Three Modern Commodore PET 2001 Upgrades You Need!

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I've upgraded my recent VCFMW 2022 retro computing purchase, a 1977 Commodore PET 2001-8 with modern accessories from ‪@thefuturewas8bitchannel841‬ and Bit Zeal. In this video I share a history of my Commodore PET 2001, the upgrades I made, discuss the benefits of each, and then share my overall thoughts on whether anyone with a stock Commodore PET 2001 should make these purchases. Some of these upgrades come with unexpected surprises, as does this original Commodore PET 2001.
📝 Companion blog post with more information, errata (and there is some for this video), and all the links you need at:
www.retrocombs.com/cbm-pet-upg...
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📝 Blog: www.retrocombs.com/
🐦 Twitter: / stevencombs
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*Producers:*
- Jamie's Hack Shack
- The Lovely Accountant
*Executive Producers:*
- Boba Fett
- Gürçe
- Mindrail
- Mislav Krleža
Links Mentioned:
1. Commodore PET RAM/ROM - www.thefuturewas8bit.com/shop...
2. SD2PET Future - www.thefuturewas8bit.com/shop...
3. PET Dual Joystick Adapter - www.thefuturewas8bit.com/shop...
4. Stupid PET Tricks - www.bit-zeal.com/product/stup...
5. Bonus Life Computers - bonuslifecomputers.com/
6. Hyperkin Ranger Controller - amzn.to/3orPuEv
7. Hyperkin Trooper Controller - amzn.to/3l1CHXj
8. Campus Curiosity Article - rcc-redmarley.tumblr.com/post....
9. The Oldest Commodore PET Brochure - www.commodore.ca/commodore-hi....
10. Zimmers.net SuperPET Page - www.zimmers.net/cbmpics/csp900...
👍 Please take the time to like, subscribe, and support the channel using the links ↑. Find something useful that provided information or saved you time? Send a {❤THANKS}! You can now become a member, or support me, at ☕ BMAC (www.buymeacoffee.com/retroCombs) using fun Commodore Computer inspired levels.
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#commodorepet #retrocomputing #retroCombs
Music Credit: Karl Casey @WhiteBatAudio (Thanks for all the great retro tunes, Karl!)
Time Codes:
00:00 - Start
00:23 - Video Bumper
00:34 - Channel housekeeping
00:50 - What I know about my PET's history
02:39 - Do you know anything about my PET?
02:50 - Brief Commodore PET History
03:26 - What's in a name?
03:46 - Marketing and name inspirations
04:54 - My PET's specifications
05:50 - The display
06:19 - Datasette(s)
07:15 - Keyboard
09:12 - Opening the hood
09:44 - PET Cleaning
10:36 - Time for the upgrades
10:45 - Four upgrades I choose
11:45 - TFW8B SD2PET Future
12:28 - PET RAM/ROM
13:01 - IEEE 488 Use
13:40 - DOS Wedge
14:33 - Dual Joystick Adapter
15:08 - Stupid Pet Tricks
15:55 - What's the ROI?
18:35 - Final Recommendation
19:57 - Were the upgrades worth the cost?
21:07 - Watch more retroCombs
From Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodo...
The Commodore PET was officially announced in 1976 and Jack Tramiel gave Chuck Peddle six months to have the computer ready for the January 1977 Consumer Electronics Show, with his team including John Feagans, Bill Seiler, two Japanese engineers named Fujiyama and Aoji, and Jack's son Leonard Tramiel,[7] who helped design the PETSCII graphic characters and acted as quality control.
The result was Commodore's first mass-market personal computer, the PET, the first model of which was the PET 2001. Its 6502 processor controlled the screen, keyboard, cassette tape recorders and any peripherals connected to one of the computer's several expansion ports.[8] The PET 2001 included either 4 KB (2001-4) or 8 KB (2001-8) of 8-bit RAM, and was essentially a single-board computer with discrete logic driving a small built-in monochrome monitor with 40×25 character graphics, enclosed in a sheet metal case that reflected Commodore's background as a manufacturer of office equipment.[9] The machine also included a built-in Datasette for data storage located on the front of the case, which left little room for the keyboard.

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30 июн 2024

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Комментарии : 75

@RudysRetroIntel Год назад

Nice PET and upgrades. My PET 4032 has the PET SD card upgrade and I purchased a PET diagnostics board that plugs into the CPU. I do PET repairs so it's very handy. You should have a look at a RU-vid channel called Bitfixer. He sells PET upgrades that you may like. Move PET videos, please :)

@retroCombs Год назад

Comment Pinned! Thanks for the comments and the tip on the Bitfixer page. I'd like to do more PET content. Still much for me to learn.

