Commodore 16 Repair

Defect:

• Don’t works any program that requires too much memory.

Replaced Components:

• 1 x MB81416-12 (U5)

Note:

I have used for the first time the DIAG264 (Kernel version, but there is also a cartridge version) and i must say that it works well.

Gallery of the repair:

A new generation of PLA for the C64 is now available! PLAnkton is a new substitute for the C64 PLA U17 part no. 906114-01 or 251064-01.

A few years ago, a PLA based on the Xilinx XC9536 appeared in the Commodore community. This circuit is now out of production and has been for quite some time.

The new generation of CPLD which replaces this circuit is the XC9536XL which runs at a lower voltage and has more features built-in.

Fredric Blaholtz aka E5frog has created a new VHDL code for the XC9536XL which includes a sophisticated chain reaction delay to ensure full compatibility with all versions of the C64 and exploits the built-in slew rate control and low power mode of this modern IC. The result is a PLA that is fully compatible with all C64 boards except assy 250469 and all C64 cartridges including, FastLoad, Super Zaxxon, 1541 Ultimate I and II and consumes only 20mA – one fifth the power of an original Commodore PLA and produces absolutely no heat. It is equipped with gold plated pins to ensure the highest reliability and longevity.

This new PLA, when compared to the SuperPLA V3, proves to be 100% compatible with older boards Assy 326298 as well as all C64 cartridges including Epyx FastLoad, consumes one third the power and costs 25% less. Its also smaller and won’t cause physical conflict with the SID nearby on older boards.

Features and characteristics:

• Costs 35% less than the SuperPLA V3.
• Draws only 20mA – 1/5 the power of an original Commodore PLA – 1/3 the power of the Super PLA V3 or the same an a small green LED.
• Produces no discernable heat.
• Designed to produce electrical signals of EXACTLY the same voltages as a genuine Commodore PLA.
• 100% compatible with ALL C64 mainboards 326298, 250407, 250425, SX-64, 250466, 64 Reloaded (NOT compatible with board 250469)
• 100% compatible with ALL C64 cartridges including Epyx FastLoad, 1541 Ultimate I & II, Super Zaxxon, Easy Flash 1 and 3.
• Made only using currently available genuine Xilinx circuits purchased from an authorized distributor.
• Gold plated pins for best reliability and longevity.

Gallery:

source: melon64.com

Sega SC-3000 Repair

Defect:

• The graphics of the games is not displayed correctly.
• The BASIC cartridge does not work.

Replaced Components:

• 2 x MCM4517-15 RAM (IC12/IC13).

Note:

I have replaced the two RAM MCM4517-15 with a classic RAM 4164 (also used in the Commodore 64) paying attention to short-circuit the pin 9 and 10 of the 4164 RAM.

The MCM4517-15 RAM are 16,384 Words x 1 bit while the 4164 is 65,536 x 1 bit, both are PINOUT compatible except for the pin 9 which in the MCM4517-15 is not used while in 4164 is A7.

This “tricks” to short-circuit the pin 9 and 10 instead of using a resistor of pull-down is also used in some coin-op arcade boards that use the same RAM.

Gallery of the repair:

Mattel Intellivision with ZOE RGB (Limited Edition)

Why is Limited Edition?

Because i have made these works:

• Shielded cord Male MiniDIN Scart (cable length: 2,5 meters) also the cable that connecting the female connector MiniDIN to the PCB of the ZOE RGB is shielded.
• Female connector MiniDIN installed in the RF signal output hole and strongly fixed.
• Removed the RF Modulator.
• Installed a electrolytic capacitor in series of the output audio.
• Minimized the flat that connects the ZOE RGB with the Intellivision Motherboard.
• Installed the metal cover on the solder side of the motherboard.

Gallery:

12►

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

Titles:

• Jack the Ninja Preview
• Super Stardust Preview
• Let’s Invade Preview +
• Zombie Preview +
• Zombi Terror +DGMW
• Scary Monsters +3DH
• Bugs Bunny Preview +4
• Donkey Kong + (X2016 Version)
• Donkey Kong
• FranticTen
• Let’s Invade! +7D
• Let’s Invade!
• Drag Race Eliminator V3.1 &D
• Wizard and Ultimate Wizard +2GMH
• Goblin Towers (1983+1987) &DS &Map
• C-2048 [2016] +H
• Power Gate Preview +
• An Unusual Dream
• Crazy Music
• Seek’n'Destroy Preview +3
• Jail Break +5DHF
• Argos +2T
• Race +1T
• Survive +2H
• All About Dinosaurs +D [iffl]
• Quadriga +TD
• Torussa-Life +TD
• Compuzzle +TD
• Basic Sex
• Gearhead Garage Basic
• The Uni Games V0.4
• Shotgun X-Mas Edition
• Motorman Preview V2
• Wizerior II Preview
• Jupple Dust Preview
• Bergbert III – The Blue Knight [seuck]
• Wizard’s Dominion &D
• Operation Omega Blast [demo]
• HackAttack

Download: All Games in One Archive (3890)

source: csdb.dk

CBM prg Studio Version 3.9.0 is released. There are a lot of new features in this version. I’d really appreciate it if you report any bugs you find or have any suggestions/comments.

CBM prg Studio allows you to type a BASIC or Machine Code program in using a nice Windows environment and convert it to a ‘.prg’ file which you can run on an emulator, or even a real C64 / VIC20 or PET if you’re feeling brave and have the right kit.

CBM prg Studio is the result of merging C64PrgGen and VIC20PrgGen. Adding new features and fixing bugs in two apps which were 95% similar was a bit of a nightmare so merging them made sense.

It was also a good opportunity for a face lift and to add some new features, such as:

• Programs are project based, meaning all related source files, sprite files etc. are kept in one place and multiple source files can be linked more easily.
• Tabbed MDI.
• Syntax highlighting.

