I tried the SwinSID Ultimate (SID 6581/8580 Replacement) by CodeKiller & Hermit and the base work by Swinkels with a Commodore 64 and the Ultimate-64 by Gideon and i must say that it works well without any problem.

The sound and the feel is good and knowing many SID tunes i did some comparisons, i can only say that these two Hungarian guys have done a Great job.

Forget immediatly how sounded the old Swinsid.

Some information taken from the SwinSID Ultimate site:

A duo from Hungary, Máté “CodeKiller” Sebők and Mihály “Hermit” Horváth have been working on improving SwinSID, originally developed by Swinkels.

List of improvements:

It has full feature compatibility with the original SID (over the old SwinSID):

• paddle/mouse support.
• readable registers (OSC3/ENV3)
• external audio in.
• bitfade.
• proper ADSR-bug support.
• fast ADSR attack rate (thanks to the self-correcting rate-counter)
• ‘Lazy Jones’ and ‘180’ -like gate and test-bit workaround (no missing note)
• proper 23bit noise-waveform calculation –> better “random” numbers.
• full 3V p-p output range w/o 1KOhm load (same as 8580)
• improved filter quality (16bit) and resonance-table for both SID model.
• improved waveform calculation (full 16 bit)
• high resolution combined waveform-tables.

It has enhancements over the original SID:

• clean anti-aliased bandlimited sound at high pitches.
• undistorted mixed digi tunes and eliminated volume-change click thanks to AC/DC separation of master volume register.
• Softconfig — software configurable options for a number of aspects of the operation.
• LEDs which intensity represents the active channels volume.
• LED displaying the active (classic) digi playback.
• or in case of the new Mahoney-digi, the entire array acts like a VU-meter.

Software configuration options:

• change between 8580/6581 behaviour (filter, ADSR, combined waveforms)
• change between PAL/NTSC pitch.
• enable/disable external audio input (less external noise)
• if enabled, then CAN be enabled to sample trough OSC3 register.
• enable/disable startup “ding”(beep)
• upload 3 banks of 256 bytes custom waveforms.
• “transparent” mute for channels — does not affect the sync, OSC3/ENV3,..

Gallery:

Download:

• SwinSID Ultimate Configurator by Schema (1581)
• SwinSID Ultimate Users Manual (1681)

SwinSID Ultimate Video:

Some retro-Trash things received from a friend. Thanks Gerben.

Below the list.

• Philips Computer Monitor 80 (Amber phosphors).
• Commodore Music Maker.
• Philips MSX Data Recorder
• Easy Bob Model 745 – RS232 Serial Analyzer/Tester.
• Data Switch.
• Taxas Instruments T-83.
• 4-to-1 Parallel Auto Switch.
• Zanussi Ping-O-Tronic (MOD. PP 7)
• Lego USB 4 Ports HUB.
• General Electric IFM Interface Module for C64/Atari.
• Some Serial/Parallel/MSX cables and adapters.
• Joystick.
• External CD-ROM.
• Mouse Pad.
• Some Serial/Parallel/MSX cables and adapters.

Commodore Amiga 1200 Full Recap & Cleaning Floppy Drive.

Gallery:

Firmware upgrades for THEC64 Mini provide new features and/or correct any technical issues.

We always recommend that you use the latest version of the firmware.

Version 1.0.8 – Changes:

• Includes firmware optimisations and improvements to THEC64 input response times.

Download: TheC64 Mini Firmware v1.0.8 (1123)

source: thec64.com

Pi1541 is a real-time, cycle exact, Commodore 1541 disk drive emulator that can run on a Raspberry Pi 3B (or 3B+). The software is free and I have endeavored to make the hardware as simple and inexpensive as possible.

Pi1541 provides you with an SD card solution for using D64, G64, NIB and NBZ Commodore disk images on real Commodore 8 bit computers such as:

• Commodore 64
• Commodore 128
• Commodore Vic20
• Commodore 16
• Commodore Plus4

source: cbm-pi1541.firebaseapp.com

I start immediately to say; Floppy Drive, Metal base with the Transformer are ended up in the trash, are unrecoverable (see photo).

What i did is carefully clean the external case of the Floppy Drive which i am quite satisfied of the result.

