E’ stato rilasciato un nuovo aggiornamento firmware per l’Ultimate-64 di Gideon.

Differences with previous release V1.20:

• Based on the Ultimate-II+ firmware Version 3.5a.

Bug fixes:

• Fixed UltiSid reset; should zero all registers to silence it.
• Fixed debug register for regression testing.
• Fixed directories that match file type extensions.

Download:

• U64/Ultimate-64 v1.21 (501)

source: ultimate64.com

ARM2SID SIDs & SFX Sound Expander (OPL FM synthesis) emulator

Nobomi ci stupisce ancora con l’ARM2SID il nuovo “emulatore” del chip audio SID (fino a 3 contemporaneamente) del Commodore 64/128 e SFX Sound Expander ( OPL FM).

Il formato dell’ARMSID e’ DIP28 ed e’ assolutamente identico al chip originale e dunque si adatta perfettamente a tutte le situazioni.

La qualita’ audio e’ veramente buona sia per l’emulazione SFX Sound Expander (OPL FM) che per il SID.

Inoltre e’ possibile aggiungere un secondo socket come secondo SID se si dispone di un’adattatore Stereo/U64/Reloaded oppure collegare i cavi direttamente al Computer.

• Fino a 12 canali musicali contemporaneamente (due o tre SID o FM o un SID e FM)!
• Funziona con tutte le schede C64 e C128 (leggere il manuale)
• Modalita’ Stereo con qualsiasi combinazione del SID 6581 oppure 8580.
• Fallback automatico su dual mono se non si utilizza il secondo SID.
• Configurazione e aggiornamenti vengono fatti tramite software che gira sul C64/C128.

Maggiori informazioni le trovate sul sito di Nobomi e di RETROCOMP.cz

Galleria:

Video:

E’ stato rilasciato un nuovo aggiornamento firmware per l’Ultimate-64 di Gideon.

Differences with previous official release V1.18:

• Based on the Ultimate-II+ firmware Version 3.5

Added features:

• Real time streaming VIC video data over Ethernet
• Real time streaming audio data over Ethernet
• Read more about the streams here: Data Streams documentation
• Added commands on TCP port to enable/disable these streams
• Added commands to enable/disable emulated drives, over UCI
• Added possibility to write to D64 images from the menu (e.g. copy PRG files into it).
• Added DE00 and DF00 ranges as possible options for SID socket decodes
• Printer emulation now supports color!

Improvements to VIC:

• Sprite collision timing solved
• Sprite to background collision problem solved
• Sprite expansion timing corrected, also in combination with multicolor
• Sprite retriggering fixed
• Border color change timing one adjusted by one pixel
• Various improvements to pass emufuxx0r tests. (incl. 50-pixel wide sprites)
• Fixed loading sprite data when VIC is read AEC=1
• Sprite timing fixed for NTSC

Improvements to CPU:

• ANE (B) made to work.
• Implemented SHA, SHS, SHX, SHY and LAX #imm
• CPU PIO register floating inputs fixed.

SID improvements:

• Improvements to ADSR envelope generator (fixes missing notes in e.g. Hawkeye 2018)
• More realistic values for SID filter resonance
• Added volume control for the SID digis
• LowPass boost in sid mixer.
• Improved anti-aliasing on resample filter in PAL mode
• Improvements on SID player
• Built-in SID player now supports MUS files as well (including stereo tunes)
• Music files can be found here: http://www.c64music.co.uk/
• Added support for toggling screen on/off in Sidplayer with S key.
• Added support for song length in SID header.
• Fixed correct SID model selection for SIDFX boards
• Various other bug fixes

Other machine fixes:

• U64 speaker volume fix.

Other bug fixes:

• Another bug in the network stack that caused stack corruption and random crash
• Copying a file from a container now restores extension
• Fixed issue of copying file from .t64 files
• Added ‘Enter’ option for .t64 files
• User Interface improvements / fixes
• Fixed telnet connection – removing header upon connect (fixes random copy actions)
• Changed default hostname to match target

Thanks to:

• David Horrocks for very useful input about VIC sprite handling and custom test programs
• Rene Garcia for this addition of color to the printer emulation
• Wilfred Bos for his improvements to the SID (and now MUS) player
• Scott Hutter for added UCI commands
• Martijn Wieland for his U64_Streamer PC application
• Chris Verheijen for his critical ear on UltiSID.

