Commodore News Page - News: Hardware

MP3 player - Plus/4

Kozma Zsolt (Chizman) made a hardware MP3 player for the Commodore Plus/4. He uses the DFPlayer Mini and an ADC0820. The communication between the MP3 player and the Plus/4 is via RS232.

2018-09-21 - 13:19:00 - Week: 38 - Item number: 6544 - Category: C16, C116, Plus/4, Hardware

Joystick - USB

Arananet has developed a joystick to USB interface. This interface makes it possible to use your favourite joystick with an emulator on your PC. Plug & Play and Auto-fire is supported.

2018-09-21 - 13:18:00 - Week: 38 - Item number: 6543 - Category: Commodore, Hardware

Daniel Renner - Pi1541

Daniel Renner made a video about building a Pi1541 disk drive emulator.

2018-09-21 - 13:11:00 - Week: 38 - Item number: 6536 - Category: Commodore, Hardware

Checkmate A1500 Plus - Kickstarter

Stephen Jones started a Kickstarter campaign to produce a new Checkmate A1500 Plus PC case. The new PC case is inspired on the Amiga 3000.

2018-09-21 - 13:07:00 - Week: 38 - Item number: 6532 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

Retrohax - Amiga

Retrohax used a hydrographic method for making prints on three Amiga 500. He made blue smoke, water droplets and a pixel pattern.

2018-09-21 - 13:03:00 - Week: 38 - Item number: 6528 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

Jeroen developed a new device for the Commodore C64. With this device it is possible to swap the joystick ports of the C64. The Joyswap is build inside the C64c and swaps the joystick ports when you hold down the Restore key for 3 seconds. It is also possible to use the device as a Kernal switcher.

2018-09-14 - 13:22:00 - Week: 37 - Item number: 6524 - Category: C64, Hardware

AmigaPortal.de is a German forum for the Amiga user. The sections of the forum are: Hardware, software, games, emulation, pixel, video, MorphOS, PC, tutorials, music, internet and an English section.

Plus/4 World is a web page for the Commodore Plus/4 (but also the C16 and the C116). On the web page: news items, manuals, articles, a forum, general info and much more.

RetroCengo - Amiga 500 FastRam expansions

RetroCengo made a video about an Amiga 500 FastRam expansion with a Gary adaptor and 2.5 MB FastRam.

2018-09-14 - 13:20:00 - Week: 37 - Item number: 6522 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

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. Most recent updates: A keyboard prototype.

2018-09-14 - 13:17:00 - Week: 37 - Item number: 6519 - Category: Commodore, Hardware

IECHost

Luigi Di Fraia has added more functionality to his IECHost device. With this device you can connect a Commodore IEC disk drive via USB to a PC. This time he added 40-tracks support.

2018-09-14 - 13:12:00 - Week: 37 - Item number: 6514 - Category: Commodore, Hardware

C256 Foenix

Stefany Allaire is working on a successor for the Commodore C64/128. Recent changes: The video output (VGA/DVI) is now working.

2018-09-14 - 13:06:00 - Week: 37 - Item number: 6508 - Category: Commodore, Hardware

VIC-20 Full Motion Video

Is it possible to have Full Motion Video on a VIC-20. Well... with the proper hardware and some highly optimized code... YES!

2018-09-07 - 13:09:00 - Week: 36 - Item number: 6501 - Category: VIC-20, Hardware

Bwack - C64 Saver Add-On

Bwack made another video about developing the Commodore C64 Saver as an open source project. He now developed an Add-On board to the C64 Saver.

2018-09-07 - 13:07:00 - Week: 36 - Item number: 6499 - Category: C64, Hardware

RetroManCave - Amiga Mini DJ Set

RetroManCave made a video about an Amiga Mini DJ Set.

2018-09-07 - 13:01:00 - Week: 36 - Item number: 6493 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

Re-Amiga 1200

John Hertell is working on reproducing the printed circuit board for the Amiga 1200. He used a scan of a real Amiga 1200 motherboard to create the files for making new motherboards.

2018-08-24 - 13:11:00 - Week: 34 - Item number: 6481 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

MiniGANGCART - C64

The miniGANGCART is a new cartridge for the Commodore C64. The features are: Fast load for 1541, 1571, 1581 and SD2IEC, Final III cartridge, 8 Mbit EPROM, diagnostics tools and games.

