Bitt-Boy/LDK Game/8BCrat RestroStone my Open Source Retro Gaming Handhelds.

I’m always been fascinated by these small retro gaming handhelds consoles especially for the low cost except for the RetroStone which has a higher price.

These small consoles emulate quite well most games of consoles and computers and are supported by an active community of enthusiasts.

I don’t think it’s necessary to do the hundredth review of these portable consoles, i leave you with the technical specifications of each consoles and some useful links.

LDK Game Retro Gaming Handheld Technical Details:

Processor: JZ4760 Dual-Core 64Bit 528Mhz
Software Functions: Retro Gaming Emulation, Audio/Video Playback, Audio Recorder, E-Book
Pre-Installed Emulators: CPS1, CPS2, Neo-Geo, Megadrive / Genesis, Sega Master System, GameGear and so on.
Display: 2.6″ Inch Color Display (IPS) Adjustable screen brightness
Video Playback: Supports the following formats: RM, RMVB, AVI, MKV, WMV, VOB, MOV, FLV, ASF, DAT, MP4, 3GP, MPG, MPEG
RAM: 128MB DDR2
Storage: 16GB Fast-Accessing Storage
Storage Expansion: Micro SD Card Slot (For up-to 32GB)
Speakers: High Quality – Built IN
Audio Playback: Supports the following formats: APE, MP3, WMA, DRM WMA, OGG, APE, FLAC, WAV, AAC (Including: AAC-LC/AAC HE/AAC+V1/V2)
Audio Recording: Supports Audio Recording in .WAV (High Quality)
I/O: RCA Component for TV Output, 3.5mm Headphone Jack, Micro USB Port, Micro SD Card/TF Card Slot
Languages: English
Battery: Li-Ion BL-5B 1020mAh Built-in
Product Dimensions: 7.60 x 8.80 x 1.70 cm / 2.99 x 3.46 x 0.67 inches
Product Weight: 120gr / 0.26lb
Package Dimensions: 12 x 12 x 5.5 cm / 4.70 x 4.70 x 2.16 inches
Package Weight: 220gr / 0.48lb

Link:

• CPU Datasheet
• Custom Firmware

Bitt-Boy (v3/v3.5) OpenDingux Retro Gaming Handheld Technical Details:

Processor: ALLWINNER F1C500S 408Mhz~900MHz
Software Functions: Retro Gaming Emulation, Audio/Video Playback, Audio Recorder, E-Book
Pre-Installed Emulators: CPS1, CPS2, Neo-Geo, Megadrive / Genesis, Sega Master System, GameGear and so on.
Display: 2.5″ Inch Color Display (IPS) Adjustable screen brightness with a tempered glass protector for the screen will effectively reduce the problem of screen scratching.
Video Playback: Supports the following formats: RM, RMVB, AVI, MKV, WMV, VOB, MOV, FLV, ASF, DAT, MP4, 3GP, MPG, MPEG
RAM: 32MB DDR2
Material: ABS
Memory card type: Micro SD
Storage: 8GB
Speakers: High Quality – Built IN
Audio Playback: Supports the following formats: APE, MP3, WMA, DRM WMA, OGG, APE, FLAC, WAV, AAC (Including: AAC-LC/AAC HE/AAC+V1/V2)
Audio Recording: Supports Audio Recording in .WAV (High Quality)
I/O: RCA Component for TV Output, 3.5mm Headphone Jack, Micro USB Port, Micro SD Card/TF Card Slot
Extra: Support vibration on games.
Fix: ghostkey problem fixed.
Battery: 700mAh lithium battery
Languages: English
Battery lasts 3–4 hours
Dimensions: 2.6 x 3.8 x 0.5 in (6.8 x 9.9 x 1.3 cm)

Link:

• CPU Datasheet 
• Custom Firmware
• Custom Firmware Installation
• Official Homepage

8BCrat RestroStone:

Processor: ALLWINNER H3 Quad-Core 64Bit @ 1.2Ghz
RAM: 1GB DDR3
Power: DC 5V @ 3A, 3000mAh 3.7V Li-Ion battery, energysquare
LCD: WidthxHeight (3.5″ X:Y)
Video Output: HDMI (Type A/B/C – full/mini/micro), VGA
Audio Output: 3.5mm headphone plug, HDMI, SPDIF, internal stereo speakers, internal speaker
Network    100Mbps Ethernet (Manufacturer device)
Memory card type: Micro SD
USB: 4x USB2.0 Host
Dimensions: 130 x 90 x 25mm

Link:

• CPU Datasheet
• Official Homepage
• Software

Gallery:

This is the official demo party results from Flashback 2019. See also the CSDB Flashback 2019 section for more informations and download.