Download:

• U64/Ultimate-64 v1.20 (520)

source: ultimate64.com

Bitt-Boy/LDK Game/8BCrat RestroStone my Open Source Retro Gaming Handhelds.

Sono sempre stato affascinato da queste piccole console portatili di ultima generazione sopratutto per il costo contenuto ad esclusione del RetroStone che ha un prezzo maggiore.

Queste piccole console arrivano ad emulare discretamente bene la maggior parte dei giochi per console e computer e vengono supportate da un’attiva comunita’ di appassionati.

Non mi sembrava il caso di fare la centesima recensione di queste consoles portatili, vi lascio con le specifiche Tecniche di ogni consoles e alcuni utili link.

LDK Game Retro Gaming Handheld Technical Details:

Processor: JZ4760 Dual-Core 64Bit 528Mhz
Software Functions: Retro Gaming Emulation, Audio/Video Playback, Audio Recorder, E-Book
Pre-Installed Emulators: CPS1, CPS2, Neo-Geo, Megadrive / Genesis, Sega Master System, GameGear and so on.
Display: 2.6″ Inch Color Display (IPS) Adjustable screen brightness
Video Playback: Supports the following formats: RM, RMVB, AVI, MKV, WMV, VOB, MOV, FLV, ASF, DAT, MP4, 3GP, MPG, MPEG
RAM: 128MB DDR2
Storage: 16GB Fast-Accessing Storage
Storage Expansion: Micro SD Card Slot (For up-to 32GB)
Speakers: High Quality – Built IN
Audio Playback: Supports the following formats: APE, MP3, WMA, DRM WMA, OGG, APE, FLAC, WAV, AAC (Including: AAC-LC/AAC HE/AAC+V1/V2)
Audio Recording: Supports Audio Recording in .WAV (High Quality)
I/O: RCA Component for TV Output, 3.5mm Headphone Jack, Micro USB Port, Micro SD Card/TF Card Slot
Languages: English
Battery: Li-Ion BL-5B 1020mAh Built-in
Product Dimensions: 7.60 x 8.80 x 1.70 cm / 2.99 x 3.46 x 0.67 inches
Product Weight: 120gr / 0.26lb
Package Dimensions: 12 x 12 x 5.5 cm / 4.70 x 4.70 x 2.16 inches
Package Weight: 220gr / 0.48lb

Link:

• CPU Datasheet
• Custom Firmware

Bitt-Boy (v3/v3.5) OpenDingux Retro Gaming Handheld Technical Details:

Processor: ALLWINNER F1C500S 408Mhz~900MHz
Software Functions: Retro Gaming Emulation, Audio/Video Playback, Audio Recorder, E-Book
Pre-Installed Emulators: CPS1, CPS2, Neo-Geo, Megadrive / Genesis, Sega Master System, GameGear and so on.
Display: 2.5″ Inch Color Display (IPS) Adjustable screen brightness with a tempered glass protector for the screen will effectively reduce the problem of screen scratching.
Video Playback: Supports the following formats: RM, RMVB, AVI, MKV, WMV, VOB, MOV, FLV, ASF, DAT, MP4, 3GP, MPG, MPEG
RAM: 32MB DDR2
Material: ABS
Memory card type: Micro SD
Storage: 8GB
Speakers: High Quality – Built IN
Audio Playback: Supports the following formats: APE, MP3, WMA, DRM WMA, OGG, APE, FLAC, WAV, AAC (Including: AAC-LC/AAC HE/AAC+V1/V2)
Audio Recording: Supports Audio Recording in .WAV (High Quality)
I/O: RCA Component for TV Output, 3.5mm Headphone Jack, Micro USB Port, Micro SD Card/TF Card Slot
Extra: Support vibration on games.
Fix: ghostkey problem fixed.
Battery: 700mAh lithium battery
Languages: English
Battery lasts 3–4 hours
Dimensions: 2.6 x 3.8 x 0.5 in (6.8 x 9.9 x 1.3 cm)

