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(Italian) Il Commodore 64 Compie trent’anni.

December 8th, 2012 No comments

Sorry, this entry is only available in Italian.

Categories: Event(s), News & Rumors, Today

ASAP v3.1.3 – Another Slight Atari Player

December 7th, 2012 No comments

ASAP is a player of 8-bit Atari music for modern computers and mobile devices. It emulates the POKEY sound chip and the 6502 processor.

The project was initially based on the routines from the Atari800 emulator, but the current version has a completely new original emulation core.

Changelog ASAP 3.1.3 (2012-12-04):

  • foobar2000 plugin plays files inside ATR disk images.
  • VLC and AIMP 3 plugins support RMT and FC in addition to SAP.
  • Audacious plugin can edit AUTHOR, NAME and year, upgraded to Audacious 3.3.
  • GStreamer plugin handles TIME, AUTHOR, NAME, DATE and seek, compiled for Windows.
  • Fixed JAD file for the Java midlet.
  • Created RPMs for VLC and GStreamer.
  • Experimental Windows 8 port.

Download: ASAP v3.1.3 (982)

source: asap.sourceforge.net

Repairing Commodore 8296-D with Boot up problems (Black Screen)

December 5th, 2012 No comments

I have received this computer Commodore CBM 8296-D 1 year ago. The computer has never worked, it only displays a black screen without any sound beep at the startup boot.

The repair it was very simple, i have replaced the PLA IC 324745-01 (UE5) and 324744-01 (UE6) with two EPROM 27C512 70ns (suitably programmed). The Universal PLA adapter was kindly donated by Manosoft.

Download:

C64 Game: Rent A Cop +4H / Wonderland +8D / Strike Team …

December 5th, 2012 No comments

RGCD C64 Cartridge Development Competition 2012

December 4th, 2012 No comments

The second RGCD C64 Cartridge Development Competition concluded at midnight on the 30th of November with 10 brand new games (and 3 re-releases) for the C64!

List of the games released:

  • Assembloids (16KB Cartridge Version) by Onslaught, RGCD.
  • Match Buster (16KB Cartridge Version) by S.E.S.
  • Amazon Tales 75% (16KB Cartridge Version) by The New Dimension.
  • Get ‘Em DX (16KB Cartridge Version) by Endurion, RGCD.
  • Monkey Eat Milkey (16KB Cartridge Version) by Software of Sweden.
  • Super Bread Box (16KB Cartridge Version) by Paulko64.
  • SpaceChem Nano (16KB Cartridge Version) by P1X3L.net.
  • Little Sara Sister 2 (16KB Cartridge Version) by Hokuto Force, Ice Team.
  • Wonderland (16KB Cartridge Version) by Endurion, RGCD.
  • Escape from the Laundry (16KB Cartridge Version) by The Mad Scientist.
  • Rent A Cop (16kb cartridge version) by Achim.
  • Spike C64 Dislike by David Eriksson.
  • On the Farm III by The New Dimension

Download: RGCD C64 16KB Cartridge 2012 (939)

source: rgcd.co.uk csdb.dk

Bidding ended to € 6.716,00 for the Commodore 65 on Ebay

December 2nd, 2012 No comments


source: ebay.de wikipedia

Categories: Event(s), News & Rumors, Today

Mattel (Radofin) Aquarius & some external Devices (Boxed)

December 2nd, 2012 No comments
Mattel (Radofin) Aquarius & some external Devices (Boxed)

Autopsy:

The collection includes:

  • Mattel (Radofin) Aquarius Home Computer System (boxed).
  • Mattel (Radofin) Aquarius Mini Expander Module (boxed).
  • Mattel (Radofin) Aquarius Game Cartridge Night Stalker (boxed).
  • Mattel (Radofin) Aquarius 4k Memory Expansion (boxed).
  • Mattel (Radofin) Aquarius Data Recorder (boxed).
  • Mattel (Radofin) Aquarius Thermal Printer.

from Wikipedia homepage:

Aquarius is a home computer designed by Radofin and released by Mattel in 1983. It features a Zilog Z80 microprocessor, a rubber chiclet keyboard, 4K of RAM, and a subset of Microsoft BASIC in ROM. It connects to a television set and uses a cassette tape recorder for secondary data storage. A limited number of peripherals, such as a 40-column thermal printer, a 4-color printer/plotter, and a 300 baud modem, were released for the unit.

