C64 Flash Cart

The cart (both software and hardware) is now so stable that the beta testers and developers can go crazy. A couple of carts are already out there, and a few more are in the mail this very moment.

The software is being developed, patched, commented and uploaded to Github these days. I will publish the links once we're satisfied enough to go live.

The design has been changed and the cart is now using an IDT7006 16K DPRAM to give better compability with the existing carts out there, now working in the memory space $8000-$bfff. The micro controller auto-switches the cart between 8K and 16K mode, and can even be virtually disabled.

A new batch of boards (1.0-RC3) have been manufactured and will be sent out to the testers out there.

I'm working on the software side these days, with support for various CRT files, as well as chunk-loaded PRG files. Even SID Jukebox support is in the works.

Awesome times ahead.

I can't believe we're finally here, but the C64FC is ready for the FINAL VERSION. After locating a couple of minor hardware bugs and implementing V-USB, the device works as expected and runs flawlessly! Words can not describe how thrilled I am right now.

I'm using V-USB on the ATmega16 to deal with the PC communication, and this was surprisingly easy to work with. File transfers are bundled in usbSetReport packages, and it takes around 1-1,5 seconds to transfer a complete cartridge image over the USB 1.0 connection. The cartridge image is stored on an IDT7005 8K Dual Port RAM, meaning that the ATmega16 and the C64 can speak to it simultaneously. The reset is optional, and the cartridge memory contents may be reprogrammed while the C64 is executing it!

The client software is currently Linux command line only, but I will start working on a Qt GUI frontend for Linux, Mac and Windows. Command line versions will of course be an option, as they may be nice to include in Makefiles for software testing.

For a little background story, see here http://jmp.no/blog/c64fc-is-done

Last night I started implementing V-USB, and as it turns out, it was much easier than expected. I soldered the remaining components required to get the USB connectivity running, and the device now enumerates as as USB HID device!

I have run into a couple of issues that require a RC3, but so far there's no reason why RC3 shouldn't end up being the final.

The DPRAM will be soldered as soon as I get some decent flux.

After missing X14, and having a horrible experience with conductive flux from China, I set the project aside for a while and focused on other things.

Tonight I soldered up another board and got it working! Lots of pins have changed, and V-USB will be introduced, so I have days if not weeks ahead of me coding the firmware for this little guy.

Anyway, here it is, with its blinking LED saying "Hello world! I am alive!"

The RC2 of the C64FC finally arrived, although a little late for the X2014 party, but that's okay. The important thing is to tow this project to the finish line, no matter what.

Let's warm up the soldering iron and see what happens tims time.

The C64FC will most likely hit the Trondheim Maker Faire 29th-30th of August 2014. It can be seen in the Hackheim stand, so feel free to stop by and have a closer look at the prototypes and the final revision.

It took me a while, but I realized something that was a bit "off"...

The edge connector seemed a bit narrow, so I had to compare.

Turns out the pitch has changed for some reason. Here I'm comparing the edge connector with the one from the MMC64 (left).

Thankfully, the most expensive part, the DPRAM, was not yet soldered.

Oh well, time to order a new set of boards. Good thing OSHPark delivered so quickly.

Boards arrived yesterday, it's solder time!

I have received some much appreciated design help from Runar Borge, and thanks to him the board is now fully redesigned to fit inside a standard cartridge housing. We've also discarded the atrocious bluetooth module and focused on USB instead, using V-USB.

3 new boards (rev 1.0 RC1) were ordered today at OSHPark, and a new post will be added once the first board is soldered up and ready for action!