@geekwithsocialskills Год назад

Your PET 2001 is coming along great! I did the exact same upgrades to my PET 2001-N-16. Mine is the later 2001 model with the full size keyboard which is lovely. I did the PET RAM ROM upgrade first back in February 2020 to keep my board stock with 16KB if I ever wanted to revert back (but why? LOL) and to get the upgraded BASIC. About a year later in 2021 I purchased the joystick adapter board from TFW8B. My final upgrade was the Stupid PET Tricks that I found out about from Chuck and purchased that 4-5 months ago (July 2022). I love that thing, especially for the CB2 sound and WiFi modem. The joystick ports are great too and now my TFW8B joystick adapter is a display piece, still a great piece of kit though for later PETs that already have sound with the piezo speaker or don't want WiFi.

@retroCombs Год назад

Thanks for confirming my suspicions that there are other PET users out there enjoying these upgrades!

@geekwithsocialskills Год назад

@@retroCombs Well we have chatted on Twitter about it 🙂

@pablopicaro7649 Год назад

At another University (Iowa State), they would have Surplus Equipment sales about one a month. This is sort of stuff they had at the sales, they where very popular and hundreds of people would show up for a bargain.

@retroCombs Год назад

We had the same at Murray State University. You could grab some good stuff. Just wish I'd had the foresight to grab some of their computers back in the early 1990s.

@user-wc1jr7rs4d Год назад

Glad you're still liking your PET. We were talking in the shop the other day about that one. We miss her. We are considering doing a PET Extravangaza at this year's VCFMW. We seem to have accumulated a lot of them in the last year. Possibly, a SuperPET will be available (she's giving us fits on the daughter board, but we'll sort it out). You can have first dibs if you want it. Great video, as always!

@retroCombs Год назад

If the SuperPET is available, definitely let me know. While I really enjoy this PET, one with a full keyboard would get more use for me and the channel. Opening and filming my latest purchase today. Arrived yesterday. Look forward to another great Bonus Life Computers acquisition.

@DaveCurran Год назад

I am pleased to see you liked the PET ROM/RAM and SD2PET (and the notes I put on the back of the joystick board). For info, you can also load the DOS wedge from disk. Shift + run/stop in BASIC 4 loads the first file from the SD card, so put wedge.prg onto the SD first and you can load the wedge with shift+run/stop and then go straight into @$ style commands. Final point, if you do have a working set of ROM and RAM chips, congratulations. I normally advise people who are using a PET ROM/RAM board to carefully remove the original socketed 6540 ROM chips in the third row and keep them safe and preserve them in working condition. That also dramatically reduces power consumption. The same goes for the 6550 RAM chips in the first two rows if they are socketed, but it looks like you have the 2114 versions rather than the 6550, so they are fine to leave

@retroCombs Год назад

Awesome tips, Dave! So much more fun to be had.

@keven628 Год назад

My favorite video to date! Simply awesome!

@retroCombs Год назад

Why thank you very much, Keven! I really enjoyed this one and I think I've learned a lot since my earlier videos. Hopefully I can continue to create quality content.

@HutchCA Год назад

When the PET first came out, Commodore didn't make a floppy disk drive, so the IEEE port had nothing to work with. The first Commodore floppy drive, the 2040, was released WITH the 2001-N AND the 2.0 ROMs in the summer of 1979.

@retroCombs Год назад

How would original 2001-4 or 8 owners upgrade their ROMs to use the 2040? Am I correct Commodore could upgrade them for the owner?

@jim_64s8-bitprojects5 Год назад

Nice video - like always! Thanks for covering my Stupid PET Tricks! The latest Stupid (fun) thing to do with it is IRC on your PET with no need for an intermediary computer. Bo updated the Zimodem firmware to support this. I will be adding instructions to the user manual in the next few days.

@retroCombs Год назад

Oh, nice! That's a must try! Thanks for a great product!

@sandcat-maurice Год назад

Watching right now. Always interesting stuf!!

@retroCombs Год назад

Thanks. Hope you enjoy.

@72dodge340 Год назад

Yeah, I'd love more in-depth videos on any of those items or topics, as you have time! I'm lucky enough to have 3 PETs: 4016, 8032 and a slightly busted-up (repairable) 4032. I've tried a couple different upgrades with mixed success, but I think I'll give one or more of these a try. I love your chicklet PET! The grade school where I first used computers in the late '70s mostly had the 2001's, so there's a lot of nostalgia with those.

