TPUG (Toronto PET Users Group) has launched a YouTube channel. On this channel you can see several presentations from recent World of Commodore shows. A few examples of these presentations are: PetSynth, Ultimate, Fastfingers, ZoomFloppy, EasyFlash, Visual 6502 etc.

Web page of the TPUG (Toronto PET Users Group).

Bitfixer has started a new project. After his PETdisk he now is developing the PETvet. The PETvet is a RAM / ROM replacement for the Commodore PET. The PETvet also allows you to view the memory of a running PET by halting the CPU and sending the memory contents over a serial port. When the prototype is finished a kit will be available.

The Proxa 7000 expansion was made by the German company Ultra Electronic. It adds CBM 8000 series compatibility to the CBM 700 series. For a long time nobody could use this rare expansion because the software was missing. But recently the software was found. You can read more about this very rare expansion on Steve Gray's Commodore web page.

Thomas created an Commodore PET inside a FPGA. Features: Digilent Nexys3 FPGA board. 6502 implementation (Max: 50 Mhz). 640x400 VGA output. 16K ROM / 16K RAM. PS/2 keyboard. Datassette simulation. CB2 audio.

Video about a Commodore PET in an FPGA.

Ken from the web page pcmodhouse.com has built a modern version of a Commodore PET 2001. He bought an non working PET 2001 and replaced the motherboard, keyboard and monitor with modern items. The specifications of the PET 2011 are: AMD Phenom X6 1090T, MSI 870A-G54, 16GB DDR3-1333, Radeon 6850 1GB, 64GB SSD, 640GB WD Black and a 650 Watt XFX PSU. You can see all the details of this "casemod" on his web page.

The PETdisk is a new storage device, made by bitfixer, for the Commodore CBM / PET with an IEEE-488 port. The system is in two parts. A datassette module that makes it possible to play "data" from a PC soundcard to the CBM / PET and play "data" from the CBM / PET to the PC. The IEEE-488 module has an SD card and a micro processor. You can use the commands LOAD, SAVE and LOAD "$" to load or store data on the SD card. The device number can be changed with a help of a jumper. The USB cable is used to provide 5VDC from the datassette module to the IEEE-488 module.

Demonstration video of the PETdisk.

Jac Goudsmit is working on a modern version of the Commodore CBM/PET computer. He uses a combination of a modern programmable Propeller chip, a 6502 processor and a GadgetGangster Propeller Platform motherboard. The latest changes are: Schematics improved. RAM is now controlled directly instead of via latches. The signals CLK2 and SYNC and the LED are removed from the design. At the moment Jac is working on a software update for the ProPeddle.

The petSD from Nils Eilers will be soon for sale at retro-donald.de. The petSD is a new storage device system for the Commodore CBM computers with a IEEE 488 bus. Some of the features are: Modular design. Bus drivers. FAT12/FAT16/FAT32 SD cards. D64/D71/D81. Subdirectory. Real time clock. Easy firmware upgrade. USB and Ethernet interface.

Technical information about the petSD.

Gilbert Coville repaired an old Commodore KIM-1 computer. On his web page you can see a comprehensive description of the repair. At the start the KIM-1 was missing a few parts: a 6530 PIO / RAM / ROM, three 7-segment displays and a unknown component. The most difficult part is replacing the 6530.

Video van de KIM-1 reparatie.

Twylo told us last month that he is working on a SD card for the Commodore PET/CBM. He now has an improved proto-type. This prototype is made on a so-called breadboard with loose components and wire connection. In the near future he is going to make some prototype PCBs. You can watch the latest proto-type in a YouTube video.

Nils Eilers is working on a new storage device for Commodore CBM computers with a IEEE 488 bus. The petSD can replace the floppy or hard-disk and uses a SD memory card for the data storage. He has made a working prototype with an ATmega 1284P, IEEE 488 bus drivers, real time clock and a serial-USB-converter. At this moment the following features are working: load, save, directory, disk-status, mount a d64 image and disk changes. You can follow the progress of the petSD on the web page of Nils.

Jac Goudsmit has started a new hardware project. He is going to build a modern version of the Commodore CBM/PET computer. He uses a modern programmable Propeller chip in combination with a real 6502 processor on the ProPeddle circuit board. The ProPeddle circuit board is placed on a GadgetGangster Propeller Platform motherboard to complete the system. You can follow the progress of ProPeddle on the blog of Jac.

Twylo got hold of some Commodore PET computers, but without a disk-drive. He decided to make his own storage device. He build and interface between the PET and a SD memory card. You can see a small demonstration in a YouTube video.

Jason Grow made a game for the Commodore PET computer. In this simulation game you must manage a biohazard and save as many people as you can. The game can be played on a PET with 8 kByte memory and a 40 column screen or with the VICE emulator. You can also watch a video tutorial of the game.

Steve Benway from the retrogamingcollector.com web page made a YouTube video about the CBM 8032. In this review he talks about the history and technical details of the CBM 8032.

André Fachat has connected his Commodore 8296 to an ethernet, running the TCP/IP protocol. To make this possible he extended his CBM computer with a CS/A ethernet board. On the software side he ported the uIP v1.0 TCP/IP stack to the cc65 compiler, and integrated the CS8900A driver from contiki v1. For all the details you must visit the web page of André.