Link:

• CPU Datasheet 
• Custom Firmware
• Custom Firmware Installation
• Official Homepage

8BCrat RestroStone:

Processor: ALLWINNER H3 Quad-Core 64Bit @ 1.2Ghz
RAM: 1GB DDR3
Power: DC 5V @ 3A, 3000mAh 3.7V Li-Ion battery, energysquare
LCD: WidthxHeight (3.5″ X:Y)
Video Output: HDMI (Type A/B/C – full/mini/micro), VGA
Audio Output: 3.5mm headphone plug, HDMI, SPDIF, internal stereo speakers, internal speaker
Network 100Mbps Ethernet (Manufacturer device)
Memory card type: Micro SD
USB: 4x USB2.0 Host
Dimensions: 130 x 90 x 25mm

Link:

• CPU Datasheet
• Official Homepage
• Software

Gallery:

Questi sono i risultati ufficiali del Demo party  CSDB Flashback 2019 che si e’ concluso il 10 Giugnoe 2019. Per maggiori informazioni o aggiornamenti visita il sito CSDB nella sezione Flashback 2019.

C64 Graphics:

• 1 – Medusa by Buzz_clik
• 2 – Djmeqanique by Ray Manta
• 3 – Flasheep by Logiker
• 3 – Antiriad PETSCII Loading Screen by Worrior1
• 3 – Mountains of Madness by Polyducks
• 6 – LLP Street by Cheapshot
• 7 – Merman by Iconic
• 8 – Matilda Anthem by Corel
• 9 – The Last Metroid is in Captivity by Mibri

WiLD Demo:

• 6 – Vandalism News #69 by Offence, Onslaught, Vandalism News Staff
• 7 – Modular Sounds 12 by Artstate
• 8 – Vandalism News #69 Disk Covers by Onslaught

Mixed Graphics:

• 1 – Cyberwolf by Delysid
• 2 – Give Hate a Chance by Genesis Project
• 3 – Invasion by Atlantis, Onslaught, Protovision
• 5 – Octopussy by Level 64
• 7 – Tiels 4 Realz by Caoimhe
• 9 – Dinner Time by Hokuto Force
• 10 – Reel Time by Disaster Area

Mixed Music:

• 2 – Tekarp by Adam
• 3 – Toxic by Delysid
• 4 – The Hero by Onslaught
• 5 – Half-half by Artline Designs
• 5 – Flashback by Magnar Harestad
• 7 – Tetraider III by Ald
• 8 – Zeus Theme by SIDWAVE
• 9 – Stress Overload by The New Dimension
• 10 – Simple Tune by Mayday!
• 10 – Acid Flashback by Arise
• 12 – Nun with Nunchaku by SIDRIP Alliance, Singular
• 13 – Red and Blue by Protovision
• 14 – Rising Tides by Nah-Kolor

Mixed Demo:

• 2 – Threshold by Jason Page
• 3 – Robovalken by DataDoor
• 5 – VDC101 by Strobe, Onslaught
• 6 – Ghost in the Sydney by Samar Productions
• 7 – H.E.R.O. Animated PETSCII Loading Screen by Hokuto Force
• 8 – Craptro (a work in progress) by Darkzone
• 9 – Topryk Thunder by Mayday!

Download: Flashback 2019 Party stuff (682)

source: csdb.dk

E’ stato rilasciato da Nobomi un nuovo aggiornamento firmware per l’ARM2SiD.

News features and fixes in FW 3.6:

• Compared to version 3.5, a quick response in stereo mode was added (when using a second socket), the dual-mono mode is activated without timeout when both socket is addressed in the same time.
• Also upper addresses mapping is fixed in the update (sometimes misaligned address detection in the update application).
• The “blind” FW 3.6 update updated without reading the registers during the update (especially useful if you have a problem with ARMSID detection)

Download:

• ARM2SiD v3.6 (565)

If you have wired A5/A8 address lines, you can try 3SID files modified for D400h, D420h, and D500h addresses.

