nl/foto/cip/computer_c64_drean_02.jpg
http://retrocomputing.netpandora.com/images/Drean_Commodore_64C.. |
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Moloch
Registered: Jan 2002
Posts: 2924 |
I'm fully aware of the Drean catalog ... c64/64c are one machine. ;)
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Crimson Twilight Dev Updates [C64 CRPG] |
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bugjam
Registered: Apr 2003
Posts: 2579 |
Well, there used to be also a Mexican version of the C64, assembled by the company SIGMA. But as I understand it, this was only a CKD (=Completely Knocked Down) assembly line, meaning no (or almost no) parts were produced locally, but were imported from the US. |
