Commodore News Page - News: Hardware

GGLABS GLINK232T case

The COREi64 web page offers a new product for the retro computer. If you have a GGLABS GLINK232T interface cartridge you can now add a case to it. When you order a case you can choose from many colours.

2020-04-10 - 12:19:00 - Week: 15 - Item number: 7978 - Category: C64, Hardware

Jan Beta - BackBit C64

A new video from Jan Beta. In this video: Jan talks about the new BackBit C64 cartridge for the Commodore C64, C128 and the VIC20.

2020-04-10 - 12:17:00 - Week: 15 - Item number: 7976 - Category: Hardware, YouTube

re-PLAcement Chip - C64

The webpage Commodore4Ever.net now offers a PLA replacement chip. This chip replaces the often defective original PLA chip in the Commodore C64.

2020-04-10 - 12:05:00 - Week: 15 - Item number: 7964 - Category: C64, Hardware

Kung Fu Flash - C64

Kim Jørgensen developed a new cartridge for the Commodore C64. The Kung Fu Flash can emulate different cartridge types, load PRG files and use D64/D71/D81 images. A few examples of the emulated cartridges are: Action Replay, KCS Power Cartridge, Final Cartridge III, Simons' BASIC and EasyFlash.

2020-04-10 - 12:01:00 - Week: 15 - Item number: 7960 - Category: C64, Hardware

Ultimate64 v1.28

There is new firmware available for the U64 / U64E. Changes or improvements in this version: Debug stream over Ethernet, ACIA, Modem Layer, REU, IEC, SuperGames, 1541C, Epyx Fastload, KCS, DMA, telnet, configuration manager, NMI / IRQ and 1764 REU.

2020-04-03 - 12:19:00 - Week: 14 - Item number: 7958 - Category: 8-Bit NextGen, Hardware

ThunderDrive - AztecMonster SCSI / SD mount

The iCore64 web page offers a new product. This mount makes it possible to mount an AztecMonster SCSI to SD board in a ThunderDrive CMD Hard drive clone.

2020-04-03 - 12:17:00 - Week: 14 - Item number: 7956 - Category: Commodore, Hardware

Steve Smit - C64 robot guitar

At the Sydney Amiga User Group meeting on the 8th of March 2020, Steve Smit explains and demonstrates his C64 robot guitar.

2020-04-03 - 12:09:00 - Week: 14 - Item number: 7948 - Category: C64, Hardware

The Micro Museum

If you are in Ramsgate in the United Kingdom don't forget to visit the Micro Museum. The Museum is run by Carol and Mike Deer.

2020-03-27 - 12:08:00 - Week: 13 - Item number: 7927 - Category: Commodore, Hardware

The Guru Meditation - NewTek Video Toaster

In this episode of the Guru Meditation: The NewTek Video Toaster for the Commodore Amiga computer. Bill shows the video switcher, ChromaFX, Toaster Paint, Lightwave 3D, and the character generator.

2020-03-27 - 12:05:00 - Week: 13 - Item number: 7924 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

Programming the C64 again

Jens Christian Ingvartsen Thomsen has written a new book for the Commodore C64. In the book Jens shares his experience on programming his game in assembler.

2020-03-27 - 12:04:00 - Week: 13 - Item number: 7923 - Category: C64, Hardware

A314

The A314 is a trapdoor expansion that lets you use a Raspberry Pi as a co-processor to an Amiga 500. The Amiga 500 and the Raspberry Pi can communicate through a shared memory. The A314 is developed by Niklas Ekström and M. Rönndahl.

An example of using the A314 to play Spotify on an A500.

2020-03-27 - 12:01:00 - Week: 13 - Item number: 7920 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

AMIGA 2020 - Steven Fletcher

AMIGA 2020 will be a documentary film by Steven Fletcher. Steven is now running a Kickstarter campaign to make his documentary about Amiga users, new developments and Amiga events in the Year 2020.

2020-03-20 - 12:18:00 - Week: 12 - Item number: 7917 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

Look Mum No Computer - SID Guitar

The YouTube channel Look Mum No Computer made a bass guitar synthesizer with a SID chip.

