Hi there! This is my first post to this great forum!
I used to own a VIC-20 about 30 years ago and sadly I sold the computer when I "upgraded" to C64. Luckily since a few days ago I'm now a happy owner of a vic again
I don't have any games yet but I already have a few projects in mind. I'm a game developer and also an electronics geek and I've been thinking about the feasability of emulating a cartridge ROM chip with a microcontroller such as the ATmega328P.
My question is about the ROM chips found in the cartridges. Does anyone know the part number of the ROM chip used in cartridges, or better yet point me to a technical datasheet with pinouts and timing information?
Many thanks in advance!
Cartridge ROM chip specs
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- Mike
- Herr VC
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Re: Cartridge ROM chip specs
The PROM chips on the cartridges are pin- and signal-compatible to the 23xx series.
With an adapter socket or some re-routing on the cartridge PCB, 27xx EPROMs can be made to work.
You should check out the FE3 (Final Expansion 3) project. It uses two microcontrollers: one of them provides a SD2IEC device, which allows access to SD cards as floppy on DOS level (the internal computer of the CBM drives is not emulated), and the second one controls access to a 512K RAM and a 512K Flash EPROM. Part of the Flash EPROM is supposed to hold firmware with utility programs (Menu, DOS wedge) and the cartridge allows to activate different RAM expansions which map into free address ranges of the 6502 CPU.
With an adapter socket or some re-routing on the cartridge PCB, 27xx EPROMs can be made to work.
You should check out the FE3 (Final Expansion 3) project. It uses two microcontrollers: one of them provides a SD2IEC device, which allows access to SD cards as floppy on DOS level (the internal computer of the CBM drives is not emulated), and the second one controls access to a 512K RAM and a 512K Flash EPROM. Part of the Flash EPROM is supposed to hold firmware with utility programs (Menu, DOS wedge) and the cartridge allows to activate different RAM expansions which map into free address ranges of the 6502 CPU.
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- Vic 20 Dabbler
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Re: Cartridge ROM chip specs
Thanks! That helps. So many things to learn! I'll post here with results if I get the emulation working.
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- Vic 20 Dabbler
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Re: Cartridge ROM chip specs
Hello again! I've tried to Google but I can't find any technical information (schematics, technical specs) about the Final Expansion 3 project. All the links in the Denial Wiki's FE3 page and the webpage of the FE3 project http://www.for8bits.com seem to be down. Any ideas where to look?
- orion70
- VICtalian
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Re: Cartridge ROM chip specs
I can help uploading the FE3 manual here. Unfortunately, I don't have more tech specs saved in my HD.
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- Vic 20 Dabbler
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Re: Cartridge ROM chip specs
Thank you orion70! Interesting read. If somebody has the schematic still around I'd be very grateful..
Re: Cartridge ROM chip specs
Have a look at Vic-20 MegaCart also for ideas.
Cheers
Cheers
Mega-Cart: the ultimate cartridge for your Commodore Vic-20
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- Vic 20 Dabbler
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Re: Cartridge ROM chip specs
Speaking of which, I ordered the MegaCart a few days ago but haven't got any email back. Hope all is well and I get the ultimate MegaCart one day…6502dude wrote:Have a look at Vic-20 MegaCart also for ideas.