Commodore 64 – 250407 – MELIUS Rev 1.2 (First Batch)

Here’s your chance to own a brand new Commodore 64 – MELIUS Rev 1.2 main board. The revision is 250407, Artwork 251137.

Project MELIUS is dedicated to improving the original Commodore 64 while staying as true to the original as possible.

The first iteration of project MELIUS boards featured the following improvements:

• RF Modulator Bypass Circuitry – This modification allows you to be free from the RF modulator component by soldering a handful of components to the board which will bring you an improved quality video signal. You can also choose to use the original RF modulator instead. Your choice.
• EEPROM upgrades – The Basic, Kernal and Character ROM’s have been replaced with 27C512 EEPROM’s. This means that you can burn a ROM and directly plug it into your C64’s mainboard. What’s even better is that because the 27C512 have 64K of space, you can store up to 8 ROM images for both Basic and Kernal ROM’s and up to 16 variations of the character ROM and then quickly select between them by moving around some jumpers.
• Connector Footprint Updates – This will help with hunting down various connectors for the IEC, A/V and power ports. Especially the power port connectors. Finding these with the 5mm pin spacing for the ground shield is very difficult. This allows you to easily pop in modern replacements.

Revision 1.1 builds upon these modifications with the following:

• RF Modulator Bypass Circuitry – The first revision had a footprint issue for the 2 transistors used in the circuit. This revision corrects that error.
• Memory – The existing layout of the 8 4164 DRAM chips has been modified to the following:
  • 2 41464 DRAM chips to provide legacy support and maintain a small footprint.
  • A modern SRAM replacement circuit has been added that can be used instead of the 2 41464 DRAM memory chips.

NEW IN THIS REVISION!!!

Revision 1.2 builds upon these modifications with the following:

• Modified footprints for the Axial Electrolytic capacitors to support radial capacitors.
• Modified Clock Oscillation circuit to minimize the amount of components in that space which resulted in 2 additional modifications:
  • Support was added for a 2nd VIC chip as well as a second crystal which makes it possible to have both a 6567 and 6569 VIC chip installed and then use jumpers to easily switch between NTSC and PAL
  • Since the 8701 clock oscillator is no longer manufactured a supporting circuit was added that requires surface mount components to support the 525 user configurable clock circuit instead. So you’ll have a choice of using those components or simply using an 8701 or 8701 replacement.

READ BEFORE PURCHASING!!!

This is a first batch run and up until this point I’ve been lucky and they all worked 100% except this revision has a couple of issues that you need to be aware of.

• The silk screen did not get applied to the video section and the RF modulator section of the board but I have diagrams available showing part values and placement.
• The surface mount portion where you’d be able to use a 525 instead of an 8701 as the oscillator has an issue where the DOT CLOCK and COLOR CLOCK signals are reversed and therefore does not work. So on this first batch, you’ll have to use the 16 pin socket with either an original 8701 or a replacement 8701 such as the TOLB or the replacement that I sell.

Additionally, I have not yet been able to test the dual VIC chip functionality switching between NTSC and PAL so I can’t say that its 100% functional. I inspected the board and the circuit and all appears to be as it should be so I am confident that you shouldn’t have any issues. Just know that this feature is untested.

I am planning on continuously improving this board.

The primary difference between these and the production boards will be the finish.

These have a finish known as HASL which is a tin / lead plating on the copper layers and can wear down over time if exposed to excessive friction, mainly the user and cassette port. The production boards will use a finish known as ENIG which offers a flat surface, longer shelf life and is also lead free and RoHS compliant.

Don’t miss your opportunity to own 1 of only 5 in existence of an official DIY Chris C64 250407 MELIUS Rev 1.2 first ever in existence. Who knows, I may become famous one day hahaha..