Then i have started to repair and carefully clean the motherboard of the Floppy Drive (REV 1540050) that had the following problems (see photo):

• I had to use the sockets for all the integrated circuits, because the rust had crept under all the integrated circuits, creating many problems.
• Remove the voltage regulators and clean the rust that was under the heatsink.
• Clean and try all integrated circuits after removing them.
• Clean the PCB.
• Replaced 2 x 6522 (VIA) that is not working.
• Replaced 1 x 6502 (CPU) that is not working.
• Replaced 1 x HM6116P (STATIC RAM) that is not working.
• Replaced 2 x Resistors of 9.1k 1% interrupted.
• Replaced for safety also 1 x Resistor of 91ohm 1%.
• Moved the ceramic capacitor (FIX by Commodore) to the solder side, which was fixed above the 74LS86.

What i have used to clean the external Floppy Drive case:

• I have used a plenty of running water by rubbing with a brush to remove everything you could do without using specific products.
• I have used CIF GEL with bleach that i left to act for 30 minutes.
• I have rinse thoroughly with water, always rubbing with the brush and with a stanley plastic spatulas
• I repeated these last two phase for least 3 times.

• I have used CIF Degreaser with Bicarbonate that i left to act for 10 minutes.
• With a Brush / Toothbrush / Toothpicks / Cotton Fioc / Stanley plastic spatulas o have rubbed and cleaned the most dirty and hidden parts.
• I have rinse thoroughly with water, always rubbing with a brush.
• I repeated these last three phases for least 4 times.

• I have completed the cleaning with the Glassex and Alcohol.

I have used a Floppy Drive mechanics and a transformer that i have found in the laboratory that i have installed in the Floppy Drive VC-1541 case.

Restoration and Repair Gallery:

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Differences before and after the restoration Gallery:

The images speak for themselves, there is no need to write anything.

The images could irritate your sensitivity. :-P

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Commodore VIC-20 (ASSY 250403) Repair

Defect:

• Black Screen.

Replaced parts:

• Replaced MOS 65245 [74LS245] (UF8)

Gallery of the work done:

Commodore 128 (REV 310381) Repair

Defect:

• Black Screen.

Replaced parts:

• Replaced 74LS08 (U61)
• Replaced CPU 8502R0 (U6)
• Replaced PLA 8721R3 (U11)

Gallery of the work done:

Forth, the Language.

Forth is a different language. It’s aged and a little weird.
What’s cool about it? It’s a very low-level and minimal language without any automatic memory management. At the same time, it easily scales to become a very high-level and domain-specific language, much like Lisp. Compared to C64 Basic, Forth is more attractive in almost every way.

It is a lot more fast, memory effective and powerful. Compared to C, specifically cc65, the story is a little different. It’s hard to make a fair comparison. Theoretically Forth code can be very memory efficient, and it’s possible to make Forth code that is leaner than C code. But it is also true that cc65 code is generally much faster than Forth code.

Download: durexForth v1.6.4 (D64) + Manual (833)

source: csdb.dk github.com

Some new games or tools (Cracked / Trained or Unrealeased) for Commodore 64 have been released from your favorites groups.

Titles:

• Valkyrie 3 – The Night Witch [seuck]
• Galencia Khaos Sphere Preview
• Galencia Khaos Sphere Preview-GP
• Ski Or Die and Skate Or Die [easyflash]
• Ski Or Die and Skate Or Die [easyflash]-SK8
• Hermetic +6DT
• The Games Summer & Winter Edition [easyflash]
• Western Games +D [easyflash]
• Western Games +D
• Jake The Snake V4.1
• Ski Or Die and Skate Or Die [easyflash]-KR
• The Simpsons Arcade Game [easyflash]
• Project Space Station [easyflash]
• Bewitched Preview 2 +2
• Crank Crank Revolution
• Jake The Snake V5.0
• Snek +1
• Crank Crank Revolution +1F
• Shadow of the Beast [scpu]
• Solar Fox +3DGMH
• Digger
• Lumberjack Deluxe Preview +
• Rogue Burger One Preview +2
• Beat Em Up Preview
• Flyboy Preview +2
• Flyboy Preview +
• Lumberjack Deluxe Preview
• Flyboy Preview
• Indiana Jones in the Lost Kingdom +7DMW
• Arhena the Amazon – Special Edition [seuck]
• Turbo Outrun +5 [easyflash]
• Missile Command +3DGH
• Strikkespillet hd +4DT [easyflash]
• Snow Preview 4 +2
• Ice Busters +6DGH
• RetroGameDev Space Shooter Preview +3H
• RetroGameDev Platform Game Preview +3H
• Pacman Preview +
• TRSE Vertical Shooter Preview
• Wolfling Preview
• Petch +8DGMH
• Gunsmoke
• Gunsmoke [easyflash]
• Neuromancer [easyflash]
• Project Stealth Fighter [easyflash]
• Oil-Imperium [german] [easyflash]
• Vault Man 2 V1.1 +4H
• Tetris +J
• Fallout Hacker +1D
• Trainsmission +1D
• Doughboy +9DG
• Night of the Valkyrie +3DH [seuck]
• Arhena the Amazon – Special Edition +2H [seuck]
• Chilly Willy +4DGH

