Good morning!

I am pleased to be able to share that after a year of searching, I finally came across a working Commodore 128 on eBay. The video RAM has also been upgraded to 64k; I am not a Commodore expert, but I understand that is a popular upgraded these days. I am curious to know what practical uses the RAM upgrade will provide.

I am very interested in calling BBSes on it, particularly in 80 column modem as I imagine it would support ANSI graphics? It will be easy to get the best of both worlds if so, calling Commodore boards and PC boards.

I am also excited to experience some demos and the software that actually does utilize 128 mode.

Bo Holt

... Have you clubbed an ignorant human today?

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Bo Holt wrote to All <=-

I am pleased to be able to share that after a year of searching, I
finally came across a working Commodore 128 on eBay. The video RAM has also been upgraded to 64k; I am not a Commodore expert, but I
understand that is a popular upgraded these days. I am curious to know what practical uses the RAM upgrade will provide.

The 128 has a 80 column mode where you can connect it to a CGA-compatible display using the 9 pin video connector. Without the video RAM upgrade, that display would only be monochrome. But with the upgrade, you can get all the Commodore colors in 80 column mode.

I am also excited to experience some demos and the software that
actually does utilize 128 mode.

The software exists. Ex: https://www.zimmers.net/anonftp/pub/cbm/c128/

But the 128 mode of the C128 was not heavily used. The vast majority of the software available was for the C64. And software vendors targeted the C64 since it had the wider market.

I've known people who had a 128 and never took it out of C64 mode.


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The 128 has a 80 column mode where you can connect it to a CGA-compatible display using the 9 pin video connector. Without the video RAM upgrade, t display would only be monochrome. But with the upgrade, you can get all t Commodore colors in 80 column mode.

Thanks! I had planned to connect the 128 side to one of my Tandy CM-11a or my IBM 5153.

Last night, I got a Sony 20" PVM from Commodore Sam, and I want to get a breakout cable for the "S-video" (isn't that just chroma luma?) to connect to it as well as my other PVMs. Also for my 64U.

The software exists. Ex: https://www.zimmers.net/anonftp/pub/cbm/c128/

But the 128 mode of the C128 was not heavily used. The vast majority of t software available was for the C64. And software vendors targeted the C64 since it had the wider market.

I knew about that sadly regarding lowest common denominator, but I figured there have to be a few real bangers out there, too... especially with new home brew.

BBSing is a huge part of my vintage activities. Any suggestions on term software for both the 64 and 128? 80 column support?

Thanks!

Bo

... You hold 'em off, I'll go for help. (heh-heh-heh)

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Bo Holt wrote to Dr. What <=-

Thanks! I had planned to connect the 128 side to one of my Tandy
CM-11a or my IBM 5153.

That ought to work.

Last night, I got a Sony 20" PVM from Commodore Sam, and I want to get
a breakout cable for the "S-video" (isn't that just chroma luma?) to connect to it as well as my other PVMs. Also for my 64U.

I'm not sure. What I've heard is that Luma/Chroma is S-Video, but the cable is different.

I know that you can get an S-Video cable for your C-64 that will just plug in, though.

BBSing is a huge part of my vintage activities. Any suggestions on
term software for both the 64 and 128? 80 column support?

Not off the top of my head. I only had a C128 for a short time before clearing it out for other things.

I guess you get to have fun trying them out. :)


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Thanks! I had planned to connect the 128 side to one of my Tandy CM-11a or my IBM 5153.

That ought to work.

Last night, I got a Sony 20" PVM from Commodore Sam, and I want to ge a breakout cable for the "S-video" (isn't that just chroma luma?) to connect to it as well as my other PVMs. Also for my 64U.

I'm not sure. What I've heard is that Luma/Chroma is S-Video, but the cab different.

I know that you can get an S-Video cable for your C-64 that will just plug though.

BBSing is a huge part of my vintage activities. Any suggestions on term software for both the 64 and 128? 80 column support?

Not off the top of my head. I only had a C128 for a short time before cle it out for other things.

I guess you get to have fun trying them out. :)

Other sources have confirmed the S-video, so yeah, I am going to stock up on cables.

