Fpga arcade: Vic-20 core

[Darrin]

FPGA Arcade developer Wolfgang has been busy working on a VIC-20 core for the FPGA Arcade.

It is still beta, but it boots, loads games from *.d64 floppy images or loads *.prg files into RAM where you can run them.  Sound works, but needs some final tweaking.  There is also support for booting with extra RAM fitted (up to 16KB).  He even has the old “Super Expander” cartridge working which adds 3KB of RAM, extra BASIC commands and “hi-res” (don’t laugh!) graphics.  I had one of these cartridges when I was a kid.

Unfortunately, the core requires the new ARM update which Mike is still working on.  It is this update which is holding up the release of the mainstream FPGA Arcade boards because it is being rewritten to support the launch of multiple cores from the same SD Card and the existing cores need to be rewritten and tested to make sure they work with the new bootloader.  Not long now…

To see some screenshots of the core running and read up on Wolfgang’s work then go to:

http://www.fpgaarcade.com/punbb/viewtopic.php?id=165

You’ll also find news about other cores that are either running or in development.

[motrucker]

I was just given a VIC 20 as a Christmas present. It's still sitting in the box. It's in rough shape, but I may clean it up and power it up. I guess I'll have to find some RAM for it, huh?

[Darrin]

Well, I remember managing to squeeze quite a bit into that 3.5KB.  

It amazes me that we could do anything with it when you consider that had to hold the BASIC program and the data.

Did you get a cassette deck with it or do you have a floppy drive?

Here's an interesting video showing a few VIC-20 games in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcQa54miYvY

[mrmoonlight]

Hi I have a beautiful vic 20 it boots up and works ok but the writing or words are readable on the screen but  there's small  lines going through the letters vertically which spoils it a little ,shame because it is fine apart from that ,best wishes Brian.

[mrmoonlight]

[/IMG]


Hi this is what I get

[psxphill]

FPGA Arcade developer Wolfgang has been busy working on a VIC-20 core for the FPGA Arcade.
 
It is still beta, but it boots, loads games from *.d64 floppy images or loads *.prg files into RAM where you can run them. Sound works, but needs some final tweaking. There is also support for booting with extra RAM fitted (up to 16KB). He even has the old “Super Expander” cartridge working which adds 3KB of RAM, extra BASIC commands and “hi-res” (don’t laugh!) graphics. I had one of these cartridges when I was a kid.

You can get up to 24k in a vic20, not sure how much software uses it though.
 
I wonder how this can be done http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Pe3OxyQ2gc

[Ral-Clan]

[/IMG]


Hi this is what I get

I'm guessing either your VIC's character ROM, or the particular area of RAM to which it is transferred upon boot, is corrupted.

The web site "DENIAL" is home to all of the VIC-20 experts/freaks/collectors.  Someone there should be able to get you sorted.

[mrmoonlight]

I'm guessing either your VIC's character ROM, or the particular area of RAM to which it is transferred upon boot, is corrupted.

The web site "DENIAL" is home to all of the VIC-20 experts/freaks/collectors. Someone there should be able to get you sorted.

Thanks very much for your reply ,best wishes Brian

[mongo]

I'm guessing either your VIC's character ROM, or the particular area of RAM to which it is transferred upon boot, is corrupted.

The web site "DENIAL" is home to all of the VIC-20 experts/freaks/collectors.  Someone there should be able to get you sorted.

It's not transferred to RAM upon boot.

[RobertB]

You can get up to 24k in a vic20...

I have a 32K ram expander and a 64K ram expander for the VIC-20.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug

[Darrin]

I have a 32K ram expander and a 64K ram expander for the VIC-20.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug

How much did a 64k RAM expansion cost back then?  I remember the Super Expander making my eyes water.

[motrucker]

Well, I remember managing to squeeze quite a bit into that 3.5KB.  

It amazes me that we could do anything with it when you consider that had to hold the BASIC program and the data.

Did you get a cassette deck with it or do you have a floppy drive?

Here's an interesting video showing a few VIC-20 games in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcQa54miYvY

I received a datasette with it. I also have a couple of 1571 drives I use with my C-128. I guess they would work in 1541 mode?
I am cleaning the computer now - god only know where it was, it looks like fur inside the thing! It's cleaning up nicely though...

[RobertB]

How much did a 64k RAM expansion cost back then?

Heh, I'd have to look that up in an old Compute! magazine.

From back in the day,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

I have a disc with scans of all the original Compute's Gazettes on it (ditched my print collection a decade ago). At a quick glance in issue #1, I see the 8K cartridge for $42.00, 16K for $69, and 24K for $119.95, higher capacities probably weren't even available that early, but you can probably do the math from that. Oh, 1983.

[Hattig]

Looks like one of the data pins on the character rom has disconnected itself. Maybe pressing on the ROM will reseat it, or you need a little dab of solder on the affected pin.