Any schematics for this cart PCB Board? I am trying to figure our how ROMS are address and would like to see exactly how your board is doing it. I am order 10 of them (same cost as 5) from PCBWay, but it'll be a week before I see them. I have other boards similar to this one. I have been trying to burn a C128 Diagnostic ROM and have had no success getting them to work from the bin files on Zimmer. I've gotten bin files (i.e., 1541 Alignment) to work and boot, but none of the diagnostics. I am not sure what I am doing wrong. Anyway, I like the look and simplicity of your board, and THANK YOU very much for showing us how to convert the PRG files to BIN files!!
Hi, I've just added the schematic to my webpage. www.inimblesloth.com/commodore-64-16k-cartridge/ You'll also find screenshots of the PCB traces there too. The Schematic is a text link just above the PCB - Rear Copper heading.
@@iNimbleSloth The thing I am learning is that even though all 16 address lines is available at the cartridge slot, the C64 only can address an 8K external ROM, 16K with bank switching using the ROML control line from the PLA. Maybe not technically correct, but the way it appears to me. To address larger ROMS, your are just using A14 and A15 to control the start location in that ROM. The largest program the C64 can run from its cartridge port is 16K. Is that about correct? One thing that still causes me a fail of understanding is, how come if I am using a 64Kb prom (27c512), is why if all I want is an 8kb program, why I must concatenate it, to itself 8 times to fill the eeprom? What about have a blank section in the EEPROM (or EPROM) causes the C64 or C128 not to run to 8K program in the lowest 8K portion of the eeprom? I can just except is as fact, that one must fill the entire eeprom, but I do not like just excepting things - lol.
@@iNimbleSloth I also found a C128 "BURNIN ROM" .bin file on zimmer. It is 64K. How is this possible? I assume it must be aimed at the U36 ROM slot internally? I will have to look in to that.
@@Daveyk021I've not looked any more into it than when I made the 16K cartridge. I know some cartridges page in/out different areas of the EPROM to the same address space in the computer, but it's not something I've looked into or done. The CPU can only address 64K, some of that is the kurnal ROM, basic ROM and IO, so there is only limited amount that is left for the expansion port. Have you seen Gideon's Ultimate-II+ cartridge? He has an excellent grasp on what's possible with the expansion port. ultimate64.com/U2PLBLK
@@iNimbleSlothIt turns out I tried to order on at the end of August and forgot about it. As it turns out my payment did not go through. So I re-ordered on on BackOrder, and made sure the payment went through. So who knows when I will get one. This is also the same site that I have a pre-order in for the Ulitmate64 board (whichever is the latest version). I have a case and keyboard ready for it whenever....
Thanks, glad to hear you enjoyed it. Yes, at the moment I'm using an overprotection voltage device, but am looking to go with a modern PSU at some point.
Hello. I can't understand one thing - why A13 is pulled down by /ROMH ? I am trying to convert this cartridge to 2x32 and trying to understand ways to do that
Hi Oleg, retrobits explains the memory selection quite well and would be easier than me trying to put it all in text here. th-cam.com/video/EqZc1wt-SeA/w-d-xo.html Another great resource is www.c64-wiki.com/wiki/Expansion_Port
In my design, this restriction is due to how the address pins are connected and the memory mapping in the C64. You could try bank switching but you'd need to redesign the board. www.c64-wiki.com/wiki/Bank_Switching & www.c64-wiki.com/wiki/Expansion_Port
I didn't bother with ENIG, I just went with HASL lead-free. You can select ENIG on the ordering page, but it will increase the cost. The fingers on my board aren't beveled. Before I started the PCB, I was thinking about adding beveled edges, but after looking at several original cartridges that weren't beveled, I decided it would be easier not to go down that route as I'd need to learn how to do it 🤣 I've not had any issues using the cartridge with my original C64, but I am a little hesitant to plug it into my Ultimate64 since this is one of the older Ultimate designs (pre Elite) and I read that some people had issues with the cartridge connector on the older motherboard being damaged by non-beveled fingers.
It's the jumper positions that determine which bank will automatically run. So if you convert the file and write to the bank 0 memory location, set the jumpers for bank 0 it will work. If you are only going to have the one game on the EPROM, then instead of jumpers, you can solder a wire links.
@@arduinopl7460 Oooo, my mistake. I've not converted prg to crt myself but have seen a couple of bits about this online csdb.dk/release/?id=109269 frank-buss.de/c64/prg2crt/index.html
Nice serie Adam! from design to play... keep up the great c64 work!
Thank you!