2020-03-20 - 12:11:00 - Week: 12 - Item number: 7910 - Category: C64, Hardware

Jan Beta - SaRuMan TED RAM

A new video from Jan Beta. In this video: Jan is looking at the SaRuMan TED RAM expansion for the Commodore C16/C116 from Eslapion.

2020-03-20 - 12:09:00 - Week: 12 - Item number: 7908 - Category: C16, C116, Plus/4, Hardware

A1200 8MB RAM expansion

The web shop Amiga-Kit is now selling a A1200 8MB Fast RAM Memory Expansion for the Amiga 1200. Features: 8MB Fast RAM, Auto-config, Clockport, Support for FPU and Real Time Clock.

2020-03-20 - 12:02:00 - Week: 12 - Item number: 7901 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

BackBit - C64 / C128 / VIC20

BackBit is a multi-purpose cartridge for the Commodore C64, C128 and the VIC20. The features are: SD storage, Real-time-clock and support for D64, D71, D81, CRT, T64, PRG and P00.

2020-03-20 - 12:01:00 - Week: 12 - Item number: 7900 - Category: C64, Hardware

Rob Taylor - SixtyClone

Rob Taylor has been working a long time on a replica Printed Circuit Board (PCB) for the Commodore C64. A replica of the PCB with Assembly #250407 or #250466 PCB is now available. A complete list of components you need to buy yourself is also available.

2020-03-13 - 12:19:00 - Week: 11 - Item number: 7898 - Category: C64, Hardware

Modern Vintage Gamer - MNT ZZ9000

The Modern Vintage Gamer has made a video about a graphics card for the Amiga 2000/3000/4000. The MNT ZZ9000 RTG Card supports resolutions up to 1080p and has onboard ethernet and USB.

2020-03-13 - 12:18:00 - Week: 11 - Item number: 7897 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

Bwack - C64 VICII

Bwack is making a video series about the analysis of the VIC-II die shot. In this part: The address counter.

2020-03-13 - 12:16:00 - Week: 11 - Item number: 7895 - Category: C64, Hardware

Tynemouth Software - C128 keyboard & joysticks - USB

Tynemouth Software has written a blog about making a device to connect a Commodore C128 keyboard and joysticks to USB. With this device the C128 keyboard can be tested or used on a modern PC.

2020-03-13 - 12:10:00 - Week: 11 - Item number: 7889 - Category: C128(D), Hardware

ZZ9500CX - Amiga 500

ZZ9500CX is a Denise adapter for the ZZ9000 graphics card. This adapter makes it possible to use a ZZ9900 graphics card in your Amiga 500.

2020-03-13 - 12:02:00 - Week: 11 - Item number: 7881 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

ReGame 64 #4

ReGame 64 is a printed book about Commodore C64 games and game creators. The articles are: YOOMP!64, Aviator Arcade II, L'Abbaye des morts, RGCD 2019, Graphic Pixel Art, Hunter's Moon (Remastered), Best 2018 C64 game and interviews with Zbigniew, Mark and Antonio.

2020-03-06 - 12:19:00 - Week: 10 - Item number: 7878 - Category: C64, Hardware

Tynemouth Software - PET/CBM keyboard + USB

Tynemouth Software has written a blog about making a device to connect a Commodore PET/CBM keyboard to USB. With this device the PET/CBM keyboard can be tested or used on a modern PC.

2020-03-06 - 12:18:00 - Week: 10 - Item number: 7877 - Category: KIM-1, PET, CBM, Hardware

COREi64 - IEEE "L" RRIOT

The COREi64web page offers a IEEE "L" RRIOT daughterboard. This board makes it possible to replace the original RRIOT chip with a standard 6532 RRIOT chip and an EPROM with the specific code for the device. The following disk drives are supported: 2040, 3040, 4040, 8050, 8250, 8250-LP and the SFD-1001.

2020-03-06 - 12:17:00 - Week: 10 - Item number: 7876 - Category: Commodore, Hardware

Blast Annual 2020

There is a new Kickstarter campaign for a book about retro game platforms. The articles in this book are: Retro events, Stephen Wrenn Smith, Scene World, THEC64, ZX NEXT, Sega, Victor Parada, Gunnar Kanold, Carleton Handley, Israel Roman, Ryan Burger, Santiago Ontanon and many game reviews.

2020-03-06 - 12:14:00 - Week: 10 - Item number: 7873 - Category: Commodore, Hardware

Amiga 500 FPGA accelerator

Mike is experimenting with an accelerator for the Amiga 500. He uses an adapter board and a Terasic DE0 Nano FPGA board. The FPGA is loaded with the TG68 core and an extra 32 MB of RAM is also available.

2020-03-06 - 12:08:00 - Week: 10 - Item number: 7867 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

COREi64 - MasterAdapter

The COREi64web page now offers a reproduction of the Schnelder Systems MasterAdapter. This device allowed the simultaneous use of the TurboMaster CPU and a GEOram cartridge or Commodore REU.

2020-02-28 - 12:19:00 - Week: 9 - Item number: 7858 - Category: C64, Hardware

Ms Mad Lemon - SIDBoombox

Ms Mad Lemon is building a SIDBoombox. She is combining a modern SID player and a 80s portable radio cassette player. You can follow the progress on her YouTube channel.

2020-02-28 - 12:16:00 - Week: 9 - Item number: 7855 - Category: Commodore, Hardware

RetroCengo - Gotek

A new video from RetroCengo. In this video: How you can install a Gotek in a Amiga 500. A Gotek replaces the floppy disk drive with an USB connection. The computer communicates with the Gotek just like a real disk drive.

2020-02-28 - 12:15:00 - Week: 9 - Item number: 7854 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

Daniel Renner - C64 Custom cartridges

A new video from Daniel Renner. In this video: Building custom cartridges for the Commodore C64. He talks about Super Mario Bros 64, Skullcart, Basic programs, Zaxxon, Magic Desk Cartridge and the SMB64 cartridge case.

2020-02-28 - 12:14:00 - Week: 9 - Item number: 7853 - Category: C64, Hardware

KernalKart 64

KernalKart 64 is a cartridge for the Commodore C64 that makes it possible to choose between 8 different kernals. You can order the KernalKart 64 with your favourite kernals pre-installed.

2020-02-28 - 12:10:00 - Week: 9 - Item number: 7849 - Category: C64, Hardware

Ovesen.net - C64 userport

Ovesen.net is making new video series about using the user-port of the Commodore C64 to control devices.

2020-02-21 - 12:12:00 - Week: 8 - Item number: 7834 - Category: Commodore, Hardware

JoyDivision Joystick Adapter

The JoyDivision is an Atari style joystick to USB converted, developed by Stefan Blixth. Changes in this version: Support for the THEC64 and the Edu Arana joystick adapter.

2020-02-21 - 12:00:00 - Week: 8 - Item number: 7822 - Category: Commodore, Hardware

Jan Beta - C16 64KB

Jan Beta has made a video about upgrading a Commodore C16 from 16 kB RAM to 64 kB RAM.

2020-02-14 - 12:13:00 - Week: 7 - Item number: 7816 - Category: C16, C116, Plus/4, Hardware

Marina64 1MB - C64

The Marina64 is a 1MB banked ROM cartridge for the Commodore 64, 128 and SX-64. The cartridge is Magic Desk compatible and uses a 27C080 EPROM with 128 banks of 8 kB.

2020-02-14 - 12:07:00 - Week: 7 - Item number: 7810 - Category: C64, Hardware

Chuck Hutchins - PET sound / RS232

Chuck Hutchins developed a device a to add sound and a serial port to his Commodore PET 2001. With this device you play games with sound, listen to the Datassette loading and communicate with a modem.

2020-02-07 - 12:18:00 - Week: 6 - Item number: 7802 - Category: KIM-1, PET, CBM, Hardware

Niklas Ekström - A500 Flicker Fixer

Niklas is working on a flicker fixer/scan doubler for inside an Amiga 500 or Amiga 2000. He uses a FPGA to read the CSYNC (composite sync) and the 12-bit RGB signals from Denise. After reading the signals, they are converted to a VGA output signal.

2020-02-07 - 12:06:00 - Week: 6 - Item number: 7790 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

Retrohax - ThED (update)

Retrohax - ThEDRetrohax and Willy are working on a new project for the Commodore 264 series. The ThED will be a replacement for the TED chip in the Commodore C116, C16 and the Plus/4. You can follow the progress of ThED on the Retrohax web page.

2020-02-07 - 12:05:00 - Week: 6 - Item number: 7789 - Category: C16, C116, Plus/4, Hardware

WireMon64 - C64

Timo Voutilainen is working on a 1-wire network for his Commodore C64. With this network you can connect to sensors, relays, motion detector, switches, etc.

2020-01-31 - 12:11:00 - Week: 5 - Item number: 7775 - Category: C64, Hardware

Mega65 - Moulds

The Mega65 team wants to produce high plastic cases for the Mega65. To achieve this a metal mould needs to be made. Update: The amount needed is almost reached.

2020-01-31 - 12:07:00 - Week: 5 - Item number: 7771 - Category: 8-Bit NextGen, Hardware

Jan Beta - C64 Video Enhancement

Jan Beta made a video about the c0pperdragon C64 Video Enhancement FPGA board.

2020-01-31 - 12:06:00 - Week: 5 - Item number: 7770 - Category: C64, Hardware

Amiga Retro Adventures - C64 Reloaded MKII

A new episode from Amiga Retro Adventures is now available. In this episode a review of the C64 Reloaded MKII from Individual Computers and it's installation into a new case from PixelWizard.

2020-01-31 - 12:00:00 - Week: 5 - Item number: 7764 - Category: C64, Hardware

Jan Derogee - Commo pad

A new hardware project from Jan Derogee. This time he developed a touchpad device for the Commodore C64. It is made to act like a KoalaPad, 1351 mouse, or a joystick.

2020-01-24 - 12:17:00 - Week: 4 - Item number: 7763 - Category: C64, Hardware

TechJump - CD32

TechJump has made a video about converting a Amiga CD32 from NTSC to PAL.

2020-01-24 - 12:14:00 - Week: 4 - Item number: 7760 - Category: Amiga, Hardware

C64 keycaps

Intric8 and JimDrew are working on making new keycaps for the Commodore C64. You can follow their progress on the AmigaLove web page. Update: The Indiegogo campaign is funded.

The colour simulator for the new keys.

2020-01-24 - 12:13:00 - Week: 4 - Item number: 7759 - Category: C64, Hardware

Sven Petersen - C64 power supply

Sven Petersen has developed a new power supply for the Commodore C64. The power supply can be switched between 115 and 230 volts, and has an voltage and current display.

2020-01-24 - 12:09:00 - Week: 4 - Item number: 7755 - Category: C64, 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: QSPI flash, Bitstream Boot Flash, JTAG and multiple bitstreams.

2020-01-24 - 12:00:00 - Week: 4 - Item number: 7746 - Category: 8-Bit NextGen, Hardware

Atilla Meriç - Wood C64c

Atilla Meriç has build a Commodore C64c case from wood. He worked on it for two months and only used wood, glue and hand tools.

2020-01-17 - 12:25:00 - Week: 3 - Item number: 7745 - Category: C64, Hardware

Jan Beta - Joystick - USB

Jan Beta is building an adapter to connect a digital joystick to an USB. With this adaptor you can use your favourite joystick for example on TheC64 Mini / Maxi.

2020-01-17 - 12:23:00 - Week: 3 - Item number: 7743 - Category: Commodore, Hardware

Retrohax - C16 64K & IEC2SD

Retrohax has written a blog about upgrading a Commodore C16 to 64 KByte RAM and adding an internal IEC2SD. This C16 also has a double OS and extra heatsinks.

2020-01-17 - 12:16:00 - Week: 3 - Item number: 7736 - Category: C16, C116, Plus/4, Hardware