Commodore Free Magazine Issue #49

Free to download Commodore magazine dedicated to Commodore Computers.

source: commodorefree.com

The SIO2SD is a device that allows you to load games/applications into any 8-bit Atari XL/XE computers via SIO interface from SD/MMC cards.

Changelog:

RC1 -> RC2

• Fixed LCD handling bug (RC1 doesn’t work without LCD)
• Added “swap” command (K3 in VDISK MODE swaps mappings of D1 and D2)
• Added “rol4″ command (K4 in VDISK MODE moves mappings D1<D2<D3<D4<D1)
• Added “ror4″ command (SHIFT+K4 in VDISK MODE moves mappings D1>D2>D3>D4>D1)

RC2 -> RC3

• Fixed xex-loader.
• Added new key combinations OPTION+SELECT and OPTION+START to turbo-loader (new turbo IRQ locations: $700 and $500).

source: sio2sd-dev.gucio.pl

This site is about recreating gaming hardware from the past in modern programmable devices, known as FPGAs.

source: fpgaarcade.com

This is a old Italian Telephone Credit Card by SIP (Società Italiana per L’Esercizio delle Telecomunicazioni p.a.) now Telecom Italia and a Itacable Countrydirect card.

A new version of the firmware for the interface 1541 Ultimate II is released. This version only runs on the Ultimate-II!

Major improvement in latest release:

• Config menu is now ‘hot’, meaning that all settings that can be applied when exiting the menu will be applied immediately without reboot.
• Audio options added.
• Stereo SID emulation added.
• Initial support for domark cartridges added; not yet tested (and no support from the menu in this release).
• Improvements made in file system handling.. (It’s not ‘clean’ yet, but delete and rename now work)
• Issue solved that caused errors when more than one cluster was used for a directory.
• Bug fixed that caused a crash when partition list was skipped.
• Some additional testing with SID support.
• Created module for selecting audio options in the Ultimate configuration menu. Address for second SID now configurable.
• Some experiments done with EM1010 USB to Ethernet module. The module doesn’t comply with the USB philosophy of interrupts.. it *always* gives an interrupt every poll.. (wrong!) But nevertheless, managed to send a DHCP discover and receive a reply from the router. :) (not yet functional in this release)
• Command Interface created and handler set up for testing VHDL. (not yet functional in this release)
• Cartridge Logic restructured to make it a little more plug and go.
• Reading of ISO9660 added (both as .iso file, as well as from external USB CD-ROM..)
• Partition list skipped when there is just one.

download: 1541ultimate.net

SpartaDOS X (or SpartaDOS 4.0) is a disk operating system for the Atari 8-bit family of computers, that closely resembles MS-DOS. It was developed and sold by ICD, Inc. in 1987-93.

Ten years later SpartaDOS X considered abandonware has been picked up by its enthusiasts, and developed further. These unofficial revisions, incorporating many of the utilities written since 1992, cleaning many identified problems and including numerous improvements, are: 4.31 (2005), 4.39RC (2006), 4.40 (a leaked-out beta, 2006), 4.41 (Feb. 2008), 4.42 (Dec. 2008), 4.4.3 (Apr.2011).

Changes in SpartaDOS X 4.43:

• SpartaDOS X should now work on SECAM Ataris (equipped with FGTIA).
• ARCLOCK.SYS will now reset the clock to 1-Jan-2000 00:00:00 when it discovers that the current setting is invalid (i.e. when the chip is first powered).
• Fixed buggy ATARIDOS.SYS code that was to be finding end of VTOC on MyDOS disks. Plus the driver will now report to the system the correct value of total sectors on disk (previously it was equal to the initial number of free sectors).
• DOSKEY has a new parameter: when you pass an /X switch at the end of  the parameter line while loading DOSKEY, a special shortcut will get activated: every empty line (containing EOL character alone) will be translated to a “DIR” command, and executed.
• COPY /M will now always clear the archived-bit (+A) on moved files.
• … more info here

source: trub.atari8.info wikipedia

This is a ArtField 2011 party invitation demo. It’s going down on the the 28:th of May 2011 and keeps going until the 29:th of May 2011.

The place of the Demo Party is the city of Voronezh in Russia.

source: zxpart.nedopc.com noname.c64.org

CTetris4 is a very Nice Tetяis clone for Atari 8 Bit Computers. The game is developed by Hayden Doan.

What’s new in this version:

• Fixed .atr file format (instead of .xfd)
• Fixed sound issue after high score saves.
• Tested “OK” on Real Atari 800 and popular Atari 800 emulators.
• On Altirra v1.8 emulator the disk image was mounted as R/O (Read-only) by default. Change it with Alt+Shift+D.

from Wikipedia:

Tetris is a puzzle video game originally designed and programmed by Alexey Pajitnov in the Soviet Union. It was released on June 6, 1984, while he was working for the Dorodnicyn Computing Centre of the Academy of Science of the USSR in Moscow.

