*** Quoting Andrew Burch from a message to All ***
AB> the c64 world! Ya see, i may have a PC, as i was blown away by the the GFX and sound! But i still love the c64! The simple games on the 64 have so much playability! Thats what counts the most!
Couldn't have said it better. As a 22 year old video gamer, I rent a lot of the "new improved" systems such as the 3DO, Playstation, and the Saturn. Sure, the sound KILLS the 64's and so do the graphics. But, the companies rely too heavily on such bells&whistles like full-motion video. The novelty of FMV is gone, if I want it, I'll rent a movie.
After playing a game, I think "gee, take away the 3-D perspective (or whatever) and this game CAN be done on a 64." That's true for most games. What is neat is that the same basic game play is there... no different... and so it is still fun!
And also, think of the game systems again: Nintendo lived 1987-1992, Super Nintendo 1991-1996, and now there's yet another nintendo beast on the horizon. Heh, I'm gonna buy one. But with the 64 living from 1982-2015 :) us programmers can learn a lot about it. And knowledge keeps growing, helping each future project to run faster & better. THAT allows us to concentrate on gameplay.
I don't feel rushed to get a program out into your hands before my system is "yesterday's news". I'll wait until I'm truly proud of it. There's a happy, casual feeling to progamming my 64.
And my message to coders out there: 1) Learn ML! It's neat, fast, and gives you an evil feeling of POWER :]
2) Got an idea? WRITE IT DOWN! Even if it does not relate to your current project. Heh, I've got 8 programs that need to be written because of ideas on paper. Yes sir, I'm gonna be busy.
3) When you play a game on the 64, or elsewhere, pay attention. Listen to the sounds: can you tell what each voice is doing? Look at the graphics: is that a bitmap or custom chars? What is moving: are they merely characters, or sprites, or maybe 8+ sprites via rater interrupts?
You all have a game or two that you load up & say "no way! how'd they do that!?!" Well, they DID. And yes, you can too.
------------------------------
Shareware
From : Gaelyne Moranec
John Dvorak asked:
JD> i am a bit confused......what is shareware? U mean its not free? I dont know what it is......Could u give me a explanation of what shareware is all about? thanx
Shareware is something that is common in both the Commodore online world for programs, and for other computer platforms. Some of the very best programs around are shareware, and it is up to the end user to pay the author their fee if they use the program. This means you can try it before you buy it and if you like it and use it, then you pay the author for it. Yes, it is on an "honor" system, but it does work, especially with honest users.
A friend of mine includes this description with one of his programs, which is Freeware. This describes the different meanings to the words shareware, freeware, Public domain, etc, because they DO have different meanings.
- Text Import Start -
Public domain: The author has relinquished all rights to the program.
PD programs can be freely modified and distributed as
the user sees fit. Don't expect any support or bug
fixes.
Freeware : The author maintains all rights to the program. It may
may be freely used and distributed but only as long as
any distribution clauses are adhered to. (See above
for an example of such clauses).
Freeware is essentially the same as shareware but no
payment is required, hence the name FREEware. Don't
expect any support or bug fixes.
Donorware#1 : Similar to Freeware, but the author gratefully accepts
voluntary donations.
Donorware#2 : Similar to Shareware but the author asks that
voluntary monetary contributions be sent to a charity.
Shareware : Similar to Freeware. The author maintains all rights
to the program, it may be freely distributed in
accordance with any shareware agreements. Payment for
continued use of the program is a legal requirement.
Generally, shareware programs are well supported by
the author.
Commercial : This is where you have to pay your money before you
even see the program. If it isn't what you expect
that's tough luck.
If it has bugs and you are lucky enough that the
program is still supported then expect to pay more to
get it fixed. You usually pay more than the program is
actually worth because you are also paying for
advertising and distribution costs.
