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Archive for the ‘News & Rumors’ Category

HxC Floppy Emulator: Software updated

November 16th, 2010 No comments

The HxC Floppy Drive Emulator is a software and hardware system created by jfdn aka Jeff.

The aim of this project is to replace the floppy disk drive by an electronic device emulating the floppy disk drive (list of supported Computer/Hardware).

There are two differents emulators:

  • A USB version which allows to connect the floppy disk drive interface of the computer to a PC via a USB cable.
  • A SDCARD version which allows to emulate floppy disks which images are stored in a SDCARD.

Release notes for the HxCFloppyEmulator software v1.5.0.0:

  • New Feature : Floppy disk dump tool : To use this tool you need the fdrawcmd driver (http://simonowen.com/fdrawcmd).
  • E-Mu Emulator I support : E-Mu Emulator I FM track support added (generator & sector extractor)
  • E-Mu Emulator I support : E-Mu Emulator I RAW file image support added (*.emuiifd)

source: hxc2001.free.fr

Categories: Hardware, News & Rumors, Today

Dual Sid Homepage Opened

November 16th, 2010 No comments

DualSID is a device which allows you to plug in two different SID models to your Commodore 64. You can set the second SID‘s address to five different memory locations.

Both SIDs can be set to the same memory area which enables stereo sound to your favourite games. DualSID is compatible with most stereo SID software and demos.

Features:

  • Second SID can be either 8580 or 6581 with any C64 board assembly.
  • Second SID address is selectable from: $D400, $D420, $D500, $DE00, $DF00
  • Small PCB, only 40mm x 50mm
  • Game compatibility.

For more information and price visit the Tomi Malinen homepage

source: dual sid homepage

ZTerm v0.6 for Commodore 64

November 14th, 2010 No comments

ZTerm64 is a color graphics terminal for Commodore 64.

ZTerm 64 Features:

  • FAST! ZTerm64 is written in 100% Assembly Language Approx 40 blocks long
  • Swiftlink/Turbo232/Link232 Support. Auto detects presence of one of these cartridges and selects the proper serial driver. If no cartridge is detected it uses the stock userport function up to 2400 baud.
  • CCGMS Clone I made it look and work very similar to the CCGMS terminal program which is probably one of the most popular terminal programs ever for the C64
  • Punter / Multi-Punter transfer protocols. Yes, these will work across a TCP/IP Connection.
  • XModem / YModem coming soon
  • Source Code is available. It is in 64TASS cross assembler format.

source: zlink64.us

Unboxing expansion Ram 320XL (320kB) for Atari 600/800XL

November 14th, 2010 No comments
Expansion Ram 320XL (320kB)

Autopsy:

The Expansion Ram 320XL is a external plug and play 320kB memory expansion card for Atari 600XL and 800XL machines designed by ctirad a user of AtariAge Forum.

Additionally there is a possibility to disable internal memory and remap it onto card (switchable via jumper), thus one can “fix” many failing XLs without even looking inside. Also, an unexpanded 16kB 600XLs can be upgraded to 320XL without any additional work.

The Expansion Ram 320XL uses banking via bits 2,3,5,6 and 4 of PORTB. As you can see this is compatible with “Atari magazine” expansion rather than a most common RAMBO or Compy shop setup, however I have to say the comaptibility with both old and new software is excellent. There can be only problem with some programs, which does use the separate Antic/CPU banking.

The Installation is very easy. The Atari 600XL users will just plug it into PBI port. For Atari 800XL is a bit more complicated, because Atari decided to remove 5V power from the PBI connector from it. Thus 800XL users will have either to use additional power cable which will fit into joystick port or solder one wire inside atari to make the PBI port powered like on 600XL (look photo).

For more information and price visit the atariage.com.

source: atariage.com

C128 System Information v7.3 REV1 by MirkoSoft

November 13th, 2010 No comments

Program that detects type of your hardware in Commodore 128.

Also added recognizing CMD Hardware FD/HD/RAMLink/RAMDrive/JiffyDOS/SuperCPU and a better detection of MMU and RAM size (SuperRAM), not works correctly in VICE.

Optimized for 80 columns mode. Thanks to Christian Johansson.

source: mirkosoft homepage

HxC Floppy Emulator: Firmware & Software updated

November 10th, 2010 No comments

The HxC Floppy Drive Emulator is a software and hardware system created by jfdn aka Jeff.

The aim of this project is to replace the floppy disk drive by an electronic device emulating the floppy disk drive (list of supported Computer/Hardware).

There are two differents emulators:

  • A USB version which allows to connect the floppy disk drive interface of the computer to a PC via a USB cable.
  • A SDCARD version which allows to emulate floppy disks which images are stored in a SDCARD.

Release notes for the HxCFloppyEmulator software v1.4.0.1:

  • GUI : SDCard buzzer sound volume control added.
  • GUI reworked.
  • Double step drive emulation support added.
  • IMD Loader : Default interface mode change to Shugart.
  • RAW Loader : Default interface mode change to Shugart.
  • USB HxC Floppy Emulator : Shugart mode corrected.

Release notes for the SD HxCFloppyEmulator firmware upgrade v1.3.0.4:

  • Amiga : Change disk delay added.
  • Buzzer driving bug corrected.
  • “One button” mode feature added.
  • Double step support added.

source: hxc2001.free.fr

Quod Init Exit v1.1

November 9th, 2010 No comments

Saimo (Simone Bevilacqua) has updated his game Quod Init Exit, which is Latin for “whatever gets in, gets out”.

