RETRO Innovations

C2N Power! PCB

Given a need to order more C2NPower cassette port power adapters, RETRO Innovations has revamped and expanded the functionality of this tiny product.  In addition to providing a tap for 5VDC for powered peripherals and a layout that includes holes for the Atmel ATTINY24/44/84 AVR microcontrollers, the new design also includes support for the MAXIM DS1307+ (and compatibles) Real Time Clock and the 24CXXXX line of serial EEPROMs.

Before we roll this new design into production, we’re looking for a couple of proficient assembly language developers who could help us develop some functions for reading and writing the time to the RTC and reading/writing data to the EEPROM.  The protocol is I2C, using the MOTOR and WRITE lines for SCK and SDA, respectively.  The only nuance is that MOTOR line is inverted.  We’re hoping some folks would like to compose a bit of code in exchange for a free  C2N Power! unit (with EEPROM and RTC supported).  Ideally, we’d like to create some common 6502 code for the basic routines that can be used on the PET, 40XX, 80XX, VIC, 64, and C128 machines with only minor variations among platforms.

Thus, if you or someone you know could help, please let us know via our contact page. Feel free to repost as appropriate.

BCC Party In Full Swing

For those in or around Berlin, next weekend (February 24-26), check out the Berlin C64 Club (BCC) Party, at:

Café Inter-Nett

Kranoldstr. 16
12051 Berlin
Berlin-Neukölln
Germany

Various compo categories will be judged with prizes awarded, including 2 ZoomFloppy units.

BCC Home Page

EasyFlash3 PCB

It’s taken longer than anticipated, but EasyFlash 3 production is finally underway.  The first 200 boards are in production, with delivery scheduled for late March.  The storefront is open for pre-orders, with pricing set at:

• EF3 without enclosure: $59.99
• EF3 with enclosure: $64.99

I delayed production slightly to lengthen the prototype PCB so that switches could be placed at the rear of the cartridge, and the delay allowed the design to incorporate last minute design enhancements.  However, I will admit I treaded lightly on this production, as it’s a reasonably complex unit and RETRO Innovations is not the principal designer.

I realize late March is still significantly far in the future.  If you want a unit now, please check out Retro Donald’s storefront, which has uncased units in stock.

For those who own or are planning to buy a ZoomFloppy for disk archiving and have lots of disks to get through, Payton Byrd has created OpenCBM Archiver, a utility to automates d64copy execution to minimize manual steps for archiving disks.

It’s by no means a complicated utility, but it should save time.

Spiro Trikaliotis has compiled OpenCBM 0.4.99.94 into an Windows binary alpha release.  This release contains many of the most recent changes and features utilized on the ZoomFloppy USB drive interface.  If you’re up for alpha releases, try this out and report your finding to the openCBM mailing list.

RETRO Innovations is now represented on Google+.  We’ll try to keep it updated as often as possible.  Add us to your “Preferred Stores” Circle!

Though the Cincinatti Commodore Computer Club (C4) EXPO will not be held in 2012, Payton Byrd is planning the Spring-Time Retro-Computing Convention in Clarksville, TN the weekend of May 25-27, 2012.  The event will be held at the Riverview Inn and will run 48 continuously for 48 hours.  As evidenced by the name, it appears like all classic machines will be represented/welcome.

As with NOTACON, we’d love to hear from readers who would enjoy a meet and greet.  Tennessee is quite a journey from the store, but it’s doable.

Far from being boring, the classic computing events calendar is already filling up!  NOTACON will be held in Cleveland, OH on April 12-15, 2012.  If you’re not aware, this event is short for “Not a Conference”, and its goals are to showcase technologies, philosophies, and creativity not often given a focus at other conferences.  The conference also sports its own demoparty: PixelJam.

RETRO Innovations is considering attendance, and we’d love to hear from others who would enjoy meeting us while there.  They don’t offer sales tables, like at other conferences and conventions, but we could show off development, PCB design, or something else of interest.  If we do come, we’ll unofficially bring some stock for those who want to pick up the latest offerings.

Early registration closes on Feb 17^th (extended one week from the original February 10^th).  If you’re considering attendance, it’s $25.00 cheaper to register now!

Sean Ober sends us this nice YouTube clip showing off his uIEC C64C internal installation.  Thanks to Sean, and others who record their installations and uses.  We welcome links to multimedia via our contact form.  Please let us know who created the content so we attribute correctly!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUekZ3vd3Xo

Werner Weicht has released uIEC_Man, a GEOS utility that supports mounting and unmounting different disk images while in GEOS.  The utility works with GEOS, Wheels, and Megapatch V3.  As Werner notes, users are highly encouraged to read the included manual before starting the utility.