I am borrowing an SD2IEC from Commodore so I can actually have a method to get software on and off to test LOL. I'll buyone for myself, how quickly depends on how crazy I go at VCF ;)

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Re: Re: Commodore 128
By: Bo Holt to Dr. What on Wed Jul 29 2026 19:19:00

I am borrowing an SD2IEC from Commodore...

How did you do that?
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I am borrowing an SD2IEC from Commodore...

How did you do that?
--- SBBSecho 3.37-Linux
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It was supposed to say Commodore Sam. After I sent the message, I saw some characters dropped out while typing. My connection to my Wimodem232 Pro sometimes gets laggy.

... Everything I like is illegal, immoral or expensive!

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Dr. What posted:

The 128 has a 80 column mode where you can connect it to a CGA-compatible display using the 9 pin video connector. Without the video RAM upgrade, that display would only be monochrome. But with the upgrade, you can get all the Commodore colors in 80 column mode.

That is incorrect. Even with the original 16K video RAM, you would still get all 16 colors in 80-column mode when connected to the C128's RGB port.
With 64K video RAM, you have access to more screen modes which would use the 16 colors.

Bo Holt posted:

I knew about that sadly regarding lowest common denominator, but I figured there have to be a few real bangers out there, too... especially with new home
brew.

BBSing is a huge part of my vintage activities. Any suggestions on term software for both the 64 and 128? 80 column support?

First, look at the C128 Commercial Software/Hardware list at

https://portcommodore.com/retro-link/index.php/topic,1366.msg3695.html#msg3695

That will give you an idea of what is out there for the C128, even though
some of the commercial items may be hard to find.
As for the latest news on new C128 software, see

https://c-128.freeforums.net/

and you can look under Games for C128 or under Herdware.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group -
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network -
http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan

P.S. I'm not an expert in BBS term software, but I can direct you to a club member who runs BBS's.

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RobertB wrote to All <=-

That is incorrect. Even with the original 16K video RAM, you
would still get all 16 colors in 80-column mode when connected to the C128's RGB port. With 64K video RAM, you have access to more screen
modes which would use the 16 colors.

Interesting. I had a C128 for a short period of time. In 80 column mode it was only monochrome. When I researched it, everything I read said "they skimped on the video RAM" was the reason.


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Dr. What posted:

Interesting. I had a C128 for a short period of time. In 80 column mode it was only monochrome. When I researched it, everything I read said "they skimped
on the video RAM" was the reason.

Heh, I've had C128's since 1985 and have used flat C128's and C128D's (both
plastic and metal versions). :) Wherever you got your research was wrong. Yes,
on a C128 with 16K video RAM, you only get monochrome when you go up to a resolution of 640 x 200. If you keep the resolution to 320 x 200, you will get 16 colors, whether you have 16K or 64K video RAM. See the specs at

https://www.vgmuseum.com/systems/c128/

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group - http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network -
http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan

--- PyGate Linux v1.5.19
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BBSing is a huge part of my vintage activities. Any suggestions on term software for both the 64 and 128? 80 column support?

First, look at the C128 Commercial Software/Hardware list at

https://portcommodore.com/retro-link/index.php/topic,1366.msg3695.html#msg3

That will give you an idea of what is out there for the C128, even though some of the commercial items may be hard to find.
As for the latest news on new C128 software, see

https://c-128.freeforums.net/

and you can look under Games for C128 or under Herdware.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group -

Thanks for the links! I got a SD2IEC from Commodore Sam and have been learning how to use it and got the File Browser. Thatmakes it easier to get started since the Commodore command lines are not second nature to me ;) I've got to get a Wimodem for it eventually.

Bo

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On Sun 2-Aug-2026 7:45a, Dr. What@1:342/201.0 said to Robertb:

RobertB wrote to All <=-

Interesting. I had a C128 for a short period of time. In 80 column mode it
was only monochrome. When I researched it, everything I read said "they skimped
on the video RAM" was the reason.

Sounds like you had a DB-9 connector that only had the Monochrome pin 7 connected. This PIN was used alot to allow users to use their composite monitors (Or TVs through a composite port) to display 80Col cheaply.

Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
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To answer the terminal question, DesTerm is the go to terminal program (80 Column ONLY) for the C-128.

Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
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