IMPORTANT:
Shareware, Freeware, PD, and Commercial are METHODS OF
DISTRIBUTION. It does not in any way reflect the quality of the
software itself, nor does the method of distribution relieve the
end user of any legal responsibilities. It is just as much of a
theft to use shareware (OR required donorware) software beyond
the evaluation period, as it is to keep a car that you have
taken for a test drive and not paying for it.
- Text Import End -
-----------------------------
Chip life
From: Raymond Carlsen
Someone asked:
> > I think I heard somewhere that the life of silicon chips and such is 15 to 20 years, after that they deteriorate and no longer function. This is interesting. Anybody with any inside info on this care to comment?
I've been a repair tech since the 1960s. My experience with semiconductors (transistors, diodes, ICs, etc.) is that heat is the prime factor in their "premature" death. The heating and cooling in normal operation stresses the internal structure of the device and makes it fail. Under the right conditions (in theory anyway) they should last forever. All of the chips in the C-64 that fail, almost predictably, are the ones that get the hottest. In rough order of failure, they are the PLA, SID, VIC, MPU, ROMs and RAM. You hardly ever hear of the other smaller chips failing. (Hint: they run cool.)
That is not to say the other ones never fail. Excessive voltage from a failing power supply and static electricity or other surges can make any semiconductor break down. Sometimes they just seem to die with no apparent cause. Any man-made device has a certain amount of variance in the quality of production. One car is a gem and the next one off the line is a lemon. It happens, but sometimes it takes years to show up.
Most heat producing devices in commercial gear are heat-sinked to make them last longer. A heat sink is a metal plate that touches a semiconductor case to draw the heat away into the surrounding air. This reduces the excessive temperature swings and therefore the thermal stress on the device. Commodore saved a few pennies by not sinking the chips in the C-64 (except the VIC in the later boards). Like the "black brick", it's a wonder they last as long as they do. As a test, remove the screws holding your 64 together, run it for half an hour, then lift the keyboard and feel the PLA or SID. Careful! They will be hot enough to burn you! In my book, that's -way- too hot. That tinfoil and cardboard "shield" just helps to -reduce- the airflow and make chips run even hotter. I remove it. The 1541 with all shields in place, or even your TV set produces far more interference than an "unshielded" 64. Pentium chips in newer IBM-type computers would melt down and fail within minutes if not heat-sinked and fan cooled. Faster chips mean more on-off cycles per second... and more heat. Even Commodore chips running at 1 Mhz will get hot because there are so many devices in that little case... all producing heat. The 64SX has heat sinks on the big chips. Likewise the C-64C and the C-128. Notice that internal metal shield with the "fingers" that touch the chips? The "goop" between the sink and the chip is a silicone compound that increases thermal transfer to the metal. The 128D has no heat sinks. It was designed with a fan for cooling, but not all of them were shipped with fans installed.
A logical question is: can anything be done to lengthen the life of the chips in your computer or disk drive? Of course! Heat sinks can be fabricated out of pieces of tin or aluminum and epoxied to the ICs. I've been doing that for years, every time I replace a chip that runs hot in normal operation. In all these years, I've never had a repeat failure of the same device, unless another circuit fault (like an undiagnosed bad power supply) made it fail again.
-----------------------------
C= RESTORE
From: dbryant@ccsnet.com
Does anyone know the reason the RESTORE key on the 64 (I've had many) needs to be pressed harder than other keys? When there is a call for that key it can never be simply "depressed" as the others can be. It always need to be "tapped".
Curious, and thanks.
From: Raymond Carlsen <rrcc@u.washington.edu>
The RESTORE key function is electrically different from the others. Most keys route digital signals out and back into the CIA chip U1. Key presses therefore respond predictably.
The contact closure of the RESTORE key provides a ground to the trigger line of a TTL chip called a "one-shot". The input to that chip "sees" the change from HI to LO from the keypress, and outputs a precisely timed "interrupt" pulse to several other chips including the MPU.
