You have to supply 20 of your own chips.
The good news is that if you have your own chips already, the 128RM is 100% socketed. So at least you don't have to solder anything just to put it together. You would, however, need to likely de-solder an existing C128 to source all of those chips.
Overview and Benefits:
My friend Brian Green (icbrkr) - the sysop of ParticlesBBS and massive C128 fan - had this to say about this interesting project:THE128RM is a massivly reduced size of the 128 8bit computer. It is designed for the slim size case and packed with everything what you needed.
The board is compatible with 2 SID-Chips. You can also select between 6581 or 8580 and route signal or poti signals to the suggested chip.
Each SID has its own AMP. It is protected agains overtemperature and current overloads. This Amp is suitable for telephony, audio, and servo applications.
The128RM has its own PAL/NTSC clocks. TOD or the VIC-Chip (also the videoconverter for the VDC-Chip) is switchable between regions.
The VDC is converted to an S-Video signal and shares the same output as VIC. Also the video is switchable between 40/80-ON or OFF, or even between VDC-/VIC-Video signal.
The video signal is smoothed out for better picture quality.
The VDC chip is switchable between 8563 or 8568.
Almost every pin is marked with an “PIN number” and a “PIN name” at the backside, to easy find correct pins for future mods.
The Color-RAM’s higher 4bit is not anymore pulled high and it is possible to access via software.
The power supply accepts any DC voltage between 5-36VDC, that is above 3A or more. The Input also protected against reverse polarity protection.
Each logic IC have an operating voltage of 2-6VDC.
THE128RM uses 2oz Copper PCBs design provides sufficient trace paths between components to handle greater than normal power loads and to remove heat and noise from the critical components.
So you wouldn't be able to use your original Commodore monitor like the 1084S for 80-column mode, but the S-video would allow you to do either mode with more modern monitors. (Just not both videos simultaneously, but how many programs supported that?)It is a bit pricey especially since it doesn't come with chips. I'd still buy it, but the biggest problem I see is no RGB-I output. They've combined mono composite on the video output, but I spend most of my time in 80 columns. If there were a way to get RGB-I out on it via dongle or whatever, I'd be all over it.
Interestingly, since the board is so much smaller than an original C128, you're supposed to go grab a brand new C64C case. Kind of a wild idea - to have a brand new C128 of sorts packed into the 64C case!
Go check out all the photos and details here.