2018-08-17 - 13:18:00 - Week: 33 - Item number: 6469 - Category: C64, Hardware

Tynemouth Software - PET replacement keyboards

Tynemouth Software has developed a replacement keyboard for the Commodore PET computers. The replacement keyboards are available for the "graphics" keyboard and the "chicklet" keyboard. The keyboard is now also available with a black circuit board.

2018-08-10 - 13:06:00 - Week: 32 - Item number: 6441 - Category: KIM-1, PET, CBM, Hardware

C256 Foenix

Stefany Allaire is working on a successor for the Commodore C64/128. At the moment the development of the motherboard has been completed.

2018-08-10 - 13:03:00 - Week: 32 - Item number: 6438 - Category: Commodore, Hardware

Commodore 128 Bass guitar

Stegi 3178 started a project to make a bass guitar from a Commodore C128.

2018-08-10 - 13:02:00 - Week: 32 - Item number: 6437 - Category: C128(D), Hardware

Steampunk C64 Laptop

Bad Dog Designs made a steampunk version of the Commodore C64. The features are: An oak case with a Commodore C64, 12" LCD colour screen, 4 loudspeakers and a SD2IEC.

2018-08-03 - 13:09:00 - Week: 31 - Item number: 6431 - Category: C64, Hardware

Jan Derogee - Tommygun

With the use of MDF and 3D printed parts Jan has converted his Stack light rifle into a very realistic looking Tommygun. To carry this lightgun in style, he also made a suitcase. In the appropriate 1920's style.

2018-07-27 - 13:12:00 - Week: 30 - Item number: 6421 - Category: Commodore, Hardware

The Andy Warhol Museum Amiga Exhibit

Iontank made a museum exhibit to show the original Andy Warhol art that was made on an Amiga 1000 computer. The inside of the Amiga 1000 has been replaced with a new solid state PC, but the Amiga can be used by the museum visitors.

2018-07-27 - 13:11:00 - Week: 30 - Item number: 6420 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

Commodore Pet Tape Recovery

Galb2x2 made a video about recovering a cassette tape for the Commodore PET computer. He uses a C2N Datasette and an Arduino.

2018-07-27 - 13:08:00 - Week: 30 - Item number: 6417 - Category: KIM-1, PET, CBM, Hardware

C64 / Drive controller

Oe7Twj developed three projects for the Commodore C64 and disk drive. The projects are all made with the help of an Arduino: Track display, Floppy controller and a C64 controller.

2018-07-27 - 13:07:00 - Week: 30 - Item number: 6416 - Category: C64, Hardware

Vampire / Apollo - Gold 2.10

The Vampire turbo card uses the Apollo FPGA-core to emulate the 68000 CPU and the SAGA graphics chip. The changes for Apollo are: Improvements for IDE speeds, SBCD, ChipRAM, CIA, VControl, VampireSN, SDNet and V2ExpEth.

2018-07-27 - 13:04:00 - Week: 30 - Item number: 6413 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

SID emulation - Teensy 3.6

Petros Kokotis developed a SID replacement using a Teensy 3.6. This emulator uses the Frank Boesing ReSID library to do emulation of the SID.

2018-07-27 - 13:00:00 - Week: 30 - Item number: 6409 - Category: C64, Hardware

ZZ9000 - Amiga

The ZZ9000 is the successor to the VA2000 Amiga graphics card. The features are: 1920x1080 pixels, Dual 666MHz ARM Cortex A9 coprocessors (jpeg / MP3), 1GB DDR3 RAM, Ethernet and a SD Card.

2018-07-20 - 13:15:00 - Week: 29 - Item number: 6407 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

Cengomania X - Amiga 3000 - Gotek

Cengomania X made a video about adding a Oled Gotek drive to his Amiga 3000.

2018-07-20 - 13:13:00 - Week: 29 - Item number: 6405 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

SID XMC + MIDI

SID XMC + MIDI is a new hardware project for the Commodore C64. The features are: 3 channel 12bit 64MHz PDM, 4bit master volume and support for paddles and MIDI.

2018-07-20 - 13:10:00 - Week: 29 - Item number: 6402 - Category: C64, Hardware

KA 21 - Gayle reset

The KA 21 is a hardware solution for Gayle PCMCIA reset bug. With a standard Amiga 1200 the PCMCIA does not get a reset signal if a system reset is active. The KA 21 solves this problem.