What CBM prg Studio isn’t is a front-end for tok64, cbmcnvrt, bastext or any other tokeniser / detokeniser / assembler. It’s all been written completely from scratch.

New features in v3.9.0:

• Assembler:
  • TARGET directive.
  • Logical operators with ‘ifdef’.
  • Complex expressions for constants.
• Debugger:
  • Pass label names to debugger.
• Screen Editor:
  • Show ECM register in status bar.
• Sprite Editor:
  • Easier navigation.
• Character Editor:
  • Change scratchpad background colour.
  • Easier navigation.
• General:
  • Command window.
  • Autolaunch prg name is per project.
  • Import SEQ files.
  • Force rebuild of source.
• BASIC:
  • Abbreviated commands for BASIC 3.5.
  • Removed spaces on code generation.
  • Force rebuild of source.

Bugs Fixed:

• Screen Editor:
  • ECM tools (re-colour, box, text).
• Assembler:
  • Some character translation issues (‘[', ']‘, ‘_’) etc.
• BASIC:
  • Fixed quoted and DATA strings for basic 3.5.
  • Renumbering certain ‘ON…’ lines.
  • Reformatting code.
  • Syntax highlighting for BASIC 3.5
  • Much faster code generation
  • Some incorrect tokens for BASIC 7+

See the help for a complete list of new features and fixed bugs.

Note In this version, each target machine can have its own default project directory. If you are upgrading from a previous version (before version 2.5.1) of CBM prg Studio you may be asked to set up your project directories again. Your current projects will not be affected.

Download: CBM prg Studio v3.9.0 (991)

source: ajordison.co.uk

Onslaught / Offence / Vandalism News Staff, bring to you the 66th issue of the Vandalism News.

Download:

• Vandalism News #66 (1116)

source: csdb.dk

This is the official demo party results from X-2016 (Top 3 Entries only). See also the CSDB X2016 section for more informations and downloads.

C64 Demo Competition:

• The Phoenix Code / Bonzai
• Lunatico / lft
• Wonderland The 13th / Censor Design

Demo Competition (Onefilers Only):

• Bobs By Censor / Bob/Censor Design
• Shezzboard / Scan/House Designs
• Bonfire! / Viscid/Neoplasia

C64 Graphics Competition:

• Song For The Dead / Duce/Extend
• Them Apples / ptoing
• No Shit! / redcrab & Mermaid/G*P

PETSCII Competition:

• We are all ejected / Archmage/SHAPE
• Pipe of Picard / Electric/Extend
• Bosse / redcrab/G*P

C64 Music Competition:

• Rastaline Dub / LMan/MultiStyle Labs
• High Roller / Flex/Artline Designs
• The Ugly Arpling / Stinsen/G*P

Download:

• X-2016 Full Party Stuff (1204)

source: csdb.dk

It was released a new OS Update for the EverDrive N8 NES Flash Cartridge (Nintendo NES) by Krikzz. The upgrade instructions can be found here.

Changelog:

• Fixed MMC4 (glitches in Fire Emblem)
• New mappers support. 31, 137, 138, 139, 141, 147, 168
• Removed “audio mix vol” option. Now it always in “Hi” state.
• Removed “Mapper info” menu due the lack of memory space.
• Minor bugfix.

Download: -EverDrive N8 NES OS Update v14 (1410)

source: krikzz.com

The TI 99/4A Flash ROM Cartridge, or FlashROM 99 for short, is a cartridge for the TI 99/4A home computer that allows for running ROM cartridge images stored on an SD card.

The FlashROM 99 supports ROM-only images of up to 32K that use the write-to->60xx bank switching scheme. It will not work with programs using GROMs or CRU-based bank switching. The cartridge does not require the Peripheral Expansion Box and runs on both PAL and NTSC consoles.

FlashROM 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.

The project homepage is hosted at GitHub.

Gallery:

Download: FlashROM 99 SD Card (1236)

source: endlos99.github.io/flashrom99 ti99iuc.it

Texas Instruments TI-99/4A – Navarone’s Widget Multi Cartridges Fixed.

Works that have been made:

• Annoying short circuit under the cartridge connector on the slot 3 between the pins: 4,6,8,10

Texas Instruments TI-99/4A – Alpha Lock Joystick Fix.

This mod fix the problem of the alpha-lock key that need to be up or down when you are using joysticks.

The instructions for the Alpha-Lock Joystick Fix can be found here

Texas Instruments TI-99/4A – CPU Overclocked at 3.58mhz

This project allows you to increase the speed of your console from 3mhz to 3.58mhz. It might not sound like a big increase but this is a 20% increase in speed and it is easily noticable.

The instructions for the CPU Overclock modding can be found here

Gallery:

Texas Instruments TI-99/4A – Internal TMS5220 Speech Synthesizer.

The instructions for the internal assembly of the TMS5220 Speech Synthesizer can be found here

Gallery of the works that have been made:

It could be better!

I had severals problems with the free space inside the TI-99/4a, maybe i have put too many things … but everything works perfectly :D

Texas Instruments TI-99/4A – 32k Internal Expansion Memory + Status LED + Reset.

Works that have been made:

• 32k Internal Expansion Memory.
• Switch for disable the Expansion Memory.
• Reset Pushbutton switch.
• Bi-Color LEDs to display the status of the internal memory expansion 32k. (ON = Green / OFF = Red)
• Replaced the resistor for the LED from 2.2k to 220 ohms.

Gallery of the works that have been made:

It could be better!

I had severals problems with the free space inside the TI-99/4a, i had to remove one side of the metal part, the biggest problem is the internal 32k expansion which is not very well done, there is no a way to secure it inside … but everything works perfectly :D