Bildschirmtext (Btx) era un servizio online tedesco attivo dal 1983 al 2001.

Per utilizzare il servizio con un C64, era necessaria questa cartuccia decoder, che si collegava alla porta di espansione.

La cartuccia è in realtà un prodotto Siemens, è solo marchiata Commodore.

L’adesivo posto sul retro dice:

• SIEMENS
• Decodificatore Btx universale
• S30817-S721-B101-7/02 EX/W8
• A30817-X732-B100-4-11
• Commodoro Artikel Nr. 606491

La scatola con il logo della Deutsche Bundespost è la registrazione (A506 131V). All’epoca, per la partecipazione a Bildschirmtext era consentito utilizzare solo dispositivi e software esplicitamente approvati.

(Questo è il “Btx Decoder Modul II”, anche se la cartuccia non lo dice. Esisteva un primo modello che era completamente diverso.)

Ci sono tre porte DIN sul retro, da sinistra a destra:

• Modem: si collega al modem proprietario Deutsche Bundespost “DBT-03” (1200 baud down, 75 baud up).
• RGB: Che serve per collegare un monitor RGB analogico.
• FBAS: questa porta è identica alla porta video C64 e consente l’utilizzo di un monitor C64.

La Post-approvazione per la partecipazione a Bildschirmtext richiedeva che il decoder fosse in grado di mostrare un’immagine pixel esatta del servizio (480×240 pixel con 32 colori su 4096)1. Poiché il VIC-II nel C64 non poteva soddisfare questo requisito, la cartuccia del decodificatore aveva il proprio controller video e quindi le proprie porte video.

La cartuccia non aveva solo il proprio chip video, ma ha anche la propria CPU, RAM e ROM: praticamente un computer completo che si collega solo al C64 per utilizzare la tastiera e l’unità disco.

Questi sono i chip principali:

• Motorola MC6803: un microcontrollore della famiglia 6800
• Motorola MC68HC34: unità di memoria a doppia porta
• 64 KB di RAM (due 41464 64Kx4 DRAM)
• 32 KB EPROM
• D65040GF206: NEC µPD65000 serie CMOS gate array

La comunicazione con il modem, la decodifica del flusso dati CEPT e l’interazione con il servizio Btx sono gestite dalla CPU 6800 e dal software in EPROM.

Presumo che il software scriva i valori RGB di ogni singola linea di scansione nella memoria in tempo reale, che l’array poi legge per generare il segnale video, come sull’Atari VCS e sul Sinclair ZX81. Ciò mantiene la complessità dell’hardware video al minimo.

Il chipset e il firmware sono probabilmente molto simili alla tecnologia utilizzata nei terminali Bildschirmtext dedicati.

Gallery:

source: pagetable.com

Cosa posso fare con questo programma?

Con il nuovo firmware dell’Ultimate 64 (> = 1.1c) di Gideon è disponibile un’opzione per ricevere streaming audio/video a 50fps attraverso una connessione di rete.

Puoi utilizzare questo programma anche per catturare immagini, audio o video.

Changelog v1.25 (14/07/2021):

• ~ Fixed: Double click on maximized window did not reset window to normal.
• ~ Fixed: FPS calculation was wrong, fixed it.
• ~ Fixed: Exception raised when window is minimised.
• ~ Fixed: Various window position/size, save/restore issues.
• ~ Fixed: some remote function crashed app when u64 is not reachable.
• ~ Fixed: Menu is not controllable with keys anymore to prevent accidentally stop of stream.
• ~ Update: .Net FrameWork 4.6.1 to 4.8
• ~ Update: Optimized scanline simulation, total new processing.
• + Added: Context menu, to open several function from the output window.
• + Added: Multi frame capture function, capture xx frames to PNG files. Can be used to capture interlaced images.
• + Added: Multi Frame Capture viewer, can be opened from the context menu.
• + Added: CRTL+R function to reload last opened file (via dialog or drag and drop)
• + Added: Ping stats to diag window.
• + Added: Handling connection errors, added screens.

Download: U64 Streamer v1.25 (499)

source: u64streamer

The return of the Hybrid Sid Player by xAD/Nightfall & Gianluca Renzi (RetroBit Lab)

Basato sul progetto di Markus Gritsch pubblicato negli anni 2011-2015 sul forum dangerousprotypes. Grazie Markus.

Changelog:

v1.12 – 18/07/2021

Updated:

• Improved a little bit the file error handling.
  • If you try to load a SID Stereo file a message “Stereo SID detected, but cannot play it!” will be displayed on the OLED screen.
• Modified the modality of visualization of the SID Model of the tune that is playing.
  • Now the display of the SID Model is alternated between the playback mode icon approximately every 5 seconds.

