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Texas Instruments Magic Wand Speak & Learn Fixed

August 2nd, 2017 4 comments
Texas Instruments Magic Wand Speak & Learn Fixed

Texas Instruments Magic Wand Speak & Learn Fixed

Defect:

  • Doesn’t always turn on.The power button doesnt work properly.
  • Battery acid leak.

Fix:

  • Cleaning the Battery acid leak in the battery compartment.
  • Cleaning the strange power-on button with a spray Contact Cleaner R-11.
  • Inserted a thicker on the power-on button because the plastic pin that pressing the contact has deteriorated.

Note:

  • External power supply 6v (TIP POSITIVE)

Gallery:

Cartridge shell for FinalGROM 99 – TI-99/4A

August 2nd, 2017 5 comments
Cartridge shell for FinalGROM 99 - TI-99-4A

Cartridge shell for FinalGROM 99 – TI-99/4A

I have fit in a best way the pcb of the FinalGROM 99 inside a standard cartridge shell of a TI-99/4a game.

As you can see from the photos the final result is good, there are still some minor imperfections but i’m very satisfied.

I have made three cartridges shells, one for me and two for my friends Ciro Barile of  TI-99 Italian User Club, Andrea Pierdomenico.

Some things about the FinalGROM 99:

The FinalGROM 99 supports ROM images, GROM images, and mixed images of up to 1 MB in size that use the write-to-ROM bank switching scheme. The cartridge does not require the Peripheral Expansion Box and runs on both PAL and NTSC consoles, including modified consoles with an F18A. It will also run on v2.2 consoles and enables those to run ROM-only programs.

The cartridge offers some advanced modes that provide RAM and GRAM to programs. It also allows a running program to reload another program from SD card or to dump its state to SD card. All firmware of the FinalGROM 99 can be updated by SD card.

FinalGROM 99 is released as Open Source Hardware under the CERN OHL license and the GNU GPL license. Both hardware design files and firmware sources are available on GitHub.

For more information about this project please visit the project homepage hosted at GitHub.

Gallery of the works that have been made:

Download:

DiagROM Now supports Commodore A1000

July 30th, 2017 No comments

..from the author homepage:

I have updated the DAILY version now and it now supports the A1000 using a limited version of the DiagROM. I had to remove module-tests and test-screen.  but I guess that is not that important.

 Just use the A1kEVEN.bin and A1kODD.bin files and program to 27C256 proms and replace proms on the A1000 and you are ready to go.

source: diagrom.com

Categories: Hardware, News & Rumors, Today

Nordlicht 2017: C64 – Official demo party results

July 28th, 2017 No comments

This is the official demo party results from Nordlicht 2017. See also the CSDB Nordlicht 2017 section for more informations/updates and download.

WiLD Demo:

  • 2 – Zatacka by Rabenauge
  • 4 – Modern Love Classics by MultiStyle Labs

Mixed:

  • 4 – Fragment of a TempesT Millenium by TempesT (One-File Demo)    
  • ? – Grillieren! Preview by Genesis Project (Game Preview)    

Mixed Graphics:

  • 1 – Blubb by Arsenic, Oxyron
  • 3 – Behind the Leaves by Arsenic, Oxyron
  • 4 – F.U.B.A.R. by Hokuto Force
  • 5 – The Conquest of Wolf-Biederman by Onslaught

Mixed Music:

  • 2 – Oakyard Memories by Padua
  • 3 – Dancing on a Bigpack by Røly
  • ? – Dudelking Returns by Mayday!

Mixed Demo:

  • 1 – Saufzucht! by Oxyron
  • 2 – Girls Love Lasers by Abyss Connection
  • 4 – Dotlicht by Harekiet    

Productions released outside compos:

  • Kleinkunst (Intro)

Download: Nordlicht 2017 Full Party Stuff (855)

source: csdb.dk nordlicht.demoparty.info

Categories: C128/128D/128DCR, C64/SX64, DTV

HXC STM32 (Gotek) & SD HxC new Amiga files selector v1.48a

July 21st, 2017 No comments

Jean-François DEL NERO (who’s behind the HxC SD Floppy Emulator) today has released via Facebook a new Amiga Files Selector for HXC STM32 (Gotek) & SD HxC Floppy Emulator.

The main improvement of this version v1.48a is the bootup of the file management program that is loaded much faster.

Download:

source: hxc2001.com

C64 Big Game Pack: Vault Man 2 +4D / The Castle of Doom – Redux …

July 19th, 2017 No comments

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

Titles:

  • Silverrock Tribute [easyflash]
  • ASCII Chase Preview
  • Paranoid +1F
  • Spyders +
  • Spyders C64 – Chapter 1
  • ZE-III Preview
  • Front Page &DGM
  • SEJD Preview +
  • Spyders: Chapter 1 +2H
  • Spyders: Chapter 1 +3
  • Zap’n'Load +2
  • Zwob +TD
  • Rogue +6DGM
  • La Carretera +T [english]
  • The Castle of Doom – Redux +4
  • The Castle of Doom – Redux
  • The Wall
  • ASCII Chase Preview V1.1 +
  • Step by Step +1MDS
  • Bubble +3DT
  • Pengon +1HD
  • Techno Sport Steeple Chase &D
  • Star Wars Preview +2
  • Compu Sport Auto Racing &D
  • Stranded
  • Itchtris Preview +2
  • Itchtris Preview
  • Vault Man 2 +2
  • Vault Man 2
  • Citadel 2 Preview +2
  • The Life of a Stickleback +1MT
  • Stranded
  • Stranded +F
  • Vault Man 2 +3HD
  • Vault Man 2 +4D
  • Bacillus Preview +
  • Velcro +
  • Protocol Preview +
  • Sheep Is a Key Preview
  • Jetpac Wars Preview V3 +
  • Bacillus Preview +2
  • Neptune’s Caverns – Enhanced
  • Shotgun V1.1
  • Twin Kingdom Valley +1DGM
  • 6502 Snake +1
  • Competition Karate +2MD
  • Shotgun V1.1 +1KD
  • Rollin +2DGH
  • Velcro +3
  • Feud +6DGF

Download: All Games in One Archive (4319)

source: csdb.dk

2 x Commodore 128D Repair

July 18th, 2017 No comments
Commodore 128D Repair #1

Commodore 128D Repair #1

Defect:

  • Black Screen.
  • Garbage Screen.