He derived its name from the Greek numerical prefix tetra- (all of the game’s pieces, known as Tetrominoes, contain four segments) and tennis, Pajitnov’s favorite sport.

source: atariage.com wikipedia

This is a demo compilation for the Easyflash cartridge.

I have picked up the best demo’s from csdb site and i have made a compilation in .crt format.

Download: Nightfall - EasyFlash One file Demo #1 (2073)

Nano SwinSID Prototype by x1541:

This project is based on the microcontroller ATMEGA88PU from Atmel and the emulation code is written by Swinkels.

The prototype of Nano SwindSID is a scaled down version of the Micro SwinSID, so far so good, and here’s my initial impression.

x1541, a user of the forum64.de has made a very nice work, the pcb has the same size of the original SID chip (6581/8580), the components are arranged very well and the entire space of the pcb was used. I can just say to buy it when the Nano SwinSID kit will be available, your money will be spent well.

Nano SwinSID Features:

• ISP Connector.
• Same size as the original SID.
• 6581/8580 Jumper.
• Smd ATmega.

source: forum64.de

The SIO2SD is a device that allows you to load games/applications into any 8-bit Atari XL/XE computers via SIO interface from SD/MMC cards.

Changelog:

Supported cards:

• MMC/SDSC/SDHC (and very likely with SDXC, but only FAT32 formated)

Supported partitioning schemas:

• no partition, MBR (Master Boot Record), GPT (GUID Partition Table – EFI)

TURBO:

• additional turbo mode. I’ve called it 7-bit mode (7th bit of command switches turbo). This is new turbo mode very similar to XF551 turbo mode.

Number of simulated drives:

• 15 + 100

Configuration program:

• has to be present on SD card, but any program can be used.
• New ATR files and new folders can be created using SIO commands.
• “Empty disk” mode (ATR file created automatically during format command).
• Deleting files from card using SIO commands.
• Renaming files and folders using SIO commands.
• Reading and writting all files using SIO commands (inside ATARI folder and subfolders).
• 100 extra “virtual drives” V0..V99, which can be mapped to any drive from D1 to D15.
• Fast mapping – Drives V0 to V3 have additional, special meaning. When one of keys from K1 to K4 is pressed during start then device overrides mapping of D1 and maps one of those drives to D1 (K1 = V0, K2 = V1 etc.).
• Builtin very simple TURBO loader (for 7th bit mode – turbo mode similar to one used in XF551).

source: sio2sd-dev.gucio.pl

This is a great 8/16 Bit music player for Android OS.

Plays music from:

• Amiga tracker files (.mod .xm .it. .s3 .med)
• C64 (SID Player, HVSC #54 Songlength DB integrated)
• Nintendo SNES / NES / Gameboy
• Sega Mega Drive (Genesis) / Master System
• Amstrad CPC / ZX Spectrum / Atari Pokey

Features:

• Sleep timer.
• Volume boost.
• Shuffle.
• Direct seek within tracker formats.
• Fast forward for other formats.
• Not overloaded, just plays.

source: androidzoom.com

PVCF/Reflex, composer of SID tunes, is back with some great demo soundtracks.

Listen to his new tune in this little one-file demo done together with Conrad & Celtic

source: noname.c64.org

I’m waiting several years for a new IDE interface for my Atari (XE/XL) computer, and finally is arrived, compacts, economical and very promising.

some features:

• Is not much greater than a 2,5-inch IDE disk.
• Does not require an external power-supply.
• Contains an XE (CART+ECI) connector, an XL (PBI) connector, a cartridge port, and a connector for a 2,5-inch IDE disk.
• Contains 96 KB ISP Flash ROM and 32 KB RAM available to the internal PBI BIOS and flashable from the Atari.
• Contains 512 KB or 1024 KB ISP Flash ROM for SpartaDOS X (or any other cartridge of such type), flashable from the Atari. This ROM can be physically disabled using a dedicated switch. The switch is not installed in the device shown on photos below.
• Contains a real time clock circuitry to be used with SpartaDOS X. If someone doesn’t want to use it, the module is anyway fully compatible with an external R-Time 8 or internally mounted ARC.
• A LED flashing during the I/O.

source: atariage.com

Autopsy:

Personal note (PLA Compatibility): I have tested the EasyFlash cartridge with a Commodore 64 with installed a PLA replacement by Manosoft and it works Perfectly!

I bought mine fully assembled from Mike Betz via Lemon64 Forums.

EasyFlash is a cartridge for the C64 expansion port. In contrast to traditional cartridges, this one can be programmed directly from the C64.

You can easily create various classic computer game cartridges, program collections or even a diagnostic cartridge to track down issues with your hardware with it. All what you need to do this is a C64, an EasyFlash, the software available here and an image of the cartridge (*.crt). As these CRT files may be quite large, a large disk drive like the FD-2000 or an sd2iec may be useful.

EasyFlash is not a freezer cartridge like the Final Cartridge III or the Retro Replay. And it’s no replacement for a 1541 disk drive like the sd2iec.

source: skoe.de/easyflash lemon64.com