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Hoxs64 Commodore 64 Emulator Updated v1.0.5.28

October 4th, 2009 No comments

Hoxs64 is a Commodore 64 emulator for Microsoft Windows 2K/XP/Vista.

The emulator substantially reproduces this legacy machine in minute detail.

Changelog:
2 October 2009 v1.0.5.28

  • Bug fix to correct a 32 bit integer overflow bug that causes incorrect emulation behaviour after 1 hour and 13 minutes of continuous use.

source: hoxs64.net

MUSC-Hires Converter updated – (C) 2009 Algorithm / Algotech

October 3rd, 2009 No comments

musc-hires-converterThis program converts images to a new c64 graphic format known as MUCSU Hires (MUltiColor Sprite Underlay Hires). It is merely a hiresolution bitmap image with an X expanded multicolor sprite underlay. The Hires underlay variant of this mode has been created before (known as extended hires).

After reading a few forum posts mentioning that the multicolor version of this mode was unrealistic and would provide too many restrictions, I decided to produce this converter to prove that this is not the case as well as wanting to use this particular format for my own production.

Changelog:

  • This is the updated version of the MUCSU converter with a major difference. It now supports different spritecolors every raster line with individual colors for each sprite. Ofcourse the usual mucsu mode is also supported.

source: noname.c64.org

1541-III JiffyDos Beta firmware v090914 released

October 2nd, 2009 No comments

1541-iii-jiffyThis beta release of the 1541-III firmware holds lot’s and lot’s of new features. But the most important feature of it all also makes it the most useable version of all 1541-III firmware releases. Why, because it supports JiffyDos. JiffyDos consists of a fastloader that makes all disk acces much and much faster. Making the use of your precious commodore much more fun.

For those who are not familiar with the JiffyDos, just google, otherwise, thrust me. It’s really usefull. JiffyDos speeds up ALL your diskacces. Programs or games without a fastloader used to be slow… but suddenly they become as fast as… “greased lightning!!!”. So enough about JiffyDos.

Why is this release a beta release,  simply because this release holds a lot of changes made to the 1541-III’s firmware, very crucial changes. Most changes are not noticed by the user, and some are never used. But I won’t go into detail.

This release is usefull for those who want to test JiffyDos on the 1541-III. And it needs to be tested. Because it will contain bugs, therefore we need to have it tested by YOU, so YOU can make a list of programs/files that works/fails. If you can supply it with a decent description it helps us in developing/fixing the bugs. Making it into a stable release.

source: jderogee.tripod.com

Categories: Firmware, News & Rumors, Today

(Italian) Retrobright – Come eliminare la patina giallognola

October 2nd, 2009 2 comments

Sorry, this entry is only available in Italian.

C-64 EasyFlash and VC-20 Final Expansion Poster

October 1st, 2009 2 comments

for8bits_posterThe Shop of the website for8bits will open in early October and will be the exclusive seller of the EasyFlash and Final Expansion cartridges.

source: for8bits.com

TomyTronic Shark Attack 3D

October 1st, 2009 1 comment
TomyTronic Shark Attack 3D

Autopsy:

from Modojo:

Back in the old days, and we’re talking pre-1989, pre-GameBoy. The only way to get your handheld fix was from Nintendo’s Game & Watch games, their innumerable clones, and from the not-quite-so-handheld tabletop games.

These compact video games came around in the late 70′s and all kinds of Western and Eastern toy companies got in on the act. By the early 80′s there was, as was the case with the home videogame sector, a glut of samey games, with not a great deal to differentiate the gameplay on offer. So, how does a company make a product stand out of the crowd? Why, gimmicks, of course!

tomytronicThe Tomytronic games were at the time the ultimate in playground prestige, they cost more than other games, and heck, they were about as future as a 6 year old could get their hands on. You felt like you were Luke Skywalker looking through his crazy space binoculars.

They even came with a neckstrap so that you’d never have to physically put the game down in between bouts, which believe me, when you first got one, you didn’t want to do very often.

source: modojo.com

* Migration of Nightfall Blog to New Server *

September 30th, 2009 1 comment

MigrationPlease update your Bookmarks / RSS to the new web address:

www.nightfallcrew.com

SD2Iec Firmware v0.8.2 Released

September 28th, 2009 No comments

SD2IEC is a hardware mass storage device using an SD/MMC card and interfacing with the IEC bus. It is based on the ATmega644 microcontroller from the Atmel AVR microcontroller family. The most prominent use of SD2IEC is emulation/replacement of a Commodore-1541 disk drive for a C64.

