Jean-François DEL NERO (who’s behind the HxC SD Floppy Emulator) recently has released a version of the HxC emulator firmware that is compatible with the STM32 chip used in the Gotek floppy emulators.

This means that the great functionality of the HxC SD emulator is now available on cheaper and more widely available hardware.

The bootloader to convert the Gotek floppy drive in HxC compatible must be purchased on the website HXC 2001 by sending an email to Jean-François DEL NERO. The price of the bootloader is one-off 10 Euro per Gotek that you want to update. Future updates of the software are free and can be made from a USB stick

The HXC Usb (Gotek) firmware supports: + many more….

USB Stick STM32 (Gotek) HxC Firmware v3.1.16.1a -> v3.1.22.1a cumulative changelog:

• TI99/4A : Direct support of *.DSK/*.PC99/*.V9T9 sectors dump images SD/DD/HD density support (Read & Write).
• New embedded menu entry : You can now force the user interface mode (Normal/Indexed or selector mode selection).
• USB Direct Access mode code : Index gap increased (Amiga File selector & HxC copy utility under WB fix)
• Indexed mode : Ignore file extension. You can now use any file extension as long as the file is supported by the floppy emulation engine. (Can be DSKA0000.HFE/IMG/DSK/ADF/ADL…)
• Acorn machines (*.ADL, *.ADM, *.ADF): Sectors gap, interleave and tracks skew aligned to the real machine.
• USB Direct Access mode code refactored : Read/write performance increased (hxcmount). / Command/Write indications printed on the LCD.
• USB access cache : Write timeout value set to 2 seconds.
• Normal mode : Remove unwanted key delay when entering in direct mode.
• End part of the read output pipeline reworked (pulses generator).
• Akai S20 IMG images : sectors gap and tracks skew aligned to the real machine.
• Casio FZ1 IMG images : sectors gap and tracks skew aligned to the real machine.
• Fix last the v3.1.16.2a compilation option ! Please update if you have the v3.1.16.2a released yesterday !
• Autoboot mode + 3 Digits Gotek screen : Fix slot number.

This is only a little part of the changelog. The original one is very long and you can read it here. (instruction manual here)

Download: USB Stick STM32 (Gotek) HxC Firmware v3.1.22.1a (908)

source: hxc2001.com

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

Release notes Ultimate-II & II+ v3.2a:

• Improved DHCP.
• SIDFX support in SID player.
• FC3 and FC3+ Support improved.
• Saving to TAP files repaired.
• Many Ultimate 64 related changes.

Note: On the 1541 Ultimate II (non plus), there is an issue with using DHCP for the Ethernet Adapter. May may want to avoid using DHCP on the 1541 Ultimate II (non plus).

How to update?

• For the 1541 Ultimate-II:
  • Navigate to the unzipped file ‘3.2a_180322.audio.u2u‘ or ‘3.2a_180322.dualdrive.u2u‘ and select “Run Update”
• For the 1541 Ultimate-II+:
  • Navigate to the 3.2a_180322.u2p file, and select “Run Update”.

Download: 1541 Ultimate-II / Ultimate-II+ v3.2a (962)

source: facebook.com 1541ultimate.net github.com

NEW TAG: C64 BIG GAME PACK

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

Titles:

• IK Ultimate Competition Edition +D
• Jake the Snake V4.0
• Tass Times in Tone Town [1581]
• Combat Crazy
• Target Renegade [easyflash]
• Another World [easyflash]
• Zork III (Proportional Font)
• Arcade Game Construction Kit
• Tetris MP V1.2
• Lords of Doom [easyflash]
• Enchanter (Bold Font)
• Alienstorm [easyflash]
• Tetris MP V1.2 +F
• Star Toast
• Star Toast +2H
• Puzznic +3P
• The Chicken Choker +2
• Digger Preview
• Athanor [easyflash]
• Indeflataball +7HF
• Hessian V1.2
• Snow Preview +
• Quad Core C64
• Fart Escape
• F-14 Tomcat [easyflash]
• Fart Escape +4
• Neuromancer [georam]
• Snow Preview
• Quad Core +5D
• L.O.V.E. Preview +4D
• Labyrinth [easyflash]
• Moonspire: The Draxx War – Preview +6M
• Japanese Pinball
• Flipper Giapponese
• Lemonade Stand
• Tass Times in Tone Town [easyflash]
• Digger Preview 2 +3
• SWIV [easyflash]
• Skate or Die [easyflash]
• Digger Preview 2 +2
• The Games Summer Edition [easyflash]
• Aliens [easyflash]
• Mini Putt +D [easyflash]
• Skate or Die
• The Last Hugger [seuck]
• Peter Pack Rat +5DGHF
• Snow Preview 3 +2
• Katakis
• Hermetic +5DT
• Aussie Games
• Enforcer [easyflash]
• Arcade Game Construction Kit
• The Games Winter Edition [easyflash]
• The Tracer Sanction [1581]
• Diced-64
• Atom Heart [seuck]
• The Last Hugger – RX Version [seuck]
• The Last Hugger RX +3DH [seuck]
• Iron Lord [easyflash]
• Defender of the Crown [easyflash]
• Explorer +4T [english]
• Diced-64 +2MD
• Jetpac Wars +2F
• The Tracer Sanction [1581]

