Commodore.news

Vampire600 / Apollo - SILVER3 | The Vampire600 turbo card uses the Apollo FPGA-core to emulate the 68000 CPU and the SAGA graphics chip. The changes for Apollo are: Improvements for the reset, BFTST, Super-Scalar and SAGA video out (24Bit, 32Bit, YUV422).

Auto-fire Add-on | GI-Joe developed a small hardware expansion for the joystick. With this expansion you can add auto-fire to a standard joystick. The auto-fire expansion has an on and off switch and can be connected between the joystick and your Commodore computer.

GadgetUK164 - 1541 | GadgetUK164 made a video about the repair of a Commodore 1541 disk drive. This 1541 was suffering from a flashing LED and the fault seemed to be temperature related.

Project Bluetooth Joystick | You can follow a new project that connects two joysticks via Bluetooth. The hardware is 2 x Arduino Nano and 2x Bluetooth module HC-05. The proto type is now tested on a Commodore C64 and the total signal delay is about 20 ms.

Mega65 | Paul Gardner-Stephen is working on a FPGA version of the Commodore C65. His goal is to make an 8-bit computer for the 21st century. In the last month he has been working on the keyboard for the Mega65. The prototype is made by WASD and is almost identical to the original keyboard.

Sum CD32 | The Sum adapter makes it possible to connect USB HID keyboards to your Amiga CD32. The Sum is based upon a 16-bit Microchip micro-controller. Features: PS2-DIN adapter, built-in USB stack, configuration mode, built-in EEPROM memory for preferences storage, boot-loader for firmware upgrades and a status LED.

RetroPC64 - Dual | Andreas Wagener has upgraded his Commodore C64c. The specifications are: CPU 1: Mos Technology 8500 @ 1,02 MHz, CPU 2: Intel X5-Z8300 4 x 1440 MHz, Memory 1: 64 KB Ram, Memory 2: 2GB DDR3 Ram, SSD, USB 3.0, HDMI, LAN, WLAN 300 and Bluetooth.

UltiMem VIC-20 | Jim Brain has finished his work on the UltiMem cartridge for the Commodore VIC-20. The UltiMem is now available in his web store. The specifications are: 8 MBytes FLASH ROM storage and 1 MByte RAM storage. You can configure the extra RAM or ROM as you like.

MSD2IEC | The MSD2IEC is a classic SD2IEC device but with an extra EEPROM. The 8 kByte EEPROM is an Basic extension with the following commands: .I - Info, .ACT - Drive number, .B - File browser, .L- Load, .S - SJLOAD, .T - Tape-load and much more.

DolphinDos 3 - 1541-II | Silver Dream developed a DolphinDos 3 system for inside a Commodore 1541-II disk drive. The problem with the 1541-II disk drive is that it is very small and there is not much room for expansions. You can see how to install the system and how you can order the PCB for the system.

Project SIDFX | SIDFX is a hardware expansion for two SID chips inside the Commodore C64. This makes it possible to choose between two different SID chips with a simple switch. It is also possible to use both SIDs together. The system can be installed without soldering.

C128 repair | On the Youtube channel Cainers Commodore Capers! you can see the repair of a Commodore C128. This Commodore C128 was not working at all. In the video you can follow all the steps from diagnostics, schematics, (de)soldering and testing the system.

LumaFix64 | Biosrhythm tested the new LumaFix64 for the Commodore C64. The LumaFix 64 is a small PCB that is placed between the VIC-II and the motherboard. It can adjust the signals AEC, PHI0 and Chroma to hide the vertical stripes on the output image of the C64.

Jocopod interface & Speeding On The A81 | Speeding On The A81 is racing game for the Commodore C64. The game has 24 classical car models and can be played with a joysticks, paddles and even a PC steering wheel. For the steering wheel you will need the Jocopod interface.

Big Book of Amiga Hardware | New additions to the Big Book of Amiga Hardware web page: American Laser Games: Mad Dog McRee, C-Ltd (Cardco Ltd): A1000 Scsi Controller, MacroSystem (US & Germany): Falcon 1240, Microbotics: StarBoard 2 adaptor (SB2000), DKB: Battdisk, Custom Chips: Buster, HiSoft: Whippet, Phoenix Micro Technologies: Phoenix Expansion Box (A1000 version & A500 version), Commodore: Diagnostics aid for A1000 - 314066-01, Newtek: DigiView, Commodore: Sync Dongle - VGA Adaptor, Scala: Workstation 040, Commodore: A1000 TV Modulator, Commodore: AA3000, Commodore: A3000+, Commodore: 020/030 prototype CPU board, Commodore: 2.0 ROM tower and Commodore: A1000+ '040 prototype.

