BMC64 vs C64 Forever

BMC64 is a free, bare-metal Commodore 64 emulator for selected Raspberry Pi boards. Its bundled release also emulates the C128, VIC-20, Plus/4 and PET, including C64 PAL and NTSC variants. It uses VICE, with Plus4Emu available on Raspberry Pi 3 for more accurate Plus/4 emulation. Frames are timed to 50/60 Hz display refresh for smooth scrolling, and the project advertises low input-to-audio/video latency. A reported C64 boot over composite takes 4.1 seconds, with no shutdown sequence required. Wi-Fi and Ethernet support uses such as BBS access and C64 OS networking. Installation involves writing a release ZIP or image to a FAT32 SD card. Required ROM files must come from a legal source, and the minimum C64 ROM set is needed to start. Supported boards are Pi Zero, Zero 2W, Pi 2 and Pi 3; Pi 4 and later are unsupported. An optional local-network web interface manages status and SD-card files and can use a PIN.

C64 Forever is a Windows package for preserving and emulating Commodore 8-bit software. It emulates C64 hardware and systems including PET, VIC-20, C16, Plus/4 and C128, with legal CBM system ROMs. A built-in catalog holds configuration data for more than 5,000 titles and receives online updates through the RetroPlatform Library. The package includes more than 200 games and demoscene productions with permission from their creators. RP9 combines a title into a single file for one-click playback, and the title editor can create or modify self-contained RP9 packages. Input options include USB and Xbox controllers, X-Arcade, I-PAC, customizable keyboard layouts, touchscreen gestures and an onscreen keyboard. The feature list also names clipboard, Windows File Explorer and Search integration. The free Express Edition is feature-limited. The downloadable Plus Edition costs 19.95 USD once and adds features including saved states, simultaneous playback windows and image building. Listed requirements include Windows 11, 10, 8, 7 or Vista, or equivalent Windows Server editions, on x86 or x64 systems.