MMC Replay NTSC FAQ - Want to help?

[weirdami]

you seemed to give me attitude by ending your post with the getmad smiley

I always mix that one up with being an "i'm confused" smiley.

 :-?

vs.

 :getmad:

see? You can click on it too fast and not see it animate. Perhaps that's what he done did.  :idea:

[foleyjo]

Yeah we probably just had a little misunderstanding.

Sorry for my part

[redrumloa]

foleyjo wrote:
I did not proclaim that it worked on NTSC machine as the site I linked to where I got the thing does not say if it works or doesnt work with NTSC machines.
I tried to help and then you seemed to give me attitude by ending your post with the getmad smiley

Ok, I see the confusion. I didn't mean to use the get mad smiley, but the  :-?

Sorry for any confusion.

[Wolfeman]

Greetings, I'm a new user to this forum and I joined for the express purpose of helping out with the MMC Replay FAQ. What comes below is from a thread I started yesterday over at Lemon64, where I am doing a systematic game testing of the top 50 downloaded C64 games from C64.com to achieve a better understanding of how the MMC R works and to chase down and identify bugs and software issues for myself and others.

http://www.lemon64.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27678

My hardware:
1C64, 1C64C, 1 C128 [all NTSC]
tested and reliable 1571 II floppy drive
tested and reliable stack of mint 5.25 floppies
Commodore 1702 Monitor w/ rear composite video cable
Wico Joystick
MMC Replay V0.54 Bios
Macintosh running the Power64 emulator and the DiskImagry64 software for OSX

Testing using three Memory Cards:

64MB SanDisk SD FAT16

4GB SanDisk MicroSD with SD adaptor FAT32

2GB MMC Mobile Dual Voltage with SD adaptor FAT16

Tests:
---------------------------------------
Run Game from Memory Card | No Plugins

Run Game from Memory Card | Use Plugins

Copy Game to Floppy | No Plugins

Copy Game to Floppy | Use Plugins <- First round of testing shows this will  not work as all D64 write plugins seem to crash, any help or advice out there?

Run Game from Copied Floppy | No MMC Replay
---------------------------------------

Downloaded Top 50 Downloaded Games from:
http://www.c64.com/games/no-frame.php?searchfor_special=2&main=1

Downloaded Game Relevant Plugins from Protovision:
http://www.protovision-online.de/hardw/hardwstart.htm


Plugins used for testing downloaded from Protovision. I am testing D64 write, txt read, dfi, T64 v4 and the TNT Browser

I can confirm that the TNT Browser will only work with an actual MMC Mobile memory card, not any variety of SD card... except one so far:

The MMC Browser, nicknamed the TNT Browser, does work on at least ONE SD card.

a picture of the SD can be found here:

http://pics.neobit.net/images/product_images/info_images/DSP00190.jpg

This was verified by a friend who runs vesalia.de
I would very much like to compile a database of working cards that will handle the MMC Browser on the MMC Replay, so far we have two, get yourself a true MMC Mobile memory card formatted to FAT16 or find the "takeMS 60x 1GB SD" card - pictured above for reference only.

update: I need to correct the above information. The picture included is NOT the actual card that worked, it was just reported to me that a 60x card by the same manufacturer is what worked for them. The photo is just for reference

Download MMC/TNT Browser from: http://www.retrohackers.com/forum/download/file.php?id=146&sid=a58c1fc2492a853a33cdc6d73e8765c8

Currently the MMC/TNT Browser is the only way to reliably run T64 files, however, some T64 files can be launched from a FAT16 SD card using V4 of the plugin but reliability is very low.

Download V4 T64 plugin from this MMC Replay FAQ thread: http://www.amiga.org/forums/showthread.php?t=36280


I have also tested the native cartridge launcher on the MMC Replay with pretty good results.

I tested CRT files downloaded from: http://www.mayhem64.co.uk/main.htm

Anything that was not the right size returned an error of "No 8k or 16k Rom". Cartridge Games like Double Dragon, Shadow of the Beast, Ninja Remix, and a bunch of others will not run. The CRT plugin for the MMC64& RetroReplay is far less reliable than the MMC Replay internal CRT load function so don't bother with it.


