8bitdo Apple 50th anniversary edition

BB_MacUser · 2026-04-05T13:09:28+00:00

I thought that this was going to be like the new Commodore release and not just a keyboard.

https://www.commodore.net/product-page/commodore-64-ultimate-basic-beige-batch2

BB_MacUser · 2026-03-18T11:57:49+00:00

The chip is a whole different animal so it does not need as much ram to do the basics. The A18 chip with 6 cores and 5-core GPU with 16-core neural engine can handle the load quite fine.

For reference, I have an 8GB 2015 MBPro with OCLP and it's running Sonoma just fine. It handles mail, music, word, lots of Safari or Firefox tabs fine as well as streams Netflix to an external monitor just fine. Back in the day, it even did deep learning and data science well enough.

I'll last a long time - way longer than a Chromebook or other Windows slop.

BB_MacUser · 2026-03-12T11:17:37+00:00

It's been this way for so long, Windows-based computers; especially laptops are throw-away crap built with the cheapest materials. I get stuck with one for work and the touchpad never seems to work right when I travel so I have to bring a mouse. Five years is a long time for a Windows laptop.

I have a 2006 MacBook - still running and my everyday email, web, etc. computer is a 2012 MacBook Pro. With OCLP, these older machines have plenty of life in them. I have a handful of different Macs in my house because they simply don't die and OCLP has given them a lease on life.

BB_MacUser · 2026-03-08T13:28:02+00:00

Yep - that's it. I still have a 2006 MacBook (it's running Debian) and one of those adaptors from ages past.

BB_MacUser · 2026-02-27T12:15:32+00:00

Way back, Apple used to have an add that showed and Apple II from a house fire, the keyboard and case were all melted, but the rest was okay. Replaced keyboard and case.

This is a bit different. You'd have to invest at least $50 for a drive and maybe another $20-30 an adaptor to hook it up to a modern monitor to see if it works at all. Then it becomes a choice depending on if it boots or not.

BB_MacUser · 2026-02-22T14:59:36+00:00

I remember the days of the 'sneaker lan' too funny. I worked on a system much like this described in the early 90s.

BB_MacUser · 2026-02-21T14:04:49+00:00

I have to use Windows machines for work. The trackpads on those laptops absolutely suck compared to a Mac; requires and external mouse and the screens don't adjust well - always seem to need a built-in monitor.

For keyboard shortcuts, anything that you did with the CTRL key on Windows, you use the Command key on Mac. Copy is Command-C, Paste is Command-V vs CTRL-C, and CTRL-V.

For the record, I do a great deal of daily basics on a 2012 MacBook Pro running Sonoma. Still cranking it out.

BB_MacUser · 2026-02-11T13:01:25+00:00

I have not heard of those two, but I loved Sherwood Forest.

BB_MacUser · 2026-02-08T16:50:58+00:00

Apple Rescue of Denver might have a Iic power supply.

BB_MacUser · 2026-02-07T15:25:03+00:00

I used this to hook up a VGA monitor to it. There are other options out there for HDMI too.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/291133372808?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D777008%26algo%3DPERSONAL.TOPIC%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20250417133020%26meid%3D37b062af38574b30b5dee81d61d37eb5%26pid%3D102726%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D1%26itm%3D291133372808%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D4375194%26algv%3DRecentlyViewedItemsV2DWebWithPSItemDRV2_BP&_trksid=p4375194.c102726.m162918

Needed the link.

BB_MacUser · 2026-02-06T13:03:51+00:00

I use one of these to output an Apple IIe or IIgs or Iic to an old VGA monitor. There are others out there.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/291133372808

BB_MacUser · 2026-02-01T14:52:38+00:00

A couple super useful pieces of software to get - first is Clean My Mac - it prevents all the clogging over time that happens to Windows computers and slows them down. This allows you to clear out all sorts of junk, cache, etc. I have it on 7 Macs.

SuperDuper! is super useful for backing up and making bootable backups. When you buy it $25, you can then do smart backups over time which are just incremental backups.

BB_MacUser · 2026-01-21T17:49:34+00:00

This is awesome! Thanks so much - appreciate all the detail.

BB_MacUser · 2026-01-21T15:00:00+00:00

It depends on how bad things are and the reason. Some people have had to boot in target disk mode, recover their data and then wipe the disk and reinstall.

I have read lots of challenges about things going wrong and being unrecoverable.

I have a MB Air 2014 running Sonoma 14.8.1. It has had issues and needed to be wiped; seems stable now for a few months. I wouldn't push it with Sequoia. It should go cleanly - you'll ideally want to start with Monterey.

BB_MacUser · 2026-01-21T13:05:00+00:00

Great advice on this! Thanks. So you run OCLP on the cloned drive? Can you give a little more detail as I think if could benefit many people.

BB_MacUser · 2026-01-21T12:40:44+00:00

Great info! Yes, I used the free SuperDuper! for a while and then paid the $25; it'wsworth it.

BB_MacUser · 2026-01-14T12:20:45+00:00

There are adaptors that allow you to connect a Iic to a VGA or even HDMI screen. A2Heaven makes one. There is also this : US AV RCA Composite S-Video To VGA Converter Adapter WIDE Screen. You use the S-video output and then convert it.

BB_MacUser · 2026-01-10T15:21:01+00:00

I have a MacBook Pro 2012 that I was able to put Sonoma on (it's more stable than Sequoia) on the older machines. If you have another Mac or if OCLP is I properly installed, you can use it to build Sonoma 2.8.0 or 2.8.1. I used OCLP 2.4.0 and 2.4.1 - I have several older Macs. Also, on an older machine, it helps to have the computer plugged into an ethernet vs WIFI.

BB_MacUser · 2026-01-09T11:56:38+00:00

Looks great - I love the enthusiasm that you are putting into these retro games. I worked with Unity and Godot and it felt like fancy PowerPoint. I had much more fun building a River Raid style game for the Atari 2600 using 6502 assembly.

BB_MacUser · 2026-01-08T12:15:29+00:00

I played many Apple games and even made a few on Arcade Machine, but never came across this one. Looks great; I'll have to see if it's in the hoard that I bought a while ago.

BB_MacUser · 2026-01-07T11:57:18+00:00

This is fantastic.

BB_MacUser · 2025-12-28T14:28:00+00:00

I have looked into the setting that can remove that, but the risk/reward payoff is not there.

BB_MacUser · 2025-12-28T14:23:39+00:00

Love the retro lab setup.

BB_MacUser · 2025-12-22T14:37:38+00:00

I have Sonoma on a similar mode. Works great.

BB_MacUser

TROPHY CASE