C64 Graphics:

• 1 – Medusa by Buzz_clik
• 2 – Djmeqanique by Ray Manta    
• 3 – Flasheep by Logiker
• 3 – Antiriad PETSCII Loading Screen by Worrior1    
• 3 – Mountains of Madness by Polyducks    
• 6 – LLP Street by Cheapshot
• 7 – Merman by Iconic    
• 8 – Matilda Anthem by Corel    
• 9 – The Last Metroid is in Captivity by Mibri

WiLD Demo:

• 6 – Vandalism News #69 by Offence, Onslaught, Vandalism News Staff
• 7 – Modular Sounds 12 by Artstate
• 8 – Vandalism News #69 Disk Covers by Onslaught

Mixed Graphics:

• 1 – Cyberwolf by Delysid
• 2 – Give Hate a Chance by Genesis Project
• 3 – Invasion by Atlantis, Onslaught, Protovision
• 5 – Octopussy by Level 64
• 7 – Tiels 4 Realz by Caoimhe
• 9 – Dinner Time by Hokuto Force
• 10 – Reel Time by Disaster Area

Mixed Music:

• 2 – Tekarp by Adam
• 3 – Toxic by Delysid
• 4 – The Hero by Onslaught
• 5 – Half-half by Artline Designs
• 5 – Flashback by Magnar Harestad
• 7 – Tetraider III by Ald
• 8 – Zeus Theme by SIDWAVE
• 9 – Stress Overload by The New Dimension    
• 10 – Simple Tune by Mayday!
• 10 – Acid Flashback by Arise
• 12 – Nun with Nunchaku by SIDRIP Alliance, Singular
• 13 – Red and Blue by Protovision
• 14 – Rising Tides by Nah-Kolor

Mixed Demo:

• 2 – Threshold by Jason Page
• 3 – Robovalken by DataDoor
• 5 – VDC101 by Strobe, Onslaught
• 6 – Ghost in the Sydney by Samar Productions
• 7 – H.E.R.O. Animated PETSCII Loading Screen by Hokuto Force
• 8 – Craptro (a work in progress) by Darkzone
• 9 – Topryk Thunder by Mayday!

Download: Flashback 2019 Party stuff (725)

source: csdb.dk

A new firmware update for the ARM2SiD has been released by Nobomi.

News features and fixes in FW 3.6:

• Compared to version 3.5, a quick response in stereo mode was added (when using a second socket), the dual-mono mode is activated without timeout when both socket is addressed in the same time.
• Also upper addresses mapping is fixed in the update (sometimes misaligned address detection in the update application).
• The “blind” FW 3.6 update updated without reading the registers during the update (especially useful if you have a problem with ARMSID detection)

Download:

• ARM2SiD v3.6 (621)

If you have wired A5/A8 address lines, you can try 3SID files modified for D400h, D420h, and D500h addresses.

• 3SID files modified for D400h, D420h, and D500h (611)

source: dzi.n.cz/8bit/arm2sid

Robotron 2084 (TI-99/4a) – Cartridge by Fabrizio Corpetti [FACELE.EU]

I thank Fabrizio Corpetti [FACELE.EU] for giving me the assembled version of the PCB of Robotron 2084 cartridge for TI-99/4a through Ciro Barile [TI99IUC.IT].

As Ciro writes, this cartridge has never been released by AtariSoft, the only thing can you found on the net is the ROM DUMP.

Gallery:

Atari 800XL Hardware Enhancements.

I have decided to upgrade my Atari 800XL with some hardware interfaces available on the Lotharek website.

Current situation of my Atari 800XL:

• Ultimate 1MB from Sebastian Bartkowicz (Candle) with the latest FJC Bios.
• VBXE + DIN Connector for RGB/Audio Output (RF Modulator Removed)
• Simple Stereo + U-Switch + Jack 3.5 Stereo for auxiliary Audio Output.
• SIDE 2 / AVG Cartridge

New interfaces installed:

• P-Covox + 3.5 Stereo Jack for Audio Output.
• SRAM 64Kb.

After installing the SRAM 64Kb module i have removed also this series of IC which are no longer used from the Atari 800XL.