• 3SID files modified for D400h, D420h, and D500h (560)

source: dzi.n.cz/8bit/arm2sid

Robotron 2084 (TI-99/4a) – Cartridge by Fabrizio Corpetti [FACELE.EU]

Ringrazio Fabrizio Corpetti [FACELE.EU] per avermi fatto avere tramite Ciro Barile [TI99IUC.IT] la versione del PCB assemblato della cartuccia Robotron 2084 per TI-99/4a.

Come scrive Ciro, questa cartuccia non e’ mai stata commercializzata dalla AtariSoft, l’unica cosa che si puo’ trovare in rete e’ il DUMP della ROM.

Galleria:

Atari 800XL miglioramenti Hardware.

Ho deciso di aggiornare il mio Atari 800XL con alcune interfacce disponibili sul sito di Lotharek.

Situazione attuale del mio Atari 800XL:

• Ultimate 1MB from Sebastian Bartkowicz (Candle) con l’ultimo Bios di FJC.
• VBXE + DIN Connector for RGB/Audio Output (Rimosso Modulatore RF)
• Simple Stereo + U-Switch + Jack Stereo 3.5 per l’uscita Audio.
• SIDE 2 / AVG Cartridge

Nuove interfacce installate:

• P-Covox + Jack Stereo 3.5 per l’uscita Audio.
• SRAM 64Kb.

Dopo aver installato il modulo SRAM 64Kb ho rimosso anche questa serie di circuiti integrati che non vengono più utilizzati dall’Atari 800XL.

• 8 X RAM NEC 4164C
• 2 x SN74LS158N
• 1 x DM74LS51N
• 1 x SN74LS375N
• 1 x Delay Line EP8212 (C060472-D)

Galleria:

Riparazione Atari 800XL con la linea di ritardo mancante EP8212 (CO60472).

Grazie al Modulo SRAM 64Kb di Lotharek sono stato in grado di resuscitare un’Atari 800XL a cui mancava la linea di ritardo EP8212 (CO60472) che non è più disponibile come pezzi di ricambio.

Per avere maggiori informazioni sul SRAM 64Kb Module visitate il sito di lotharek.

Galleria:

Hoxs64 scritto da David Horrocks e’ un’ottimo Emulatore di Commodore 64 per Microsoft Windows 2K/XP/Vista/Seven (DirectX 9+).

Changelog (v1.0.21.1):

• The debugger now displays and parses all numbers using the current selected radix (hex or dec) while permitting the use of “$” and “.” as radix overrides.
• Fixed broken loading of a cartridge with in a save state file.
• Bug fix for randomly distributing keyboard and joystick input into the video frame.
• Changed ANE to use 0xEF as the magic constant as recommended by Groepaz.

Download:

• Hoxs64 32/64 bit v1.0.21.1 (611)

source: hoxs64.net

Il TONEL PC è fondamentalmente un clone ZX-81. Prodotto a Hong-Kong (da Lambda Electronics LTD? DEF?), È stato progettato come computer economico ed è stato concesso in licenza a molte aziende in tutto il mondo. Questo spiega perché lo stesso computer può essere trovato sotto diversi marchi e nomi (DEF 3000, Power 3000, Basic 2000, Basic 3000, PC 2000, PC 8300, Marathon 32K, IQ 8300, Futura 8300, Computer, ecc.). Ma su tutte le mainboard c’e’ scritto “PC 8300″ generico.

Il sistema è un ZX-81 clonato con una ROM modificata (per evitare problemi legali), una tastiera migliore, più RAM (2 KB), caratteristiche audio, un’uscita video composita e persino un connettore joystick (compatibile Atari). Questi rappresentano infatti tutti gli aggiornamenti che gli utenti ZX-81 volevano solitamente aggiungere al loro sistema, ma sono stati inseriti tutti nel corpo macchina ad un prezzo più economico.

Con la sua ROM modificata il Tonel PC era compatibile solo con i programmi scritti in basic per ZX-81. Ma era disponibile una ROM ZX-81 per trasformare il computer in una vero Sinclair ZX-81 in grado di eseguire tutto il software incluso codice macchina.