Looking to compete in the standalone computer market, Mattel Electronics turned to Radofin, the Hong Kong based manufacturer of their Intellivision consoles. Radofin had designed two computer systems. Internally they were known as “Checkers”, and the more sophisticated “Chess”. Mattel contracted for these to become the Aquarius and Aquarius II, respectively. Aquarius was announced in 1982 and finally released in June 1983, at a price of $160.

Production ceased four months later because of poor sales. Mattel paid Radofin to take back the marketing rights, and four other companies—CEZAR Industries, CRIMAC Inc., New Era Incentives, Inc., and Bentley Industries—also marketed the unit and accessories for it. Bentley Industries (of Los Angeles) and New Era Incentives, Inc. (of St. Paul) are still in business, though they no longer have any affiliation with the Aquarius product line.

source: wikipedia

C64 Game: Escape From the Laundry -7 / Little Sara Sister 2 …

November 30th, 2012 No comments

Hoxs64 Commodore 64 Emulator Updated v1.0.7.5

November 29th, 2012 No comments

Hoxs64 written by David Horrocks is a Commodore 64 emulator for Microsoft Windows 2K/XP/Vista/Seven (DirectX 9+)

The emulator substantially reproduces this legacy machine in minute detail.

Changelog:

  • Added point and click raster position breakpoints. Breakpoints can be disabled with out being deleted.
  • Added command window with assemble, disassemble and C64 memory map selection.
  • Added disassemble window address finder.
  • Added disassemble window mouse wheel scrolling (WinXP+).
  • Randomisation of drive weak bits. Minor drive timing improvement.
  • The application is marked as “DPI Aware”. All Windows GUI elements are DPI aware and will render smooth clear text when used with Windows 7′s “make text bigger” option. Only the windowed mode C64 bitmapped rendering remains non DPI aware as with previous versions.
  • Added a work in progress breakpoint listview with context menu options “Show Address” and “Delete All Breakpoints”
  • Illegal opcode tweak for demo ‘Errata’ by Emulamer.
  • CRASHFIX: Fixed stack corruption crash when reading G64 files with custom speed zones.
  • CRASHFIX: Fixed application lock up bug while drag scrolling the disassembly window.

Download:

source: hoxs64.net

A rare Commodore 65 on eBay

November 28th, 2012 No comments

A rare Commodore 65 on eBay.

from Wikipedia:

The Commodore 65 (also known as the C64DX, not to be confused with the Commodore SX-64 portable unit) was a prototype computer created by Fred Bowen and others at Commodore Business Machines (CBM) (part of Commodore International) in 1990–1991. The project was cancelled by CEO Irving Gould.

The C65 was an improved version of the Commodore 64, and it was meant to be backwards-compatible with the older computer, while still providing a number of advanced features close to those of the Amiga. It can be regarded as a counterpart to the Apple IIgs in providing 16-bit-equivalent technology on an 8-bit platform, though the IIgs used an 8/16 bit 65C816 processor. When Commodore International was liquidated in 1994, a number of prototypes were sold on the open market, and thus a few people actually own a Commodore 65. Estimates as to the actual number of machines found on the open market range from 50 to 2000 units.

