C64TPC

SmallCleverDinosaur · January 05, 2009, 09:02 PM

Has anyone got one of these?

http://www.cancarpet.com/saymantek/c64tpc_en.html

A (another) device for transferring files between a C64 and a PC. Since it plugs into the serialconnector of the Commodore it might also work in C128 native mode

hoss48458 · January 05, 2009, 11:42 PM

yes i have one, its works good in the 64 mode, but doesnt work in the 128 mode due to the 128 trying to use the fast serial routines, but a fix in the pc progrogram would fix this.

basically it sends data to the pc and then sends data back to the device and then buffers it and then syncs it to the clock and then sends it to the commodore computer.

overall its a good pruduct, just needs better pc program support

SmallCleverDinosaur · January 06, 2009, 07:01 AM

Thanks for the information!

Since the C128 checks the serial device to see if it's capable of fast serial communications everytime a serial command (like DLOAD) is used, it's not possible to force the C128 to always use slow serial mode I suppose? Like switching the 1571 to 1541 mode which can be done.

I guess then that the change in the PC-program is probably doing just that; to make the PC tell the C128 to use slow-mode evertyime the serialbus is being used.

A neat trick would be to set the FSDIR pin of the MMU to an input, effectively disabling the MMU's ability to set the serial bus to fast-mode. But I guess there is noway of changing the direction of the FSDIR pin, since I haven't found any data direction register for the MMU's pins (like the data direction register of the 8502 processor at location $00)

Anyone with a thought regarding this?

hoss48458 · January 16, 2009, 05:06 AM

the product works, its the software for the pc that needs upgrading.

please remember the guy that made this product only had a 64 to work with, had he had a 128, he would have improved the software.

also the fast serial routines are sent from the 128, when they are not acnoligize, then the 128 switch to the slow serial mode, so it dont matter how the fsdir pin in the 128 is set, so to say......

SmallCleverDinosaur · January 16, 2009, 06:23 AM

I've been in contact with the creator of the C64TPC and he seems eager to update his product so that it could work with the C128

I've sent him "Mapping the C128" which explains the fast serial mode in detail. But still, he probably needs a real C128 to test it with. Maybe we should get him one

The part that puzzles me though, is that as you wrote, when the software in the PC doesn't acknowledge the fast serial call from the C128, the C128 switches to slow serial mode. So why doesn't it work? The problem might be that the PC-software answers something on the C128's fast serial call that the C128 doesn't understand which makes it give up the hole thing.

Mangelore · January 23, 2009, 09:56 PM

I also purchased a C64TPC but never got around to setting it up. Now that I'm starting to find some free time I'll give it a shot with the C128.

Just a thought, what if we create a special serial cable (or DIN plug/socket adapter) that removes pin 1 (SRQ Serial Service Request In on the C64, Fast Serial Clock on the C128)? This mght disable the 1571 Fast Mode???

Cheers
Fotios

SmallCleverDinosaur · January 23, 2009, 10:23 PM

Now, that's a great idea! It just might work, and if someone were to pull that off, it would be you Fotios

airship · January 24, 2009, 03:20 AM

I don't much like hardware fixes for software problems, but whatever works.

Andrew Wiskow · January 24, 2009, 05:50 AM

Quote from: Mangelore on January 23, 2009, 09:56 PMJust a thought, what if we create a special serial cable (or DIN plug/socket adapter) that removes pin 1 (SRQ Serial Service Request In on the C64, Fast Serial Clock on the C128)? This mght disable the 1571 Fast Mode???

This is exactly what they did to use 1571s and 1581s on the C128 with the Lt Kernal hard drive.

This is taken from the Lt Kernal website:

QuoteThe Lt. Kernal did not support the 'fast' mode of the 1571 drive. If you plan on using a 1571 drive with either the C128 or C128D, you must use a Xetec-supplied special Serial Cable which disabled Fast mode (1571 operates at the Speed of a 1541 drive). If you don't use the special cable, directory listings and programs will be scrambled.

It turns out that you can make your very own "Xetec-supplied special Serial Cable" by just pulling out pin 1 from one of the ends.

Mangelore · January 24, 2009, 09:07 AM

Well, I just had a quick look at the DIN plug that ships with 64TPC. Pins 1 and 6 are not connected so you can forget about my pin1 idea.