Sono disponibili diversi addon: espansioni di memoria da 16 KB e 32 KB RAM, modulo per la grafica ad alta risoluzione, Joystick, stampanti … Il bus di espansione dovrebbe essere compatibile con quello ZX-81 (da confermare).

Gallery:

Tonel PC (Lambda 8300) Loading Game (GIF)

Download:

• Some Tools/Emu/Games for Tonel PC (Lambda 8300) (592)
• Different ROMs for Lambda 8300 (Tonel PC) (587)

source: old-computers.com

Materiale retro che mi e’ stato regalato prima di essere cestinato.

Ringrazio Robert per per la donazione.

Lista del materiale:

• Commodore Amiga 500 (Alimentatore/Manuale/Floppy Disk/Mouse/Joystick Slik Stik)
• Commodore A501 REV 6C (Espansione di Memoria)
• Sinclair ZX Spectrum 16k (Alimentatore/Cavi/Manuali/Cassette/Joystick)
• ZX Spectrum Joystick Interface.
• Sony Playstation DualShock (Boxed)
• Sony Playstation 2.
• Tastiera IBM 8525.
• Floppy Drive Esterno 5″1/4 IBM.

Galleria:

Commodore A501 (REV 6C) Espansione di Memoria baciata dalla fortuna.

Perche “fortunata” ? perche’ la batteria utilizzata in questo modulo di Espansione di Memoria (A501) non e’ della VARTA ma GP, queste batterie resistono leggermente di piu’ all’invecchiamento e rilasciano meno acido.

Galleria:

Riparazione Atari 2600 (4-switch units)

Difetto:

• Schermo Nero.

Componenti sostituiti:

• 1 x CPU 6507 (A200)

Galleria della riparazione:

NEW TAG: C64 BIG GAME PACK

E’ stato rilasciato del nuovo Software per Commodore 64.

Titoli:

• Super Mario Bros 64 +5D (CRT/D64)
• 1337 Karate +3DF
• 1337 Karate
• Vegetables V1.1 +1D
• Conflict in Vietnam + Manual
• Gyruss +7HDG
• Panzer +
• Panzer + (Excess)
• Panzer
• Mashed Turtles V3 +F
• Barbie +1F
• Accolade Card Sharks +2D
• Let’s Invade 2 +7D
• Frantic Freddie II +2
• Frantic Freddie II
• Frantic Freddie II +4
• The House on the Other Side of the Storm +D
• Let’s Invade 2
• Up Preview +
• Learning to Add & Subtract +D
• Frantic Freddie II : Frantic Edition (C128)
• Neutron +2D
• Neutron +
• Mission XZ1 +1T
• Xerons +4DFH
• Color Overload +2
• Neutron +6D
• Frantic Freddie II +3
• Alter Ego Male [1581]
• Space Comets +
• ALF – The First Adventure +5
• Behind Closed Doors 3 +DS
• Behind Closed Doors 2 +DS
• Behind Closed Doors 6 +S
• Behind Closed Doors 5 +DS
• Fuddo and Slam +DS
• Behind Closed Doors +DS
• Galaxy +2D
• Vegetables V1.3 +1D
• Barbie +1DF
• Scarper! +5DH
• PET Snake
• Goldrake + [seuck]
• Nono Pixie
• 1nvader +1H
• Mr. Robot Junior +2
• Trzask Tensorskiego +1T
• Tensor 64 +1TG
• Hellcat Ace +D
• Skilat
• Air Rescue +2FD
• Nono Pixie
• C64 Games System
• Star Fortress +2
• X-Invaders +T
• Crazy Cars 2 +2DI
• Fire Breath V1.1 +5HD
• The Silence of the Stones +D
• The Great Escape 115%
• Mig Alley Ace +D
• Top Gunner Collection
• Robots Rumble +6D
• Diamond Bucket
• Robots Rumble +6D
• Robots Rumble [16kb cartridge]
• Tenebra Macabre V1.1 +4D
• Lala Prologue +4DG
• Minimike Preview V2 +
• Tenebra Macabre V1.1 [16kb cartridge]
• Nono Pixie v1.1

Download: All Games in One Archive (6823)

source: csdb.dk