2018-07-20 - 13:07:00 - Week: 29 - Item number: 6399 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

Daniel Renner - Greisi power supply

Daniel Renner made a video about building a Greisi power supply for the Commodore C64.

2018-07-20 - 13:06:00 - Week: 29 - Item number: 6398 - Category: C64, Hardware

TFW8b Value - VIC20 MAX RAM Cartridge

Tynemouth Software has developed a new RAM cartridge for the Commodore VIC20. The configuration is possible via a menu with 3, 8, 16, 24, 27, 32 or 35 KByte of RAM.

2018-07-13 - 13:07:00 - Week: 28 - Item number: 6383 - Category: VIC-20, Hardware

Retr-O-Mat - Amiga 2500

Retr-O-Mat made a video about a Amiga 2500 with many additions, and one of them is a Vampire turbo-card.

2018-07-13 - 13:00:00 - Week: 28 - Item number: 6376 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

Dan Wood - Amiga CD32 & Terrible Fire 328

Dan Wood talks about the Terrible Fire 328 expansion for the Commodore Amiga CD32 console which adds extra RAM and an IDE interface.

2018-07-06 - 13:14:00 - Week: 27 - Item number: 6370 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

RetroManCave - Checkmate A1500

RetroManCave made a video about the Checkmate A1500.

And an interview with Stephen Jones of Checkmate Digital.

2018-07-06 - 13:12:00 - Week: 27 - Item number: 6368 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

KC64WIFI

KC64WIFI is a C64 user-port modem up to 9600 baud based on a NodeMCU module with custom code to support Hayes commands. The KC64WIFI also has a reset switch for the modem and the C64.

2018-06-29 - 13:14:00 - Week: 26 - Item number: 6351 - Category: C64, Hardware

VectrexRoli - C128D

VectrexRoli made a video about the Commodore C128D. He show his modifications and how to connect the 1541 Ultimate II.

2018-06-29 - 13:09:00 - Week: 26 - Item number: 6346 - Category: C128(D), Hardware

Bwack - C64 Power-supply

Bwack made a video about building an power-supply for the Commodore C64. This power-supply also has a digital readout for the voltage and the current.

2018-06-22 - 13:16:00 - Week: 25 - Item number: 6336 - Category: C64, Hardware

That 3D Print Guy - C64 Joystick

That 3D Print Guy made a video about the joystick he is building for the Commodore C64. The plans will be available soon.

2018-06-22 - 13:11:00 - Week: 25 - Item number: 6331 - Category: Commodore, Hardware

Daniel Renner - SD2IEC remote display

Daniel Renner made a video about a SD2IEC device with a remote display modification.

2018-06-22 - 13:00:00 - Week: 25 - Item number: 6320 - Category: C64, Hardware

C256 Foenix

Stefany Allaire is working on a successor for the Commodore C64/128. The specifications are: CPU: 65C816 @ 14Mhz, 512 KBytes (code), 1 MByte (video), 640 x 480 / 256 colours, DVI, Sprites, Blitter, Sound (6581 / YM3812), Midi, Joystick, RS-232, Serial, 3.5" Disk drive, Cartridge and PS2 mouse & keyboard.

2018-06-15 - 13:14:00 - Week: 24 - Item number: 6319 - Category: Commodore, Hardware

Bwack - C64 Saver

Bwack made a video about developing the Commodore C64 Saver as an open source project.

2018-06-15 - 13:12:00 - Week: 24 - Item number: 6317 - Category: C64, Hardware

Obscura

Obscura is an Arduino compatible 8-bit synthesizer that allows you to create NES, C64 and Amiga-style chiptune music by simply connecting a MIDI device.

2018-06-15 - 13:02:00 - Week: 24 - Item number: 6307 - Category: Hardware, Music

HxC floppy emulator - v2.1.11.1

For the HxC floppy emulator is new firmware available. The HxC floppy emulator is a replacement of a 3.5 inch disk-drive in for example an Amiga or a Atari ST. Recent changes in the firmware: Improvements for H8D Heathkit, Kryoflux Stream Loader & Stream analyzer, NSI Northstar, Flux Stream and ADF Writer.

2018-06-08 - 13:02:00 - Week: 23 - Item number: 6292 - Category: Commodore, Hardware