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:

Flashing the Gotek floppy emulator with HxC firmware:

Gotek floppy emulator with HxC firmware (Testing on Amiga Computer):

Gotek floppy emulator with HxC firmware (Testing on Amstrad CPC computer):

Gotek floppy emulator with HxC firmware (Testing on Atari ST Computer):

Gotek Audio Track Loader:

The schematics is here

Components:

• 1 x Buzzer.
• 1 x BC547 or similar bipolar transistor.
• 1 x 1k resistor.

I have to thank Jean-François DEL NERO for the support that he gave me for the bootloader programming.

source: hxc2001.com

It was released a new OS Update for the Everdrive N64 Flash Cartridge (Nintendo 64) by Krikzz. The upgrade instructions can be found here.

Changelog:

• 2.09 (21.01.2015)
  • “CRC Check” option to enable/disable CRC check
  • FPGA code update

• 2.08 (14.11.2014)
  • Minor fix of bootcode

• 2.07 (12.11.2014)
  • Fixed “Self test” menu

• 2.06 (12.11.2014)
  • Fully functional GameShark. Special thanks to Parasyte and Modman for new GS core!
  • Automatic save and loading GS codes when user change the game. “Auto cheat” option should be enabled
  • Fixed graphics bug in “RTC setup” menu (ED64 V3)

Download: Everdrive N64 - OS Update v2.09 (1313)

source: krikzz.com

The HxC Floppy Drive Emulator is a software and hardware system created by jfdn aka Jeff.

The aim of this project is to replace the floppy disk drive by an electronic device emulating the floppy disk drive (list of supported Computer/Hardware).

There are two differents emulators:

• A USB version which allows to connect the floppy disk drive interface of the computer to a PC via a USB cable.
• A SDCARD version which allows to emulate floppy disks which images are stored in a SDCARD.

Release notes for the HxCFloppyEmulator software v2.0.26.0:

• New Loader : PC Magazine (FLP) file format support added.
• GUI – Track viewer window : Track editing functionality added, internal sanity check added.
• libhxcfe : Casio FZF loader -> non sector-aligned file image size issue corrected.
• libhxcfe : Generic flux stream analyzer enhanced – Track encoding & RPM correctly reported.
• Batch converter : Now use the folder name for the output filename while converting KF stream files (raw).
• FAT12 Disk Browser:  PC98 FAT disk support enhanced, free space reporting corrected.
• Raw Loader – Predefined raw formats added (XML) :
  • Logical Interchange Format (LIF) 3″1/2 264KB (single side).
  • Logical Interchange Format (LIF) 3″1/2 616KB (double side).
  • Logical Interchange Format (LIF) 3″1/2 1232KB (HD).
  • Logical Interchange Format (LIF) 5″1/4 264KB.

Download:

• HxCFloppyEmulator v2.0.26.0 (1156)

source: hxc2001.free.fr lotharek.pl

It was released a new OS Update for the Everdrive N64 Flash Cartridge (Nintendo 64) by Krikzz. The upgrade instructions can be found here.

Changelog:

• After reset, file browser returns where you was before than run the game, instead of just go to the root.
• Users can change default save type in save_db.txt
• ED64-V3 support.
• Fixed default save type for some games.
• Changed save memory initialization, it fix the problems with some games.
• Fixed possible problems with sram and flash ram saves.
• Fixed ramnom hangs after reboot.
• Self test function. Cart stability diagnostic.
• Improved eeprom implementation.

Download: Everdrive N64 - OS Update v2.05 (1130)

source: krikzz.com

This is another adapter (here the previous one) to replace the MPS 6550 RAM. This adapter replace a single MPS 6550 RAM chip in a Commodore PET 2001 with a standard 2114 RAM chip.

source: dasarodesigns.com

Hi all, like one year ago Manosoft amazes us again, this time he did a great job of merging the ITS TAP Player module with the C64SD and from this merger comes the Princess, an interface with both previously released interfaces.
The Princess interface is elegant as only Manosoft can do, the box color has changed and is a white sand that matches perfectly with the whole 8-bit Commodore Home Computer series.

In addition to the color were also added new controls and visual led. Below the instructions of each command on the front/back side of the Princess interface.

Front side:

• [1] Play/Stop switch for TAP file.
• [2] Reset button.
• [3] Disc Change button. (down/autoswap.lst)
• [4] LED:
  • Yellow – Virtual Motor of the Tape.
  • White – Reading.
  • Red – General Error.
  • Green – Power.
• [5] Floppy Drive Connector (IEC) Computer side.
• [6] Connector Cassette side Computer
• [7] Auxiliary Power 9v.

