Sorry for all the downtime yesterday!

January 25th, 2016 No comments

We had a few problems yesterday with the firewall which has caused a bit of site downtime. We’re very sorry now the problem was fixed.

durexForth v1.5.2 (Forth language for Commodore 64)

January 20th, 2016 No comments

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 v1.5.2 + Manual (1028)

source: csdb.dk

durexForth v1.5.1 (Forth language for Commodore 64)

January 13th, 2016 No comments

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 v1.5.1 + Manual (992)

source: csdb.dk

HxC Floppy Emulator: Software v2.1.4.0

January 8th, 2016 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 v2.1.4.0:

  • New Loader : *.ANA AnaDisk file loader.
  • New Loader : VFDDAT file loader.
  • New Loader : Densei Sirius VFD DAT Loader.
  • New Writer : *.DIM writer.
  • New Writer : *.ADZ writer.
  • New Writer : *.TRD Writer.
  • New Loader : Atari ST *.STW Loader.
  • New Writer : Atari ST *.STW Writer.
  • New Writer : Atari ST *.ST Writer.
  • New Writer : Atari ST *.STX Writer.
  • STX Loader/Writer : Flakey bits mask support added, Loader/writer improved.
  • SCP Loader/Writer : Loader/writer improved.
  • D88 Loader : Gap3 setting corrected.
  • Dos disk browser : More disks layouts.
  • libhxcfe : New track support : AED6200P.
  • XML format definitions : Mictrotan 65 TANDOS.
  • Flux Stream Analyzer : Possible segmentation fault corrected.
  • Flux Stream Analyzer : Input filtering reduced.
  • Kryoflux Stream Loader (*XX.X.raw) / analyser : NFA over index support added.
  • Track editor : Add & Remove track functions added.
  • Track editor : RPM & Bitrate change functions added.
  • Track editor : Insertion function added.
  • Track editor : Negative offset support.
  • Disk viewer : Image CRC32, library version and file name displayed.
  • Disk viewer : Track(s) type displayed.
  • Disk viewer : Cells density displayed.
  • Progess bar added for the loaders/writers.
  • SD/USB Emulator setting window : Advanced pinout settings added.
  • Code sources fixes/changes for GCC, Clang and VS2015 x86 & x64 compilation support.
  • And many more fixes and improvements..

Download:

source: hxc2001.free.fr lotharek.pl

durexForth v1.5.0 (Forth language for Commodore 64)

January 7th, 2016 No comments

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 v1.5.0 + Manual (985)

source: csdb.dk

MicroTech – SpaceMaker II

January 6th, 2016 No comments

In the Commodore Pets and CBMs, ROM expansion area is available in empty sockets on the main logic board. These sockets are addressed as 4K byte blocks and are used by many of the software packages available for Pet and CBM!.

These include the Commodore Word Processors, the BPI business package, VISICALC from Personal Software, Inc., Rabbit from Eastern House Software, BASIC Programmers TOOLKIT from Palo Alto ICs, Sort from Matric Software, Inc., and many others.

Several of these ROMs are to be installed in the same ROM socket within the Pet. Spacemaker II is a utility device which allows switching of up to four ROMs into any socket from a single board. Since Spacemaker II is jumper programmable for each of its four ROM sockets.

ROM type may be different for each socket. Switching can be done with a side mounted switch or via ROM DRIVER, an accessory device which allows software and keyboard control of ROM selection.

Spacemaker II is also available for changing character sets with Math or Foreign language ROMs available from West River Electronics.

Gallery:

Download: MicroTech - SpaceMaker II Manual (1118)

Commodore 64c Embossed Label

January 4th, 2016 No comments
Commodore 64c Embossed Label

This is the latest version of C64c and was cost reduced even more.

Instead of a metal plate on the top there is the logo only engarved in plastic case itself.

The keyboard has been held on the upper housing part with brackets (not with screws as normal). In addition, the housing itself was only held together with clamps.

Gallery:

source: scacom.bplaced.net/Collection/64/

C64 Big Game Pack: Frogger Arcade Preview / Robocop +8DFHIR …

December 29th, 2015 No comments

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

Titles:

  • Hyper Circuit +23D
  • The Catacombs of Cherubim +4
  • Rust’n'Steel +4C
  • Yloa’s Complex Preview
  • Qualot +3E
  • Rogue Preview
  • Voivod Attack +22D
  • Yloa Preview
  • Hummdinger +18D
  • Block’n'Tropic +6
  • Urban Warrior + [seuck]
  • Energy Warrior +20D
  • Yucatan +27D
  • Girlguard Preview [german]
  • Alley Cat +18D
  • Quak Attak +18D
  • Block’n'Tropic +6
  • Zodiac +23D
  • Kong 64 +28D
  • Que +2
  • Dragonfire +2DGMF 101%
  • Code Hunter +17D
  • Ladybug 2015
  • Ladybug 2015 +1H
  • Dragonfire +2F 101%
  • Chicken Chase +15D
  • Denarius +28D
  • Quantarallax Preview +2
  • Sputnik Preview
  • Wildfire Preview
  • Worron +3
  • Flimbo’s Quest Preview +2
  • Galax-i-birds +27D
  • Nuker Preview V2 +4
  • Firefighter Mario +3
  • Łazik
  • Frogger Arcade Preview
  • Robocop +8DFHIR 101%
  • Squirm 2 Preview
  • Robotfindskitten
  • Vault Man 2 Preview
  • Ferris’s Christmas Caper +17D
  • Cosmic Warrior +1 [inglish]
  • Robo +
  • Squid Jump Preview
  • Slither X +1

Download: All Games in One Archive (3670)

source: csdb.dk

High Voltage SID Collection Update #64

December 24th, 2015 No comments

The High Voltage SID Collection (HVSC) is a freeware hobby project which organises Commodore 64 music (also known as SID music) into an archive for both musicians and fans alike.

The work on the collection is done completely in the Team and contributors’ spare time and is proudly one of the largest and most accurate computer music collections known.

This update features (all approximates):

  • 672 new SIDs
  • 132 fixed/better rips
  • 5 repeats/bad rips eliminated
  • 812 SID credit fixes
  • 133 SID model/clock infos
  • 10 tunes from /DEMOS/UNKNOWN/ identified
  • 4 tunes from /GAMES/ identified
  • 22 tunes moved out of /DEMOS/ to their composers’ directories
  • 12 tunes moved out of /GAMES/ to their composers’ directories

Download:

source: www.hvsc.c64.org

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

December 24th, 2015 1 comment

Commodore-MOS KIM-1

December 19th, 2015 1 comment

The KIM-1, short for Keyboard Input Monitor, was a small 6502-based single-board computer developed and produced by MOS Technology, Inc. and launched in 1976. It was very successful in that period, due to its low price (following from the inexpensive 6502) and easy-access expandability.

The KIM-1 consisted of a single printed circuit board with all the components on one side. It included three main ICs; the MCS6502 CPU, and two MCS6530 Peripheral Interface/Memory Devices. Each MCS6530 comprises a mask programmable 1024 x 8 ROM, a 64 x 8 RAM, two 8 bit bi-directional ports, and a programmable interval timer. The KIM-1 brochure said “1 K BYTE RAM” but it actually had 1152 bytes. The memory was composed of eight 6102 static RAMs(1024 x 1 bits) and the two 64 byte RAMs of the MCS6530s. In the 1970s memory sizes were expressed in several ways. Semiconductor manufacturers would use a precise memory size such as 2048 by 8 and sometimes state the number of bits (16384). Mini and mainframe computers had various memory widths (8 bits to over 36 bits) so manufacturers would use the term “words”, such as 4K words. The early hobbyist computer advertisements would use both “words” and “bytes”. It was common to see “4096 words”, “4K (4096) words” and “4 K bytes”. The term KB was unused or very uncommon. The KIM-1 was introduced in the April 1976 issue of Byte magazine and the advertisement stated “1 K BYTE RAM” and “2048 ROM BYTES”.

Also included were six 7-segment LEDs (similar to those on a pocket calculator) and a 24-key calculator-type keypad. Many of the pins of the I/O portions of the 6530s were connected to two connectors on the edge of the board, where they could be used as a serial system for driving a Teletype Model 33 ASR and paper tape reader/punch).

One of these connectors also doubled as the power supply connector, and included analog lines that could be attached to a cassette tape recorder.

Earlier microcomputer systems such as the MITS Altair used a series of switches on the front of the machine to enter data. In order to do anything useful, the user had to enter a small program known as the “bootstrap loader” into the machine using these switches, a process known as booting. Once loaded, the loader would be used to load a larger program off a storage device like a paper tape reader. It would often take upwards of five minutes to load the tiny program into memory, and a single error while flipping the switches meant that the bootstrap loader would crash the machine. This could render some of the bootstrap code garbled, in which case the programmer had to reenter the whole thing and start all over again.

The KIM-1 included a somewhat more complex built-in Terminal Interface Monitor software called TIM that was “contained in 2048 bytes of ROM in two 6530 ROM/RAM/IO arrays”. This monitor software included the ability to run a cassette tape for storage, drive the LED display, and run the keypad. As soon as the power was turned on, the monitor would run and the user could immediately start interacting with the machine via the keypad. The KIM-1 was one of the first single-board computers, needing only an external power supply to enable its use as a stand-alone experimental computer. This fact, plus the relatively low cost of getting started, made it quite popular with hobbyists through the late 1970s.