Download: All Games in One Archive (5857)

source: csdb.dk

A new version of the firmware for the interface 1541 Ultimate II+ – 1541 Ultimate II and the new C64 Motherboard Ultimate 64 is released.

Changes in this release (compared to 3.2a):

• Fast Reset for C64.
• Improved d64 filesystem.
• Poweroff function for the U64.
• FTP Bugfix.
• Bugfix in Paste function of the file browser.

How to update?

• For the 1541 Ultimate-II:
  • Navigate to the unzipped file ‘3.2a_180411+_v1.audio.u2u‘ or ‘3.2a_180411+_v1.dualdrive.u2u‘ and select “Run Update”
• For the 1541 Ultimate-II+:
  • Navigate to the ‘3.2a_180411._v1.u2p‘ file, and select “Run Update”.
• For the Ultimate 64:
  • Navigate to the ‘3.2a_180411._v1.u64‘ file, and select “Run Update”.

Please note that the Ultimate 64 Firmware is build using a blob containing version 1.02 of the FPGA.

Download: 1541 Ultimate-II / Ultimate-II+ / U64 v3.2a v1 (979)

source: facebook.com github.com

This sticker can be used for the Commodore 64 case but with the new Ultimate 64 card from Gideon installed.

The archive includes the image in .PSD format (PhotoShop Document) and the fonts.

Generate your own Ultimate64 Badge Online: Ultimate64 badge by Marco Van de Meulenhof

Download: Ultimate 64 PSD Serial Sticker & Fonts (1002)

The Ultimate 64 is a hardware implementation (FPGA) of the entire Commodore 64, and it includes the Ultimate-II+ / LAN / Wi-Fi / HDMi / RGB and many more cool things. An ALL IN ONE solution!

For more information and orders, visit the website.

Ultimate 64 Unboxing:

Ultimate 64 RGB Output Example:

Ultimate 64 RGB Pinout:

Ultimate 64 Manosoft Princess Ultra C64SD 4.0 Test:

Ultimate 64 SIDTap Alternative Audio Output:

Ultimate 64 DigiFIX resistors removed:

source: ultimate64.com

Pioneer LaserActive CLD-A100 – Repair/Recap & Modules full Recap.

Defects:

• The Game cartridges on the Sega Genesis Module do not work but the games on CD-ROM work correctly.
• The INTF Ass’y Interface has some leakage capacitors and in short circuit.
• The PSU has some leakage capacitors and in short circuit.
• Solder joint jumped out on the three connectors that connect the two horizzonal/vertical motherboards.
• Some cold solder on the power stage.

Works that have been done:

• Cleaning and Full Recap PSU.
• Cleaning and Full Recap Sega Genesis/Sega CD PAC-S10 Module.
• Cleaning and Full Recap Nec PC Engine PAC-N1/N1 Module.
• Cleaning and Recap INTF Ass’y Interface.
• Rebuilding PADs of the two pcb connectors.
• Rebuilding cold solder joint on the power stage.

Pioneer LaserActive CLD-A100 Gallery:

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Sega Genesis/Sega CD PAC-S10 Module Gallery:

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Nec PC Engine PAC-N1/N1 Module Gallery: