c64 .DATS and playing games on the C64 hardware

pubzombie · 18 March 2011, 16:51

Hi all,
I am getting my commodore 64's out of storage this weekend to start getting them up and running.
At a retro meet a few years ago i saw a chap running a C64 with an SD card reader plugged into the cartridge port of the 64 and could run .dat images from the sd.
I dont have a working diskdrive so one of these would be a great buy.
Does anybody in retroland know what device this was [it looked like it was in a homemade cartridge case of somekind] and if pos where I could get one from.
cheers
PZ

Leffmann · 18 March 2011, 18:16

It was probably the 1541 Ultimate.

http://www.1541ultimate.net/content/index.php

Hewitson · 19 March 2011, 11:33

What's a .DAT?

Don't order the 1541U if in a hurry. I ordered mine last year and still haven't received it

Retroplay · 19 March 2011, 11:45

Yeah I ordered mine 2010-10-28 and I'm still number 13 in the queue.
Can't be long now though.

pubzombie · 22 March 2011, 14:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hewitson

What's a .DAT?

Don't order the 1541U if in a hurry. I ordered mine last year and still haven't received it

I dont know what a .dat is - for some reason all my C64 roms are in a folder labled .dat??? think i am getting things confused - its not hard to fuse my mind.

@Hewiston - do u have an estimated delivery time for the 1541u? Are they currently making the next batch?
I really want to get hold of one of these

pmc · 22 March 2011, 14:22

I have both an original and one of the newer 1541 Ultimates but I ordered both of mine extremely early.

Everyone else I talk to is waiting in line.

Normally the games on the SD card are stored as .d64 disk or .tap tape images.

You never know, the Chameleon cart from Individual Computers might come out and be available sooner than waiting in line for a 1541 Ultimate and should allow the same functionality as a replacement disk drive.

Hewitson · 22 March 2011, 14:28

I ordered it on December last year and just yesterday got a message saying it will be here in about a week, words can't describe how excited I am!

I ordered the tape adapter as well to experience all those great loaders again.

pubzombie · 22 March 2011, 15:25

Guys -
which would you recomend? the 1541u or the chameleon?
cheers
pz

pmc · 22 March 2011, 15:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by PubZombie

which would you recomend? the 1541u or the chameleon?

Well...

It's a bit difficult to recommend the Chameleon as it's not out yet and I haven't used it but it is supposed to have more features when it's finally released. If you're not going to use those (REU, accelerator, VGA output etc.) though then the 1541 Ultimate is still a good choice and, from my experience, works just fine.

pubzombie · 22 March 2011, 15:33

ok thanx pmc

Retro-Nerd · 22 March 2011, 17:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmc

Well...

It's a bit difficult to recommend the Chameleon as it's not out yet and I haven't used it but it is supposed to have more features when it's finally released. If you're not going to use those (REU, accelerator, VGA output etc.) though then the 1541 Ultimate is still a good choice and, from my experience, works just fine.

The Chameleon is out since some weeks, a second batch is now available on Vesalia. But you should wait to order, since the software is still beta and not really practicable.
http://www.vesalia.de/e_chameleon.htm

pmc · 22 March 2011, 17:53

@ Retro-Nerd - I must've missed that - I've been going on the Individual Computers site where it says: Chameleon coming soon. Thanks for letting me know.

Hewitson · 22 March 2011, 21:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retro-Nerd

The Chameleon is out since some weeks, a second batch is now available on Vesalia. But you should wait to order, since the software is still beta and not really practicable.

It'll probably stay that way if the Catweasel software is anything to go by.

Retro-Nerd · 22 March 2011, 22:04

Of course not. Jens and his crew is working hard on the Chameleon Software, there were several updates in the last weeks.

pmc · 23 March 2011, 11:18

Ordered my Chameleon cartridge.

Beta status of the firmware doesn't bother me really, I can see from the Yahoo user group that development of the firmware is active and on-going. I could see a few C64 scene names in there contributing to the bug reports etc. too and if there're guys who know the C64 inside and out on the case that can only be a good thing.

pubzombie · 23 March 2011, 12:21

The Chameleon looks really sexy but it's bloody expensive..... now I cant decide

Retroplay · 23 March 2011, 13:22

Got an email from Gideon.

Quote:

This is a quick notice to let you know that your 1541 Ultimate-II has been prepared and ready for shipping, but that your shipment is currently 'on hold'.
The reason is that I ran out of IEC cables and Tape Adapters. Both are expected with a week or so, so your unit will be shipped real soon.

Yippiee, I knew it wouldn't be long now.

pmc · 23 March 2011, 13:40

@ pubzombie - I'd go with a choice based on what you need. Both carts do 1541 emulaton so either would be OK for games loading.

The Chameleon goes further by implementing VGA output, higher graphics modes, MMU, CPU accelerator, blitter etc. etc. but none of that stuff is going to be any use unless you or others code things specifically to make use of those features. If you don't need or want to use those things, then probably not worth paying for them.

Hewitson · 24 March 2011, 01:35

The features simply won't be used. In the C64 world it's considered lame to code something that won't run on a standard machine.

BigFairy · 24 March 2011, 04:42

im looking at buying one also.

18 March 2011, 16:51	#1
pubzombie Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: westmids Posts: 900	c64 .DATS and playing games on the C64 hardware Hi all, I am getting my commodore 64's out of storage this weekend to start getting them up and running. At a retro meet a few years ago i saw a chap running a C64 with an SD card reader plugged into the cartridge port of the 64 and could run .dat images from the sd. I dont have a working diskdrive so one of these would be a great buy. Does anybody in retroland know what device this was [it looked like it was in a homemade cartridge case of somekind] and if pos where I could get one from. cheers PZ

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18 March 2011, 18:16	#2
Leffmann Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Sweden Posts: 2,269	It was probably the 1541 Ultimate. http://www.1541ultimate.net/content/index.php

19 March 2011, 11:33	#3
Hewitson Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Age: 41 Posts: 3,771	What's a .DAT? Don't order the 1541U if in a hurry. I ordered mine last year and still haven't received it

19 March 2011, 11:45	#4
Retroplay Lemon Curry ? Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Denmark Age: 49 Posts: 4,079	Yeah I ordered mine 2010-10-28 and I'm still number 13 in the queue. Can't be long now though.

22 March 2011, 14:22	#6
pmc gone Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: completely gone Posts: 1,596	I have both an original and one of the newer 1541 Ultimates but I ordered both of mine extremely early. Everyone else I talk to is waiting in line. Normally the games on the SD card are stored as .d64 disk or .tap tape images. You never know, the Chameleon cart from Individual Computers might come out and be available sooner than waiting in line for a 1541 Ultimate and should allow the same functionality as a replacement disk drive.

22 March 2011, 14:28	#7
Hewitson Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Age: 41 Posts: 3,771	I ordered it on December last year and just yesterday got a message saying it will be here in about a week, words can't describe how excited I am! I ordered the tape adapter as well to experience all those great loaders again.

22 March 2011, 15:25	#8
pubzombie Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: westmids Posts: 900	Guys - which would you recomend? the 1541u or the chameleon? cheers pz

22 March 2011, 15:33	#10
pubzombie Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: westmids Posts: 900	ok thanx pmc

22 March 2011, 17:53	#12
pmc gone Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: completely gone Posts: 1,596	@ Retro-Nerd - I must've missed that - I've been going on the Individual Computers site where it says: Chameleon coming soon. Thanks for letting me know.

22 March 2011, 22:04	#14
Retro-Nerd Missile Command Champion Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Germany Age: 52 Posts: 12,435	Of course not. Jens and his crew is working hard on the Chameleon Software, there were several updates in the last weeks.

23 March 2011, 11:18	#15
pmc gone Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: completely gone Posts: 1,596	Ordered my Chameleon cartridge. Beta status of the firmware doesn't bother me really, I can see from the Yahoo user group that development of the firmware is active and on-going. I could see a few C64 scene names in there contributing to the bug reports etc. too and if there're guys who know the C64 inside and out on the case that can only be a good thing.

23 March 2011, 12:21	#16
pubzombie Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: westmids Posts: 900	The Chameleon looks really sexy but it's bloody expensive..... now I cant decide

23 March 2011, 13:40	#18
pmc gone Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: completely gone Posts: 1,596	@ pubzombie - I'd go with a choice based on what you need. Both carts do 1541 emulaton so either would be OK for games loading. The Chameleon goes further by implementing VGA output, higher graphics modes, MMU, CPU accelerator, blitter etc. etc. but none of that stuff is going to be any use unless you or others code things specifically to make use of those features. If you don't need or want to use those things, then probably not worth paying for them.

24 March 2011, 01:35	#19
Hewitson Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Age: 41 Posts: 3,771	The features simply won't be used. In the C64 world it's considered lame to code something that won't run on a standard machine.

24 March 2011, 04:42	#20
BigFairy Registered User Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 80	im looking at buying one also.

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