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Plus2CPC. Plus cartridge slot for the CPC

Started by abalore, 09:35, 27 May 21

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eto

Quote from: zhulien on 06:50, 01 July 21
has anyone got the Amstrad magazine which had the CPC 664 with Plus Upgrade?  (I think it was an april fools joke, but couldn't find which magazine or year it was)

which magazines were still in print in 1991? That should be easy to find ;-)

ukmarkh

Quote from: GUNHED on 12:15, 01 July 21
Thanks a lot for the Plus2CPC, it arrived and it's just awesome!!!  :) :) :) :) :) :) :)


Is there a link to buy this?

abalore

Quote from: ukmarkh on 19:17, 01 July 21
Is there a link to buy this?

Quote from: Syncmaster319 on 22:39, 30 June 21Hi, I would love an IDC version for my MX4 board. Thanks in advance,  great work! Mark

Hello, just send me a PM with the version you want (V3 or V4), if you want with or without enclosure, and your address to check the shipping costs. Thank you!

ikonsgr

@abalore, Do you happen to know if there are other Rom cartridge games like Alcon2020, that can run on standard CPC machines?
Btw, soon, there will be another alternative for loading Alcon2020 (or any Rom game) on CPC machines.
I'm planning to make this board with "dual mode" operation, that the 512k SRAM memory will function either as normal RAM expansion AND as ROM BOARD for 32X16kb roms!
Using a small utility for USIfAC II, you will be able to load any cpr file to SRAM, and by a simple pressing of a button board will act as rom board!  :)

abalore

Quote from: ikonsgr on 08:26, 11 July 21
@abalore, Do you happen to know if there are other Rom cartridge games like Alcon2020, that can run on standard CPC machines?
Btw, soon, there will be another alternative for loading Alcon2020 (or any Rom game) on CPC machines.
I'm planning to make this board with "dual mode" operation, that the 512k SRAM memory will function either as normal RAM expansion AND as ROM BOARD for 32X16kb roms!
Using a small utility for USIfAC II, you will be able to load any cpr file to SRAM, and by a simple pressing of a button board will act as rom board!  :)
That's good news. It's similar of what we currently do with the X-MEM. There is an installation disk to fill the 32 roms with Alcon2020 directly from the CPC.

abalore

Quote from: ikonsgr on 08:26, 11 July 21@abalore, Do you happen to know if there are other Rom cartridge games like Alcon2020, that can run on standard CPC machines?

I don't know of any other games specifically designed for ROM. There are many conversions of tape/disc games to ROM, and you can convert many disc games to cartridge with Nocart.

ikonsgr

#106
Quote from: abalore on 10:02, 11 July 21
I don't know of any other games specifically designed for ROM. There are many conversions of tape/disc games to ROM, and you can convert many disc games to cartridge with Nocart.
Maybe it would be a good idea,to make a "CPR. ROM GAME ARCHIVE" here is cpcwiki, for games that utilize Plus Rom catridge, but they can run on any cpc machine (e.g. they don't use the extra hardware of plus machines like hardware sprites).
Btw, i suppose all these cpr rom cartridge games are for plus only, right?

Phantomz

Quote from: abalore on 08:02, 30 June 21
That's It. I use a modified Nocart version to fit several dsk into one cartridge in order to use the full 512k.


Any chance I could check this out?  :)


I could do with 80 track support as limited to 60 track with the current nocart.

abalore

Quote from: Phantomz on 13:05, 11 July 21

Any chance I could check this out?  :)


I could do with 80 track support as limited to 60 track with the current nocart.

I was trying to change the number of tracks, but it's not a proper solution because the required number of tracks to take advantage of the whole cartridge is 103 and the number of blocks exceed 256, so it can't be addressed.

What I did instead is to store different DSK starting at different ROM numbers and modified Nocart to get the base ROM number from a memory location instead of be fixed to &83, so you can simply change the number from BASIC to access different discs.
But this is only part of the process, the rest is to mount the final CPR in a hex editor putting the different DSK into the proper areas to maximize the cartridge usage, and finally adding a BASIC menu in the first disc to change to the proper ROM number for each game.
Please let me know in a PM your email and I'll send you the modified Nocart, I wouldn't like to spread the modified copy without the consent of the creator.

abalore

Quote from: ikonsgr on 11:25, 11 July 21
Maybe it would be a good idea,to make a "CPR. ROM GAME ARCHIVE" here is cpcwiki, for games that utilize Plus Rom catridge, but they can run on any cpc machine (e.g. they don't use the extra hardware of plus machines like hardware sprites).
Btw, i suppose all these cpr rom cartridge games are for plus only, right?
That's a list of the original Plus releases, maybe Switchblade could work to some extent, but not the others. For a list of CPC working CPR take a look at this: https://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Converted_GX4000_Software

ikonsgr

#110
Wow, all these games are converted to rom catridge format? I suppose the main usage for this is to play them using GX4000 game console, because, if you have a CPC equipped with Gotek drive or a board like USIfAC II or M4 (which can access directly dsk images or even files), there is no need for that.  ::)
Still, they can be a very good way for testing the "rom board" mode of my new board  ;D




eto

Quote from: ikonsgr on 19:11, 11 July 21I suppose the main usage for this is to play them using GX4000 game console

Yes - but also, as a sideeffect, on the Plus with a gamepad. It's just very convenient with the C4CPC and also that it's so much more convenient to use the second button rather than a key on the keyboard.

dragon

Add some support enable cheats.


And some have their original bug fixed as lemmings for example :).





https://youtu.be/n4ucwl1hOVs

abalore

One advantage of the Plus cartridge format, in my opinion, is that it is plug & play in the literal sense.
I play much more on my 464 since I have the cartridge adapter and a set of cartridges with my favorite games, because it's boring to me to have to navigate through directories.
The "console feeling" of just plugging the cartridge in, turning the computer on and playing is very good for me.

Redbug

Received my mine today too.


It works great. Thanks
RedBug/Crazy Piri
Crazy Piri's productions are available on itch.io
AMSnews.fr, a new french information site about the Amstrad. Be the first to know.

GUNHED

Hi there. I got my Plus2CPC too. But I need to use a Centronics plug. Sadly I can't find them at ebay.
Does somebody please have a link fo me?
Any idea?

http://futureos.de --> Get the revolutionary FutureOS (Update: 2023.11.30)
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/LambdaSpeak_RSX_by_TFM.zip --> Get the RSX-ROM for LambdaSpeak :-) (Updated: 2021.12.26)

abalore

Hello! IDC version for MX4 is in production now and will be dispatched soon!


zhulien

#117
Quote from: abalore on 10:02, 11 July 21
I don't know of any other games specifically designed for ROM. There are many conversions of tape/disc games to ROM, and you can convert many disc games to cartridge with Nocart.


I think there were some games originally advertised on rom - like the pacman with legs platform game (forgot the name)...


Ghouls


https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p7oglLPoMgI/Vupkaa25uZI/AAAAAAAABew/_4ZVrZ7ek3094ZyajHyqPunD4ZIsFrUeQ/s1600/Gh2.png


Here also mentions Ghouls being available on ROM.
https://cpcrulez.fr/applications_coding-micropower-sideways_rom_ACU.htm



Gryzor


TotO

"You make one mistake in your life and the internet will never let you live it down" (Keith Goodyer)

abalore

Quote from: zhulien on 12:03, 15 July 21

I think there were some games originally advertised on rom - like the pacman with legs platform game (forgot the name)...


Ghouls


https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p7oglLPoMgI/Vupkaa25uZI/AAAAAAAABew/_4ZVrZ7ek3094ZyajHyqPunD4ZIsFrUeQ/s1600/Gh2.png


Here also mentions Ghouls being available on ROM.
https://cpcrulez.fr/applications_coding-micropower-sideways_rom_ACU.htm

Sure, but there is a difference between "being published in ROM" and "being designed for ROM". I mean, do they take advantage of the ROM capabilities or they are just the original game copied into a ROM?

Philippe Lardenois

Hi Abalore,
just wondering what cartridge template you use to build your own compilation for 464 to use with the Plus2CPC cart horlder ?
Is it a CPC+ cart modified with a Winbond27c256 ?

abalore

Quote from: Philippe Lardenois on 12:02, 21 July 21
Hi Abalore,
just wondering what cartridge template you use to build your own compilation for 464 to use with the Plus2CPC cart horlder ?
Is it a CPC+ cart modified with a Winbond27c256 ?
Hello!
It's this design: http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/amstrad-cpc-hardware/amstrad-gx4000-plus-cartridge-pcb/
with a normal 27c4001 eprom and the 74HC112N chip.
The 74HC112N chip is only needed for the cartridge to work in the Plus, to work in the Plus2CPC adapter is not needed.

Philippe Lardenois

ok. So according to what I read, we could use a Plus original cartridge, with a Zif Support and an eeprom.
Am I Right ? Is there a file containing a compilation like yours somewhere to burn on the eprom ?

gerald

Quote from: Philippe Lardenois on 17:25, 21 July 21
ok. So according to what I read, we could use a Plus original cartridge, with a Zif Support and an eeprom.
Am I Right ?
No, you can't use a plus original cartridge with a zif socket because that would mean destroying an original plus cartridge  ;D


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