I also have a list of questions I'd like to see added to the FAQ, they are groups of related questions, so feel free to edit and omit my writing if you do wind up incorporating the questions in the FAQ:

Q: what is the purpose of mounting 2 disk images with the MMC R? Can you run a multi disk game this way? If so, How? If not, wtf is mounting two disk images good for? As far as I can tell, when you mount and run an image, there is no way to command the C64 to look back to the MMC for the second disk image. Is there some trick I'm missing?

Q: what D64 write plugins work with MMC Replay? download link? instructions? This one is baffling me to no end. I guess I just want confirmation that they don't work, because if they do, then I'm seriously retarded  :crazy: [I blame the 80s]

Q: where can the complete "remember"  "jack alien" collection be downloaded? and what about these releases makes them so compatible with the MMC Replay? My testing shows these releases in particular tend to run flawlessly from the MMC Replay. If someone with way more tech savvy than I can determine WHY, then we may shed some light on further improvements to the MMC Replay.

Q: In plain 'n00b' english, how do the "freezer" and "extended freezer" functions work? What are they useful for doing in a practical example?

Q: Is there any way to copy single files to floppy, like PRG? Also, can a start track/sector be designated somehow? many disk images are about 35 Tracks but all my floppies are 65 tracks, so they have room for more stuff. Can I create my own program menus and write them to disk then if the answer to the first question is yes? if so, how?

update:
Q: Since most single PRG programs run without hassle, is there a way to extract PRGs from D64 and T64 ? If not, consider this a feature request  

___________

That's about it for now, if you're interested in my individual game testing, click the Lemon64 link above, or, if you would like me to cross post them here as well, let me know
-MW

[redrumloa]

@ Wolfeman (and others)

Awesome input! I will update the faq in a day or so, quite busy atm :-( Keep the input coming!!

[Wolfeman]

thanks redrumloa  :-D   happy to help out!

in the meantime, maybe someone here can help me chase a game bug. the game in question is the ever popular Rick Dangerous [1 or 2]

I'm having a heck of a time getting the game in any form to run using the MMC Replay.

I have tried a huge variety of D64 images. I've tried mounting them, copying them to disk with various plugins, and utilities but it simply will not work.

When I mount it as a virtual disk image, the game always starts fine, but after the 3rd intro screen just before the game is about to begin it freezes. The entire screen is black except for the complete Rick Dangerous character sprite on the lower left of the screen.

If I try to copy it to disk, it gets to Track 002 Sector 11 and freezes there. To reset the MMC I need to turn off the C64 for a few seconds as the reset button will not work. I've tried various format settings and have tested disks and my drive to be sure they are working correctly and they have no problems except with this game.


Has anyone who owns an MMC Replay gotten this game to work, and if so can you post details, step by step, on how you made it work?

thanks
-MW

[Wolfeman]

I learned some important things about how the MMC replay works over the past 24 hrs.

It is important that you use a fresh SD if you find you have errors when trying to write from a disk image to floppy, particularly if you find that the errors happen in the same track and sector regardless of what floppy disk you use.

If you get an error, back up the contents of your SD/MMC, erase it and then re-copy FRESH files on to it and then make your disk image backups to floppy.

Due to this conclusion I am no longer going to worry about trying to test each and every memory card I have unless I get persistent errors on some future game test so I will be removing all listings here of alternate memory card testing . So far, the only differences in memory cards are with plugins not working on FAT32 and the TNT Browser only working on MMC Mobile. I will of course continue testing and add to this list as warranted.

 I had a HUGE problem with Maniac Mansion This game is incompatible with the MMC replay as far as I can tell, see my notes below. [please see my thread on Lemon64 for a full report on the top 50 downloaded C64 games running from the MMC Replay http://www.lemon64.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=332698

Maniac Mansion D64
RunFromCard: 64MB No - See notes          

Floppy Copy: 64MB Yes, floppies copied once I erased the SD and then wrote fresh files to SD
   
Floppy Launch: No| Notes: downloaded 4 more versions from http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=13840

I've never had so much trouble with any game and I've never spent so much time trying to fix a game but since this game was one of my wife's favorites as a child, [she played the more robust CD version] I had to chase the bugs down.

I learned that an SD or MMC card that has had files written to it at different times caused problems when copying to floppy. I got numerous crashes from all memory cards at the SAME track and sector locations for each card per file until I tried a FRESH SD card and then it worked with no crashing on floppy copy.