Added:

• Message during the boot that warns a checking of the USB storage and the correct filesystem mounting of the USB pen drive.
• Added six duplicate and probably useless opCodes, we are speaking about the “NOP” (they are $1A, $3A, $5A, $7A, $DA and $FA)
• Added one opcode absolutely useless for our use, we are speaking about the “JAM”.

Fixed:

• Fixed some opCodes Addressing mode (Accumulator Addressing instead of Immediate Addressing)

E’ stato rilasciato un nuovo aggiornamento firmware per l’Ultimate-64 (U64/U64E) / U2 / U2+ da Gideon.

This release has again some significant changes and improvements over 1.37 / 3.9. The following bullet list gives an overview of the features and fixes. Below the items, a short explanation is added.

This release has again some significant changes and improvements over 1.37 / 3.9. Please read the manual before installing 3.10.

Added features:

• Hardware emulation of 1571 and 1581 drives (U2+ / U64 only)
• MFM support on 1571, with enhanced G71 format to store MFM tracks.
• Added audio samples for insert / remove floppy disk.
• Added second drive sound to speaker output.
• Possiblity to use your own drive sound samples.
• Custom U64 palettes.
• SystemInfo Page, showing drive, cartridge and storage status.
• Flash Disk, to store drive roms, sounds, cartridges and such.
• Cartridges are now always CRT files. Selected by filename in the config.
• Cartridge compatibility check and reporting
• GMOD2 support, including EEPROM (U2+ / U64 only)
• Zaxxon Cartridge support.
• Implemented writing CVT files back to a disk image (enables copying CVT files across disks.)

Various UI Improvements:

• Select & Delete, using Shift-DEL
• Recursive delete from context menu.
• Long filename truncation (thanks to ‘naali’ / Antti Svenn)
• Scrollable string edit box.
• Adds save function for all cartridges, including EasyFlash and GMOD2.
• Full Clear function of configuration in Flash.
• Added ‘F3′ Help screen to config menu.

Technical Fixes:

• Fixed RGB mode (U64 only)
• Fixed block read command
• Fixed access of files with special chars in CBM disk images, accessed from IEC
• Fixed UCI issues with SidPlay and others
• Fixed colon issue in Ultimate Kernal ROM
• Fixed crash on invalid file chain CBM filesystems
• Fixed check order DIR / VOLUME; fixes some issues with exFAT directories
• Added M and V commands in modem emulation layer, V now supporting numeric responses. Thanks Scott Hutter
• Fixed the root cause of the VOLUME bit set in exFAT directories
• Fixed missing ‘probe’ for filesystems on multi-partition disks
• Fixed loading from wrong device ID when issuing the ‘run disk’ command
• Fixed many little bugs in the generation of CVT files (copying GEOS files from a disk image)
• Adopted changes to U64 Kernal to set default loading ID, as submitted by Leif Bloomquist
• Adopted USB modifier key handling, as submitted by Peter de Schrijver
• Corrected bug in extended partition table reading
• Relaxed C128 cartridge timing (for C128 carts)
• Extended UCI I/O bytes to support Hyperspeed Kernal properly
• Check for file copy onto itself
• Increased robustness against loading faulty disk images
• Fixed VIA latch mode in 1541/1571.
• [Issue 227] Fixes ‘get sensible name’ function for Ulticopy
• Fix for .d71 sector allocation – format should give 1328 blocks free, not 1347.
• Fixes possible crash when decoding a GCR track to binary
• [Issue 160]: SpeedDOS / DolphinDOS loading errors

Download:

• U64/Ultimate-64 - U2 - U2+ v3.10 (Core: v1.41) (517)
• Installation and User Manual V3.10 (717)
• Ultimate 64 Starter Pack supporting FW 3.10 (760)

source: ultimate64.com github.com

La “High Voltage SID Collection (HVSC)” è un collezione che raccoglie migliaia di brani musicali del Commodore 64 (noti anche come brani SID).

Questa collezione e’ completamente gratuita ed e’ opera di un Team di persone che negli anni ha lavorato per rendere la migliore raccolta di SID tunes.

This update features (all approximates):

• 729 new SIDs
• 31 fixed/better rips
• 11 repeats/bad rips eliminated
• 314 SID credit fixes
• 23 SID model/clock infos
• 6 tunes from /DEMOS/UNKNOWN/ identified
• 3 tunes from /GAMES/ identified
• 28 tunes moved out of /DEMOS/ to their composers’ directories
• 5 tunes moved out of /GAMES/ to their composers’ directories

The collection should contain 54,387 SID files!

Download:

• HVSC Update #75 (589)
• Complete HVSC #75 (646)

source: www.hvsc.c64.org

Questi sono i risultati ufficiali del Demo party Gubbdata 2021 che si e’ concluso il 4 Luglio 2021. Per maggiori informazioni o aggiornamenti visita il sito CSDB nella sezione Gubbdata 2021.

