New hardware - PRGuino (TapeCart SD)

Es gibt 152 Antworten in diesem Thema, welches 43.982 mal aufgerufen wurde. Der letzte Beitrag (10. Dezember 2023 um 19:19) ist von dankaini.

  • ja, ich war jetzt verwirrt, da Du ja quasi den Tapuino "umgebaut" hast. Alles klar :)

    Das liegt daran, weil die Tapcart SD Firmware die Tapuino-Hardware nutzt, nur halt ohne Knöpfe und Display. Deshalb habe ich die Tapuino-Mini-Platine umdesignt, so dass nur das drauf kommt, was man für das Tapecart auch benötigt.

  • Tapecart SD on other hand will be much more useful if firmware supports subdirectories and each of subdirectory to have limit of 64/128/256 files.

    Without it, it's not going even near to it's potential.

    The Tapecart SD browser does support sub-directories with up to 1000 files. Are you taking about supporting an extended TCRT format?

  • It does support subdirectories?

    My apologies then, user dikdom in post Bitte melde dich an, um diesen Link zu sehen. in this thread said differently.

    In that case, this product is excellent for the price, offering fast loading of tape games :D

    Is it possible to use full 16 characters for game name, without PRG extension, like SD2IEC does?

  • It does support subdirectories?

    My apologies then, user dikdom in post Bitte melde dich an, um diesen Link zu sehen. in this thread said differently.

    I don't think that dikdom was talking about the SD browser, but the normal tapecart browser bundled with the TCRT files.

    Is it possible to use full 16 characters for game name, without PRG extension, like SD2IEC does?

    Not without modifying the firmware and launcher. The filename is limited to 16 characters in total, anything above that and the 8.3 format with be used.

  • Hi guys. As a beginner I'm happy to be here with you all. Greetings from Turkey.


    kim_jorgensen

    Could I request a few things about Tapecart SD firmware please? I've two requests:

    1- I want to convert a game to Tapecart SD which uses an IRQ loader. I must use tapecart_getbyte procedure in command mode which is suitable for IRQs. But after sending SD_SELECT_FILE command, I can not load the selected file using tapecart_getbyte procedure. Tapecart SD sends $FF bytes continuously instead of the selected file. I can load the selected file in fastload mode (screen is open or blank), but IRQs can't be enabled in fastload mode, they corrupt the loading process. Could you find a solution for this in the firmware?

    2- Tapecart SD resets its current folder to root folder as soon as it enters streaming mode. This is a big problem while converting a game to Tapecart SD. All attempts in the game that will pull MOTOR line low need to be prevented, which consumes too much time and is very boring. It would be great if current folder won't be reset in streaming mode.

    Kind regards.

  • Greetings Metallic

    1- I want to convert a game to Tapecart SD which uses an IRQ loader. I must use tapecart_getbyte procedure in command mode which is suitable for IRQs. But after sending SD_SELECT_FILE command, I can not load the selected file using tapecart_getbyte procedure. Tapecart SD sends $FF bytes continuously instead of the selected file. I can load the selected file in fastload mode (screen is open or blank), but IRQs can't be enabled in fastload mode, they corrupt the loading process. Could you find a solution for this in the firmware?

    I would recommend using the TCRT format for multi-load games as the SD_SELECT_FILE was only intended for the browser. That way you can choose either the READ_FLASH or READ_FLASH_FAST command depending on your needs and the game would also work with a normal Tapecart.

    2- Tapecart SD resets its current folder to root folder as soon as it enters streaming mode. This is a big problem while converting a game to Tapecart SD. All attempts in the game that will pull MOTOR line low need to be prevented, which consumes too much time and is very boring. It would be great if current folder won't be reset in streaming mode.

    You only need to care about this if you are converting a multi-load game (which I assume you do).

    As documented in the Bitte melde dich an, um diesen Link zu sehen.; the motor line is used to detect a C64 reset. You wouldn't be able to load the browser after a reset if Tapecart SD didn't select the browser.prg file when entering streaming mode. I think it is possible to modify the firmware to select the browser file without changing the directory, but that wouldn't help much if you use the TCRT format.

    It is a bit tricky to know when to load the browser without a reset line on the tape port.

  • I would recommend using the TCRT format for multi-load games as the SD_SELECT_FILE was only intended for the browser. That way you can choose either the READ_FLASH or READ_FLASH_FAST command depending on your needs and the game would also work with a normal Tapecart.

    I had thought that, but I couldn't find a utility to create and edit TCRT files. Then I chose the way of loading the PRG files directly from SD card. Thanks for your reply.

  • 2- Tapecart SD resets its current folder to root folder as soon as it enters streaming mode.

    I had a closer look at the firmware to see why it changes directory and I was due to a bug. The firmware would look for the browser.prg file in the current directory and if it was not found, it would remount the file-system and thereby change to the root directory.

