Posts by adtbm

Hi @all:

RGCD posted an official review for the MEGA65 DevKit.

Have a look here:
https://www.rgcd.co.uk/2021/02…it-first-impressions.html

As long as you get 12V DC and >= 2.5 A from the power supply you should be fine.

Danke 1570 für die Erläuterung und vielen Dank für dein Angebot Bobbel .

Wie gesagt, ich bekomme jetzt erst noch 2 Varianten zugeschickt, sollte dies zum Testen nicht reichen, komme in gerne auf dein Angebot zurück.

1000 Dank für die Unterstützung an alle !

In that case i would suggest to use the 911210 ROM. There won't be changes done with it.

Hi Trap/Bonzai

first thing you should keep in mind, when using the banks, there is a huge change in the config between the last official

Commodore ROM 911210 and the MEGA65 ROM 92XXXX.
If you're using the Commodore ROM, i would suggest to have a look Zaadii s video. he explains it pretty good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yGxGrHcrzA
And for comparison, Bit Shifter described the changes in Paul's guest blog post between the 911210 and the 92XXXX pretty good:
https://c65gs.blogspot.com/202…it-shifter-improving.html

Hallo ronduc !

Vielen dank für dein Angebot. Ich würde evtl. später daruaf zurück kommen.

Im Moment bekomme ich gerade 2 SD2IEC Laufwerke und ein Pi1541 zum testen zugesandt.

Quote from ronduc

Meine Erfahrung war das es meistens an der SD Karte liegt wenn das Laufwerk nicht so wollte,

Ich habe schon so viele verschiedene SD Karten probiert, dass dies zwar auch ein möglicher Fehler sein kann, doch das in meinem Fall leider

nicht zutrifft. Trotzdem Danke für deine Idee.

Quote from FeralChild

Even easier with Open ROMs since the last release, no need to load any tools

In the native mode:

- COLORSET 0 - sets the color palette to the default one

- COLORSET 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 - select palette: C65 standard one / Frodo (current default) / VICE / Colodore / community / Deekay - respectively

- add 128 to the parameter to select a greyscale variant

- ESC-[ switches to greyscale variant, ESC-] switches to normal variant (these shortcuts are mentioned in the C65 manual, but apparently not implemented in C65 ROM)

Display More

WOW ! that's a plus for OpenRom. Thanks FeralChild

Danke für das Feedback.

Quote from 1570

also insbesondere NICHT die "LarsP"-Varianten, die am IEC-Bus u.U. etwas wackelig sind.

Genau das ist teilweise mein Problem bisher gewesen. Das ein SD2IEC Laufwerk an einem MEGA65 funktioniert und am nächsten nicht.
Ist es bekannt, warum die LarsP Varianten unter Umständen "wackelig" sind ?

Yes very nice setup, even if the story behind is quite sad.
The Display is actually a special "prison-certified" TV. That's why it's acrylic. you're allowed to give this TV to a prison mate.

But it looks together with the MEGA65 DevKit absolutely brillant-

Thanks Shallan and

Quote from Shallan

The connection to an existing game is really a very loose rule, for instance it could just be a shoot em up that contains some small reference to an existing shoot em up such as a familiart looking enemy typer, or it could be a full on Scramble clone. Really it was just a way to create a starting point for peoples ideas, the only thing that will disqualify is if its not an actual playable game.

That's how i interpreted your text as well. Thanks for clarification !

Hi Snoopy ,

i've asked for an honest opinion and i've expected to receive it from you. Thank you very much !

i believe deft summarized it perfectly. It's a fun and wild ride and we invite every Retro 8-bit fan to join.

We believe, with the MEGA65 project there is so much to discover and to experience, there is a certain topic for everybody.

Shallan means, that it should be consdiderable as a game.

Everything where you need to press keys or move a joystick something that has a goal to achieve.
in principle even the FROG BASIC demo on the C64 demo disc (in PETSCI graphic and pressing keys to catch flies) is a valid game.

Das sind tolle Neuigkeiten und kommt perfekt passend zu Shallans BASIC10 Wettbewerb:

Shallans MEGA65 BASIC 10 coding competition --- untill 14:00 GMT 27th of february 2021

Danke !

Hi Snoopy !

Would you be interested implementing the following Benchmark test: "try the duration of the RENUMBER command" in your test cycle ?

And also, what i am interested in, does the MEGA65 BASIC still "feels" Commodore ? - Your honest opinion please !
(may we quote you ? )

With best regards,

Anton

PS: Yes, confirmed, your cactus counts as watered, thanks for the cooperative, time saving solution.you'll get 5 minutes added to your sleep time

Quote from Trap/Bonzai

m65connect cannot deal with COM ports with # in 2 figures

Ahh....true i remember, after i had the issue once as well. Nice that it works now !

