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Archive for the ‘DTV’ Category

Ultimate II: Quick Project Status

July 12th, 2010 No comments

This is the last notice for the Ultimate 1541 version 2.

from 1541 Ultimate homepage:

  • 184 Ultimate-II units shipped.
  • The last few (5) will be shipped out tomorrow….
  • If you paid after June 1, you will need to wait until the new production batch is finished.  (Refund possible..)
  • New production startup in progress!
  • Unprocessed payments will be processed before the end of the week (week 27). Please hold your payments until further notice!
  • Question of redistributing the Free Xilinx tools within a virtual machine is under review by the legal department of Xilinx. If they approve, I can provide the planned virtual machine; if not, I will need to write instructions on how you can instal the tools separately.
  • Last firmware version: 2.0RC4. Downloadable update available by end of week 28.

source: 1541ultimate.net

CBM-Command v1.0.2 Beta

July 9th, 2010 No comments

CBM-Command is a disk manager for the Commodore 64 / Commodore 128 / Commodore VIC20 / Commodore C16 computers. It is written like Norton Commander or Midnight Commander, but is much simpler due to the target platforms. Both the C128/C64/VIC20/C16 have their own native version of the application.

Release Notes – 2010-07-09 – Version 1.0.1/1.0.2

New Features:

  • Added support for Commodore Plus 4 computer.
  • 32K Expanded VIC-20 now supported.

Changes:

  • (VIC20) Refactored many of the screens to better fit the 22×23 layout.
  • (VIC20) Filename shortening removed and the file type moved to the left of the directory display.
  • (PLUS4) Created color scheme to match the environment.
  • (VIC20) Panels are not displayed side by side, only one panel is displayed at a time.
  • (VIC20) D64 support is removed, the RAM was needed elsewhere.
  • (ALL) The screen has been made more scalable.

Known Issues:

  • (VIC20) Many of the keyboard shortcuts on the left side of the keyboard do not work under VICE. After speaking with members of the VICE team they are pretty sure this is a problem in the GETIN kernel routine which is used by cc65. I would greatly appreciate it if someone with a real VIC can verify that the keys do not work on real hardware before I bring the problem up in the cc65 forums.
  • (VIC20) I still haven’t figured out why saving the configuration doesn’t work. :(
  • (VIC20) CTRL-D and CTRL-E don’t work.
  • (VIC20) The launcher doesn’t yet know about the VIC, so it loads the wrong version of CBM-Command.
  • (VIC20) The configuration tool cannot save.

source: cbmcommand.codeplex.com

Some new Games for Commodore 64 (Basic game compo 2010)

July 4th, 2010 No comments

New 8 Bit Software – Scavenger, Penultimate Fantasy and DungeonExplorer for Commodore 64.

source: noname.c64.org

Unboxing C64SD V2 by Manosoft

June 15th, 2010 5 comments
C64SD V2 by Manosoft

Autopsy:

For a new review see the italian version of this article.

from C64Scene Homepage: This project is interesting not only because it’s another mass-storage solution but because it combines already existing solutions to a new and fresh product. Damiano has always followed all the Commdore related websites and forums especially concerning the MMC and SD2IEC projects.

That’s when he got the idea to build a solution for which one doesn’t need soldering, wire cutting or the IEC cable. C64SD utilizes the Datasette connector to power the SD2IEC circuit. An IEC connector connects right into the IEC port.

The whole module stand vertical along the back of the C64 (or VIC20). The module is fitted with two rather large buttons, one reset and one diskswap/multi-function button.

SD-CARD Tested:

SANDISK SD-CARD 2GB = 100% WORKING.
CORSAIR SD-CARD 512MB = 100% WORKING.

source: c64sd.roxer.com c64wiki sd2iec c64wiki sd2iec firmware

The software for the 1541 Ultimate II is finished.