Download: All Games in One Archive (5730)

source: csdb.dk

Phase5 CyberStorm MK2 @ 100Mhz (040 Hack – Stable)

This is a simple hack to overclock the Cyberstorm MK2 at 100Mhz without needed adapters or simply replacing the oscillator which causes instability or malfunctions.

The hack consists downgrading the Cyberstorm MK2 to 040 simply by moving the two resistors can you see marked in the photos.

For some CPU or MK2 models it is also advisable to replacing the original voltage regulator LT1085CM at 3.3v with this one LT912CM 3.5v but if the amiga is stable after hours of operation you can also avoid the replacing the voltage regulator.

Gallery of the work done:

source: Cosmos Blog

Commodore Amiga 4000 – 64Mb Fast Memory Hack.

The Amiga 4000 motherboard can be ´hacked´ to handle 64Mb of Fast Memory (4 SIMM modules of 16 MB each)

To do this, you have to solder a new GAL and make some bridges between FASTRAM SIMM -> GAL -> CHIP RAMSEY.

This work is not complicated but you need to have a good practice with the soldering iron and PLCC soldering.

Gallery of the work done:

Download: Amiga 4000 64Mb Hack (1521)

source: Cosmos Blog John Hertell Blog

Upgrading Commodore A3640 CPU Card (part two)

I have replaced the CPU 060 EC version with a 060 FULL with FPU REV 1.

When using the adapter with a non EC version of the 060 you must also use a fixed version of the kickstart v3.1 with the exec.library modified to support the FPU.

Gallery of the work done:

Download: Kickstart v3.1 Exec Patch Version for 3k & 4k - Ready to Burn! (1457)

Upgrading Commodore A3640 CPU Card (part one)

Works that have been done:

• Upgrading GAL (U204 & U209)
• Socket for Oscillator.
• Overclocking.
• Replacing all capacitors (the recap was already done but for the CPU adapter 040 -> 060 was necessary use smd capacitors for the little space available)
• CPU Adapter 040 -> 060.
• CPU Motorola 68EC060

Gallery of the work done:

Commodore Amiga 4000 repair with Floppy Drive that is not recognized.

Defect:

• Floppy Drive Dead (not recognized)

Repair:

• Replace CIA 8520 (U300).

Gallery of the work done:

Vampire GOLD2.8 Core Released for V600 v2 & V500 v2(+)

Vampire GOLD2.8 Changelog:

• Improved HDMI DMA support for misaligned screen pointers.
• Minor FPU fix.
• A500 RTC fix (V500).
• Improved SDCard/SDNet support.
• V500 V2+ Expansion port enabled.

SAGA Driver v1.1 Changelog:

• Updated VampireGFX.card to 1.12
  • Adds Scanlines settings.
  • Assumes SOFTSPRITE=YES by default if not set in tooltypes.
• Updated SDNet.device to 1.1.
  • Fix for x12 cores.
• Added VampireGFX tooltypes documentation.

Download: Vampire Core & Saga Driver (1124)

source: apollo-accelerators.com

Commodore Monitor 1084S-P Repair.

Defect:

• Completly dead with only a loud whistling noise in background.

Repair:

• Replaced the flyback transformer (AT2079/30102) everything has started to work perfectly.
• It’s mandatory to made a calibration of the SCREEN and FOCUS with the two trimmer placed on the rear side of the flyback transformer.

Note:

A loud whistling noise indicates a bad flyback transformer (also known as an LOPT).

Gallery:

Download: Commodore Monitor 1084S-P Schematics (1051)

This is the official demo party results from BCC #12. See also the CSDB BCC #12 section for more informations and download.