Quote from Trap/Bonzai

Now. Why is "Send d81" grayed out?

We are working at the moment on an upgrade of m65connect but it's still wip. So this button will get a function soon

Bored in your home office ?
interested in winning a MEGA65 Nexys version with nice printed case ?

looking for an opportunity to code a bit in BASIC10 and reuse your aged BASIC2 skills ?

look no further:

I'll post the official announcement here:

February Mega65 Basic Challenge!!!

This month everyone who successfully completes the task has a chance to win as they will be entered into the prize draw at the end of the month. Once again the prize is a Digilent Nexys A7 in a lovely 3D printed case and pre-configured with the Mega65 core.

So this time the task is to recreate/reimagine ANY classic video game you want but using the Mega65 implementation of BASIC 10. You can go simple and remake pong, or you can go all out and make something much more elaborate the choice is yours. Every entry that can be considered a game will be entered into the prize draw and we will work through them on stream on the 27th February. The rules and notes are as follows:
RULES

1) For consistency and ease of testing, entries must be created using the XEMU Emulator, using Hernans experimental VIC-IV branch found here: https://github.lgb.hu/xemu/ (bottom of page)
2) Also for consistency and ease of testing, everyone must use the same C65 ROM in the XEMU installation. Rom filename is 911001.bin with checksum $4bcf and can be found through an online search. This is not a patched version of this particular rom.
3) Games must be entirely in BASIC10 using the current state of the XEMU and C65 ROM noted in rules 1 and 2, with no machine code component.
4) Games must be considered a valid game. That is they must have some connection to an existing retro game and be actually playable. No submitting 10 PRINT "PACMAN" 20 GOTO 10 !!!

5) Music and sound effects are not required but of course would be nice.
6) Entries must be submitted by 14:00 GMT on 27th February to me via Discord DM to give me time to double check all is good before the stream that night.
https://discord.gg/gzvdc5R2
7) Entries must be saved to and submitted in .D81 format. See notes below for how to setup your D81 file
All valid entries will be entered into a prize draw live on the Feb 27th stream. A winner will be chosen at random at midnight, you do not need to be present to claim your prize, but of course it would be lovel y if you were!
9) By entering you give me the right to compile all entries onto a single disk image and release to the Mega65 community for free.

NOTES

1) By default XEMU will use a D81 file that is part of the emulators SD card image. It is much easier to submit your D81 file if you attach an external D81 file instead. The easiest way to do this is to point the XEMU shortcut to an empty image somewhere using the -8 "MYDISK.d81" command line switch.

2) The C65 ROM being used was never fully completed or tested by Commodore, there WILL be bugs and/or broken features. However everyone is working on the same ROM so all is fair. Please feel free to check the Mega65 Discord to see if your particular bug has been reported/fixed and if not consider adding a bug report as this will really help the Mega65 ROM team to iron out issues.
https://discord.gg/MKWqVwha

3) Likewise the emulator is a work in progress and understandably not everything will be correctly supported at this time (for instance there is no sprite collision), if in doubt ask first in the challenge channel in my discord to see if anyone else knows of the issue, and if not then in the BASIC channel in the Mega65 discord to see if it is an issue or simply not supported.

Good Luck!!!

Hi Trap/Bonzai ,

just for confirmation, i suppose the complete startup of m65connect finished successfully ?
So the MEGA65 was found (and now with vivado installed, that was probably found as well ?)
(btw. Vivado would not have been required, you only need it if you want to flash a complete new slot0 bitstream and the Web version of Vivado would have been sufficent,

the 9GB version is overkill)

i have contacted the Teammember who coded it pointed him to this thread and asked, if he has an idea.

Hello Snoopy !

Thanks alot for your benchmark tests again !
You won't believe, how valuable this information is for us ! Thanks a 1000 times, that you invest your own time helping us !!!
DANKE !!!
Your BENCH03 and BENCH04 test results are amazing. WOW ! (here the thanks goes to Bit Shifter ! incredible work)
This difference in speed is definetely reckognisable in BASIC.
Whenever i've been asked, what ROM should they use, i always answer the following:
you got three options:
- use the orginal last official Commodore C65 Kernel ROM 911210 (i prefer the LED and Checksum patched) version
- use the (picked up where Commodore wrapped it up and go from there) MEGA65.ROM (92XXXX) version in constant development by Bit Shifter .
- use the OpenROM version (fully Open Source freely distributable and in constant Devolpment.) Her my huge thanks goes to FeralChild THANKS !!!)

So, please continue and let us know about everything you notice. Thanks !

with best regards,

Anton

PS: Vergiss nicht, deinen Kaktus zu gießen ! (2.Warnung !)

Thanks for reporting back !

you can capture a screenshot via the m65connect tool (HW Sprites don't work yet, also issues with time critical screens).

Best would be to get a cheap hdmi to USB grabber. That works best.