C64 Demo:

• 1 – Bromance by Bonzai
• 2 – Barry Boomer – Trapped Again by TSJ
• 3 – Vitrum Oculus by Atlantis
• 4 – Revolutions Delivered by Lft
• 5 – Trapped in a Box by Genesis Project
• 6 – Respawn by Singular
• 7 – Uncle Petscii’s Droids of Star Wars by Triad
• 8 – Mad Scientist by Triad
• 9 – Ausraster by Excess
• 10 – Blooming Spring by The 7th Division, Vintage Computing Carinthia
  • Lucky by Siesta
• 12 – Born to Be Wild by Hokuto Force
• 13 – Stoppa Saabet by Esl0w

C64 Music:

• 1 – Euro Boogers by Jammer
• The Demosceniors by Fegolhuzz
• 3 – Black Keys Matter by 6R6
• 4 – Fourteenth by Jason Page
• 5 – The Required Fields by Mutetus
• 6 – Love Your Sample by Shogoon
• 7 – When the Gubbs Unite by No-XS/Maze
• I Can’t Go On. I’ll Go On by Mibri
• 9 – Layer by Layer by psych858o
• 10 – Tequila Shot by MCH
• 11 – Bumpy Ride by The Syndrom
• 12 – Fragmented Inverse Mirror by Vincenzo
• 13 – Erna’s Song by Barik
  • Paraphine by Xiny6581
• 15 – Atomic Hot Dogs by Slaze
• 16 – In France They Die Young by chuinho
  • Division by Zero by Proton
  • Funkyaaaam by Nordischsound
• 19 – Funsterious! by Wolk
• 20 – Kemisk Tisdag by ZZAP69
• 21 – Tail Chaser by Manganoid
  • Staring Into The Sun by rytone
• 23 – The Retroid by Manganoid
• 24 – Candy by Technotron

C64 Graphics:

• 1 – Killing Spree by The Sarge
• 2 – Mature by Electric
• 3 – Knight’n Dragons by Fabs
• 4 – Pretzelpilami by Mikael
• 5 – Taut by Aomeba
• 6 – Mask by Katon
• 7 – Watching the Compo Stream Live by Alta
• 8 – Monkey Business by Honcho
• 9 – Framed by Facet
• 10 – Tjardalen by Twoflower
• 11 – Darklight by Loni
• 12 – Judge Pretzel by Spiham
• 13 – In Orbit of a Dying Sun by Titus
• 15 – Ghost of the Forest by Leon
• 16 – Gerontoeroticon by Frost
  • Genesis by Almighty God
• 18 – Wi-131de Pixels by Rail Slave
• 19 – Gubbasour by Skyffel
  • Gamer by jab
• 21 – Beebear by Bitproll
• 22 – 2 Colors Dream by Slaxx
• 23 – Zak McGubben by Backspin
• 24 – Band of Aliens by Backspin
• 25 – Merciful Court by Backspin
• 26 – 64-boy by Backspin
• 27 – Raistfood by E-Grass

WiLD Demo:

• 1 – Freespin by Reflex

Mixed:

• 1 – 10 GOTO 10 by Smasher/Goerp (Graphics)
• 2 – Cherche le zavr by Atlantis (One-File Demo)
• 3 – The Joke by The Sarge/Honcho (Graphics)
• 4 – A Story with a Semi-Happy End by MultiStyle Labs (One-File Demo)
• 5 – Disk Doctor by Logiker (One-File Demo)
• 6 – Rant #1 by Smasher/Goerp (Graphics)
• 7 – Covfefe by 4gentE (One-File Demo)
  • Demo by Logiker (Graphics Collection)

Mixed Graphics:

• 1 – Nightmare Forest by Fairlight
• 2 – Barbarossa by Electric, Extend
• 3 – Vegas by Atlantis
• 4 – Evil Tater by Fairlight
• 6 – Sgrunt! by Onslaught
• 7 – Too Much Coffee by Pretzel Logic
  • Dark Sky by Cheapshot
• 9 – Coitus Interruptus by Triad
• 10 – Eye of the Beholder – Teaser by Shine
• 11 – 88 Miles Per Hour by Hexhog
• 12 – Is There Anybody Out There by Hokuto Force
• 13 – The Great Wave off Reflex by Reflex
• 14 – Triad Logo Abstraction by Judas
• 15 – Brutalism by Atlantis
• 16 – Killer by CoolPHat, Nah-Kolor
• 17 – Towers of Babylon by The 7th Division
• 18 – Montjoie Saint Denis!! by christwoballs
• 19 – Construct #1 by Colin
• 20 – Percy by Beardswitcher
• 21 – Invite to Out of Compo by Shuran33

Mixed Demo:

• 1 – 1st Lamer Compo by Logiker

Productions released outside compos:

• Airwolf Theme by Finnish Gold (Music)
• FlutterPippeliWolf by STARZ/Genesis Project (Music)
• GabberPolyDabber by STARZ/Genesis Project (Music)
• Gubber Eye Joe by Artline Designs (Music)
• Keyboard Macro Tool v1.0 (Tool)
• Spindle 3.0 (Other Platform Tool) *
• True Believer [2sid] by Artline Designs (Music)

Releases containing information on this event:

• Gubbdata 2021 C64 Invitation

Download: Gubbdata 2021 Full Party stuff (705)

source: gubbdata.se

The return of the Hybrid Sid Player by xAD/Nightfall & Gianluca Renzi (RetroBit Lab)

Basato sul progetto di Markus Gritsch pubblicato negli anni 2011-2015 sul forum dangerousprotypes. Grazie Markus.