Replaced parts/Fix:

  • 9v AC line Fuse of the PowerSupply.
  • Made a bridge of a pcb trace interrupted.

Gallery of the repair:

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Commodore 128D Repair #2

Commodore 128D Repair #2

Defect:

  • Garbage Screen.
  • Memory Problems.

Replaced parts:

  • Replaced 74LS08 (U61)
  • Replaced OKI M3764A [RAM] (U43)

Gallery of the repair:

Commodore Floppy Drive 1541 (ASSY 250442) Repair

July 18th, 2017 No comments
Commodore 1541 (ASSY 250442) Repair

Commodore Floppy Drive 1541 (ASSY 250442) Repair

Defect:

  • Drive access problems (IEC): drive resets but the computer freez with a “searching for”

Replaced parts:

  • Replaced EL74S14 with a 74LS14 (UA1)

Gallery of the repair:

Commodore 16 Power Supply Repair

July 18th, 2017 No comments
Commodore 16 Power Supply Repair

Commodore 16 Power Supply Repair

Defect:

  • Dead.

Replaced parts:

  • Replaced Electrolytic Capacitors of 4700uF/16v
  • Replaced Fuse of 250v/1A Retarded.

Gallery of the repair:

2 x Commodore 16 Repair

July 18th, 2017 No comments
Commodore 16 Repair #1

Commodore 16 Repair #1

Defect:

  • Black Screen.

Replaced parts:

  • Replaced RAM TMS4416 (U6).

Gallery of the repair:

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Commodore 16 Repair #2

Commodore 16 Repair #2

Defect:

  • Black Screen.

Replaced parts:

  • CPU Socket (U2).

Note:

I took advantage of this repair to install the ic sockets on the entire motherboard and use it like a “test board” for repairs.

Catweasel Z-II Mk2 (Urine CAT Cleaning)

July 18th, 2017 No comments
Catweasel Z-II Mk2 (Urine CAT Cleaning)

Catweasel Z-II Mk2 (Urine CAT Cleaning)

Defect:

  • The card is not recognized by the computer.

Cleaning:

  • The Catweasel has traces of cat urine that with time has crystallized causing corrosion and short circuits.  I used the KONTACT PCC & Toothbrush to clean. I also checked the continuity in holes between pcb layers and traces in general.  Now it seems to work properly.

Gallery of the repair:

Peggy Plus (Scala MD100) v1.1 Recap

July 18th, 2017 No comments
Peggy Plus (Scala MD100) v1.1 Recap

Peggy Plus (Scala MD100) v1.1 Recap

This Z2 card for Amiga has a problem of audio distortion on one channel. I have replaced all the tantalum capacitors, two of them in the Audio section.

Unfortunately i could not try this card, i did consider that could be also a problem of the NE5532  a Dual Low-Noise Operational Amplifier so i preferred put it on a socket, so it’s easy to replace if it is needed.

Gallery:

Commodore 64 Repair

July 18th, 2017 No comments
Comoodore 64 Repair

Commodore 64 Repair

Defect:

  • Drive access problems (IEC): drive resets but it freez with a “searching for”

Replaced parts:

  • Replaced EL7416 with a 7406PC (U8)

Note:

I have also removed a nasty connector welded directly on the c64 userport.

Gallery of the repair:

Commodore 128 Repair

July 18th, 2017 No comments
Commodore 128 Repair

Commodore 128 Repair

Defect/Missing Parts:

  • Two Electrolytic Capacitors have detached and the pins are gone…
  • Garbage Screen.

Replaced parts:

  • Replaced Electrolytic Capacitors of 220uF/50v and 330uF/50v.
  • Replaced 74LS00 (U31)

Gallery of the repair:

C64 Reloaded MK2 (pre-production)

July 13th, 2017 No comments

The Commodore 64 Reloaded MK2 is a C64 Motherboard for building a C64 on your own.

The board is shipped with empty ZIF sockets for the key chips such as CPU, port chips, sound/video chips. All other components are already assembled and pre-tested before shipment.

As opposed to the first C64 Reloaded board, the C64 Reloaded MK2 will automatically identify the installed chips. It will not only generate the correct clocking, but also set the right voltages for the chips that you have chosen. Further, it configures the filter-capacitors for your favourite SID combination. This means that the Commodore 64 Reloaded MK2 is a completely jumper-free design.

The Commodore 64 Reloaded MK2 includes the following on the board:

  • All memory
  • Flash rom for Kernal, Basic, Character and your own sets of ROMs
  • Clock generator equivalent to the CSG8701 chip with two custom crystals
  • PLA equivalent to the CSG 906114-01 chip
  • Stereo-SID circuit configurable for three different popular addresses
  • S-Video and 3.5mm stereo outputs
  • USB to serial link for configuring the board with a terminal program
  • High-efficiency power conversion for operation from a single 12V supply
  • Power switch with integrated reset function
  • Six all-black high quality ZIF sockets

source: icomp.de

Categories: Hardware, News & Rumors, Today