• 8 X RAM NEC 4164C
• 2 x SN74LS158N
• 1 x DM74LS51N
• 1 x SN74LS375N
• 1 x Delay Line EP8212 (C060472-D)

Gallery:

Atari 800XL with a missing delay line EP8212 (CO60472) Repair.

Thanks to the SRAM 64Kb Module by Lotharek, i have been able to resurrect a Atari 800XL which lacked the EP8212 delay line (CO60472) which is no longer available as spare parts.

More information of the SRAM 64Kb Module visit the lotharek site.

Gallery:

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 (v1.0.21.1):

• The debugger now displays and parses all numbers using the current selected radix (hex or dec) while permitting the use of “$” and “.” as radix overrides.
• Fixed broken loading of a cartridge with in a save state file.
• Bug fix for randomly distributing keyboard and joystick input into the video frame.
• Changed ANE to use 0xEF as the magic constant as recommended by Groepaz.

Download:

• Hoxs64 32/64 bit v1.0.21.1 (663)

source: hoxs64.net

The TONEL PC is basically a ZX-81 clone. Made in Hong-Kong (by Lambda Electronics LTD? DEF?), it was designed as a cheap computer for initiation and was licenced to many companies throughout the world. This explains why the same computer can be found under many different brands and names (DEF 3000, Power 3000, Basic 2000, Basic 3000, PC 2000, PC 8300, Marathon 32K, IQ 8300, Futura 8300, Your Computer, etc.). But on all mainboards is written a generic “PC 8300″, which explains why 8300 or 3000 are often used in licenced names.

The system is thus a cloned ZX-81 with a modified ROM (to avoid legal problems), a better keyboard, more RAM (2 KB), sound features, a composite video output and even a joystick connector (Atari compatible). These represent in fact all the upgrades ZX-81 users usually wanted to add first to their system, but all bundled for a cheaper price.

With its modified ROM, the Tonel PC was only ZX-81 compatible with Basic programs. But soon, a ZX-81 ROM was available to turn your system into a real Sinclair ZX-81 machine, being able to run all software including machine code.

Different addons were available : 16 KB and 32 KB RAM upgrades, color (and high resolution graphics ?) expansion, joysticks, printers… The expansion bus is supposed to be compatible with the ZX-81 one (to be confirmed).

Gallery:

Tonel PC (Lambda 8300) Loading Game (GIF)

Download:

• Some Tools/Emu/Games for Tonel PC (Lambda 8300) (660)
• Different ROMs for Lambda 8300 (Tonel PC) (715)

source: old-computers.com

Retro Things that was given to me before thrown away.

I thank Robert for the donation.

List of the Retro Things:

• Commodore Amiga 500 (PSU/Manual/Floppy Disk/Mouse/Joystick Slik Stik)
• Commodore A501 REV 6C (Espansion Memory)
• Sinclair ZX Spectrum 16k (PSU/Cables/Manuals/Tape/Joystick)
• ZX Spectrum Joystick Interface.
• Sony Playstation DualShock (Boxed)
• Sony Playstation 2.
• Keyboard IBM 8525.
• Esternal Floppy Drive 5″1/4 IBM.

Gallery:

Commodore A501 (REV 6C) Expansion Memory Unit Kissed by luck.

Why “lucky”? because the battery used in this Expansion Ram Unit (A501) was not VARTA but GP, these batteries resist slightly to aging and release less acid.

Gallery:

Atari 2600 (4-switch units) Repair.

Defect:

• Black Screen.

Replaced parts:

• 1 x CPU 6507 (A200)

Gallery of the repair:

NEW TAG: C64 BIG GAME PACK

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

Titles:

• Super Mario Bros 64 +5D (CRT/D64)
• 1337 Karate +3DF
• 1337 Karate
• Vegetables V1.1 +1D
• Conflict in Vietnam + Manual
• Gyruss +7HDG
• Panzer +
• Panzer + (Excess)
• Panzer
• Mashed Turtles V3 +F
• Barbie +1F
• Accolade Card Sharks +2D
• Let’s Invade 2 +7D
• Frantic Freddie II +2
• Frantic Freddie II
• Frantic Freddie II +4
• The House on the Other Side of the Storm +D
• Let’s Invade 2
• Up Preview +
• Learning to Add & Subtract +D
• Frantic Freddie II : Frantic Edition (C128)
• Neutron +2D
• Neutron +
• Mission XZ1 +1T
• Xerons +4DFH
• Color Overload +2
• Neutron +6D
• Frantic Freddie II +3
• Alter Ego Male [1581]
• Space Comets +
• ALF – The First Adventure +5
• Behind Closed Doors 3 +DS
• Behind Closed Doors 2 +DS
• Behind Closed Doors 6 +S
• Behind Closed Doors 5 +DS
• Fuddo and Slam +DS
• Behind Closed Doors +DS
• Galaxy +2D
• Vegetables V1.3 +1D
• Barbie +1DF
• Scarper! +5DH
• PET Snake
• Goldrake + [seuck]
• Nono Pixie
• 1nvader +1H
• Mr. Robot Junior +2
• Trzask Tensorskiego +1T
• Tensor 64 +1TG
• Hellcat Ace +D
• Skilat
• Air Rescue +2FD
• Nono Pixie
• C64 Games System
• Star Fortress +2
• X-Invaders +T
• Crazy Cars 2 +2DI
• Fire Breath V1.1 +5HD
• The Silence of the Stones +D
• The Great Escape 115%
• Mig Alley Ace +D
• Top Gunner Collection
• Robots Rumble +6D
• Diamond Bucket
• Robots Rumble +6D
• Robots Rumble [16kb cartridge]
• Tenebra Macabre V1.1 +4D
• Lala Prologue +4DG
• Minimike Preview V2 +
• Tenebra Macabre V1.1 [16kb cartridge]
• Nono Pixie v1.1

Download: All Games in One Archive (6943)

source: csdb.dk

I was very curious what ZeroPaige has written in the description of the Super Mario Bros 64 game, the game on the C64 DTV use the Turbo mode.

I have tried the game on my upgraded C64 DTV and in fact is much more fluid, i would say perfect except for a few graphics glitches.

Below what ZeroPaige writes about the Turbo mode:

Since the NES-processor is clocked (roughly 70%) faster than a stock C64 there can be slowdowns during gameplay. A pixel indicates this on the time-watch graphics in the status bar.

This port will try to detect and use any kind of turbo functionality, such as:

• Commodore 128 (2 MHz in the border)
• C64 DTV
• Schnedler Systems Turbo Master CPU (untested)
• Swisscomp Turbo Processor (untested)
• Rossmoeller Flash 8 (untested)
• CMD SuperCPU Accelerator (untested)

Gallery:

source: lemon64.com

Jean-François DEL NERO (who’s behind the HxC SD Floppy Emulator) recently has released a version of the HxC emulator firmware that is compatible with the STM32 chip used in the Gotek floppy emulators.

This means that the great functionality of the HxC SD emulator is now available on cheaper and more widely available hardware.

The bootloader to convert the Gotek floppy drive in HxC compatible must be purchased on the website HXC 2001 by sending an email to Jean-François DEL NERO. The price of the bootloader is one-off 10 Euro per Gotek that you want to update. Future updates of the software are free and can be made from a USB stick

The HXC Usb (Gotek) firmware supports: + many more….

USB Stick STM32 (Gotek) HxC Floppy Emulator Firmware v3.1.38.2a -> v3.1.60.5a cumulative changelog:

