2013 Midwest Gaming Classic

Bowling, Defender, Gyruss, and Starfire
Bowling, Defender, Gyruss, and Starfire
Klax and Pole Position
Klax and Pole Position

RETRO Innovations will be traveling to Brookfield, WI this weekend for the 2013 Midwest Gaming Classic.  We’re simply attending, not manning a store table, but feel free to email us if you’d like to place an order for pickup and skip the shipping costs.

Since we don’t have enough things to keep us busy, we’ve been on an arcade machine buying spree over the last few months, picking up:

Asteroids
Asteroids
Shoot the Bull Darts
Shoot the Bull Darts
  • a KLAX upright conversion, in great condition
  • a Pole Position, in good condition, working, but missing a few sound effects
  • a non working asteroids, in rough condition
  • a Shoot the Bull game in a Ms. Pac Man cabinet
  • Some Championship Bowling ROMSTAR game, in a Super Pac Man cabinet (purchased for the cab, monitor and wiring).
  • a Gyruss, complete and working
  • a Defender, with monitor issues
  • a StarFire unit, in a Defender case, with PCB issues (but, partially working)

Since our goal is to see if there are product opportunities in game restoration for RETRO Innovations, buying machines that need help seemed appropriate.  KLAX was a fluke, as it’s in great condition, but the others all need some TLC for optimum operation.  To start that process, a trip to MGC is required.  We know the Ms. Pac Man needs to be converted back, and that requires some parts (we have a known working PCB for the game already).  Asteroids might be beyond help, and so might be parted out, while the Pole Position just needs some TLC on the PCB and general cleaning.

It’s an interesting exercise, and they should be fun to play… err test!

JiffyDOS for VIC-20 and C16/+4 Now Available!

As announced this afternoon at World of Commodore 2012, RETRO Innovations has acquired the rights to offer Click Here Software’s port of JiffyDOS for the Commodore VIC-20, C16, and +4 machines, thus completing the set of JiffyDOS KERNAL replacement offerings.  Within the next few days, the KERNAL replacements and image files will be available in the online store for sale.  Many thanks for those customers who kept asking for the versions, as that helped show that demand still exists for these versions of JiffyDOS.

Seeing (EasyFlash 3) Red!

EasyFlash 3 Finished Unit
EasyFlash 3 Finished Unit

The difference between a project and a product often boils down to looks. Along with a professionally designed and manufactured circuit board, a proper enclosure completes the package.

Thought we have long offered a un-machined cartridge case with 64NIC+ Ethernet cartridges, we had resisted the thought of milling cartridge cases.  In the case of the 64NIC+, the Ethernet jack machining is tough and prone to error.  A proper CNC milling machine is required to efficiently handle such a design.  However, the EasyFlash 3 did not require so complex a solution to correctly machine a suitable cartridge enclosure.  Some simple jigs on the drill press and creative use of drill bits ably substituted for a CNC mill.  As a result, EasyFlash 3 arrives in an optional fully machined enclosure.

The red color choice was somewhat arbitrary, as we have clear enclosures.  Still, translucent red and the red LED on the unit seemed to fit well together.  I hope you agree.

The EasyFlash 3 is now available in our online store.

 

X Pander-3 VIC Progress

X-Pander 3 VIC Assembled PCB
X-Pander 3 VIC Assembled PCB

The wait is almost over for VIC Expansion enthusiasts.  After a significant delay, X-Pander 3 VIC units are nearing the end of assembly.  As the photo shows, only the IO2/IO3 SWAP jumpers are left to assemble.  We hope to add this to the store by the end of the week.

Given the width of VIC-20 cartridges, the finished units will have the switches located underneath the board, but will otherwise look identical.

As the picture suggests, the unit shares the same basic layout and operation as the X-Pander 64, but adds additional switches to control BLK and RAM lines.

uIEC/SD Daughtercard v3.2 In Production

uIEC/SD Daughtercard v3.2
uIEC/SD Daughtercard v3.2
uIEC/SD Daughtercard v3.2 (side view)
uIEC/SD Daughtercard v3.2 (side view)

While replenishing stock of uIEC/SD daughtercards, I decided to improve the design a bit.  Hopefully, this version will eliminate the need to offer the original daughtercard option.

Features:

  • Buttons now on side of unit, for easier access.  Buttons can now be used on C128D/C128DCR when installed.
  • Operational Mini-USB connector.  If desired, power with a small Mini-USB phone charger
  • Complete 7805-based linear regulator section available for hobbyists.  Parts are not present on the board, but should be trivial to source (2 caps and an LM7805)
  • Oversized holes at front of board to allow PCB standoff usage.  When powered via MiniUSB, standoffs can be used to level the PCB.

The new daughtercard works with all uIEC/SD versions (3.0,3.1, and 3.2).  Stock will be arriving soon.  Production boards will have sorter switch posts, for some reason, I accidentally ordered taller ones for the prototype.

Toronto PET User Group YouTube Channel

The Toronto PET User’s Group (TPUG) has placed a number of 2009 and 2011 World of Commodore (WoC) presentations online at http://www.youtube.com/TorontoPETUsersGroup.  Yours truly is in some of the 2011 ones, discussing EasyFlash 3 and ZoomFloppy.  I guess, now that presentations will be online forever, I’ll have to do a better job or presenting and ensuring all information is accurate (I think there’s a few inaccuracies in my WoC presentations).  In any event, if you’ve never met me, check out the videos and realize you’re not missing much :-).

C2N Power! v2.0 Hardware Ready

C2N Power! v2 top
C2N Power! v2 top
C2N Power! v2 bottom
C2N Power! v2 bottom

Well, C2N Power! v2 is manufactured and the first few units are assembled,  Hopefully, this weekend I can verify electrical operation and then I’m hoping to ship a few of them to developers for software creation.  The offer is still open for assembly programmers who want a small weekend challenge.

The unit is shown assembled for Real Time Clock operation, with a Maxim DS1307+ installed under the unit, with I2C pullup resistors and the MOTOR line conversion transistor in place.  On top, a lone 3V3 Lithium battery powers the RTC when CBM power is absent.

New Store Items

We’ve added some additional items in the store for both hobbyists and users:

IEEE 488 Cable
IEEE 488 Cable

We now have 3′ (36″, nearly 1meter) IEEE 488 cables in stock.  They are heavy duty shielded cables with “passthrough” IEEE connectors on each end

DB-15 Parallel Cable
DB-15 Parallel Cable

We also now stock 6′ (~2M) DB15-F to DB15-F cables that can be used for parallel drive access with products like ZoomFloppy.

 

On the connector front, we’re added VIC-20 expansion port connectors, cassette port connectors, and C64/C128 expansion port connectors to the store.

To fill out our EPROM offerings, we’re happy to announce we’ve found a nice supply of new 27C64 and 27C256 EPROMs in addition to replenishing our stock of 27C020s.