    A Bitte melde dich an, um diesen Link zu sehen. has been made where this has been fixed, so that loading the browser will no longer change directory. The Tapecart SD browser has also been updated so that the home key will change to the root directory.

    However, I would still recommend using the TCRT format for compatibility.

    I had thought that, but I couldn't find a utility to create and edit TCRT files.

    The TCRT file format is quite simple. Did you have a look at the Bitte melde dich an, um diesen Link zu sehen.? There is also the Bitte melde dich an, um diesen Link zu sehen. by Alex.

  • kim_jorgensen

    Many thanks for taking care of my request. You've done more than I wanted. You could keep current directory intact only inside the Tapecart SD, then Tapecart SD Browser would change it to root directory when it starts. But it got better this way. Tapecart SD Browser is now displaying the most recently used directory when it starts and the home key is taking you to root directory. This is great.

    The TCRT file format is quite simple. Did you have a look at the Bitte melde dich an, um diesen Link zu sehen.? There is also the Bitte melde dich an, um diesen Link zu sehen. by Alex.

    Guess I need a program which has a user interface that will meet my own need for TCRT files. I've some Delphi knowledge, but it is not enough at the moment for doing that type of program. I'm walking on the way of loading the PRG files from SD card for now. Thanks so much.

  • Hello, is it also possible to operate the device on the VC-20 / VIC-20? Regards, MoonSpoon

    That sounds like a fun project :) but the tapecart loader and the tapecart SD browser will currently only work on a C64.

    I guess the hardware could be used on a VC-20 / VIC-20 if the software was modified to support this. Maybe Unseen has some insight into this?

  • I guess the hardware could be used on a VC-20 / VIC-20 if the software was modified to support this. Maybe Unseen has some insight into this?

    If you're willing to change the protocols, it could work on any Commodore computer with a tape port. If you want to keep using the same protocols, both the write and sense line must be bidirectional.

    10 x=rnd(-1963):fori=1to81:y=rnd(1):next
    20 forj=1to5:printchr$(rnd(1)*16+70);:next
    30 printint(rnd(1)*328)-217

    Bitte melde dich an, um diesen Link zu sehen. - Bitte melde dich an, um diesen Link zu sehen. - Bitte melde dich an, um diesen Link zu sehen.

  • Bei mir laufen einige Spiele nicht so wie sie sollen.

    Bei RAMBO ist nach dem READY Bildschirm nur noch Pixelsalat zu erkennen durch den Rambo läuft.

    Bei BUGGY BOY fehlt der Schriftzug "FINISH" auf dem Banner der Zieleinfahrt.

  • Mit RAMBO, meinst Du damit “Rambo first blood part II“? Denn das läuft bei mir, gerade zwei verschiedene Versionen getestet.

    Bei Buggy Boy bin ich gerade leider nicht weit genug gekommen.

    Hast du denn die aktuelle Firmware V1.20 auf dem Arduino und den aktuellen Browser auf der SD-Karte?

    Bitte melde dich an, um diesen Link zu sehen.

  • Bin seit dem letzten C= Stammtisch ebenfalls Besitzer eines PRGuino (Danke an Retro-Ronny ;) )

    Eine Frage dazu:

    Gibt es dafür auch einen PET kompatiblen Loader/Browser, um direkt .prg Files zu laden?

    Der PRGuino wäre ja für die Verwendung am PET wie geschaffen :)

  • Ich habe jetzt hier nicht alles mitgelesen, aber der PRGduino verwendet ja nach wie vor das originale Tapecart-Protokoll zur Kommunikation, wenn ich das richtig mitbekommen habe. Das Tapecart-Protokoll funktioniert aber nicht so einfach am PET. Dafür müssten die Firmware und der Loader umgeschrieben werden und das Laden würde etwa doppelt so lange dauern.

    Das hängt damit zusammen, das die Bits zum Steuern der Datasette beim PET über mehrere Register verteilt sind.

  • Schade daß man dazu auch die Firmware anpassen muss. :(

    Auch wenn es nur halb so schnell wie am C64 ist, wäre das trotzdem genial! (in Wahrheit wird es trotzdem schneller gehen, weil PET/CBM Programme ja meist viel kürzer sind als C64 Programme)

    Dann bleibt da einstweilen mal nur der Tapuino.

    Aber für den VC20 müsste es reichen nur den Loader anzupassen, oder?

    Und C16 bzw. Plus/4 sind ja wiederum anders, war da nicht irgendwas mit längeren Pausen zwischen den Pulsen ?!

  • Auch wenn es nur halb so schnell wie am C64 ist, wäre das trotzdem genial! (in Wahrheit wird es trotzdem schneller gehen, weil PET/CBM Programme ja meist viel kürzer sind als C64 Programme)

    Etwas kleiner vielleicht, aber wieso viel kleiner?