Back side:

• [1] SD Card slot.
• [2] Red Button – Setpoint tap file / (up/autoswap.lst)
• [3] Dip Switch for selecting the Floppy drive Device (SD2IEC).
• [4] Audio volume (monitor function) TAP Player.
• [5] Mini DIN 8-pin connector to be connected to the tape port of the Commodore 264 series.
• [6] Auxiliary Power 9v.
• [7] Pass-through Floppy Drive Connector (IEC)
• [8] Pass-through Tape connector to use with a Datasette 1530 or 1531 with a another adapter.

Like the previous C64SD v2.0 interface, the Princess has a pass-through connector for the cassette recorder and one for the Floppy Disk Drive.

I don’t forget to speak about the nice addition, a small Piezo Speaker to hear the sound of the bytes that are loaded with the TAP Player and also a nice “beep” that warn if the interface on power up working correctly.

Damiano alias “Manosoft” is a good manufacturer of 8 Bit peripherals and also a great friend. I take the opportunity of this article to greet Damiano and congratulate for this new interface for the 8-bit Commodore Home Computer series.

Soon will be available on the Manosoft website two new software packages (C64 and AIO)

“AIO” is an innovative system that will allow the creation of the SD Card of 4GB or higher in a few minutes from an image file created ad hoc.

On the Commodore 64 side was also written a new program called “MENU” with some utilities like the initialization of the SD Card for the Princess C64SD v3.0 interface.

The development of the TAP Player firmware with the SD2IEC protocol has been made possible thanks to the collaboration of Hawui1 promoter and developer of the ITS Module and some other things.

The Princess C64SD v3.0 interface will be available for sale in the next months on the Manosoft site.

Princess C64SD v3.0 Video Preview:

The HxC Floppy Drive Emulator is a software and hardware system created by jfdn aka Jeff.

The aim of this project is to replace the floppy disk drive by an electronic device emulating the floppy disk drive (list of supported Computer/Hardware).

There are two differents emulators:

• A USB version which allows to connect the floppy disk drive interface of the computer to a PC via a USB cable.
• A SDCARD version which allows to emulate floppy disks which images are stored in a SDCARD.

Release notes for the HxCFloppyEmulator software v2.0.22.0:

• GUI – Track viewer window : New viewer mode -> Disk surface view mode.
• Raw loader :  UKNC Russian computer support added.
• New Writer : BMP file (Disk/circular layout) -> Disk layout can now be exported into a BMP file (for disk analysis) !
• libhxcfe : Correction of the UTF8 path support in some loaders/writers.
• New Loader : SPS CT Raw file format support added. (NOTE : No flakey bits support for the moment !)
• libhxcfe : Generic flux stream analyzer enhanced.
• Disk Browser : ADFLib fseek corrected.

Download:

• HxCFloppyEmulator v2.0.22.0 (1390)

source: hxc2001.free.fr lotharek.pl

The HxC Floppy Drive Emulator is a software and hardware system created by jfdn aka Jeff.

The aim of this project is to replace the floppy disk drive by an electronic device emulating the floppy disk drive (list of supported Computer/Hardware).

There are two differents emulators:

• A USB version which allows to connect the floppy disk drive interface of the computer to a PC via a USB cable.
• A SDCARD version which allows to emulate floppy disks which images are stored in a SDCARD.

Release notes for the HxCFloppyEmulator software v2.0.20.1:

• Disk Browser : AmigaDOS disk support added ! Amiga Files can be read/write/deleted with the Disk Browser !
• New Writer : XML files -> Disk layout can now be exported into XML !
• New Loader : XML files -> A disk can be generated from an XML file !
• Raw Loader : An XML file can now be used as disk layout !
• General : Low level sector reader and track display speed-optimized.
• MacOS X : Executable now compiled with the “-mmacosx-version-min=10.5″ option -> Leopard,Snow Leopard,Lion,Mountain Lion & Mavericks supported.

Download:

• HxCFloppyEmulator v2.0.20.1 (1234)

source: hxc2001.free.fr lotharek.pl

We have updated the installation manual of the ZOE Interface for Intellivision. We have added the installation procedure of a old PCB version used in some Intellivision.

Download: Zoe Interface Installation Manual (English/Italian) revision 21-12-2013 (1202)

The HxC Floppy Drive Emulator is a software and hardware system created by jfdn aka Jeff.

The aim of this project is to replace the floppy disk drive by an electronic device emulating the floppy disk drive (list of supported Computer/Hardware).

There are two differents emulators:

• A USB version which allows to connect the floppy disk drive interface of the computer to a PC via a USB cable.
• A SDCARD version which allows to emulate floppy disks which images are stored in a SDCARD.