The problem with that input trigger is that it can be altered by the user as to how fast or slow (and how hard) the button is pressed. TTL logic chips want to see clean, fast pulses. A light press of the key can result in a missing or incomplete trigger. A fast, but firm press of the RESTORE key is necessary to ensure the interrupt is generated.
-----------------------------
Stereoplayer on a 1581
From: mpython@vgernet.net (Monty Python)
Raymond Carlsen (rrcc@u.washington.edu) wrote:
> Does anyone know why Craig Chamberlains Stereo Sidplayer will not run on a 1581? The program runs fine on a 1541 or 1571, but will not work on an otherwise OK 1581 (with or without JiffyDos). I tried it on two different drives. It usually fails to load the song files after the main screen appears and a song is selected for play. Sometimes it will not load the main program and dumps back to BASIC. Quirk in the program? Flaky drive? What?
I have been running SSP10.3 off a 1581 for years with no problems, but it didn't start that way. I had the same problem you had. You need to go into menu #2, by hitting the C= key. Then, make sure that "F Fast Load" is set to off! Save your configuration and you are all set. The fast load for the .mus files is not 1581 compatable, so you get the above symptoms (although the 1581 fast load for the main program works).
-----------------------------
Computer Saver... make your own!
From: Raymond Carlsen <rrcc@u.washington.edu>
A PROTECTION DEVICE FOR THE COMMODORE 64
This over-voltage protection unit is designed to prevent=20 damage to the Commodore 64 computer due to a failing power supply (black "brick") regulator. Built from readily available parts (Radio Shack), it is installed in series with the 5 volt line from the power supply to the computer. It is self- resetting and functions to cut off the 5 volt power to the computer if the supply voltage exceeds 6 volts. It draws only about 20mA (.02 Amps) before it "trips", which is a minimal added drain on the supply.
The circuit is simple and straightforward in design. Two resistors form a voltage divider feeding the base of transistor Q1. Q1 triggers Q2, and Q2 feeds power to the relay coil. If the input voltage rises above a predetermined value (approx 5.5VDC), the two transistors conduct and energize the relay, cutting off the excessive voltage to the computer. As long as the voltage remains too high, the relay will be latched. The output voltage is taken from the normally closed (nc) relay contact. Loss of 5 volts to the computer will be obvious as the LED on the C-64 case will go out.
Parts are not critical and may be substituted as needed, but since the two resistors that form the voltage divider are selected to trip the protector at a specific voltage, their values (1 K ohm and 270 ohm) should not be changed. The relay is a Radio Shack part #275-243. It has a 5 volt coil and 2 Amp contacts. A stock C-64 draws about 800 mA (.8 Amps) with no added loads (cartridges, etc.) plugged in. The standard C-64 supply is rated at 1.5 Amps maximum.
The transistors can be any general purpose NPN types. A generic 2N2222, or ECG-123A will work fine. The diode across the relay coil protects the transistors from damage. It is non- critical... any standard silicon diode will work. The 220 ohm resistor and LED "trip" indicator can be omitted, if desired. It lights only if the supply fails. This protector circuit can be wired into a small box if desired or the whole assembly could be installed inside the C-64. Just make sure nothing shorts out when the keyboard is re-installed. With so few components, an etched PC board is not necessary. A small square of perforated board available at Radio Shack can be used to mount the parts.
I hope you can read this crude ASCII "art"work. If not, I can snail-mail you a real schematic. SASE to: Carlsen Electronics, 154 Classe Rd., Winlock, WA. 98596 Any questions? Email me. I am Ray Carlsen AKA: rrcc@u.washington.edu
+5V in----+---------------------+---+-----+
from pwr {CBM--} {CBM--} C {CBM--} com
supply \ k - O 0
/ 1N4001 a ^ I \ relay
\ {CBM--} L 0 0------ + 5V out
/ 1 K ohm {CBM--}---{CBM--} no{CBM--} nc to computer