@72dodge340 Год назад

I just ordered the Stupid PET Tricks! Looks really useful!

@retroCombs Год назад

I think you will really like it. It has a learning curve, but once you get over that, everything just flows. Important to note that not all software supports sound and joysticks. They include a nice list though.

@retroCombs Год назад

Thanks for the feedback. I might dig some more into one or more of the upgrades. We'll see how the video does in general. I have some time off this holiday season and have several videos I want to get recorded.

@DaveCurran Год назад

You can add switchable 40 or 80 column mode to your PET with a Mini PET 40/80D. That is a mainboard replacement for the PET which includes the upgraded 32K RAM, BASIC 4, and a built in SD2PET. It uses the original power supply, keyboard, monitor and datasette, just not the main board. The Mini PET 40/80D is also available from The Future Was 8 bit (while stocks last, we are running out of these, and I don't think we will be able to make any more due to the current chip shortages)

@retroCombs Год назад

Thanks for the tip! Rod just reached out on Twitter with the same info.

@fuzzybad 3 месяца назад

Great to see the Stupid PET Tricks module getting some love! I added joystick support to several of the games on the SPT disk. Will probably do more at some point. Regarding 80-column output, it's impossible using the 2001 motherboard. Only PETs using the later "Universal" board can be converted to 80 col. Although (as someone else mentioned), you could replace the board entirely. Seems a waste to do this when you already have a working board though.

@retroCombs 3 месяца назад

Agreed. Not interested in replacing the original board. This should stay as is. Thanks for the comment and great to hear from a PET developer!

@JosipRetroBits Год назад

Very beautiful PET unit! Great video :)

@retroCombs Год назад

Thanks! I'm really digging my new PET.

@hangonsnoop 8 месяцев назад

Some Commodore PET's continued to be used in test and measurement labs long after they became obsolete because they had a IEEE-488 interface built-in.

@retroCombs 8 месяцев назад

That's an interface that deserves more exploration.

@MsLostboysforever Год назад

Fantastic video, I have a 2001 32n please make more videos about the pet and especially the addons.

@retroCombs Год назад

Thanks for the kind comment. I do plan additional PET content but have a few NABU and MEGA65 videos to get out first.

@kins749 6 месяцев назад

Very interesting, just got a PET and planning a full restoration. The previous owner fitted the RAM/ROM upgrade and it's fully functional, all I need is to sort the keyboard and get the SD card reader.

@retroCombs 6 месяцев назад

Enjoy. It's a fun project. Which PET do you have?

@kins749 6 месяцев назад

@@retroCombs It's a 2001 with the chiclet keyboard, I wanted the original (despite the keyboard and enormous weight!)

@retroCombs 6 месяцев назад

@@kins749 Ah, similiar to mine. You'll have a blast with it!

@pablopicaro7649 Год назад

Keep it original, replace failed components as needed, adding additional peripherals is fine. In the future people will need to know the original creation of such things

@retroCombs Год назад

I agree. These upgrades don't modify the original at all. They can be replaced and maintain the integrity of the original. Thanks for the comment!

@Breakfast_of_Champions 4 месяца назад

The Darth Vader monitor is another 1970s movie feature that is probably gone forever🙂

@retroCombs 4 месяца назад

Yep, probably won't see an LCD in helmet design! 😆

@gklinger Год назад

The "trinity" included the Apple II. The Apple IIe wasn't released until 1983.

@retroCombs Год назад

Not sure why I added the "e" to Apple II in the video (habit probably), but I listed it properly in the blog post and my script. Thanks for catching that one.

@JimJimPlays Месяц назад

80 columns is only possible on the pets that had the CRT controller chip - 4032/8032 I think. And then it's just a case of changing the ROM and a jumper to switch between the modes

@retroCombs Месяц назад

Thanks! I've learned that since posting this video.

@HutchCA Год назад

A bit of Errata I'm Chuck Hutchins, not Chris Hutchinson. 😁 I didn't see any way to leave a comment on the blog post.

@retroCombs Год назад

I recently made some changes to the blog. I need to go see if I broke the comment system. It is quite possible. It's been a week!

@retroCombs Год назад

Fixed on the blog. 🤦‍♂️

@idahofur Год назад

Years ago at a thrift store. Before the internet and well me not knowing what they was. I saw 2 of them in the thrift store. One had that horrible keyboard and the other did not. They was dusty inside and I plugged one in. It booted up. But I thought they was horrible. Not knowing what they was. Pretty sad since I known what a Trash-80 and Apple was.

@retroCombs Год назад

Hindsight leave a bad feeling! 🤦🏻😂

@rolux4853 4 месяца назад

Hey, great video thank you! Is the list you mentioned only for the original pet with the calculator keyboard or for every model? I’m having a 3032 incoming in Germany and I’m very new to pets. Background and history would always be interesting!

@retroCombs 4 месяца назад

I don't have experience beyond the 2001 model but my understanding is that all of these work, save for the ROM upgrade. Depending on the model, you may not need that one. With the 3032, I think you will want the ROM upgrade. Check the site to make sure. Thanks for watching and reaching out. Look forward to hearing about your new PET.

@HutchCA Год назад

@18:20 , Nope. The 2001 PET generates it's digital video signal with a complex arrangement of TTL logic chips and a fixed pixel clock frequency. The later PETs like the 4032 use a CRT controller chip which can be re-programmed to run 80 columns if you also add the additional video RAM needed. You can hook up a larger monitor with a couple of different adapters. See my channel for a video on using the RGB2HDMI with the PET.

@retroCombs Год назад

I've seen the RGB2HDMI video. I'll have to look at it again. I didn't remember you could get 80 column out and thought you were just trying to get good clean HDMI to capture. Nice!

@HutchCA Год назад

@@retroCombs Just a larger screen, not 80 columns

@retroCombs Год назад

Got it.

@EugeneJrFolse 7 месяцев назад

Adrian Black has a video that changes the pet to 80 columns.

@retroCombs 7 месяцев назад

Thanks. I'll take a look.

@HutchCA Год назад

@03:39 you got the model number incorrect. If you look at the serial number label, yours is a straight up 2001-8, not a -N. The 2001-8N has the full size keyboard and was released in 1979. The -N indicates a full size type N keyboard where a -B would indicate a type B or "Business" keyboard. They never made a 2001-8B but there are a few 2001-16B and 2001-32B in the wild. The -8 or 8K version was the base model and the only offering from '77 thru '78. Commodore initially offered a 2001-4 with 4K of RAM at pre-order but canceled that model before they started shipping. Few if any 4K units were shipped and there are only three known 2001-4 surviving. You can tell by the black bezel and C2N type tape drive on yours, that yours was made after Mid 1978. The green screen means it was probably built as late as early 1979. 0040424 is a very late serial number.

@retroCombs Год назад

The Wikipedia entry listed: "Discrete TTL video circuit, 9" monochrome monitor (white phosphor on the original 2001, green on 2001-N PETs), 40×25 character display" But I later see they also reference this model with a full-size keyboard. Missed the keyboard reference earlier. Thanks! I'll make an errata statement on the blog.

@HutchCA Год назад

@@retroCombssome late 2001-8 shipped with green screens but ALL 2001-N had green screens from the start.

@retroCombs Год назад

Okay, I've updated the blog post and think I have it all sorted out. I think!!! 😂

@sandcat-maurice Год назад

What about a SuperPET core on the MEGA65 🤔

@retroCombs Год назад

Now that would be awesome!

@svenpetersen1965 Год назад

The PET 2001 has the CRT controller in logic gates, so it is not any flexible. You cannot set it to 80 columns. I think, it is not possible to do that on any 9" monitor machine. Upgrading the PET? For sure! It has always been a thing since the beginning, so I think, everything that is reversible is absolutely ok.

@retroCombs Год назад

Thanks for the command and verification that the 9" monitor can't produce anything beyond 40 columns. As everyone knows now, I am new to the PET but having a blast exploring the history and software!

@geekwithsocialskills Год назад

Sven this is exactly how I did my PET 2001 upgrades, that way everything is totally reversible if needed, however I don't plan on ever getting rid of my PET computer 🙂

@retroCombs Год назад

Same! So here's the question. What's everyone's legacy plan for their PET? Not sure my lineage would want nor know what to do with it.

@geekwithsocialskills Год назад

@@retroCombs I got my PET 2001 from the original owner, so I know the history of it. My family loves history like me, so it will be loved and cared for once I've passed away... which hopefully will be a very long time from now LOL!

@svenpetersen1965 Год назад

@@retroCombs I have told my son, that somebody might want it and that he could maybe make some money from it. My wife said, she will burn all the stuff together with me, so I guess, there will be many keyboard springs in my urn ⚱️

@roystout9751 Год назад

Not seeing a link to "Chris's" PET database.. Where is it???

@retroCombs Год назад

It's actually Chuck's and it's on the companion blog post. I'll try and find time to add it to the video description. Guess I missed it in my list of links. Thanks for the heads up.