Hello There :D
Been harbouring an ambition to add a CPC 464 to my collection for a while and got one recently, it works (good!) and I'm using it with a MP2 modulator. Short term I'm getting a SCART adaptor, and building up a little cassette collection. Fav games were Dynamite Dan, Codename Matt II, Chuckie Egg, Harrier Attack, Way of the Exploding Fist, Arnhem but looking forward to actually understanding how to play games like Dun Darach this time around seeing as I was about 5 years old when I got my CPC last time lol
Long term I'd like to do what I did with my Amiga (my other retro love :P ) and have a SDCard arrangement to load games from - is this possible with the CPC 464? I've seen the centpourcent site and think I need the MX4 Main and MX4 XMass board but its not obvious those will let me do what I want.
Seen a few comments on here when others have mentioned the 464, that it might just be easier to goto to a 6128 - thats fine by me.
Bottom line is I'm looking for the easiest way to enjoy original 464/6128 games (not emulated!), with the fastest load times.
Any help appreciated 8)
Wigs
Hi wigs,
To load from an SD card on a 464 you will need a ddi1 interface. The original ones are rare as hens teeth these days but in the past few months a 100% compatible clone has been made, search the forum for the thread and pictures. You will also need an HxC sd card floppy emulator. Together that will set you back about 100 tops. Although they can both be fitted internally in your 464.
The xmem will extend the ram on your machine to 576k, giving you compatibility with all 6128 only software. The Xmas itself does not (yet) allow games to be loaded from it other than symbos titles as amsdos has no rom to use it. However this will be resolved shortly. Even when it is a large number of commercial games are copy protected so will not ever load from the x mass.
Craig
"Even when it is a large number of commercial games are copy protected so will not ever load from the x mass"
Ive been picking up some chatter regarding copy protrection causing issues with none cassette/disc based loading, will the same problem apply to images mounted on SD cards?
Is there a link to the shop for the DDI-1 clone BTW I did search and have found the thread but online can only find some expired auctions?
The alternative Ive seen people posting about is using MP3s - obviously I still need the 6128 to get the tape input - but it seems that might be a option too.
Cheers 8)
Another possibility is to start the games from ROM, this would only require a ROM expansion (and there are currently a lot of them available).
There is an own thread about this topic:
Converting a game to ROM - and LOTS of ROM files inside! (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/games/how-to-convert-a-dsk-image-to-rom/msg93177/#msg93177)
Starting "Amsdos" games from an IDE device (SYMBiFACE II or X-MASS) is currently possible in this way:
- you use the proprietary filesystem of BonnyDOS; this extends Amsdos directly with harddisc access
- you use the FAT filesystem and have the games available as SNApshot files (there is a huge collection of SNA files available). Now you can use SymSnap (http://www.symbos.de/apps.htm?2#marke0) in SymbOS to start them
CU,
Prodatron
Thanks for that, did some more searching and seems I have two options, audio or software.
1) Audio - Buy a 6128 (I'm not going to add audio in to the 464) and use either MP3 files and the fast load app, or CDT files and the android app to load games
2) Software - Upgarde the 464 with alternative OS so I can load ROM files directly
The audio option seems more within my technical ability so I'll stick with cassettes for the 464, and look to buy a 6128.
[size=78%]Cheers![/size]
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You can use external audio on the 464 without modifying it. Just use one of these:
(http://ppa-usa.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/5e06319eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/f/i/file_29_13.jpg)
Quote from: McKlain on 18:55, 09 February 15
You can use external audio on the 464 without modifying it. Just use one of these:
Genius!
Thank you very much thats exactly what I'll do :D
The only problem is, that it will be as slow as loading from a C64 disc drive ;D ;D
Yeah, those "tape emulators" are great and usefull, but be sure to clean the reading head in the Tape drive and check it.
otherwise, don't hesitate to buy some newly made extensions and peripherals...
RAM+ROM box is great (check for an X-Mem) and I thing some disk drive interface were recently done as well.
I mean, CPC464 is great because it is a CPC with a robust built massive design, beasty awesome colourfull ham...
but many modern productions are more designed for CPC6128 specs.
Disk interface is really really more practical... even if you don't use real 3" floppies.
but yeeah, good to find real CPC6128 and it depends on your budget as well (modern cards/peripherals are not too expensive, actually, but yeah, not free anyway).
To use those tape emulator enable to load some games via MP3, many are available in special format so they actually load quite faster...
Also many tape games were released by spanish editors (amongst others) in the last 10 years and those are great products.
Feel free to have a look there :
Cent Pour Cent - CPC News (http://www.centpourcent.net/)
And welcome to the Amstradom.
You've been anointed by Lord Sugar himself... our true Lord and Master.
He who defeated Lord Clive so hard and so badly he retired with his C5 and married a stripper.
personally i wouldnt use the tape drive...even if i have done it.
you can get a clone of the DDI1 and use a 3.5 inch drive on it.
although i made my own from the service manual:)
I think I'm going to go down the route of using the 464 as it is with what games I have on tape, and picking up a few more, I'll keep an eye out for a decently priced 6128 (no rush, its been out 30 years lol) and look to upgrade that.
Cheers All ;D