
Dear Betatesters,

This archive contains the Chameleon beta-6d release, which is a combined ChaCo, core and
software update. While we still have the usual two files (*.rbf for the core and *.bin
for the menu and roms), I have made a small batch file that launches the commandline
version of ChaCo with all required commandline options. The choice.exe command in this
archive comes from the FreeDOS archvie. This particular version was downloaded from:
http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/dos/choice/choice44x.zip

Note for 64-bit Windows users: This FreeDos binary of CHOICE.EXE does not work on your
systems. Please download the CHOICE.EXE from Microsoft:
ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/Services/TechNet/samples/PS/Win98/Reskit/SCRPTING/

Before updating your Chameleon, please make sure that it has sufficient power. Any and
all trouble that has been reported so far was related to power problems that were
caused by external power draining. To be safe, please:
- disconnect the PS2 keyboard
- disconnect the PS2 mouse
- remove the SD/MMC card from the card slot

Just double-click the update.bat file in the Windows explorer.

The archive also contains the latest GUI versions of ChaCo. Lots of code cleanup and
resolving threading trouble has been done to the GUI version, so if you've had trouble
with the GUI version(s) before, this new version is surely worth a try. Any feedback
about the new GUI versions is appreciated - positive and negative. Please don't hold
back with postings to the Yahoo group!

If you have trouble flashing, try again. Before a re-try, PLEASE POWER-CYCLE YOUR
CHAMELEON. If it will then give an error-blink on the red LED, don't worry. ChaCo will
fix it.

The menu updates are described in their own readme file - please check the "Documentation"
directory of this archive. After updating, please go to "options" and browse through your
settings, because whatever you've saved before will be overwritten with this update.

The core changes in detail:

Differences from Beta-6c to Beta-6d:
- Cartridge emulations
	Business Basic, S'More, Prophet-64, Capture, Mach-5, Westermann Learning,
	Epyx Fastload, Easy-flash, PageFox
- Turbo speed increase: Eliminated one clock cycle from critical path
- Turbo speed increase: Writes to memory concurrent with next instruction fetch
- Turbo speed increase: MMU caches last used CPU slot

Differences from Beta-6b to Beta-6c:
- Auto speed option for turbo feature. Slows down on IEC bus accesses - GEOS works now!
- PS/2 Page up/Page down alias for F1, F7. Easier navigation in the File-Browser.

Differences from Beta-6 to Beta-6b:
- 1541 emulation: fixed IEC timing. All known speedloader problems are gone now.
- 1541 emulation: VIA6522 timer fixes
- 1541 emulation: VIA6522 register r/w fixes
- new cartridge emulations: Mikro Assembler, StarDOS

Differences from Beta-5b to Beta-6:
- Fixed RAM mirrors for 1541 drive emulation
- Fixed reading from emulated SID
- cartridge emulations
	KCS power, SSv5, C64GS, Comal-80, Zaxxon, Ocean type 1,
	Simons Basic, Fun play, Super Games, Warp Speed,
	Dinamic and Magic Desk.
- Disk track lengths set to 6256, 6672, 7144 or 7696 bytes.
- Implemented disk-change with button.
- Input latch emulation in VIA emulation
- Implemented SDR register in CIA
- Implemented real IEC bus disable bit.
- VIC-II timing fixed for mode bits (MCM, BMM and ECM)

Differences from Beta-5a to Beta-5b:
- Eliminate spurious resets by masking reset line in standalone mode.
- Fix keyboard matrix so joysticks are properly emulated (IR, numpad) in standalone mode.
- Block normal button functions in menu mode (only exception is reboot by pressing 0.7s on right button)

Differences from Beta-5 to Beta-5a:
- Fix crash when turbo limit is set in menu without activating turbo.
  (or when disabling active turbo with button while a limit is set)
- Fix D030 mirror of the turbo bit emulating C128 2Mhz mode with Chameleon turbo.

Differences from dev-5 to beta-5:
- Speedup of turbo (MMU caches most recent used value)
- Speedup of turbo by eliminating one clock cycle from critical path
- I/O port status added to VGA debug bar
- Hard-reset in menu forces reboot to prevent possible MMC cart curruption
- Left button can perform various functions (menu, expert cartridge switch, turbo)
- TOD clock fixes. Support 50Hz and 60Hz depending on VIC-II type.
- Turbo has configurable speed limit (2x, 3x.. 6x)
- Button debounce improved (less likely to see multiple presses).
- non-turbo CPU speed in standalone mode more accurate: 
  Switches depending on VIC-II type between 0.985 and 1.022 Mhz
- VGA output is double-buffered to eliminate tearing effects when picture is scrolling.
- Memory areas can be made read-only with highest bit of MMU.

Differences from beta-4 to dev-5:
- Framebuffer writes now use MMU.
- Framebuffer writes can be switched off (buffer can be used by software)
- Cartridge buttons emulated on PS/2 keyboard (F11,F12 and PrintScreen)
- Chameleon can use real BASIC and Kernal ROMs in machine in cartridge mode.
- Emulated IEC bus can be disconnected from C64 (Chameleon is drive emu)
- FLI bug fixed
- Added Stereo SID support
- Turbo feature added
- Relative CPU speed displayed in VGA debug bar.

Please don't forget to read the Menu-readme file. It's already a bit more than just a "readme",
it should be considered the (preliminary) user's manual.

Peter, Tobias and Jens