Hardware and the microcontroller’s firmware is available as open source (GPL).

Changelog:

2009-09-27 – release 0.8.2

  • Bugfix: Prevent random storage corruption on FAT32 media.
  • Bugfix: Image files not mountable if read-only file or media.
  • Bugfix: Do not clear error channel if sec. 15 is closed.
  • Add a dummy RTC read during init (to update year if required).
  • Enable I2C RTC support in LarsP configuration for Final Expansion 3.
  • Acknowledge ATN during initialisation to stall C64 if required.

source: sd2iec.de gitweb forum thread c64-wiki

Categories: Firmware, News & Rumors, Today

TMPview v1.1 by Style. Released at Chicago Expo 2009

September 26th, 2009 No comments

StyleTMPview is a command line tool that converts your binary source code file saved from Turbo Assembler, Turbo Assembler Macro, and many variants including Turbo Macro Pro into an ASCII version of the code.

v1.1 brings some bug fixes, but the main new feature is translation of PETSCII in string literals into tok64/bastext compatible tokens. Therefore output from TMPview can now be fully re-assembled by… well, that is a story for another release…

source: style64.org

Commodore 64 DiskMagazine – Vandalism News #51

September 26th, 2009 No comments

Onslaught / Wrath Designs / Vandalism new stuff, bring you the 51th Vandalism News.

Contains information of event(s):

  • LCP 2009  report and results.
  • Maximum Overdose 8  report.
  • St LCP 2008  report and results.

source: onslaught.c64.org noname.c64.org

The XU1541 USB Adapter now available

September 26th, 2009 2 comments

XU1541 USB AdapterThe XU1541 is built from a modified version of the XU1541 firmware developed by Till Harbaum. It is a USB full speed device and supports high-speed parallel cables. The hardware USB support significantly speeds up transfers.

The XU1541 was originally developed by Till Harbaum and the project was abandoned. But its now still well alive, thanks to our resident engineer Jurek.

source: XU1541 homepage

(Italian) Anteprima dello stampato per l’interfaccia Pocket 1541 di Kiand

September 26th, 2009 No comments

Sorry, this entry is only available in Italian.

Categories: C64/SX64, News & Rumors, Today

(Italian) Notte dei Ricercatori (ExhibitionPROSIT) – Trieste

September 26th, 2009 No comments

Sorry, this entry is only available in Italian.

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

C128 System Information v7.1 rev1 by MirkoSoft

September 24th, 2009 No comments

C128 System Information v6 rev2Program that detects type of your hardware in Commodore 128.

Also added recognizing 64HDD drives and better detection of MMU and RAM size. Works not correctly in VICE. Optimized for 80 columns mode. Thanks to Christian Johansson.

source: mirkosoft homepage

Sinclair ZX Spectrum+ 128k

September 23rd, 2009 No comments
ZX Spectrum+ 128k

Autopsy:

from Wikipedia:

Sinclair developed the ZX Spectrum 128 (code-named Derby) in conjunction with their Spanish distributor Investrónica. Investrónica had helped adapt the ZX Spectrum+ to the Spanish market after the Spanish government introduced a special tax on all computers with 64 KB RAM or less which did not support the Spanish alphabet (such as ñ) and show messages in Spanish.

New features included 128 KB RAM, three-channel audio via the AY-3-8912 chip, MIDI compatibility, an RS-232 serial port, an RGB monitor port, 32 KB of ROM including an improved BASIC editor, and an external keypad.

The machine was simultaneously presented for the first time and launched in September 1985 at the SIMO ’85 trade show in Spain, with a price of 44,250 pesetas. Because of the large amount of unsold Spectrum+ models, Sinclair decided not to start selling in the UK until January 1986 at a price of £179.95. No external keypad was available for the UK release, although the ROM routines to use it and the port itself, which was hastily renamed “AUX”, remained.

source: wikipedia