The Electronics Show #2 - World's first iPad? | Tommy Helgevold made a video about the early portable computers. Besides computers from Apple, Amstrad, Casio, Atari and many PDA's our beloved Commodore SX-64 is also in this video.

GadgetUK164 - 1451 | GadgetUK164 made a video about the repair of an Commodore 1451 disk drive. After examining, cleaning and a repair the drive now works like it should.

GadgetUK164 - Amiga 500 power supply repair | GadgetUK164 made a video about the repair of a Zydec power supply for an Amiga 500. The power supply can also be used for an A600 or A1200.

A500Flash | A500Flash is a Kickstart switcher that makes it possible to switch between available ROM images by holding down the CTRL+A+A keys. Features: Amiga A500, A500+ and A2000 models. Support for 512kB or 1 MB ROM images. Flash chips programming with native AmigaOS software.

Jetgrab | This new accessory for the Princess cartridge can be used to grab the content of Commodore tapes in stand-alone mode. It can be used for cassettes of all 8-bit commodore computers. The power for this system is an USB connection.

Business card printer - C64 | Todd George build an business card printer for his Commodore C64. He used an Epson TM-325UD model M133A printer and a serial connection for his C64. The printer program can make an QR code and print it on the business card.

COREi64 Store | In the COREi64 store you can find all sorts of 3D printed parts for your Commodore 64/128 and VIC-20 computer. A few examples are: C8D Joystick Switcher case, SuperCard Pro case, KryoFlux case, UK1541 case, Commodore 1571 Floppy drive lever and many more.

Rohde & Schwarz PUC | NatureAndTech made a video about the Rohde & Schwarz PUC Process Controller. This piece of retro computing is based on the Commodore PET, and is used for control of test equipment using a built-in GPIB controller.

Bart Venneker - C64, Out Of Memory Error (Dutch) | Bart Venneker made a video about a defective Commodore C64. He bought a Commodore 64 on Marktplaats, but after switching it on there was a memory error. The solution was to replace the memory chips.

Colour RAM repair - C64 | On the Youtube channel Cainers Commodore Capers! you can see the repair of a Commodore C64. This Commodore C64 had a bad colour RAM. In the video you can follow all the steps from diagnostics, schematics, (de)soldering and testing the system.

A520HD | GGLABS has developed the A520HD. The GGLABS A520HD is the HDTV equivalent of the classic Commodore A520 TV modulator. Instead of encoding the Amiga video signal to a low quality composite output it converts the RGB output to a high quality YPbPr signal compatible with HDTVs with a component input.

VIC20 - The Penultimate Cartridge | Tynemouth Software LLP is working on a new cartridge for the Commodore VIC20. The features are: RAM expansion 3 kByte - 32 kByte. Read only option for RAM blocks 3 and 5. Configuration and reset switches and game cartridge emulation.

FPGA Arcade Replay | A new version of the Amiga core for the FPGA Arcade is now available. Changes in this version: 2 kByte instruction and 2 kByte data cache. The performance is around 11.3 mips / 10800 dhrystones with sysinfo 4.0. The RTG dedicated blitter is now working and the scan doubler has been improved for better results on DVI monitors.

Commodore 64: a visual Commpendium, part 2 | A new Kickstarter project is started for part two of the book Commodore 64: a visual Commpendium. The book celebrates the beauty of the greatest home computer ever made; the C64. The focus of the book is on the beautiful loading screens and game images.

HC508 Amiga 500 accelerator card | Mc68k is working on an accelerator card for the Amiga 500. The specifications are: 68HC000 CPU (50 MHz), 40 pin IDE connector (5 MB/s) for HDD, CD ROM etc., integrated CF card connector (3.2 MB/s), 8 MB Fast RAM and 512k FlashROM for Kickstart.

GCart Jr. v2.1 | Thomas Lövskog is developing cartridges for the Commodore VIC-20. The GCart Junior is a RAM expansion for the VIC-20. The recent changes are: PCB v2.1. 16 Mbyte internal flash. LED for SD card and USB activity. 512k SRAM for BLK5. The EEPROM is removed and single colour LEDs, instead of bi-colour LED's.

Desoldering of chips | Clay Cowgill made and demonstration video on how to remove chips from a circuit board. He uses an Hakko 850 hot air system to remove DIP chips from a 1987 era two-layer computer printed circuit board (Atari 130XE).

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