Changelog:

v1.11 – 22/06/2021

Updated:

• Decreased more than before the brightness of the display after 10 seconds if no activity is done on the buttons or encoder.
• Slighty improved the timing (CPU cycle) of the 6510 emulator but we are far from my perception of absolute perfection :-D

Added:

• Illegal/undocumented opcodes to the CPU Emulator:
  • RRA (Combination of two operations with the same addressing mode (Sub-instructions: ADC, ROR))
• Automatic hardware SID switch between ZIF Socket #1 and ZIF Socket #2 (example if it is made only for 6581 or 8580).
  • This features is included in the prototype pcb. The swap will be displayed by a led placed on the lower part of the ZIF Socket.
• Improved a little bit the file error handling.
  • If you try to load a file not supported a message “Wrong file format” will be displayed on the screen.
  • If you try to load a RSID file format a message “RSID detected, but cannot play it!” will be displayed on the screen.

Questi sono i risultati ufficiali del Demo party Transmission64 che si e’ concluso il 24/04/2021. Per maggiori informazioni o aggiornamenti visita il sito CSDB.

Scusatemi per il ritardo, mi sono proprio dimenticato di rilasciare l’archivio.

C64 Demo:

• 1 – Unity by Atlantis, Padua
• 2 – Dutch Blue by Xenon
• 3 – Party Animals by Pretzel Logic
• 4 – Pandemoniac Part 1 of 5 Framed by Panoramic Designs
• 5 – Balls Might Touch by Fatzone
• 6 – Is That All? by Genesis Project
• 7 – Mahna Mahna by Mahna Mahna
• 8 – T64 by Lepsi De
• 9 – Guns Freak Me Out by 4gentE
• 10 – Shadetro by Excess
• 11 – Momentum by Hokuto Force
• 12 – Call Boar’s Head! by Macx
• 13 – Free Hasél by The Codeblasters

C64 4K Intro:

• 1 – Outsider by Fairlight
• 2 – 4ktransmission by Excess
• 3 – Anon by Onslaught
• 4 – Daah Those Berliner Pilsner! by Dentifrice
• 5 – Raccoons! In Search of Footwear by Slipstream
• 6 – 10 Years by Delysid
• 7 – Tr4nsmission by Royal Belgian Beer Squadron

C64 Music:

• 1 – Inside My Rotten Soul by psych858o
• 2 – The Spark in Me by Flex
• 3 – Drummage by Jammer
• 4 – A Wave without a Shore by Flotsam
• 5 – Only 299.99 by Mutetus
• 6 – Thirteenth by Jason Page
• 7 – Dakini by Mibri
• 8 – Inverse Mirror Fragments by Vincenzo
• 9 – End of Transmission by Proton
• 10 – We Are Pretzels by The Syndrom
• 11 – Last Call by Xiny6581
• 12 – A Waste of Space by chuinho
  • Roll Right Over That Fucker by DivertigO
• 14 – Sun Up Rubdown by No-XS/Dya/Maze
• 15 – U Will Raise Anthem by Barracuda
• 16 – They Can’t Stop the Signal by Røly
• 17 – Vérszagra gyűl az éji vad by dalezy
• 18 – Jam’n'Flute by Warp 8
• 19 – Sunset Bay by Nordischsound
• 20 – Mascot by Hairdog
• 21 – Something I Ate by Manganoid
• 22 – Tktune by Soundcat
• 23 – Kerstin aus Heilbronn by Stabile Altbauten

C64 Graphics:

• 1 – Yeah Science! by The Sarge
• 2 – Butt’n Cock by Electric
• 3 – Fluorocarbon by Optic
• 4 – Fast ‘n’ Curious by Duce
• 5 – Survivors of 2020 by Carrion
• 6 – Enigma by Facet
  • Firestarter by ibux
• 8 – Tundra by Apollyon
• 9 – Stained Glass Girl by Hammerfist
• 10 – Shoulda by Deev
• 11 – Signal Recieved by Mikael
• 12 – Exothermicité by Aomeba
• 13 – Shocker by Fabs
• 14 – Right in the Sky by Honcho
• 15 – Up in the Clouds by Soya
• 16 – Chirp Chirp by Titus
• 17 – WhaCat by Edi/Matteus
• 18 – Cubic Bouquet by fieserWolf
• 19 – No Backlight by visionvortex
• 20 – Dedication 2 Album Art by The Diad
• 21 – OMG! It Is Alive! by Steffan
• 22 – Sparwasser by Twoflower
• 23 – I’ll See You Again in 30 Years by Ben Breton
• 24 – Belki by Pixelrat
• 25 – Old Meets New by Backspin
• 26 – Delivery by Pissnelke