C64 Demo:

• 1 – Psychedelic Delicacy by Delysid
• 2 – The New Ninja Skateboarders of Death by The New Ninja Skateboarders of Death
• 4 – Honey by Atlantis

C64 Music:

• 1 – $50 Shades of Gradius by c0zmo
• 2 – Ibiza Sun [2sid] by GI-Joe
• 3 – We Hover Do You Feel That by G-Fellow
• 4 – Rain of Castamere by Kompositkrut
• 5 – Redshift by Toggle
• 6 – For BCC#12 Invitation by Sonki
• 7 – BCC12 by Sonki
• 8 – Eine Kleine Popmusik by Røly
• 9 – Migraines Revenge by Gaetano Chiummo
• 10 – The Courier Remix by Uctumi

C64 Graphics:

• 1 – Neonscape by Luisa/Oni
• 2 – Ein Tag im Meer by Baracuda
• 3 – Ghost by Fabs/Salvo Bee
• 4 – Fire and Fury by Nero
• 5 – Abstract Rotation by Informer
• 6 – Monsta by Salvo Bee
• 7 – Fun and Run by Informer
• 8 – Haruko and Ayako by Luisa/Oni

Mixed:

• 1 – Game Art Beyond by Bliss (Graphics Collection)

C64 Fast Intro:

• 1 – Monitori Te Salutant II by Brainstorm    
• 2 – Courier Intro by Hokuto Force
• 3 – Party-Part by Atlantis
• 4 – Kraut54147 by Mayday!

Productions released outside compos:

• Eliminator Remix (Music)
• Pains ‘n’ Aches +8D Trainer by Excess (Tool)
• Puzznic +3P (Crack)
• The Chicken Choker +2 by Aldi Industries (Crack)

Download: BCC #12 Full Party Stuff (1036)

source: csdb.dk

Vampire GOLD2.7 Core Released for V600 v2 & V500 v2(+)

Vampire Changelog:

• Added fully pipelined hard FPU with peak 78 MFlops
• Added native support for all 68882 FPU operations without need of extra libraries
• Added new high performance memory controller, reaching 600MB/sec memory speed
• Added MapRom support
• Added Workbench Hardware Sprite support
• Added Scanlines optional mode for retro look of games on HDMI output
• Added RangerMem (A500 slow memory) for better compatibility with some old games/demos
• Added new boot picture
• Improved MPU (memory protection) with catching memory access error Enabled
• Improved AMMX2 instruction set with acceleration features for Video decoding, Image Decoding, 2D-games, 3D-games
• Improved WHDLOAD compatibility
• Improved Faster Boot time

SAGA Driver Changelog:

• Added VControl 1.1 (replace VampireTool)
• Updated SAGA driver installer
• Updated SDNet to 1.0 (Bax)
• Improved VampireGFX performance with AMMX (Bax)
• Complete VampireGFX driver rewrite in ASM (flype)

Download: Vampire Core & Saga Driver (1085)

source: apollo-accelerators.com

Jean-François DEL NERO (who’s behind the HxC SD Floppy Emulator) recently has released a version of the HxC emulator firmware that is compatible with the STM32 chip used in the Gotek floppy emulators.

This means that the great functionality of the HxC SD emulator is now available on cheaper and more widely available hardware.

The bootloader to convert the Gotek floppy drive in HxC compatible must be purchased on the website HXC 2001 by sending an email to Jean-François DEL NERO. The price of the bootloader is one-off 10 Euro per Gotek that you want to update. Future updates of the software are free and can be made from a USB stick

The HXC Usb (Gotek) firmware supports: + many more….

Firmware STM32 USB HxCFloppyEmulator v3.1.9.1a -> v3.1.16.1a cumulative changelog:

• User interface part :
  • Code Refactored
  • Better buttons behavior.
  • Better/faster rotary behavior.

• Normal mode :
  • Press both buttons shortly to jump to the first entry of the current folder. (“..”)

• Normal mode :
  • When returning to parent folder (“..”) the position in the folder is restored.

• Autoboot mode :
  • Press both buttons shortly to jump to Autoboot.hfe / Press both buttons more than 2 seconds eject/insert the disk.

• Indexed mode :
  • Press both buttons shortly to jump to DSKA0000.HFE / Press both buttons more than 2 seconds eject/insert the disk.

• 7 segments screen : Now show when an image is inserted (“—”) or ejected (” – “)
• OLED : init algorithm revised for diymore.cc screens.  (Press the right button at power up at the first diymore.cc screen installation).

• Various user interface fixes.
• Normal mode : key auto-repeat delay increased.
• Revert filtering changes (Rotary support)
• Keys debouncing filter increased.
• Normal mode : Wait the select key release after a directory change.

• New interface modes :
  • IBMPC_DD_HD (PC Mode with auto density selection)
  • S950_DD_HD  (Akai / Shugart-Like Mode with auto density selection)

• New Family :
  • Ensoniq ASR10 (Ensoniq Auto DD & HD support)

• New 7 segments config menu 1 (Interface mode) entries :
  • 0F = S900/S950 (Density Auto)
  • 10 = PC DD/HD  (Density Auto)

• New 7 segments config menu 0 (System family) entry :
  • 11 = Ensoniq ASR10 (Ensoniq Auto DD & HD support)

• Some file system & disks access sanity checks added.
• New menu setting interface menu for normal 7-segments Goteks :
  • To access it, remove the USB Stick and press both buttons.
  • Choose the sub menu number – wait some seconds for the selection validation.
  • Check and/or change the setting – wait some seconds for the selection validation.