• GeneralMusic S2/S3 : Undocummented floppy format support added + *.gem file extension support.
• Non-gated interface : Ignore the floppy selection line for the head step + Some fixes.
• Motor-ON signal support to emulate properly the “READY” and “INDEX” signals.
• OLED : SSD1305 2.23″ 128×32 OLED screen support added.
• Internal enhancements. (WIP)
• New direct raw format support : Yamaha QX3 format (*.IMG,*.DSK)
• 7 segments screen menu : Add missing system family entries :  
  • 15 = Robox RC9400
  • 16 = Kawai
  • 17 = Yamaha QX3
  • 18 = User defined format
  • Gotek I/O Lines Diagnostic/Test mode Since this hardware is quite sensitive to ESD and other electrical issues, the floppy lines can be easily damaged.
  • This new mode allows you to test/check all Gotek’s Input/Output lines with a simple wire.
  • The test must be run with floppy ribbon disconnected from the machine.
  • Once enabled/flashed with the diagnostic firmware, all outputs will toggle every 2 seconds.
  • All inputs states are displayed on the screen.
• Input lines test method :
  • The default input states should be High (1), so to test an input line you have just to connect it to the ground/vss. On the floppy port you just need a jumper to make a contact between the line and the ground.
  • Once the jumper is placed between the line pin and the ground/vss pin the corresping input state should turn to Low (0).
• Output lines test method :
  • All outputs are toggling every 2 seconds during the test.
  • (Note : A 1 ms pulse is sent to the JB output at each toggle to test the buzzer ouput)
  • Connect the output line to test to one input line (use a tested input by the above method) with a simple wire.
  • If the corresponding input status is toggling with the outputs line, then this means that the output line/driver is working properly.
• LCD / OLED / 7 segments screens output/input status definition :
  • LCD/OLED input lines status format : “IN:123456 789AB”
  • 1 or Digit-1-segment-a : Floppy Drive Select line (Pin 10 or 12 or 16 -> Depend on the S0/S1/MO jumper !).
  • 2 or Digit-1-segment-b : Floppy -Direction In (Pin 18)
  • 3 or Digit-1-segment-c : Floppy -Step (Pin 20)
  • 4 or Digit-1-segment-d : Floppy -Write Data (Pin 22)
  • 5 or Digit-1-segment-e : Floppy -Write Enable (Pin 24)
  • 6 or Digit-1-segment-f : Floppy -Head 1 Select (Pin 32)
  • 7 or Digit-1-segment-g : Down push button (left)
  • 8 or Digit-2-segment-a : Up push button (right)
  • 9 or Digit-2-segment-b : Select push button (JA)
  • A or Digit-2-segment-c : Rotary CK (J7-2)
  • B or Digit-2-segment-d : Rotary DIR (J7-1)
  • 7 Segments Digit-3 : ‘h’ when the outputs are high and ‘L’ the outputs are low.
  • 7 Segments Digit-2-segments e,f & g : ON when the outputs are high and OFF the outputs are low.
• Floppy connector pinout :
  • Pin Signal     Pin  Signal
  • 01  Ground – (O)02  -High Density Select
  • 03  Ground – 04   Reserved
  • 05  Ground – 06   Reserved
  • 07  Ground – (O)08  -Index
  • 09  Ground – (I)10  -Drive Select 0 (*)
  • 11  Ground -  (I)12  -Drive Select 1 (*)
  • 13  Ground -  14   Reserved
  • 15  Ground -  (I)16  -Motor Enable (*)
  • 17  Ground -  (I)18  -Direction In
  • 19  Ground -  (I)20  -Step
  • 21  Ground -  (I)22  -Write Data
  • 23  Ground – (I)24  -Write Enable
  • 25  Ground – (O)26  -Track 0
  • 27  Ground – (O)28  -Write Protect
  • 29  Ground – (O)30  -Read Data
  • 31  Ground -  (I)32  -Head 1 Select
  • 33  Ground – (O)34  -Diskette Change/Ready
  • (*)Depend on the S0/S1/MO jumper!
• 7 segments screen segments definition :
  • //   a
  • // f   b
  • //   g
  • // e   c
  • //   d
• Custom firmware option : Blackberry trackball -> Single and double step support.
• Custom firmware option : Extra up/down buttons or navigation switchs on the rotary connectors.
• Some fixes in the user defined image feature.
• Custom firmware option : Display the current track number on the 7 segment screen.
• Custom firmware option : Debug output on the serial port (115200 8N1).
• Custom firmware option : Read pipeline buffer size.
• New system family support : Kawai.
• Blackberry trackball support.
• Track position display changed to when the screen line size is less than 16 characters.
• Fix some OLED fonts glitches.
• New parameter : OLED line alignment.
• New fonts : 8514oem 10×20, xwindow 8×32, unscii 8×32.
• More customization options :
  • 2.42 Inch OLED screen support.
  • 100 khz / 400 khz I2C bus selection.
• Indexed mode files naming convention enhanced :
  • DSKAXXXX become a prefix : You can now add something after the prefix. e.g : DSKA0000_MyDiskName.IMG, DSKA0001_SaveDisk.HFE…
  • The prefix can be changed on the customization page if you don’t like it : https://hxc2001.com/custom_fw/
• AUTOBOOT and config files names are now not case sensitive.
• And some more fixes (rotary settings…).

This is only a little part of the changelog. The original one is very long and you can read it here. (instruction manual here)

The HxC Floppy Emulator Firmware Customization page: https://hxc2001.com/custom_fw/

Download: USB Stick STM32 (Gotek) HxC Firmware v3.1.60.5a (837)

source: hxc2001.com

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 (v1.0.21.0):

• Fix ANE opcode for Turrican 3
• Added debugger step over JSR and step out with stack instructions functionality.
• Fixed incorrect memory map while using the debugger that allowed the VIC to read from IO space. This caused Emufuxx0r to fail while using the debugger.

Download:

• Hoxs64 32/64 bit v1.0.21.0 (756)

source: hoxs64.net