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The return of the Hybrid Sid Player Firmware update v1.05

May 19th, 2021 xAD / nIGHTFALL No comments

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

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

Categories: Firmware, Hardware, News & Rumors, Projects / Repairs, Sid Player, Today

The return of the Hybrid Sid Player Firmware update v1.04

May 2nd, 2021 xAD / nIGHTFALL No comments

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

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

Categories: Firmware, Hardware, News & Rumors, Projects / Repairs, Sid Player, Today

Selcom Lemon II Floppy Drive Repair and Clean

April 7th, 2021 xAD / nIGHTFALL No comments

Selcom Lemon II Floppy Drive Repair and Clean.

Defect: The Floppy Drive motor spins and the LED stays on but the R/W head does not move and don’t read anythings. This is a classic failure due to incorrect insertion of the Floppy Drive connector into the male connector on the side of the Floppy Drive Controller card.

By inserting the connector moved one row externally the supply consequently go to in the wrong places and the first IC to explode in the true sense of the word is the 74LS125 (see photo).

Replaced the component, everything has started to working again.

Taking advantage of the repair, i have cleaned the inside of the LEMON II Computer and done a DUMP of the EPROM, i also cleaned and lubrificate the mechanical parts of the Floppy Drive.

Gallery of the repair: