Hi all,
just finished testing the Multi-Cartridge (four games on one cartridge). It all worked fine, so here's a picture of what it looks like and if you need more info, including layout files to build your own, then you'll find all you need here: http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Multi_Cartridge (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Multi_Cartridge)
Bryce.
Wunderbar, Magnifico, époustouflant, Awesome, Ching Chung Yuang Long Dông, Kawaiiiiiii, buena, bonissima... :o
er... what in Greek ?
Just to remind, was the ACID cannibalized or brandnew ?
Those are the first batch of brand new Cartridges... only 20years after... nobody's was expecting this so fast... ;D
A question, I don't remember if this was already asked or answered...
Can you also get a proper 512K program on this cartridge or is it just aimed to store 4 existing games ? (to get compilations)...
Or would it imply to redesign the Switcher/Card ? (I suppose it is the case As you told it is "4 game on one cart")
Could you sell some Cards ?
The ACIDs have been cannibalised from cartridges kindly donated by Redbox (well I gave him the DIY Cartridge in return).
20 years? If I'd known people were waiting for these, I'd have started earlier :D
Regarding 512K games, this cartridge will only show the CPC 128K at a time, so it wouldn't be suitable for 512K games. The other DIY cartridge I did last week can take 512K programs though and the CPC can access all 512K, so if you're looking to develop 512K games, you should use the first DIY cartridge, not this one.
Bryce.
Ok thx.
I went to Wiki's pages on both those cartridges and added links betweens each other and a few categories, hope you won't mind ?
Your carts look quite professional...
Thanks, made a few "grammar repairs" :) But the text and links you added are a good idea.
Bryce.
Great stuff Bryce, looks really good.
Sorry for my poor understanding of electronics, but is it just simply the resistors (selected by the switches) that allow you to select which memory address bank is in use? If so, how does this actually work?
The resistors are pull-up resistors for A17 and A18. These two address pins aren't connected to the CPC, the DIP switches short them to ground (for zero) and when not shorted, the resistor pulls them to 5V (for one). The reason the resistors are needed is because the DIP switches are simple on/off switches, without the resistors I would have needed a toggle switch which is physically too big and more expensive. Also, the reason there are 3 resistors is because the pinout difference between the EPROM and Flash ICs. For example, Pin 1 is A18 on one IC, but WE (Write enable) on the other IC, so I had to be sure that when this pin wasn't connected, that it was being held at 5V, otherwise the Flash would have gone into write mode and things could and would get messed up in the Flash.
Bryce.
Put it in a case this morning...
Bryce.
Now the 4x128K question : what games did you put on this sweet bugger ???
Pang ? Plotting ? Robocop2 ? Navy Seal ? a tennis compilation ?
Well, due to the fact that I've never played any of the cartridge games before, I first put Batman, Crazy Cars II, RoboCop 2 and Magic Pinball on and tried them all out. But I've over-written them with Tintin, Fire and Forget, Switchblade and Copter 271 (which I just spent an hour playing). Once the "Joystick cramp" in my hand has gone, I will try Pang, Klax, Navy Seals and Plotting :D
Bryce.
Quote from: Bryce on 14:56, 11 December 10
The resistors are pull-up resistors for A17 and A18.
So is this the function that allows you to read &00000 to &20000 for one setting, and then &20000 to &40000 for the second setting etc? And the Plus always sees it as &00000 to &20000 no matter which one is selected...?
Sorry for my ignorance, just can't quite get my head round how you select which part of memory in the chip is selected :(
Looks great plugged into your 6128 Plus. :) Can't beat Pang, awesome game that I've blown far too much time on 8)
A17 and A18 coming from the CPC aren't connected to the EPROMs A17 and A18, so the CPC thinks there's a 128K EPROM attached (A16 to A0), the DIP switches / resistors allow you to set A17/18 on the EPROM/Flash to 00, 01, 10 or 11 to select the region of the EPROM which is addressed and what the CPC gets to see.
Bryce.
Quote from: Bryce on 16:53, 12 December 10
A17 and A18 coming from the CPC aren't connected to the EPROMs A17 and A18, so the CPC thinks there's a 128K EPROM attached (A16 to A0), the DIP switches / resistors allow you to set A17/18 on the EPROM/Flash to 00, 01, 10 or 11 to select the region of the EPROM which is addressed and what the CPC gets to see.
Aha, I understand now :)
Thanks for explaining and it's a very nice solution.
Quote from: Bryce on 16:26, 12 December 10
... Switchblade and Copter 271 (which I just spent an hour playing). :D
Bryce.
These are really great games and maybe to best for longer use. I wouldn't have it any other way ;)
Copter 271 is notable for being laggy and un-finished...
But all in one, you can expect at least 4x4 good games...
Panza ?
Panza's kick boxing? A great game on the ST, never really played it on the CPC (but the gfx are nice!)
Isn't Best of the Best (the CPC/PLUS upgraded disk version) better than even Panza on cartridge ?
I used to play Panza on my EGA PC... great too.
Panza was certainly good on all platforms... Loriciel was such a great company.
Yipppiieehhhh!!!
Today my Multi-Cartridge arrived!
Incl. 5 Flash-ROMs to swap :)
Thankyou, dear Bryce, for producing such a useful piece of hardware!
*playing now until 2011* :D
Question: Do also other users have problems with "No Exit" game?
It doesnt boot up on my 6128+...
I can't remember having problems with No Exit, I had problems with Plotting, because the overscan doesn't agree with my CPC -> VGA converter circuit (Need to work on that one ;) ), but No Exit worked fine as far as I can remember, but I'll check it again and let you know.
Bryce.