Release notes for the HxCFloppyEmulator software v2.0.18.4:

• TRS80 DMK Loaded : Image Sanity check -> Minimum track number changed from 30 to 1 track.
• Predefined raw formats added : Ensoniq Mirage 440KB, E-mu Emax DD 800KB, GeneralMusic GEM S3 1600KB, GeneralMusic GEM WX 1440KB.
• libhxcfe : Track Generator -> hxcfe_setTrackType function added.
• libhxcfe : Track alteration functions -> hxcfe_getSide & hxcfe_shiftTrackData function added.
• libhxcfe : XML floppy file definition -> <track_list></track_list> Track definition fields working.
• New track support : Data disk Arburg format.
• New track support : System disk Arburg format.
• New Writer : SSD Speccy DOS file.
• New Writer : Amiga ADF files.
• New Loader : SCP files (SuperCard Pro) (WIP).
• New Writer : SCP files (SuperCard Pro) (WIP).
• New Writer : Kryoflux raw files.
• New Writer : BMP file (Disk layout picture).
• libhxcfe : Transitions level flux analyzer functions.
• libhxcfe : Generic flux stream analyzer enhanced.
• ADF, DMS, MSA, ST Loaders : 4 empty tracks added at the end of the disk.
• D88 Loader : Odd track number issue corrected.
• CPC EDSK writer : Some missing flag support added. (Deleted address mark & CRC flags).
• Sega System24 Loader : New format added ( 8192B + 3*1024B + 512B + 256B sectors).
• Floppy Dump : Default step rate set at 16ms.
• zlib updated : zlib 1.2.8
• Amiga/UAE Extended ADF file loader : Amiga DOS track offset loading corrected.

Download:

• HxCFloppyEmulator v2.0.18.4 (1212)

source: hxc2001.free.fr lotharek.pl

The ZOE Interface was developed by xAD^Nightfall and Damiano “Manosoft” Colombari.

The Zoe interface lets you connect the PAL Mattel Intellivision console to a TV/ monitor through the RGB signal of a SCART connector, dramatically increasing the quality of the video signal and bringing it to the highest possible quality: the original output is a modest RF/Antenna signal.

The interface is connected in place of the National LM1886 IC (TV Video Matrix DAC) to take the RGB and Sync signals and convert them for the SCART output.

This interface is not compatible with the NTSC (USA) Mattel Intellivision console because the NTSC version doesn’t use the LM1886 IC: the original video signal is never converted from RGB to Composite and then to RF (Antenna).

The assembled kit is available and you can buy it now from ebay (An installation service on the console will be available for less experienced users)

Download: Zoe Interface Installation Manual (English/Italian) (1834)

A new version of the manual is available here.

It was released a new OS Update for the Everdrive N64 Flash Cartridge (Nintendo 64) by Krikzz. The upgrade instructions can be found here.

Changelog:

• 2.04 (31.10.2013)
  • Fixed problem with corrupted file names

• 2.03 (30.10.2013)
  • Fixed IPS patching bug

• 2.02 (28.10.2013)
  • Bugfix
  • More space for overscan area

• 2.01 (27.10.2013)
  • Bugfix

• 2.00 (26.10.2013)
  • OS Is not supported with EverDrive V1!!!
  • Colpletely new OS was made from zero
  • New FPGA core
  • Faster SD interface. Now trasfer speed up to 23Mbyte/s
  • GameShark cheats.
  • IPS/APS patches support
  • Auto cheats loading.
  • Auto IPS/APS loading
  • Forcing of TV mode in the game. It may help to run some PAL games in color with NTSC system
  • New menu interface
  • Auto CRC fix. May help to run some hacked roms with bad checksum
  • Menu supports two resolutions 320×240 and 640×480. Probably will be useful for some RGB moded systems which blinks in 640×480 mode
  • New controller PAK manager
  • Controller PAK auto backup function
  • Winks works with NTSC systems in color
  • Some other minor improwments (:
  • Copying data from file to file, ringht in menu. To make some extra copy of saves, for example
  • File byte swapping. Useful for emulator save files converting
  • Menu supports analog stick

Download: Everdrive N64 - OS Update v2.04 (1209)

source: krikzz.com

Again available for sale the interface C64SD v2.0 Infinity by Manosoft.

Autopsy:

Finally i have replaced my old and inaccurate Capacitor tester with a better one. My lab is beginning to have a semblance semi professional ;-D

Download: Peak Atlas ESR+ 70 User Guide (1368)

Video Review:

If you are the lucky owners of these eprom: Motorola MCM 68766C you can do something really cute, hardware permitting. Example: use this EPROM like a ROM for some Devices and Computers Commodore without using an adapter ;-D

I had to use the EPROM programmer Promenade C1 for Commodore 64 to burn these eprom because all my programmers don’t support these type of eprom.

Download:

• Eprom Motorola MCM68766C Datasheet (1869)
• Prom-Shell v2.00 (744)