Michau has started a web page dedicated to the CBM-II computers. On his blog you can read about his projects. He transformed a CBM 720 into a CBM 720D, He works on a cartridge that give syou the possibility to connect a IEC disk drive to a CBM_II. And he has demonstrated that a CBM-II can use MS-DOS with the rare 8088 co-processor board.

The demo group ORB released a demo for the Commodore PET. This demo demonstrates a new graphics mode. You can watch the demo on YouTube. The demo and the source code is also available for download from the Pouët web page. The demo is made by Ultra (code), 4mat (code and music) and Ilkke (graphics).

André Fachat is working on a CPU card for the CBM/PET computers. His prototype now works on the 8296 model. The CPU card contains a 65816 processor which runs on 12.5 MHz. It also uses a Xilinx CPLD as logic glue and is has 1 MByte fast RAM and 512k Flash ROM. Take a look at André's web page for more information about this project.

Johannes Eggers made a small interface that makes it possible to connect a PS/2 keyboard to your Commodore CBM or PET computer. You can even reset your PET/CBM by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Del on the keyboard. Visit his blog for all the details.

Matthew D'Asaro has developed a 6540 ROM replacement. The 6540 ROMs are inside the PET / CBM computers. An original EPROM is very hard to get but the 2716 EPROM can replace it. But to make the replacement possible Matthew developed a little adapter, you can build it yourself or order a complete adapter with programmed EPROM.

Blok Copy is a new game for the PET / CBM written by T.M.R. Bizzmo and SLL helped with the music and graphics. Blok Copy is a puzzle game were you have to arrange tiles. The game can be played on a PET / CBM with 40 columns and 8 kbyte memory or with the VICE emulator. You can download the game or order the game on cassette or diskette.

Michael Sachse from cbmhardware.de is developing a RAM drive for the CBM 8296. This RAM drive will hold up to 1 MByte of data. It will have a battery to keep the memory safe after switching of the computer. You can follow the development on Micheal's web page.

This web site is dedicated to keeping the Commodore PET and CBM II series alive into the future. On this web site you can find information and discussions about the PET/CBM II. This web page wants to promote an active development scene for the PET / CBM II and preserve and distribute PET/CBM II related software, manuals and code.

The micro-KIM is a clone of the KIM-1 created by MOS technologies in 1975 as a development board for the 6502 CPU. The micro-KIM uses many of the same components as the KIM-1 to give it that authentic vintage feel. A total of 5K RAM is onboard with an expansion header for future expansion of memory or add-on boards.

Cameron Kaiser has updated his KIM-1 information page. Besides technical info on this first Commodore computer Cameron also released a KIM-1 emulator that runs on a Commodore C64. This emulator is called the Incredible KIMplement. It is a true, partial emulation of the original KIM-1 hardware featuring: Powered by "6o6" - a full software NMOS 6502 emulation with all addressing modes, simulated ROM, and simulated memory - mapped I/O. LED and keypad emulation via partial RIOT emulation. TTY emulation (ASR-33 subset) via partial RIOT emulation. SST emulation. 4K RAM expander card KIM-4 emulation with 8K RAM expander card (thus total address space 16K).Revision EPROMs built-in, so you don't have to find a pirated set or download them from your own KIM. Load and save RAM dumps to disk.

Michael Sachse has made an update available for XLOAD. This program makes it possible to transfer data from a modern PC to the early PETs with Basic 2.0. The computers are connected with a User port - Printer port cable. The transfer rate is about 9,5 KB/Sec.

Michael Sachse has put a database on-line for CBM games. There are now 43 games on-line you can download. Games are for the first line of Commodore computers like the CBM and PET machines. All games come with an screen-shot and details.

For the Plus/4, C16 and C116 a SID cartridge is being developed. But next are the PET's and CBM's. There is an expansion available to put a SID (music chip from the C64) into the "oldies".

PET / CBM owners missed out on the cartridgeport like on the next generation of Commodore computers like the VIC 20, C64. Plus/4, ect. But Michael Sachse build himself a catridgeport for the PET/CBM series. Take a look at his website for the schematics and detailed explanation.

XLOAD is an easy to use way to transfer data from a DOS-PC to a CBM/PET computer. The computer is connected via a Userport <-> Printerport adapter. At the moment it's a one-way system (PC to CBM/PET) but that will change in newer versions of XLOAD. At the moment the transferrate is about 0.5KB/Sec. The test PC is a AT 486/DX-2 66Mhz.

On Michael Sachse www.cbmpet.de website you can read a complete manual to program the 2001, 3001, 8001 computer in the assembler language. Manual is in the German language.

If you think about a grafix card you might think that's something for the modern PC. But even for the PET series a grafix card was made by the company Eltecthe PET series had a grafix card ad-on. With this card could do a 220 x 256 bitmap on the screen. You can download the whole document and schematics. (German language)

If you want to program the 6809 on the SuperPet you can download the complete manual of the Waterloo 6809 assembler in pdf version.