Commodore.news

PC to 1581 | Simon Owen has written a program that can control the uPD765a floppy disk controller. This makes it possible to read or write normal PC floppy in a different way. The latest version of his program makes it possible to read and write a floppy in a normal PC and then use it in the 1581 3,5disdrive from Commodore. This program can be used with Windows 2000, XP and 2003.

Yape 0.68 | In the new version of the Plus/4 emulator Yape there is a new addition. The Toshiba 6721 speech integrated circuit has been emulated. This means that Yape is now a V364 emulator as well. The difference between a normal Plus/4 and the prototype V364 is a bigger keyboard and the speech capabilities. Another feature is the performance mode for very slow PCs. In this mode the speed is up by about 3 times but true drive emulation is turned off and the TED is not 100% accurate. Download the latest version from the web site.

CP/M 3.0 Plus on the C128 | The C128 is a special computer that can run two processors. With The Z80 Processor you can run CP/M software. This page will show how you can run CP/M 3.0 Plus on your C128.

Ami Kit 1.2.0 | AmiKit is the compilation of more than 300 of the finest Amiga programs. To be brief, AmiKit is all you need if you want to experience a high-end Classic Amiga system (providing you own legal AmigaOS and ROM file). AmiKit contains many expansions and add-ons (more than 20.000 files are included in AmiKit!) that turn the default AmigaOS installation into a completely renewed and fresh environment.

C-One PAL core #13 | Peter Wendrich is pumping out PAL cores faster than you can test them. CPU, all normal opcodes work and some illegal opcodes too. VIC-II is cycle exact but still a few little problems with the side borders. ROM's and PLA are fully emulated. CIA is not complete yet. SID is improved in this version.

VICE 1.20 | A new version of VICE is released. C64 - More supported cartridges, Swiftlink and turbo232 support, 256k memory expansion. PET - 128kb REU memory expansion support. PLUS4 - Added 256k, 1024k and 4096k memory expansion support. The 8-bit Commodore emulator VICE will run on the following platforms: AmigaOS3, AmigaOS4, MorphOS, AROS (x86/ppc), GP2X port, MAC OSX, Windows, Acorn RISC, BeOS, Linux, Unix, OS/2, Solaris and MS-DOS.

NinjaTracker V2.0 | New version of the C64 muziek editor with different, but still quite minimal featureset. Changes to previous versions include commands (also used as instruments), 2-column tables and a slide function that stops at target pitch. As before, allows to save both normal executable music-data and game-music data without the player. You can download this program from the Tools section on the web page.

The Crypt magazine | In this on-line HTML magazine the following Amiga articles: Amiga Project, Hardware construction part 1 and 2, Hired Guns, Amiga BASIC on 3.1.

volksFORTH | This is a 16bit Forth System produced by the german Forth Gesellschaft e.V. Main development of this system was done between 1985 until 1989. The volksFORTH Project was revived in 2005 with the goal to produce a manageable Forthsystem for computer systems with restricted system resources. The current Version of VolksForth is 3.81. Work on Version 3.90 has started. At this time volksFORTH is available for this Systems: volksFORTH MS-DOS, volksFORTH 6502 (Commodore 64, Commodore Plus 4, Commodore PET, Apple 1, Atari XL/XE), volksFORTH Z80 (CP/M, Amstrad CPC), volksFORTH 68000 (Atari ST)

Project One | This is a picture converter and editor for the c64. P1's main goal is to give a tool into the hand of c64 artists that is as easy and fun to use, while boosting productivity. P1 also tries to give access to the most used software modes. It can import pictures from GIF, JPG and other standards. Sprite modes will come later. This program is used on a Windows based computer.

8 Shades of Black | This is a collaboration trackmo, works on a C=16. It won the 8bit demo competition at Árok Party 8. Part contributed by: Cseri Attila (Ati), Varga Gábor (Skoro), Pankaczy Csaba (Csabo), Sánta István (Hifi), Utne Vanja (Mermaid), Halin Peter (Britelite), György Róbert (Optika), Dötsch András (bubis), Jache Ingo (Dr. Death), Bedegi Viktor (DCD), Carrafiello Luca (Luca), Tettinger Tamás (Chronos) Kemeri Csaba (Unreal).

Shorten v3.6.0 | Shorten is a fast, low complexity waveform coder (i.e. audio compressor), originally written by Tony Robinson at SoftSound. It can operate in both lossy and lossless modes. Thanks to Michel 'DMX' Bagmeijer for his port to AmigaOS, m68k and WarpOS.

C64 Ethernet | Leif Bloomquist has made a web page to show the possibility of connecting a Commodore 64 to an Ethernet network, and ultimately to the Internet. Why? Well, because it is there as a fun embedded - systems type project. There is lots of untapped potential for online network games, and games were one of the C64s strengths. This page is a brief summary of the state of the art of Ethernet on the C64 as of August 2006. It only looks at true Ethernet solutions.

Primary Star 2006 | If you missed this meeting then you still have a chance to look at the photos. You can also download the releases from the party. And of course the official Results of the competitions.