May 28th, 2010 No comments

from 1541 Ultimate homepage:

Finally, the software for the 1541 Ultimate II is finished. In the last two weeks, an enormous amount of work has been done:

  • USB is now working stable, including insertion and removal.  (My external 500 GB harddisk was detected flawlessly!)
  • Support for USB devices with multiple LUNs (like card readers)
  • GCR (G64) supported added, including write (the Ultimate-I couldn’t do this)
  • T64 file support re-integrated.
  • Tape support, using TAP files (I needed to test the hardware anyway!)
  • Comprehensible menus.
  • Real time clock functional  (still need a clock widget…)
  • I made a wooden mould, to simplify closing the plastic cases without damaging them.

The plan is, to ship the first 40~50 units this coming Wednesday! The remaining units will follow as soon as possible!  Thank you for your patience!

source: 1541ultimate.net

CBM-Command v1.0

May 27th, 2010 No comments

CBM-Command is a disk manager for the Commodore 64 and Commodore 128 computers.

It is written like Norton Commander or Midnight Commander, but is much simpler due to the target platforms.

Both the C128 and C64 have their own native version of the application.

Release Notes – 2010-05-26 – Version 1.0

New Features:

  • Simple text file viewer. Now when you use SHIFT-RETURN to open a file, it will ask if you want to view it as text. If you say yes it will present the file in the simple text viewer. If you say no it will launch as normal. If you have selected a SEQ file then it will open straight into the viewer upon hitting SHIFT-RETURN.
  • Help File.

Changes:

  • Fixed bug where you could move to an unopened panel.
  • Fixed bug where you could not abort a rename by leaving the name blank and hitting return.
  • Reworked how the panels are displayed to allow more characters of names to be displayed in 40 columns.

source: cbmcommand.codeplex.com

YM-64 – YM File Player for the Commodore 64

May 18th, 2010 No comments

YM-64 is a program to play so-called ym files on the Commodore 64. Ym files have the extension “.ym” and usually contain music written for the Atari ST, the Amstrad/Schneider CPC, or the Sinclair ZX spectrum.

With YM-64 it is possible to play this music also on Commodore 64 computers.

source: norbert’s homepage

CBM-Command (2010-05-16)

May 17th, 2010 No comments

CBM-Command is a disk manager for the Commodore 64 and Commodore 128 computers.

It is written like Norton Commander or Midnight Commander, but is much simpler due to the target platforms.

Both the C128 and C64 have their own native version of the application.

Release Notes2010-05-16

New Features:

  • New navigation options: Page Up, Page Down, Top of Directory, Bottom of Directory. See documentation (http://cbmcommand.codeplex.com/documentation) for hotkey assignments.
  • Write D64 to Disk.
  • Write Disk to D64.
  • Configuration program.
  • Generic Loader in CBMCommand.d64.

Changes:

  • Removed the dropdown menus. All functions have at least one hotkey.
  • Default panels allow you to enter CBM-Command with your favorite drive ready to go.
  • Added function keys and function key bar at bottom of screen.
  • Moved status bar to top of screen.
  • Many, many, many bug fixes.

Known Issues:

  • Getting directory for drive without a disk prints garbage.
  • Writing D64 to disk does not check the target drive for correct type (1541/1571).

source: cbmcommand.codeplex.com

CBM-Command (2010-05-10)

May 11th, 2010 No comments

CBM-Command is a disk manager for the Commodore 64 and Commodore 128 computers.

It is written like Norton Commander or Midnight Commander, but is much simpler due to the target platforms.

Both the C128 and C64 have their own native version of the application.

Release Notes – 2010-05-10

New Features:

  • Launching PRG Files.
  • New color schemes to better match the C128 and C64 platforms.
  • Function Keys.

Changes:

  • File copying is now faster on really fast drives by using 1018 byte buffers instead of 254 byte buffers.
  • Files selected in the right panel can now be copied to the left panel.
  • When no drive has been selected, opening a panel will now use the drive that the program was loaded from.
  • Many, many other bug fixes.

source: cbmcommand.codeplex.com

CBM-Command (2010-05-06)

CBM-Command is a disk manager for the Commodore 64 and Commodore 128 computers. It is written like Norton Commander or Midnight Commander, but is much simpler due to the target platforms.