Ultimately I could not get the game to recognize side 2 [the game asks for "side 1", but it means the next disk]. It simply did not work. I tried to get this game to work and spent way too many hours on it.

Q: why is it when I launch disk1 of MM in the emulator, it gets to the choose character screen, but when I load disk1 in actual hardware after copying the d64 image to floppy, it asks me to "insert side 1 and press joystick button to continue"
I thought I already DID insert side one so why would it ask for side one?  wtf?

Q: why is disk 2 of MM garbled when I mount it and check the contents with the MMC R? and why is it not recognized when the prompt for side 1 comes up?  is it because it isn't side 1 or it isn't copied right? if it's not what the program wants to be inserted , what do I do?

update The second question has been answered on the Lemon64 forum, I'll update this as I follow up on it.

[Wolfeman]

Just a quick update, this is great news for MMCR users and I am happy to report that I was dead wrong about this...

The MMC Browser, nicknamed the TNT Browser, does work on at least ONE SD card.

a picture of the SD can be found here:

http://pics.neobit.net/images/product_images/info_images/DSP00190.jpg

This was verified by a friend who runs vesalia.de
I would very much like to compile a database of working cards that will handle the MMC Browser on the MMC Replay, so far we have two, get yourself a true MMC Mobile memory card formatted to FAT16 or find the "takeMS 60x 1GB SD" card - pictured above for reference only.

update: I need to correct the above information. The picture included is NOT the actual card that worked, it was just reported to me that a 60x card by the same manufacturer is what worked for them. The photo is just for reference

[redrumloa]

Sehr geehrter Besucher,

leider ist ein Fehler aufgetreten: Die gewünschte Seite wurde nicht gefunden.

Haben Sie sich vielleicht vertippt oder eine alte URL aufgerufen? Wenn nicht, informieren Sie bitte den Webmaster dieser Homepage per Email. Um zu der vorherigen Seite zurückzukehren, verwenden Sie bitte einfach die "Zurück" - Taste Ihres Browsers.

Your pic link is busted :-/

[Wolfeman]

sorry, fixed.

[redrumloa]

@ Wolfeman

I have updated the FAQ, but have not included the TNT Browser info you provided yet. Could you please explain briefly what it is exactly? Is it an alternative browser?

[Wolfeman]

You really should download it and try it for yourself. I gave all the links and info with my post.

speaking of which, where are all the MMCR users that were here before?

has interested evaporated? I feel kinda silly posting to two forums where one has no interest or feedback [that would be this one]


anyway, the MMC/TNT browser is an alternate browser and file launcher. It shows full file names and can do much of what the built in MMCR browser does with the added ability to open T64 files with very high reliability. In short, it just LOOKS better and is much faster when you're browsing long lists of files.

[bloodline]

redrumloa wrote:

Sehr geehrter Besucher,

leider ist ein Fehler aufgetreten: Die gewünschte Seite wurde nicht gefunden.

Haben Sie sich vielleicht vertippt oder eine alte URL aufgerufen? Wenn nicht, informieren Sie bitte den Webmaster dieser Homepage per Email. Um zu der vorherigen Seite zurückzukehren, verwenden Sie bitte einfach die "Zurück" - Taste Ihres Browsers.

Your pic link is busted :-/

Ooooh German!!! And I could understand it!!! :lol: :-D

[Wolfeman]

sadly, the only German I know is from watching reruns of Hogan's Heroes

[bloodline]

Wolfeman wrote:
sadly, the only German I know is from watching reruns of Hogan's Heroes

Schade!

[redrumloa]

Wolfeman wrote:
You really should download it and try it for yourself. I gave all the links and info with my post.

Here is the condition of my computer room atm.



My C= computers are temporarily in storage.

speaking of which, where are all the MMCR users that were here before?

has interested evaporated? I feel kinda silly posting to two forums where one has no interest or feedback [that would be this one]

Everyone has lives and this is just a hobby. Unfortunately all forums are rather slow when it comes to C= 8bit. Furthermore while I am putting the faq together here(Amiga.org is my home), and while Amiga.org is tolerant of C=8bit discussion, this *is* an Amiga forum. It may be a step slower than Lemon64 on C=8bit discussion.