Minimig at Codex Alpe Adria 2006 | Dennis van Weeren was present on the Codex Alpe Adria 2006 in Italy. He gave a demonstration on his minimig. His project won second place a C-one. When he's done with his minimig he can do a C64 in his C-one. If you want to listen to his demonstration check out the website.

Lotek64 #18 | In the German PDF magazine Lotek64 there are the following items: Advanced Space Battle, Computer in the DDR.

CEVI-aktuell 08/06 | In this German PDF magazine the following items: Book reviews, Joystick project.

www.amigamusic.com | Chris Gray is a collector of Amiga music. But he always had trouble with mods. Wrong players or trackers or just a mod that was not correct. He started to collect Amiga MP3 music. The music was a part of his website. But now Chris has put up a dedicated website for his MP3's. Check out this website if you love Amiga music.

Retro Computer Day | In November there will be another Retro Computer Dag (26-11-2006) in the Netherlands. Not only Commodore computers but all other home- or gamecomputer will be on show. After the success of the latest show this time even more tables.

WinUAE 1.3.1 | The popular Amiga emulator for the Windows PC has made some improvements. A couple of examples are. Original extended ADF read bug. Larger than 1280 wide fullscreen modes work. WHDLoad - commands supported. PC floppy drive drive sound emulation :) PC DD and HD floppy image support. Improved audio filter and interpolation code from uade added. Build-in HRTMon debugger / monitor. Action Replay for Amiga 1200 ROM image support. Fixed garbage lines when program mixed interlace and non - interlace modes. Go to the website for the latest version.

VICE for the Apple | Chris made a complete package to install the VICE emulator on a Apple computer. The features are: Automatically compiles everything from source. Universal Binaries for PowerPC and Intel Macs are created. For each emulator a bundled Application is created that starts up on single click. Launches required X11 automatically. Shows both console and emulator window. MacViceBuilder can be downloaded from the website.

Amiga Adventure | The Bosco Brothers released two of their old games for download. The first game is The World of Magic and was originally created in 1997. This is a adventure game but it's a point and click adventure so you don't have to type in the instructions just click on the screen. The second game is the follow-up of the first game and is called: The World of Magic 2: Ghelae's Quest. You can download the games as ADF's put them on an original diskette and play them on a real Amiga. But the games can also be used with an emulator like WinUAE.

C-one PAL core | A new update of the C64 PAL core by Peter Wendrich. Finally, games can be played! Sprites work, collisions between sprites and sprite/characters are properly recognized, and it should be cycle-exact now. The flickerfixer has been improved, and should work with all monitors now that support 50Hz vertical rate.

Club Info 94 | In this double sided d64 diskmag the following: Tips and Tricks, GAIA's Pocket Plus/4, Sudoku game, Magisches Quad, Kikstart Map 1 and 2, Hidden Line, ZX Graph, Games Guide. Club Info is written in the German language.

FMan's 32k ROM for Retro Replay | This is a special version of Sami Klemola's utility ROM that can be flashed into one of the FlashROM banks of an RR. This is the first real release. It has the known bugs fixed. You can also use this on VICE without needing to flash the actual cartridge, or even having to have an RR! Report any malfunction to Sami. All of the utilities included now work, as BASIC is now also initialized before starting them, with a bit of a hack though, abusing the keyboard buffer. There are no operating instructions, but simply press F1, F3 or F5 to launch one of the included utility programs. Press 2 or 3 to select disk and tape turbo, respectively, and then F7 to reset, or alternatively press space to reset without fast loaders. You can also hold down the left shift or right shift to bypass the menu into turbo or normal mode.

Blender / Yafray | Latest update for these raytracer programs.

MPlayer / MEncoder | You can download the latest version of Mplayer and MEncoder from the website.

Welle:Erdball | On Saturday 12th in August Welle:Erdball will be performing at the Summerdarkness Festival in music theatre Tivoli (Utrecht, the Netherlands). Starting in 1990 Welle:Erdball is working on the revival of the 80's. Analog synthesizers in their electronic, minimalistic pop-music with German lyrics attract people to a world of technology, futurism and perfect products. You can think of the catchy sounds of Kraftwerk, Ideal, DAF and Profil. But added with a great show with a Kaleidoscope of computer-art in black and white. In many songs Welle:Erdball makes use of the SID chip. The Commodore 64 is a member of the band. These are reasons enough to go see them live in Urecht.

DTV-2 Filesystem creation tool | Adam released a tool to change the Flash-ROM in your DTV-2. This (DOS) program will build a FLASHFS.BIN containing files in the text file you specify. But be careful flashing your DTV. One mistake and you will have a paperweight.

Marble Logic 2006 | PCH (Petr Chlud) from Unreal had released his latest version of the game Marble Logic. This game is free to download.

April 1.3 | AmigaZeux and Stevo are happy to release yet another update of the best calendar in the whole universe. This program is written for MorphOS. April can track far beyond 2030, so it's perfectly suitable for waiting for the release of Troika. You can download this calendar program from the website.

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