Both the C128 and C64 have their own native version of the application.

source: cbmcommand.codeplex.com

C64 Game: Spike from TRSI

April 14th, 2010 No comments

TRSI released a new game for the Commodore C64. The game is a conversion of the Vectrex classic Spike.

source: noname.c64.org

1541U-II Cases arrived!

March 31st, 2010 No comments

from 1541 Ultimate homepage:

About 100 plastic cases have arrived, and they look really great! I am glad that black has become the color eventually, and that the material looks the way it does. And I am sure that everyone who is waiting for their unit will be satisfied with the case as well! The remaining cases of the batch that are ordered will arrive a bit later. I’ll update you as soon as I know more.

There is also a downside on the cases; due to the shrinkage of the material along the long side (not very visible, but when you measure you can see it), the board is a very tight fit inside the case. It is therefore very difficult to close it, and once it is closed, well… good luck with opening it! Unfortunately it will cost me a lot of time to build the units together. Hopefully I will get good at it after the first 10 or so.. ;)

Due to the demand, another 100 units (the hardware boards) have been ordered for production and will be ready in about a month, in the end-of-april time frame.

Read more…

Cartograph V1.4 by Arkanix Labs

March 16th, 2010 No comments

CartographCartograph is a native Commodore 64 application created for designing tile-based maps/levels.

This versatile tool allows you to create maps and levels for your games, matrices and data for demos and tools and much more.

Changelog:

  • New: Support for CartographPC filetypes.
  • New: Sample source code to display full screen map.
  • New: Save character set as part of project file if a custom one is in use.
  • Fixed: Color table was saving 4 extra bytes, these have been trimmed off.

source: arkanixlab.com c64dev.com

1541U-II boards have been produced

March 5th, 2010 1 comment

1541 Ultimatefrom 1541 Ultimate homepage:

February is already drawing to the end, so some news about the 1541U-II is needed here. The good news is: the boards have been produced, and the first few have been tested and are working! They are currently back at the assembly house for a missing connector, but I am expecting them back early this week.

The not-so-good news is, that the plastic cases have more delay. The Chinese company sometimes makes some promises that they are breaking afterwards. Yesterday I received a message that the new samples will be shipped on the 10th of March, while they had previously promised to send 100 cases upfront on Feb 25. I pressed them to send at least 100 pieces on, or before that date.

1541-II Motherboard

The good news about the cases is, that they will be black and not cream! I noticed that a lot of you have a strong preference for black. They will be produced using the PA material, enforced with glass fiber. :-)

source: 1541ultimate.net

1541U-II Plastic Case & Software: Working in progress

January 31st, 2010 No comments

1541 Ultimatefrom 1541 Ultimate homepage:

Finally, you might think! An update on the 1541U-II… As time is going fast, the moment that all the hardware parts for the 1541U-II will be ready is drawing near. It all was not too easy, but things are going now the way they should.

The major difficulty showed to be the plastic case. Finally I have found a contractor who is willing to make the plastic case exactly as I wanted it, for a reasonable price. Unfortunately, the mould for plastic injection is quite expensive; in fact about double of what I expected initially, based on an unrealistic quote that I got a few months ago. Because of the large interest in the 1541U-II, I decided to just continue with it, and leave the selling price of the total product intact.

1541U-II

Earlier this week, I received the first pictures of the first try-outs of the injection mould tool. The result shows a little problem in the design, with the planned material (ABS). Due to the thick and sturdy plastic constuction on the inside, sink marks are visible on the outside.

The manufacturer has tried to run the case with a different material (PA), which looks a lot better. However, due to different shrinkage characteristics, the mould tool needs to be adapted to adjust for the difference in material. (You can see this, that the matte version does not close perfectly…) They will do this, but it will take one week extra before the cases are ready. The final color won’t be black (unless I am getting a lot of angry E-mails now.. ;-), but light cream color, to match the C64C better.

Read more…