The Commodore 64 continues to be simply as widespread as ever with retro laptop lovers. What’s to not like? Superior SID music, unbelievable demo graphics, an enormous variety of video games (with many extra being launched on a regular basis) and many cool peripherals to play with. One of many solely areas the C64 missed out on was having a real-time clock. With the superior Clockwork64 you cannot solely add an exterior, very correct time show to your C64, however you too can use it in software program to maintain observe of time.
Commodore BASIC does have a technique to maintain time. One of many chips has a timer in it, and increments a clock variable each 1/sixtieth of a second. These 60ths of a second are referred to as “jiffies” and may be accessed in a variable referred to as TI. There’s additionally a formatted model of TI, merely referred to as TI$ (TI string) which shows the jiffy rely in hours, minutes and seconds. However except TI$ is about to the present time when the machine is powered on, the consumer has to manually set the time, and that is misplaced every time the machine is turned off. However with an exterior real-time clock just like the Clockwork64, you’ll be able to learn from it utilizing both meeting languages or PEEKs and POKEs, and set the clock precisely!
It is a very nice function if you’re utilizing a graphical atmosphere like GEOS, or for those who’re utilizing a terminal program that shows the present time — it’s a great way to maintain observe of how lengthy you’ve been linked to your favorite BBS! Contained in the Clockwork64 is the venerable DS3231 real-time clock chip from Maxim, initially made by Dallas (therefore the DS prefix). These RTCs are correct to 1 second per yr, and may be calibrated if extra accuracy is required. The exterior 7-segment shows can present the time in numerous methods, from the easy HH:MM:SS to a 99-hour timer and extra moreover!
For those who’ve ever needed to provide your C64 some correct timekeeping and concurrently give it some extra nerd cred, be certain that to take a look at the Clockwork64 product web page — and in addition try the opposite Commodore peripherals made by The Darkish Forest!