Mixed Graphics:

• 1 – Tut by Extend
• 2 – Sgt. PETSCII’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by Dr. TerrorZ
• 3 – Elfric by Atlantis
• 4 – Treeview by Pretzel Logic
• 5 – ICE CREAM! by Onslaught
• 6 – Sadness by Atlantis
• 7 – Thulsa’s Helm by Wrenchotron
• 8 – ED-209 by Hexhog
• 9 – Let the Party Begin by Hani
• 10 – Greedy Dwarf by Hokuto Force
• 11 – Higher by Exotic Men
• 12 – Mr. Spock by Hokuto Force
• 13 – Oboy by Onslaught
• 14 – Tape! by Royal Belgian Beer Squadron
• 15 – Kowalski by Mayday!
• 16 – Sebastian by 4gentE
• 17 – Soundcat City by Soundcat
  • Yuri Gagarin #1 by Hokuto Force
• 19 – Sailor’s Smoke 2021 by Nah-Kolor
• 20 – Zero Page, the Best Vacation in the Universe by Dentifrice
• 21 – PETSCII World by Logiker
• 22 – Uncle PETSCII Agent 0x007h by Triad
• 23 – Punk 2021I by CoolPHat
• 24 – Rock by Pixelrat
• 25 – Wanderer’s Portents by The 7th Division
• 26 – Transmeeeow! by Aki

Productions released outside compos:

• Cosowi Avantgarde by Plush (One-File Demo)
• Lost in Transmission by Finnish Gold (Demo)
• Transmission 64 Logo (Graphics)

Download: Transmission64 Full Party Stuff (765)

source: csdb.dk

The return of the Hybrid Sid Player by xAD/Nightfall & Gianluca Renzi (RetroBit Lab)

Basato sul progetto di Markus Gritsch pubblicato negli anni 2011-2015 sul forum dangerousprotypes. Grazie Markus.

Changelog:

v1.1 – 30/05/2021

Added:

Firmware Upgrade.

• The update can be done in three ways, one is automatic.
  • 1) The automatic firmware installation is done in case the bootloader doesn’t find any valid application installed.
  • 2) By pressing the SW1 button at the same time with the reset button or at power-on and released it.
  • 3) Using the file browser (the same used to browse the *.SID / *.DMP files), just choose the file with the firmware and it will be installed.

• A status bar with a scrolling bits displays the writing status of the firmware.
• The firmware update file must be copied and NOT renamed to the root directory of the USB flash drive.

• Added some illegal/undocumented opcodes to the CPU Emulator:
  • SRE (LSE) Combination of two operations with the same addressing mode (Sub-instructions: EOR, LSR)
  • DCP Combination of two operations with the same addressing mode (Sub-instructions: CMP, DEC)

E’ stato rilasciato del nuovo Software per Commodore 64.

Titoli:

• Mimizuku Saga 10
• Helsing’s Hunt Preview 2 +2
• Moonspire 2 Preview +3
• The Unexpected +1D
• Swoop +
• Rogue4k V7 +3D
• C64 RPG Preview 2 +D
• Tetrabits Preview
• Terminal Fighter Preview V3 +4
• Cross Horde Preview +2D
• Ghost Mountain
• Para Lander DX +2D
• Para Lander DX
• Mario’s Cement Factory V1.3.1 +1HD
• UP
• Heli 1983 +3
• Space Dock +1D
• Jericho II &DG
• Xenium +3
• Tank Shootout &DG
• Para Lander DX +3D
• Space Swarm 64 V3.2 +2 [seuck]
• Birdie Bird V3.2 +2 [seuck]
• Dragon Soul V1.4 +2 [seuck]
• 1-Bit Dungeon V1.2 +2 [seuck]
• Puzzle Mania +1D
• Killer Olives +3DG
• Risk
• Heli1983 +5DF
• Survival Messenger Adventure
• Rocket Roger +5HDG
• Jump Out +2PH
• Jump Out +
• Synthia in the Cyber Crypt +2D [seuck]
• Mountaineer Mack +1D
• Space Panic
• Space Panic +3D
• Cross Horde V1.0 +2D
• Laser Invaders +
• Buccaneer’s Cache
• Candy Conquer +1JH
• Small Grid +
• Lost Tomb +3D
• Edufun! Mathfun! Frenzy & Flip Flop +D
• Tetris V1.4
• Destiny Hunter Preview +3D
• Dreamland
• T-Rex Runner 64 Preview V3 +2D
• Space Portal +2
• Murdlok + [german]
• Burger Mayhem Preview +1D
• Murdlok + [english]
• Minesweep V1.1
• Freecell V2.1
• Ricochet +D
• Watrfall &D
• Citro Drag &DT
• Ascension +1D
• Revenge of the Mutant Camels 2021 +2H
• Destiny Hunter +3D
• Alien Invasion +4HF
• Balloon Pop +1D
• Worron +3 [final version]
• Hexed Preview
• Tubes’n'Balls
• Tubes’n'Balls +2F
• Hibernated 1: This Place is Death – Director’s Cut (R6)
• Wrecking Ball Preview +3
• Witch Rescue Service Preview 2 +
• Rogue64 Preview +3D
• Nixy – The Glade Sprite +2
• Gyro Run
• Santa Claus Preview
• Snow Wars +2
• Gyro Run +3D
• Ninja Carnage
• Wheel of Fortune HF Special Edition V3.2
• Ninja Carnage +3D
• Ninja Carnage +1D
• Brush Strokes +4D
• Writhen +D
• Babylon’s Ark &D
• Bounce +5D
• Blox Trot +D
• Snow Wars +2
• Dogfight in Space +1DG
• Midway Command &D
• Chute Shootout &D
• Drixella’s Dilemma &D
• Delta War &D
• Gantry &D
• Ghoul Dogs +3DG
• Eremit Preview &D
• Same64 Preview +JD
• Worron + [final version]
• Spanky Doodle Dandy
• Spanky Doodle Dandy Preview
• Choplifter +1DGHJM

Download: All Games in One Archive (4203)

source: csdb.dk

Questo e’ il solito post della sotituzione dei Condensatori Elettrolitici Amiga.

A differenza dell’Amiga 1200 che non presentava nessun problema di fuoriuscita di acido dai condensatori, ma sono stati comunque sostituiti, l’Amiga 600 era in uno stato drammatico, ma con un po’ di pazienza e una buona pulizia tutto ha ripreso a funzionare perfettamente.

Si, per rimuovere i condensatori ho fatto la tanto odiata “torsione” del componente, ok, detto questo, il lavoro e’ riusciuto bene di conseguenza non rompetemi i c*glio*i , grazie.

Galleria della riparazione:

The return of the Hybrid Sid Player by xAD/Nightfall & Gianluca Renzi (RetroBit Lab)

Basato sul progetto di Markus Gritsch pubblicato negli anni 2011-2015 sul forum dangerousprotypes. Grazie Markus.

Changelog:

v1.05 – 18/05/2021

Updated:

• Made a single subroutine for the index eeprom write instead of repeating it many times in the code.
• Increased the display time of the sid model to 3 seconds.
• The action to clean the data in the eeprom has been changed.
  • Now for reset the default settings just hold down the MODE button during boot until the message “Reset Default Settings” appears and then release it, the player will reboot.

Added:

• Faster than hell! :D
  • Now when you are in the browsing sid files section you can also use the PREVIOUS or NEXT buttons to quickly scroll the list in both directions.
• You are Sleeping ? :D
  • If you fall asleep while you listening a SID tunes and you are in the browsing sid files section after 30 seconds the player will automatically switch to the tuneinfo/vu-meter view mode. (available only if you are playing SID o SID/DIGI tunes , no DMP)
• Added some illegal/undocumented opcodes to the CPU Emulator:
  • SHA
  • SHS
  • SBC ($EB)
  • ASR
  • ANC
  • ARR

Fixed:

• The playing time of a song runs even if it wasn’t playing anything, this happen only at the first time when you power-on or reset the player and you haven’t chosen a song to listen yet.
• Fixed SBC & ASL and some others cpu opcode.
• Finally also these sid tune now works correctly:
  • https://hvsc.csdb.dk/MUSICIANS/C/C0zmo/Concert_tune_5.sid
  • http://csdb.dk/getinternalfile.php/210968/lastnightcjw.sid
  • https://hvsc.csdb.dk/MUSICIANS/C/C0zmo/Out_Run.sid (from second: +/- 0:30)
  • https://hvsc.csdb.dk/MUSICIANS/C/C0zmo/Treasure_is_All_Mine.sid
  • https://hvsc.csdb.dk/MUSICIANS/S/Schneider_Markus/VandaliSID.sid

The return of the Hybrid Sid Player by xAD/Nightfall & Gianluca Renzi (RetroBit Lab)

Basato sul progetto di Markus Gritsch pubblicato negli anni 2011-2015 sul forum dangerousprotypes. Grazie Markus.

Changelog:

v1.04 – 02/05/2021

Updated:

• Browsing files enhancement.
  • There is no longer block on the first and last file of the list, it resumes browsing from the first or last (like Next/Previous).
• Improved a slight the timing of writing on the real SID (CS – Chip Select Signal).

