> So does anyone know who (what individuals) designed this dog that apparently wouldn't hunt? It certainly seems technically feasible to put an Apple II in a box (own RAM, own processor -- everything), use the C-64 pretty much as a keyboard and, with some utilities, a file transfer device, and sell it for $595.
At least one of the people involved in the Spartan project now works for the company in the US that sells the C64S emulator.
> Perhaps they could never get their own version of the Apple ROMs working very well, and Apple didn't want to sell them the Real McCoy?
Little known fact: Franklin (you know, the folks that make all those little electronic dictionaries and such) has a license to use the Apple II ROM code. Franklin uses the 6502 (CMOS versions mostly) in many of their designs, and is also the new home of ex-Commodore engineer Fred Bowen. Fred tells me they have quite an extensive library of functions written in 6502, which are mixed and matched to create the various products they make.
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Escom...what next?
From: Doug Cotton
Bruce McFarling wrote:
> Paul Allen Panks wrote:
> > > I've heard from a number of sources that Escom is looking into possibly reintroducing the C-64 computer for the Eastern Europe and Asian markets. I have also heard the complete opposite, that they are only concentrating on their Amiga line of computers. Who is right?
> > A big part of this is that carefully qualified statements which are correct at a given time get repeated as unqualified statements that may no longer be correct. Anything I know about this is from this newsgroup -- which would only add to the confusion if I repeated them -- or from remarks of the head of engineering at ESCOM's Amiga Technologies. He said, around the time that he was hired, that Escom had expressed interest in the C64 for Eastern markets. Later, he said that Escom was discussing licensing production of the C64 by a Chinese manufacturer.
According to my sources, the China deal fell through for two reasons: 1) It would take too long to ramp up production, and 2) The company in China wanted ESCOM to subsidize the start-up.
> I don't know the terms of the spinning off of the chip manufacturer formerly known as MOS Technologies, that is, Commodore's chip production subsidiary. So I don't know, and would like to, who owns the rights (or how the rights are distributed, if that was part of the spinning off) to the VIC and SID. Has anyone contacted the chip plant, formerly known as, to find out?
CSG (formerly MOS) owned certain patents on various chips, and these went with the sale of CSG to the new owners, GMT. I don't have a list, though we're told that we can get pretty much any chip that MOS made previously, either outright through GMT, or by GMT with licensing from ESCOM.
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OCP Art Studio File Specs?
From: David Moorman
TODD ELLIOTT wrote:
: Thanks to some people who responded publicly or via email, I found the OCP ART STUDIO file specs. Firefoot somebody suggested that I check for gaps, and I did just that. For anyone who may be interested, the OCP ART STUDIO file specs are:
: First two bytes contains a loading address in lo/hi byte format. (Usually 8192 ) Next 8,000 bytes contains the pixel data. Next 1,000 bytes contains the video matrix color data. Then there's a gap of 16 bytes, nulled with zeros. The remaining 1,000 bytes (or so) contains the video memory nybble data.
Just read an article in an old Ahoy on OCP. The first byte of that 16 nul is the border color. The second is the Background color for Multi-color format. High res uses same format, but cuts off after the border color byte.
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SX-64 User port Text file
From: Eric Pass
Here's some info on the SX-64 User Port which may be of interest to SX-64 owners (and others).
TEXT IMPORT BEGIN =================
SX-64 vs Vicmodem & Promenade
-----------------------------
By E.T. Bear
Second Source, a Commodore service center located here in the Sacramento area, recently had an SX-64 in for repair, they found that the regulator in the power supply was bad, they replaced it, the owner picked the unit up, a few days later it came back, again they found the same regulator bad, replaced it a second time, once again the owner picked it up and again brought it back, with the same problem. They asked the owner what he was doing when the SX went down, he was telecommunicating, using the famous Commodore "Vicmodem".
Second Source then called CBM and asked them about the "Vicmodem and the SX". Commodore stated that the two are not compatible. Why they have or did not pass this information along, only CBM knows. Isn't this always the case with CBM?
If you own an SX and a Vicmodem, it would be best not to use them together.
Jason-Ranheim Co., now located in Auburn, Ca., has a publication that warns the owners of the SX-64 not to use their Promenade C1 on the SX, as you may damage the SX. In the publication they state the problem and the solution.
The problem:
Commodore made a change in the USER PORT on the SX as compared with the C-64. On the SX, Commodore grounded one leg of the 9v AC supply. The Promenade uses this supply and it requires that the 9v AC be "floating" from ground as it is in the C-64.
The Solution:
Jason-Ranheim has outlined a solution in their publication. You will require the following tools:
1- #1 phillips-head screwdriver
2- A sharp knife
First: You will have to locate and remove the four (4) screws that hold the plastic side moldings, then remove the two (2) corner mounting screws located at the upper rear corners of your SX.
Next: Remove the cover of the SX by locating and removing the three (3) flathead screws at the upper portion of each side of the computer. The cover should now be free.
Next: Now locate the small printed circuit board at the top rear of the SX which carries the USER PORT, Serial Port, and Joystick Ports. Remove the three (3) round head screws holding the board to the frame.
Next: Raise the board up and forward to expose its underside.
Next: Locate the foil strap connecting pins 11 and 12 of the USER PORT. Cut this strap with with the sharp knife. With a voltmeter check that the 9v AC is now isolated from ground. If it is then reassemble the SX reversing the disassembly procedure.
On the Promenade there are two (2) nylon assembly screws that may interfere with the heat sink on the SX. You can either cut the heads off with a sharp knife, or you can disassemble the Promenade (voiding the warranty), and replace the screws with #6-32 x 1/2 flathead screws after having counter sunk the holes in the base. This would be the preferred method.
Remember any modifications that you make to your equipment is your responsibility and may void warranties.
TEXT IMPORT END ===============
--------------------------
From: Brian Heyboer
Another device that will fry your unmodified SX-64 is an MSD RS-232 interface. Other devices, however, will not work on a MODIFIED unit -- the Datel EPROMMer is an example.
There is also a fix for the serial port to make it compatible with some fast loaders. This was also known as the "Q-Link fix" because Q-Link's built-in (not quite so) fast load routines were one of the best known examples of problems with this. The fix here is a 3.3K ohm pull-up resistor in the /SRQ line.