In the game you are a little pig, and you need to eat all the food you can find. The game has excellent HIRES graphics and is fun to play.

Changelog:

  • Fixed the flicker of some pixels, which was visible only on real machines and accurate emulators.
  • Added level part to score shown in in-game screen (courtesy of Endurion’s feedback Wink)
  • Compressed the program for faster loading.
  • Made various other minor changes.

source: noname.c64.org

CodeNet Client v0.3

November 8th, 2010 2 comments

The CodeNet Client it can be used to transfer PRG files directly into the memory of the C64 and also allows some other actions like filling memory and ofcourse starting a program with RUN or a jump to a defined memory address.

The CodeNet protocol is a very simple protocol to send data and executables to a C64 computer via ethernet. A CodeNet server is normally listening on UDP port 6462.

Changelog:

v0.3 (6.11.10):

  • Added: Better network error handling.

source: oxyron.de

SD2Iec Firmware v0.10.0 Final Released

November 7th, 2010 No comments

SD2IEC is a hardware mass storage device using an SD/MMC card and interfacing with the IEC bus. It is based on the ATmega644 or ATmega1284p microcontroller from the Atmel AVR microcontroller family.

The most prominent use of SD2IEC is emulation/replacement of a Commodore-1541 disk drive for a C64. Hardware and the microcontroller’s firmware is available as open source (GPL).

Changelog:

2010-11-07 – release 0.10.0

  • Deprecation notice: E-R and E-W commands will be removed in the next release.
  • Improved reliability of Nippon loader.

source: sd2iec.de gitweb forum thread c64-wiki

Categories: Firmware, News & Rumors, Today

Dreamhost Network Maintenance: website down for 6 hours!

November 6th, 2010 No comments

from Dreamhost Status blog:

We will be completing the fixes to our Core infrastructure.  This will include abandoning HSRP, restructuring our internal LAN routing domain and pruning unnecessary vlans from our border routers.

Only One Word Comes to Mind: Dreamhost sucks cocks big time!

source: dreamhoststatus.com

NUFLI Editor v1.12 (PAL/NTSC)

November 3rd, 2010 No comments

A new update of the NUFLI Editor is out.

With this editor (PAL/NTSC) you can edit NUFLI (static) image directly with your Commodore 64.

source: noname.c64.org

VIC-20 Data Maker a automatic generator for DATA loaders

November 3rd, 2010 No comments

This is a automatic generator for DATA loaders written by Mike for VIC-20.

source: Denial (The Commodore VIC-20 forum)

A day at the Bonami Retro-Computers Museum

November 1st, 2010 2 comments
A day at the Bonami Museum

Bonami Museum:

This is one of the biggests museum of retro-computers and consoles in North Europe, it’s located at EPE in the eastern Netherlands.

Many thanks for the photos to Gerben Vissers a friend of mine, Gerben is also a retro-computers collectors (like me) with a site online: www.computerverzameling.nl

source: bonami-spelcomputer-museum.nl

Categories: Event(s), News & Rumors, Today

SD2Iec Firmware v0.10.0Pre5 Released

October 31st, 2010 2 comments

SD2IEC is a hardware mass storage device using an SD/MMC card and interfacing with the IEC bus. It is based on the ATmega644 or ATmega1284p microcontroller from the Atmel AVR microcontroller family.

The most prominent use of SD2IEC is emulation/replacement of a Commodore-1541 disk drive for a C64. Hardware and the microcontroller’s firmware is available as open source (GPL).

Changelog:

2010-10-31 – release 0.10.0pre5

  • Bugfix: Avoid duplicate file name when DEL/DIR matches.
  • Bugfix: Reduce chance of data corruption in Wheels.
  • Bugfix: Slightly relax IEC timing while waiting for command.
  • Added AR6 1581 fastloader+saver (PAL).

source: sd2iec.de gitweb forum thread c64-wiki

Categories: Firmware, News & Rumors, Today

Sprite Pad v1.7

October 31st, 2010 No comments

Sprite Pad v1.7 released.. after a long long time Subchrist has updated his Sprite Editor for Commodore 64.

Sprite Pad is a free cross-platform development tool for designing sprite images and animations.

Improvements and changes in this version:

  • Rotations. A World first?, Free rotate with variable angle limiter, auto-generate rotation sequences in any mode with 1 degree accuracy.
  • Overlays. Allows the designing of 2 sprites as one + animation and rotation support!.
  • Multiple Palettes. User editable palette file supports up to 20 additional palettes. (Default palette is now technically accurate).
  • Single page layout. No more page flipping!.
  • ‘Floodfill’, ‘Fat Brush’, ‘Pixel Swapper’, ‘Paste Into’. + Many more fixes and improvements.

General Program Features:

  • Edit and animate both multicolour and high-resolution sprite images.
  • 256 Sprite browser.
  • Simple file format allows easy import into Commodore 64 software projects.

System Requirements:

  • The program has been designed, programmed and tested on a 32-bit Windows XP (SP3) system.
  • The development machine has an Athlon XP 2400+ (2Ghz) with 512MB of RAM and an old 64MB Nvidia Geforce4 MX GFX card.

source: subchrist homepage