This is only a little part of the changelog. The original one is very long and you can read it here. (instruction manual here)

Download: USB Stick STM32 (Gotek) HxC Firmware v3.1.16.1a (895)

source: hxc2001.com

NEW TAG: C64 BIG GAME PACK

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

Titles:

• Cabal +8DFHIR
• Tetris MP [2in1] +F
• Retaliate Preview 2 +2
• Retaliate Preview 2 +
• Retaliate V0.2 Beta
• Lemmings +15DF [easyflash]
• UFF +2TPDF [english]
• Number King
• Ratekoenig
• Axe of Rage +10DMHF
• Retaliate V0.2.1 Beta (Hotfix)
• Find The Pussy
• Jake the Snake V2.2
• Retaliate Preview 2 +3H
• Snake 360 Preview +
• Snake 360 Preview
• Painter +4DH
• Kevin in the Woods Preview +
• Steel Ranger Preview +C
• Balloon Flight +HF
• Wizard
• Trainsmission +1
• Trainsmission +
• Crazy Cars III +6D [easyflash]
• Tink Tonk Castle Clobber +
• Killed Until Dead +D [easyflash]
• Steel Ranger +3C Trainer
• Retaliate Preview 3 +3
• Fallout Hacker
• H.E.R.O. II Preview 2
• Fallout Hacker +1D
• Pirates! [german] [1581]
• Iceblox Plus +5HF
• Killed Until Dead +D [easyflash]
• Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego [easyflash]
• Battle Command [sd2iec]
• Metro Blitz +3DH
• Zork (53 Columns)
• Alien 3 [easyflash]
• Gindevmbly
• Border Blast 3 Enhanced +2H [seuck]
• Dark Destroyer 2117 RX +2 [seuck]
• Delta Run RX +2DH [seuck]
• Valentine’s Day Shopping Simulator +
• Navy Moves +7DFHIRW
• Indeflataball +7HF
• Vitamin +4CTD
• Bounder (Competition Edition)
• Zork III (Proportional Font)

Download: All Games in One Archive (5552)

source: csdb.dk

Jean-François DEL NERO (who’s behind the HxC SD Floppy Emulator) recently has released a version of the HxC emulator firmware that is compatible with the STM32 chip used in the Gotek floppy emulators.

This means that the great functionality of the HxC SD emulator is now available on cheaper and more widely available hardware.

The bootloader to convert the Gotek floppy drive in HxC compatible must be purchased on the website HXC 2001 by sending an email to Jean-François DEL NERO. The price of the bootloader is one-off 10 Euro per Gotek that you want to update. Future updates of the software are free and can be made from a USB stick

The HXC Usb (Gotek) firmware supports: + many more….

Firmware STM32 USB HxCFloppyEmulator v3.1.2.0a -> v3.1.8.1a Cumulative Changelog:

• Raw files : Write sector performance increased. / Near Real time sectors write !
• Low level Floppy IO optimizations.
• Raw *.IMG PC Files : Use the DOS 6.22 disk layouts.
• And as always some code optimizations.
• Cache flush fix : Do you not reorder the cache when not needed ( e.g when the track fit the cache size )
• CFG File V1 fix (Autoboot mode) : slots support now file images with 2 characters filename extension…
• More code Speed optimizations. (again ! :) )
• More Code Speed optimizations.
• RAW MFM & FM Images (IMG/ST/…) : More Write speed improvement. / Sector Data cache prefetch.
• RAW MFM & FM Images (IMG/ST/…) : Write speed improvement. / Track cache workflow improvement. / Code optimization (CRC16, MFM 2 BIN…).
• *.ST 720KB Files : Switch to the TOS 1.62 Disk Layout.
• RAW files loader : Internal enhancement.

This is only a little part of the changelog. The original one is very long and you can read it here.

Software HxCFloppyEmulator v2.1.8.0:

• New Loader : Atari ATR file image loader.
• New Write & Loader : HFE V3 : variable bitrate and other proctections support. / (Experimental ! The file format definition is not yet finished !)
• Kryoflux raw files Writer : Fix dead lock with tracks without pulse.
• Amiga DOS image browser : 85 tracks AmigaDos image support.
• Disk Image browser (FAT & AmigaDOS) : Fix null-sized file import issue.
• Disk Image browser (FAT & AmigaDOS) : Can now delete folders.
• All image loaders : Fix possible track skew calculation error.
• Emax image loader : GAP fixed to 30.
• Thomson *.FD loader : Sector interleave set to 7
• Command line tool : -uselayout option can be now used to specify external xml disk layout file.

Download:

• USB Stick STM32 (Gotek) HxC Firmware v3.1.8.1a (1455)
• Software HxCFloppyEmulator v2.1.8.0 (1221)

source: hxc2001.com