Commander X16

mortarm wrote: ↑Mon Mar 24, 2025 2:39 am

Mkopack73 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 24, 2025 1:49 am Yes and no... I always HATED how my C64 had all the cables hooked to it and out 2 sides...

OK, but what do you mean by "Yes and no"? This implies you agree with my assessment, but wi9th provisions. All you gave was your personal preferences.

Another reason I forgot to mention was, of course, cost. It's cheaper to make one mold than two. Perhaps another reason (speculation on my part) was to make it easier to place near a TV, which most of them were hooked up to. No doubt a lot of these ended up on tables and bedroom desks.

It means I get what you're saying, I just never liked the "all in one" because of the cable headaches. The detached keyboard from main system approach always seemed a better arrangement to me. Particularly if you had a lot of add-ons. Look at that insane chain of devices on the Ti99/4a had if you had a full setup - you needed an 8 ft wide desk to fit it all!

Hypothetically, If I were ever get a Phase 1 case and stick into a keyboard console form factor, It would resemble the Apple IIe+/10th Anniversary Edition case, with all supportable function keys, a number pad, enough vertical interior space to accommodate all four expansion slots at full height, and enough further empty space in back to handle two more Super NES jacks and an actual, Mr. Murray specced User Port.

But the way things are going, that will most likely happen at the Greek Kalends.

I love it! Now let's drop in the mechanical keyboard and then TAKE MY MONEY!!!

@DragWx
This is my take on one that could let the monitor sit on top?
I'll print this one out and see....

*EDIT
Not sure I like the top vents, so removed it

That back view makes me think of Legos for some reason.

It's pretty neat, but for my tastes personally, I really liked how the Apple IIgs looked, and I'd have loved to put my X16 into something similar, though I might be the only person. Maybe one of these days I'll formally figure out and sketch a design on paper.

About what I said about the monitor, I have a recollection of our 1902 literally sitting on top of our C128's backside. I'm not sure if this is even possible or if I'm just misremembering, or if it's even a good thing to do at all, but that's what was in my memory.

I guess you could prop the front of the monitor up on the back of the 128.

kelli217 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 25, 2025 3:45 pm I guess you could prop the front of the monitor up on the back of the 128.

Yup, many people did that. In fact I seem to recall at least one model of the Commodore monitors having little fold out legs for the BACK of the monitor to prop it up so it was level when sitting on either a 128 or A500. I could be wrong though.

badmai wrote: ↑Tue Mar 25, 2025 12:19 pm @DragWx
This is my take on one that could let the monitor sit on top?
I'll print this one out and see....

*EDIT
Not sure I like the top vents, so removed it

Like this one except I don’t see any provision for the slots on the back?

I haven't tested or adjusted the back plate yet.
Do you mean the expansion slots?

I'm doing this for my own setup for now, which will include the wifi card + riser card.
After I print and test , I'll post the files for anyone to modify.
Since I know everyone does not have a printer that could handle the size, I tested slicing them and will include that.

I'm having fun designing and getting a little more comfortable with Fusion 360, nice break from coding.

@everyone
I may start taking requests for designs, so draw up your idea computer case and post.


.

badmai wrote: ↑Tue Mar 25, 2025 6:57 pm I haven't tested or adjusted the back plate yet.
Do you mean the expansion slots?

I'm doing this for my own setup for now, which will include the wifi card + riser card.
After I print and test , I'll post the files for anyone to modify.
Since I know everyone does not have a printer that could handle the size, I tested slicing them and will include that.

I'm having fun designing and getting a little more comfortable with Fusion 360, nice break from coding.

@everyone
I may start taking requests for designs, so draw up your idea computer case and post.


.

Yeah need opening for the cards... I'm getting both the midi and network. Couldn't care less about the cartridge slot (probably will desolder and put in a vertical one instead of the right angle...)