As the C65 project was cancelled, the final 8-bit offering from CBM remained the triple-mode, 1–2 MHz, 128 kB (expandable), C64-compatible Commodore 128 of 1985.

source: ebay.de wikipedia

Categories: Event(s), News & Rumors, Today

Sinclair ZX81 Personal Computer (Boxed)

November 27th, 2012 No comments
Sinclair ZX81 Personal Computer (Boxed)

Autopsy:

The photos of the inside can be found here.

from Wikipedia homepage:

The ZX81, released in a slightly modified form in the United States as the Timex Sinclair 1000, was a home computer produced by Sinclair Research and manufactured in Scotland by Timex Corporation. It was launched in the United Kingdom in March 1981 as the successor to Sinclair’s ZX80 and was designed to be a low-cost introduction to home computing for the general public. It was hugely successful and more than 1.5 million units were sold before it was eventually discontinued.

The ZX81 found commercial success in many other countries, notably the United States, where Timex manufactured and distributed it under licence and enjoyed a substantial but brief boom in sales. Timex later produced its own versions of the ZX81 for the US market – the Timex Sinclair 1000 and Timex Sinclair 1500. Unauthorised clones of the ZX81 were produced in a number of countries.

The ZX81 was designed to be small, simple, and above all cheap, using as few components as possible to keep the cost down. Video output was to a television set rather than a dedicated monitor. Programs and data were loaded and saved onto audio tape cassettes. It had only four silicon chips on board and a mere 1 kB of memory. The machine had no moving parts – not even a power switch – and used a touch-sensitive membrane keyboard for manual input.

The ZX81′s limitations prompted the emergence of a flourishing market in third-party peripherals to improve its capabilities. Such limitations, however, achieved Sinclair’s objective of keeping the cost of the machine as low as possible. Its distinctive design brought its designer, Rick Dickinson, a Design Council award.

The ZX81 could be bought by mail order in kit form or pre-assembled. In what was then a major innovation, it was the first cheap mass-market home computer that could be bought from high street stores, led by W.H. Smith and soon many other retailers. The ZX81 marked the first time that computing in Britain became an activity for the general public, rather than the preserve of businesspeople and electronics hobbyists. It inspired the creation of a huge community of enthusiasts, some of whom founded their own businesses producing software and hardware for the ZX81. Many went on to play a major role in the British computer industry in later years.

The ZX81′s commercial success made Sinclair Research one of Britain’s leading computer manufacturers and earned a fortune and an eventual knighthood for the company’s founder, Sir Clive Sinclair.

source: wikipedia

High-score Power Ballad SID Competition 2012

November 25th, 2012 No comments

It ended yesterday (24 November) the musical competition (SID Tunez) High-score Power Ballad Competition 2012.

Below you can find the complete archive of all songs released for this competition in D64, PRG, SID format. For more information please visit The C64 Scene Database.

Download: High-score Power Ballad SID Competition 2012 (1031)

source: noname.c64.org

Riparazione Commodore CBM 4032 (FAT 40)

November 24th, 2012 10 comments

Sorry, this entry is only available in Italian.

C64 Game: Alien Bash 2 +5F [pal/ntsc] / Super Phoenix +TD …

November 20th, 2012 1 comment

SD2Snes Firmware v0.1.5 released

November 19th, 2012 No comments

It was released a new firmware for the SD2Snes Flash Cartridge (Super Nintendo/Famicom) by Ikari. The upgrade instructions can be found here.

Changelog:

  • Menu: Files are now sorted by their entire file name instead of the first 20 characters only.
  • Menu: Ignore input from non-standard controllers (Super Scope, Mouse etc.)
  • SPC player: fix soft fade-in (first note cut off) on S-APU consoles (1CHIP / some Jr.)
  • More accurate BS-X memory map.
  • Correctly map SRAM larger than 8192 bytes (HiROM) / 32768 bytes (LoROM), fixes Dezaemon, Ongaku Tsukuuru – Kanadeeru
  • Minor memory access timing tweaks (should help with occasional glitches on some systems)

Download: SD2Snes Firmware v0.1.5 (1307)

source: sd2snes.de

Categories: Firmware, News & Rumors, Today