Gallery:

Download: Commodore-MOS KIM-1 Docs (1197)

 source: wikipedia

C64 Tools: SIDPlay 64 (SP64) v1.0.0

December 16th, 2015 No comments

This is a program that can playback .SID files found in the HVSC collection on a real Commodore 64/128.

You will find different versions of SP64 in this package, most of themwill work on all devices.  But I suggest you use the correct version for for your device, since they might contain special commands.

Versions of the program:

  • sidplay64-reu-1541u2cmd.prg – 1541 Ultimate II version with REU.
  • sidplay64-reu-sd2iec.prg – SD2IEC version with REU.
  • sidplay64-reu-1541u-netdrive.prg – 1541 Ultimate & Netdrive with REU.
  • sidplay64-reu-iec-cmd-ide64.prg – CMD drives, IDE64 devices & other IEC devices, with REU.
  • sidplay64-reu-normal.prg – REU version for 1541, 1571, 1581 and clones of these.
  • sidplay64-normal.prg – Standard version for 1541, 1571, 1581 and clones.
  • sidplay64-1541u-netdrive.prg – 1541 Ultimate & Netdrive.
  • sidplay64-iec-cmd-ide64.prg- CMD drives, IDE64 devices & other IEC devices.
  • sidplay64-sd2iec.prg – SD2IEC.

(The 1541U2 software iec mode has been disabled for this build.)

Download: SIDPlay 64 (SP64) v1.0.0 (1182)

source: sourceforge.net

Multiface 128 by Romantic Robot UK Ltd for Sinclair ZX Spectrum

December 16th, 2015 No comments

The Multiface 128 by Romantic Robot UK Ltd  is a true multi purpose interface with:

  • Fully universal and 100% automatic BACK-UP facility for tape, microdrive, Discovery, Plus D or Disciple.
  • 8K RAM extension – suitable for our GENIE, LIFEGUARD, or as a buffer, etc.
  • MULTI TOOLKIT to study/modify/develop programs, POKE infinite lives, etc.

Gallery:

Download: Multiface 128 User Manual (1781)

source: worldofspectrum.org

Opus Discovery 1 for Sinclair ZX Spectrum

December 16th, 2015 6 comments

The Opus Discovery 1 is a true disk drive system for your Spectrum. 250K floppy drive and interface. Video output port (monochrome). Joystick port. Peripheral Through port. Parallel printer port.

Gallery:

Opus Discovery 1 + ZX Spectrum 48k Blue Fairy version :D

Download:

source: worldofspectrum.org

CBM prg Studio v3.6.0 released

December 12th, 2015 No comments

CBM prg Studio Version 3.5.0 is released. There are a lot of new features in this version. I’d really appreciate it if you report any bugs you find or have any suggestions/comments.

CBM prg Studio allows you to type a BASIC or Machine Code program in using a nice Windows environment and convert it to a ‘.prg’ file which you can run on an emulator, or even a real C64 / VIC20 or PET if you’re feeling brave and have the right kit.

CBM prg Studio is the result of merging C64PrgGen and VIC20PrgGen. Adding new features and fixing bugs in two apps which were 95% similar was a bit of a nightmare so merging them made sense.

It was also a good opportunity for a face lift and to add some new features, such as:

  • Programs are project based, meaning all related source files, sprite files etc. are kept in one place and multiple source files can be linked more easily.
  • Tabbed MDI.
  • Syntax highlighting.

What CBM prg Studio isn’t is a front-end for tok64, cbmcnvrt, bastext or any other tokeniser / detokeniser / assembler. It’s all been written completely from scratch.

Improvements:

  • Assembler:
    • Reporting of page boundary crossings for branching instructions.
    • Choose character set for TEXT directive.
  • General:
    • Editing tools (Select to end/start of screen/doc etc.)
    • Comment blocks
  • Debugger:
    • Show effective address of next instruction.

Bugs Fixed:

  • Assembler:
    • Low of high byte of labels could fail.
    • Occasionally wrong target machine type with ‘generate and launch.’
    • Problems with a comment character after a comment character or in a string.
    • Problem with a label as a destination when the label is on the same line as the macro definition.
    • ‘Align’ incorrect when already on align boundary.
  • Debugger:
    • Wrong return address shown.
  • BASIC:
    • Statistics tool not coping with ‘rem’ in strings.

See the help for a complete list of new features and fixed bugs.

Note In this version, each target machine can have its own default project directory. If you are upgrading from a previous version (before version 2.5.1) of CBM prg Studio you may be asked to set up your project directories again. Your current projects will not be affected.

Download: CBM prg Studio v3.6.0 (1085)

source: ajordison.co.uk