Added:

• Reset Default Settings (Clear EEPROM Data).
  • When you are in the BROWSER mode hold the MODE button for 4 seconds and the player clean all data in the eeprom and reboot.
• Added some illegal/undocumented opcodes to the CPU Emulator:
  • SLO
  • AXS (SBX) *1
  • LAX *1
  • SAX *2
  • SHY
  • SHX
• Finally these sid tune now works correctly:
  • Wasted_All_These_Years (*1 & *2)
  • Party_Horse (*1 & *2)
  • Lunatico_side_1 (*1)
  • Intertwined (*1 & *2)

Fixed:

• The problem of a folder with more than 255 sid files, starting from the 256th the index is not written to the eeprom.

In questo post cercherò brevemente di riassumere la cronostoria del progetto “The Return of the Hybrid SID Player”.

Da sempre ho avuto la scimmia di costruire un SID Player standalone che non fosse completamente emulato, in quanto sono un Purista dei brani musicali SID e del CHIP sonoro SID (6581/8580).

Negli ultimi anni ho provato diversi SID Player, e nell’ultimo periodo mi sono concentrato sull’emulatore SID di Bakisha (basato su MCU STM32F407VET6 che adoro) upgradandolo aggiungendo un display OLED ILI9341 e alcune informazioni a schermo.

Sfruttando lo stesso progetto, ma questa volta utilizzando l’MCU STM32F401CCU6, ho invece aggiunto la possibilità di pilotare un SID Reale (ringrazio Bakisha per il prezioso supporto).

Purtroppo il Player era rimasto in uno stadio embrionale, almeno rispetto quello che avevo in mente e alle aspettative che ritengo si debbano avere da un software di quel tipo.

Dopo aver cercato in rete (per evitare di perdere tempo a reinventare la ruota) ho trovato il progetto Hybrid Sid Player di Markus Gritsch, pubblicato sul forum Dangerousprototypes e rilasciato tra il 2011 – 2015.

Il progetto di Markus prevedeva, oltre l’emulazione del SID, anche l’utilizzo di un SID reale esterno, di un display OLED, un Browser dei files con la possibilità di utilizzare un Encoder Rotativo e VU-METER, SID Digi in formato PSID (pre HVSC #50), e SID con multi Tunes, oltre ad un formato proprietario chiamato DMP, che permetteva anche di poter ascoltare (dopo una semplice conversione) i files SID nel nuovo formato RSID.

Purtroppo la CUI32 DEV Board sulla quale era stato sviluppato il Player non è più disponibile da molti anni, quindi per assemblare il progetto ho utilizzato la DEV Board PIC32-T795 di Olimex, basata sullo stesso MCU Microchip PIC32MX795F512H.

Tutto ha girato praticamente da subito, ma purtroppo mancavano alcune importanti funzionalità. Ho pensato di contattare Markus per sapere se fosse intenzionato a continuare con il progetto, ma purtroppo non era più interessato e, tra l’altro, sorpreso che il sorgente si compilasse anche con la nuova versione dell’MPLAB X IDE di Microchip.

A quel punto non ho potuto fare altro che iniziare lentamente a leggere e comprendere il codice sorgente da lui scritto, riuscendo ad aggiungere diverse caratteristiche (che potete leggere nel changelog riportato di seguito).

Una volta raggiunta una buona stabilità del firmware mi son detto: ora bisogna fare il PCB! Non posso tenere tutto sulla breadboard, in quanto non è decisamente indicato lavorare con segnali audio Analogici su una Breadboard, sopratutto se sei un purista del suono e del SID!

Da solo però non ce l’avrei mai fatta a realizzare un progetto del genere, avevo assolutamente bisogno di una mano. Ho pensato così di contattare Gianluca Renzi di RetroBit Lab, persona con un’ottima esperienza in Elettronica, PCB design e Programmazione. La mia idea gli è piaciuta fin da subito, ed ha preso a cuore il progetto disegnando da zero lo schema elettrico, occupandosi della scelta dei componenti e curando alcune critiche sezioni di alimentazione. Non sto ad elencarvi tutte le prove che abbiamo fatto, ma vi assicuro che sono state tante!

Pignolo e Paranoico io e Pignolo Gianluca, dopo diversi mesi, siamo riusciti a partorire il prototipo dello stampato che potete vedere qui di seguito.

Attualmente manca la stampa del PCB e il relativo assemblaggio dei componenti, testarne il funzionamento e, nel caso di problemi, applicare dei fix volanti, correggere lo schema elettrico e di conseguenza lo stampato.

