Frodo vs Power64
Frodo
frodo.cebix.netPower64
infinite-loop.atSide by side
| Figure | Frodo | Power64 |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · Commodore 64 Emulators | 8.7 (#1) | 8.3 (#4) |
| CPU emulation | The documented emulator includes instruction- and cycle-exact 6510 emulation, including undocumented opcodes and correct decimal mode. | It emulates the MOS 6510 processor, including undocumented opcodes. |
| Disk and tape support | Frodo supports Commodore 1541 disk software, Datasette TAP files and multiple disk-image formats including D64, G64 and T64. | It supports 1541, 1571 and 1581 disk emulation, disk and tape image formats, and Macintosh file access for C64 and P00 files. |
| Documentation | The repository includes an HTML manual and a beginner guide covering controllers, display, drives, loading software, keyboard mappings and emulator shortcuts. | The online manual covers installation, media formats, devices, troubleshooting, monitor commands, BASIC, custom chips and file formats. |
| Installation | The repository documents building with autogen.sh, make and make install on Unix-like systems, macOS and Windows. | Installation requires copying the application to a hard-disk location; ROM files are bundled and no extra files are required. |
| Purpose | Frodo is a portable Commodore 64 emulator focused on reproducing special graphical effects possible on the C64. | Power64 emulates the Commodore 64 so users can run C64 software on an Apple Macintosh. |
| Sound emulation | The older technical documentation describes real-time 16-bit, 44.1 kHz SID emulation with filters on several supported systems. | Its SID emulation includes envelopes, waveforms, filters, resonance, ring modulation, synchronization and samples. |
| Video and sound | The settings window allows users to choose windowed or fullscreen display and set the initial window size. | Its listed emulation includes cycle-precise VIC video features and SID sound, with an interface to the reSID library for more precise SID emulation. |
| Video emulation | Its VIC emulation covers display modes, sprites, collisions, DMA cycles, open borders and timing-sensitive register effects. | Its VIC emulation covers cycle timing, video modes, sprites, raster effects, scrolling, collisions and border tricks. |
| What it does | Frodo is a portable Commodore 64 emulator focused on reproducing the machine's special graphical effects. | Power64 emulates a Commodore 64 on Apple Macintosh computers. |
Plans
Power64
- Power64 registration$30, paid once
- Power64 single user license$32, paid once
In their own words
Frodo
Frodo is a free, portable Commodore 64 emulator for Linux, macOS, and Windows. It focuses on reproducing special graphical effects from the C64 and supports disk and tape software, many game cartridges, and formats including D64, G64, T64, TAP, X64, and LYNX. It offers a cycle-exact regular mode and Frodo Lite, a less compatible version intended to run better on slower machines. The official site lists V4.5, which adds Datasette TAP emulation and support for banked cartridges including Ocean, Fun Play, Power Play, Super Games, and Simons' BASIC. TAP emulation is unavailable in Frodo Lite. V4.5 can auto-start disk and tape images, cartridges, and C64 BASIC program files from the command line. Frodo can detect connected controllers for C64 joystick ports and map additional buttons to C64 keys. Display settings include windowed or fullscreen mode and an initial window size. The V4.5 snapshot format changed, so it cannot read snapshots from earlier versions. Frodo is listed under GPL-2.0.
Power64
Power64 emulates the Commodore 64 for running C64 software on an Apple Macintosh. It models the MOS 6510 processor, including illegal opcodes, and provides cycle-precise VIC video features and SID sound with a reSID interface. Drive emulation covers 1541, 1571, and 1581 systems, alongside disk and tape images including D64, X64, G41, D71, D81, T64, TAP, and Lynx. Macintosh access supports C64 and P00 files. Input options include USB or mapped keyboard joysticks, mouse, paddles, and lightpen. Users can mount disks by drag and drop, copy files among disks, tapes, and the Mac hard disk, use the built-in monitor/debugger, and run multiple C64 instances. Version 4.9.5 targets PowerPC and runs on Intel Macs only through Rosetta; it does not work on OS X 10.7. The unregistered version allows ten-minute sessions. Registration costs $32, paid once.