Great tutorial. Keep up the good work. Cheers
Any schematics for this cart PCB Board? I am trying to figure our how ROMS are address and would like to see exactly how your board is doing it. I am order 10 of them (same cost as 5) from PCBWay, but it'll be a week before I see them. I have other boards similar to this one. I have been trying to burn a C128 Diagnostic ROM and have had no success getting them to work from the bin files on Zimmer. I've gotten bin files (i.e., 1541 Alignment) to work and boot, but none of the diagnostics. I am not sure what I am doing wrong. Anyway, I like the look and simplicity of your board, and THANK YOU very much for showing us how to convert the PRG files to BIN files!!
Hi, I've just added the schematic to my webpage. www.inimblesloth.com/commodore-64-16k-cartridge/ You'll also find screenshots of the PCB traces there too. The Schematic is a text link just above the PCB - Rear Copper heading.
@@iNimbleSloth The thing I am learning is that even though all 16 address lines is available at the cartridge slot, the C64 only can address an 8K external ROM, 16K with bank switching using the ROML control line from the PLA. Maybe not technically correct, but the way it appears to me. To address larger ROMS, your are just using A14 and A15 to control the start location in that ROM. The largest program the C64 can run from its cartridge port is 16K.
Is that about correct?
One thing that still causes me a fail of understanding is, how come if I am using a 64Kb prom (27c512), is why if all I want is an 8kb program, why I must concatenate it, to itself 8 times to fill the eeprom? What about have a blank section in the EEPROM (or EPROM) causes the C64 or C128 not to run to 8K program in the lowest 8K portion of the eeprom? I can just except is as fact, that one must fill the entire eeprom, but I do not like just excepting things - lol.
@@iNimbleSloth I also found a C128 "BURNIN ROM" .bin file on zimmer. It is 64K. How is this possible? I assume it must be aimed at the U36 ROM slot internally? I will have to look in to that.
@@Daveyk021I've not looked any more into it than when I made the 16K cartridge. I know some cartridges page in/out different areas of the EPROM to the same address space in the computer, but it's not something I've looked into or done. The CPU can only address 64K, some of that is the kurnal ROM, basic ROM and IO, so there is only limited amount that is left for the expansion port. Have you seen Gideon's Ultimate-II+ cartridge? He has an excellent grasp on what's possible with the expansion port. ultimate64.com/U2PLBLK
@@iNimbleSlothIt turns out I tried to order on at the end of August and forgot about it. As it turns out my payment did not go through. So I re-ordered on on BackOrder, and made sure the payment went through. So who knows when I will get one. This is also the same site that I have a pre-order in for the Ulitmate64 board (whichever is the latest version). I have a case and keyboard ready for it whenever....
Great video series. I hope you're using a modern PSU or some type of voltage over protection on that machine. 😀
Thanks, glad to hear you enjoyed it. Yes, at the moment I'm using an overprotection voltage device, but am looking to go with a modern PSU at some point.
Hello. I can't understand one thing - why A13 is pulled down by /ROMH ?
I am trying to convert this cartridge to 2x32 and trying to understand ways to do that
Hi Oleg, retrobits explains the memory selection quite well and would be easier than me trying to put it all in text here. th-cam.com/video/EqZc1wt-SeA/w-d-xo.html
Another great resource is www.c64-wiki.com/wiki/Expansion_Port
Why only 16k ? it possible config 2 for 32K or one for 64K ??
In my design, this restriction is due to how the address pins are connected and the memory mapping in the C64. You could try bank switching but you'd need to redesign the board. www.c64-wiki.com/wiki/Bank_Switching & www.c64-wiki.com/wiki/Expansion_Port
I didn't see you add gold to the original order. Are the fingers ENIG or hard gold plating? How do you specify the fingers need to be beveled?
I didn't bother with ENIG, I just went with HASL lead-free. You can select ENIG on the ordering page, but it will increase the cost. The fingers on my board aren't beveled. Before I started the PCB, I was thinking about adding beveled edges, but after looking at several original cartridges that weren't beveled, I decided it would be easier not to go down that route as I'd need to learn how to do it 🤣 I've not had any issues using the cartridge with my original C64, but I am a little hesitant to plug it into my Ultimate64 since this is one of the older Ultimate designs (pre Elite) and I read that some people had issues with the cartridge connector on the older motherboard being damaged by non-beveled fingers.
Out of curiosity, what does reset on the cartridge do?
It restarts the machine.
Hello. Is it possible to convert *.prg file ~11kB to run automaticaly for ex. on bank 0 on this cart?
It's the jumper positions that determine which bank will automatically run. So if you convert the file and write to the bank 0 memory location, set the jumpers for bank 0 it will work. If you are only going to have the one game on the EPROM, then instead of jumpers, you can solder a wire links.
My question was can I convert simple *.prg file? And how to do this? @@iNimbleSloth
@@arduinopl7460 Oooo, my mistake. I've not converted prg to crt myself but have seen a couple of bits about this online csdb.dk/release/?id=109269
frank-buss.de/c64/prg2crt/index.html
Whose toothbrush are you using to clean that flux cleaner off? 🤣
🤣🤣