L’ultimo passo sarà quello di scrivere una breve documentazione e rilasciare tutto su GITHUB, in modo che chiunque possa avere modo di autocostruirsi il proprio SID Player e, nota importante, di aggiungere funzionalità al software, risolvere bug oppure, perché no, riscrivere anche tutto da zero! Lo stampato lo permette ed è stato pensato per essere dinamico e adattarsi alla fantasia e alle esigenze del programmatore.

Gallery:

Video:

…altri video qui.

Changelog:

The return of the Hybrid Sid Player by xAD/Nightfall & Gianluca Renzi (RetroBitLab)

Based on the Project and Hardware Schematic by Markus Gritsch released in the years 2011-2015 on the forum dangerousprototypes. Thanks Markus.

v1.03 – 01/04/2021

Updated:

- Reset Timer when the MODE key is pressed for the following modes: SEQUENTIAL – RANDOM – INTRO.
- Replaced the code for the EEPROM emulator with a real EEPROM 24LC256 (BitBang/I2c Mode). No more Timing Problem.

Added:

- Serial Debug via UART1 (RD3).
  The firmware will be released in two differents versions, one with the Debug enabled and one without.
- Splash Screen Logo.
- New fourth choice for the button MODE, it’s called The INTRO mode. (i like it!)
  It will play the first 15 seconds of the SID and then automatically select a new one at Random.
  If you like the SID you are listening to just press the MODE button to switch to Manual MODE and the SID will not change.
  This option remindful the old MP3 players that had the INTRO option to listen the first 30 seconds of the music track.
 
Fixed:

- Missing INCLUDE to remove the error “unable to resolve the symbol… tolower()” but MPLABX compile the code anyway :D
- The label of the SID Model Version in case the sid have subsongs is too large, fixed with a workaround. I am realizing now this OLED screen is too small :-D

Various:

- Cleaned up a bit the code with some unused functions.

v1.02 – 04/03/2021

Updated:

- Changed connection of Buttons [Previous|Next] (RB0 & RB1) because are conflict with the ICSP (thanks Gianluca Renzi [Te lo avevo detto! :D]) to RB3 and RB4,
  RB2 is already used by the MODE button.

Fixed:

- Reset timer when the playing MODE is changed.
- SID Model Version displayed accidentally when the playing MODE is changed.
- Pseudo Random.
- *DMP (Dump) Custom File Format Broken in the previous version v1.01.

* The DMP is a custom file of the original RSID format after a conversion.
  More information here: http://dangerousprototypes.com/forum/index.php?topic=2197.msg41618#msg41618

Various:

- Optimizing code.

v1.01 – 23/02/2021

Added:

- Button MODE for choose how to play the song: MANUAL – SEQUENTIAL – RANDOM.
  Since can’t implement songlenghts, the song changes every 2 minutes.

v1.0 – 09/02/2021

Updated:

- Adjusted Brightness when is used a OLED Display 1.3″
- 2 Secs wait time for the SpashScreen.
- Modified Splash Screen.

Added:

- Button for Next SID in the same folder and it start from the first one when reach the last one.
- Button for Previous SID in the same folder and it start from the last one when reach the first one.
- SID Model Version when Playing a SID, displayed the firsten 3 seconds and then show again the play icon .

Todo:

- Draw a Circuit Diagram with some enhancements and make a Prototype PCB and share the project for all. *This is NOT a commercial project*

- Update the FATFS Library by ChaN
– http://elm-chan.org/fsw/ff/00index_e.html

- Add Illegal Opcodes to the 6502/6510 Emulator and also Optimizing the CPU Emulator.
– https://www.oric.org/ftp/ceo/ceomag/downloads///ebooks/nomoresecretsnmos6510.pdf
– http://www.oxyron.de/html/opcodes02.html

- SID Playlist.
- Realtime Switching 6581/8580 if ARMSID is used.
- Use the Button MODE to open an advanced setup menu.
- Loading files error handling.

- Add Firmware Upgrade via USB Pen Drive.
– https://www.eeweb.com/wp-content/uploads/articles-app-notes-files-pic32-bootloader-1335647102.pdf

Selcom Lemon II Floppy Drive Repair and Clean.

Difetto: Il motore del Floppy Drive gira e il LED rimane acceso ma la testina di lettura/scrittura non si muove e non legge nulla. Questo e’ un classico guasto dovuto ad un errato inserimento del connettore Floppy Drive nel connettore maschio lato scheda Controller Floppy Drive.

Inserendo il connettore spostato di una fila esternamente le alimentazioni di conseguenza arrivano nei posti sbagliati e il primo integrato ad esplodere nel vero senso della parola e’ il 74LS125 (vedi foto).

Sostituito l’integrato tutto ha ripreso a funzionare regolarmente.

Approfittando della riparazione ho pulito l’interno del Computer LEMON II ed eseguito il DUMP delle EPROM, inoltre ho pulito e lubrificato le parti meccaniche del Floppy Drive.

Galleria della riparazione:

Download: Selcom Lemon II ROM EPROM Dump (722)