Retro Bertie’s latest video takes a practical look at building a simple audio digitizer for the Commodore 64 — a project that dates back to the October 1986 issue of the German magazine 64er. The device itself is a two-bit audio digitizer, designed for basic sound sampling and playback on the C64. While the build is straightforward, there’s plenty of room for experimentation once it’s up and running.
In the video, Bertie walks through the process of putting the device together, highlighting how surprisingly easy it is to build with just a few components. The design comes from Martin W., who preserved the original schematic and Gerber files, making them freely available for non-commercial use. Bertie makes it clear that while this project is simple, there are many ways to expand its capabilities — adding effects like echo or adjusting playback speed are just a few ideas for those wanting to experiment further.
For those interested in building their own, Bertie provides everything needed via his Google Drive link — including the Gerber files, source code, and even a typed-up version of the original German article. This version is handy for anyone wanting to use an automated translation tool to convert the instructions into their language of choice.
It’s a fun and approachable project that shows how even modest hardware add-ons can breathe new life into the Commodore 64.