SmallCleverDinosaur · January 26, 2009, 07:16 PM

Happy birthday to Fotios! (Mangelore)

Mangelore · January 29, 2009, 08:52 AM

Thanks! I'm getting older by the minute... and still using a Commodore 128. When will I ever grow up?

SmallCleverDinosaur · January 29, 2009, 05:45 PM

Grow up? Why would you want to do that?

Andrew Wiskow · January 29, 2009, 06:18 PM

Quote from: SmallCleverDinosaur on January 29, 2009, 05:45 PM
Grow up? Why would you want to do that?

Agreed. I'd highly advise against it.

F14DUDE · February 06, 2009, 06:05 PM

A question, is there a program or device for the PC that will allow you to transfer d64 images back to a floppy disk so you can run it on the C64/128? I just got a whole of a C128/1571 drive from eBay (waiting for shipping) and looking into method in trying to convert images back to disks so I can run it on the actual machine. I saw the C64TPC on ebay but didn't really look into it since it didn't say anything about having the ability to convert d64 images back to floppy disks. Can it be done? or should I just get something like that and hook up a PC (which I have plenty of) to the 128 so I can load the images? It also say it doesn't emulate the actual drive's cpu so not every program/game will work I presume? Thanks for any info.. The last time I used a Commodore 8bit machine was a 64c back in 1992 so it has been a long time. lol

Thanks.

Andrew Wiskow · February 07, 2009, 04:30 AM

Yes, there are several different methods for transferring floppy disks to D64 images and back again. Personally, I use an XE1541 cable to connect a 1541, 1571, or 1581 disk drive to a PC running Star Commander in MS-DOS. Through this method, I can create D64, D71, and D81 images from real disks, and I can write disk images back to real disks, too.

Check out this page for information on the X1541-series cables, and this page has all the information on Star Commander.

OpenCBM is another program that is popular, and it'll run under Windows and Linux. You can find out more about OpenCBM here.

F14DUDE · February 07, 2009, 07:03 AM

Thanks for the info. I saw one in eBay and going to pick it up. The XE1541 is exactly what I'm looking for. I appreciated the info greatly.

SmallCleverDinosaur · February 09, 2009, 02:39 AM

Another way to transfer D64 images to your Commodore and back again is by the use of an SD-card. There are several devices which plugs into the expansionport of the Commodore and reads and writes D64's from and to SD-cards. They can then be read and written as a normal SD-card by the PC.

Unfortunately most of them runs only in C64 mode (or has very limited support for the C128 mode), like for example the MMC Replay.

However, NKC Electronics has recently released the SD2IEC which emulates a 1541 using an SD-card. It works in both C64 and C128 mode. See this thread for more info:

http://landover.no-ip.com/forums/index.php?topic=2624

RobertB · February 09, 2009, 03:33 AM

Quote from: SmallCleverDinosaur on February 09, 2009, 02:39 AMHowever, NKC Electronics has recently released the SD2IEC which emulates a 1541 using an SD-card. It works in both C64 and C128 mode.

As does Jim Brain's uIEC/SD (not forgetting the uIEC with CompactFlash).

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug
CommVEx v5 info - http://www.commodore.ca/forum and click on ComVEX

SmallCleverDinosaur · February 09, 2009, 05:29 AM

Quote from: brain on February 04, 2009, 02:31 PM
In C128 mode, it will function fine, subject to the following caveat: sd2iec (the firmware in NKCs HW) does not support burst mode. So, unless you own JiffyDOS, you will be limited to normal 1541 speeds.

uIEC uses the same firmware, and I have a number of folks successfully using them with C128(D)s

Jim

Robert, do you know if Jim works together with NKC Electronics since they use the same firmware?

I mailed Tony and he told me that the SD2IEC will work in native C128 mode. Though he didn't say if it would support burstmode or not.

maraud · June 30, 2009, 02:10 PM

I've had great luck using WarpCopy with RR-Net.... I just wish it did 1571 images!!!

brain · July 01, 2009, 03:17 AM

Quote from: SmallCleverDinosaur on February 09, 2009, 05:29 AM
Robert, do you know if Jim works together with NKC Electronics since they use the same firmware?

I mailed Tony and he told me that the SD2IEC will work in native C128 mode. Though he didn't say if it would support burstmode or not.

SD2IEC will not do burstmode, as it uses the same firmware.

My apologies for just now seeing this. (It's best to email me for specific questions). I do not work directly with Tony, but we do both use the same firmware.

Jim