Vic-20 BBS, Terminal, & War Dialer software?

vk4akp · Post by **vk4akp** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 10:54 am

Hi, Has anyone ever found or preserved any Vic-20 BBS, Terminal, or War Dialer software?

I'd love to get my hands on this if at all possible?

I have a collection of different machines here and one day I'd like to set them all up with BBS software so people could telnet in and relive old memories.

.-.-.

gklinger · Post by **gklinger** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 11:26 am

There are a number of different terminal programs and I know I have an automated, sequential dialer around here somewhere (must sort, must sort). BBS software though is another matter. I've never found any for the VIC which is why I started writing some. (I'm great at starting projects. Unfortunately I suck at finishing them.)

I'm hoping to get back at it when the Mega-Cart touches down (after the requisite 72 hour game-playing marathon). The RAM expansion and built-in tools will make things a lot easier. I have this idea to ask (beg, if necessary) 6502dude to design a cartridge from which the BBS software could be run as well as including the necessary RAM expansion. A BBS on a cartridge would be neat.

dragos · Post by **dragos** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 11:35 am

Yes, and a uiec installed inside for storage!

gklinger · Post by **gklinger** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 11:42 am

dragos wrote:Yes, and a uiec installed inside for storage!

Abso-farking-lutely. The uIEC is so perfect for running boards (amongst other things) and at a fraction of the cost of a CMD HD.

vk4akp · Post by **vk4akp** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 4:57 am

Hi, Anything further happen in this area?

I'm still interested. Can I also add to the wanted list Packet Radio BBS & Terminal software wanted for the VIC-20.

Also a hardware RAM expansion cartridge with Ethernet connectivity would be great.

Basically a C64nic+ but with RAM added as well.

.-.-.

Kananga · Post by **Kananga** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 7:39 am

vk4akp wrote:Also a hardware RAM expansion cartridge with Ethernet connectivity would be great.

Ethernet for FE3! Please!

Diddl · Post by **Diddl** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 9:13 am

Only a clockport for FE3 would be nessecary, cause ethernet (RR-NET) is available for clockport.

We wanted to make an clockport for FE3, but cause increased PCB size and bigger CPLD we didn't. The costs for FE3 would be bigger and maybe most of the user don't need.

----

If someone makes the PCB I would implement it into the CPLD. We could make a FE4 with this features:

+ all features of FE3

+ clockport for RR-NET

+ SID support (socket)

Kananga · Post by **Kananga** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 2:16 pm

Diddl wrote:We wanted to make an clockport for FE3, but cause increased PCB size and bigger CPLD we didn't. The costs for FE3 would be bigger and maybe most of the user don't need.

Who wouldn't need a clockport for the Vic-20?
- Silversurfer
- RR-Net
- MP3@64
and perhaps more?

Diddl · Post by **Diddl** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 2:33 pm

there were some problems to solve:

We used a free PCB routing software. it is only free for small PCB, and FE3 was full, we doesn't find any space for clock port.

A bigger PCB and a bigger CPLD would make costs of many € and we thought 50€ is enough.

----

to implement a clockport is simple for a CPLD. But our 1504 was nearly full and no free PIN were available.

Does anyone want to get a clock port instead of the µIEC? I don't think ...

----

But if anyone make me a PCB I do the job!

vk4akp · Post by **vk4akp** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 8:57 pm

Diddl wrote:there were some problems to solve:

Does anyone want to get a clock port instead of the µIEC? I don't think ...

----

But if anyone make me a PCB I do the job!

Yes please! uIEC on the FE3 is not necessary as we have Jim Brain's uIEC.

Not only clock port but please have full NIC like the c64NIC+.

It is only one cheap IC and RJ45 + a few support parts.

This could then be made low profile and fit nice and neat in a standard VIC-20 cartridge. Much nicer!

512K RAM, 512K Flash, full NIC, + reset switch etc.

Maybe also a USB connector for flashing etc would be nice. Or perhaps this could be done in some tricky way using the RJ45 and then USB is not necessary? Who knows.

But I believe we have many uIEC SD card storage solutions already for all Commodore with IEC.

But we have no NIC solution yet for VIC so this is far more important.

Anyone else agree?

Also thank you for offering to do the software. Nice! Now all we need is someone smart to do the hardware as well.

.-.-.

rwv01 · Post by **rwv01** » Sun Jul 04, 2010 6:17 pm

Here's a possible lead about some BBS software for the VIC-20 written back in 1982 called RAVICS (Remote Access VIC System).

http://www.bbsdocumentary.com/software/ ... S/adam.txt

P.S. Would anyone be willing to volunteer to finish MightyTerm?
I'd do it but I'm no programer.

Kananga · Post by **Kananga** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 6:53 am

rwv01 wrote:P.S. Would anyone be willing to volunteer to finish MightyTerm?

What's wrong with Mighty Term? What's missing?

rwv01 · Post by **rwv01** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 4:48 pm

Kananga wrote:What's wrong with Mighty Term? What's missing?

Mainly the ability to upload/download files.
It also gives a non-supported option error when you try to go to the next configuration menu page as there is none and you have to type the sys code again. Color for the PETSCII graphics would be nice if possible.

MightyTerm in a complete form would ba a great complement to this BBS cart project. It already has most of the features one would want in a VIC terminal program, It just needs to be completed.

Kananga · Post by **Kananga** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 12:31 am

rwv01 wrote:Mainly the ability to upload/download files.

If it's just a matter of implementing the Z-Modem protocol, it shouldn't be too difficult, provided space restrictions aren't too tight.

rwv01 wrote:It also gives a non-supported option error when you try to go to the next configuration menu page as there is none and you have to type the sys code again. Color for the PETSCII graphics would be nice if possible.

Doesn't sound too difficult either. Of course, I haven't had a look at the source code yet. Is it available and under what license?

vk4akp · Post by **vk4akp** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 12:40 am

rwv01 wrote:Here's a possible lead about some BBS software for the VIC-20 written back in 1982 called RAVICS (Remote Access VIC System).

Thanks, Yea, I came across that some time back. From memory I contacted the author and he said all copies he ever had were long lost sadly.

But I would love to find it again. Someone somewhere would have it sitting in an attack.

It would be nice to further develop something that is historically relevant instead of starting again with a modern day effort I feel.

.-.-.