Why no D81 and TAP file support?

Caution: Non registered users only see threads and messages in the currently selected language, which is determined by their browser. Please create an account and log in to see all content by default. This is a limitation of the forum software.


Also users that are not logged in can not create new threads. This is a, unfortunately needed, counter measure against spam. Please create an account and log in to start new threads.

Don't Panic. Please wash hands.
  • So is there any technical reason as to why there is no support for D81 and TAP files on the TC64/TC64 V2? Or are you planning to implement it in future firmwares? This has probably been asked before. Not that they are absolutely needed but loading a TAP file would be part of the nostalgia. listening to the loading music and everything. D81 is more practical because some multi disk games are converted to one D81 instead, so less/no disk swapping.

  • D81 support would require emulating a 1581, which is just completely out of the scope of Chameleon. It would also probably no more fit into the FPGA.


    TAP support is still on our list of "nice to have" things, and it could perhaps be implemented without too much effort and doesnt need that much resources - however, it was postponed to until after leaving beta.


    Bottom line is: we have to stop somewhere and finish what we have - else we will never be able to leave beta status. We already have a lot more features than originally planned :)

  • D81 support would require emulating a 1581, which is just completely out of the scope of Chameleon. It would also probably no more fit into the FPGA.


    TAP support is still on our list of "nice to have" things, and it could perhaps be implemented without too much effort and doesnt need that much resources - however, it was postponed to until after leaving beta.


    Bottom line is: we have to stop somewhere and finish what we have - else we will never be able to leave beta status. We already have a lot more features than originally planned :)


    Do you really need to emulate the 1581 in an accurate way? The SD2IEC supports both D64 and D81 and as far as I know it does not emulate either a 1541 or a 1581 in any accurate way. It does it enough to just run some D64 and D81 files. So it's more like a file launcher than a drive emulator. But of course it cannot run every image.


    btw, I think I read somewhere that the TC64/TC64 V2 disables the casette port? Is this true? I haven't tried my tape loaders with TC64 V2 plugged in yet.


    Yes, of course you should finish what we already have. It's already a great device as is. Fantastic product that makes the C64 fun to use again. And also so many other uses

  • We can not use an approach like sd2iec either - that basically requires implementing a small microcomputer in the FPGA which then can run the program doing something similar as sd2iec does. At the end this doesnt really saves anything over just emulating the entire drive.


    And yes, the tape port can only work when the CPU in the C64 is being used (its directly connected to the CPU port). Same problem as with all other accelerator cartridges.

  • We can not use an approach like sd2iec either - that basically requires implementing a small microcomputer in the FPGA which then can run the program doing something similar as sd2iec does. At the end this doesnt really saves anything over just emulating the entire drive.


    And yes, the tape port can only work when the CPU in the C64 is being used (its directly connected to the CPU port). Same problem as with all other accelerator cartridges.

    Thank you for the answer. No big deal as I have several C64s where I can use SD2IEC and tape drives. So I can have many systems at the same time, without any need for unplugging the TC64 V2's :)

  • The sd2iec, works perfectly together with the TC64... (but i assume you already know ;) )


    This way i have the benefits of both :

    - The direct SD acces of the sd2iec for bigger or more files then a 1541 can handle.

    - Everything else from the TC64.


    Only reason for me to unplug the TC64 is, if i have to use the datasette since there is no option to turn the TC64 off (or i have missed something).

  • Actually i have used sd2iec myself to test certain features of the filebrowser (make directory for example) :)


    to "turn off" the chameleon, you can just select an empty core slot, c64 will reset then and function as normal

  • Well the makers of the cartridge would seem to know best what will and wont fit in the core, but I find it strange that a core for an suped up amiga 4000 with hard drive images and 880k floppy images and enhanced video cards can be made but a 50% compatible 1581 that will work with kernel loading routines only can't be done. Failing that, how about this. How about making the file manager in the TC64 recognize and mount images on the sd2iec. I mean get the sd2iec to mount them in itself, so that the image can be run from the TC64 file manager. The only way I can get full functioning of sd2iec with Chameleon cartridge at the moment is this: Disable emulated drives in the TC64, enable real iec bus. Reset to basic. Then it will use sd2iec just like normal, while still having access to the TC64's reu, georam, turbo functions etc. Accessing the sd2iec through TC64's file manager, even with emulated drives disabled and real c64 iec bus turned on.......all you can do is browse the folders and look at the files.......mounting images doesn't work, launching programs doesn't work. I have to reset to basic, then I load one of my sd2iec file browsers. If anybody else is getting full functionality accessing from TC64's file manager, tell me how you do it.......because I've wasted many hours trying.

  • but I find it strange that a core for an suped up amiga 4000 with hard drive images and 880k floppy images and enhanced video cards can be made

    The Amiga chipset is very straight-forward, rather tiny to implement on an FPGA. Mass-storage in Minimig is purely done in software on a second CPU entity that's also rather small - no comparison to emulating analogue properties, especially in the SID, which takes up a lot of FPGA space.


    In contrast, a 1581 needs yet another 6502 CPU, rotating magnetic disc emulation and a new chip emulation that will take care of mfm. Certainly possible on an FPGA, but at some point, size limits are real. And we certainly won't go for "50% compatible" in the first place - that has never been the concept of Chameleon.

  • Quote

    Accessing the sd2iec through TC64's file manager, even with emulated drives disabled and real c64 iec bus turned on.......all you can do is browse the folders and look at the files.......mounting images doesn't work, launching programs doesn't work.

    Right now the filebrowser has only "generic" support for IEC devices (and many features like "loading" or "viewing" only work with the SD card filesystem). I am very reluctant to add any device specific support there, as that will just be another can of worms to handle.

    That said, i have put it on my todo list - i cant tell when or even if i ever implement this however (and right now i am working at a different project for the time being).

    As a workaround, it should be possible to mount images by using "@" and sending whatever DOS command the sd2iec wants to see to do that.

  • There is a nice 'workaround'/'alternative'/'option' to remedy not having tape support or D81 support on the TC64/TC64V2. At least for me.


    OneLoad64 Games Collection V3 has a ton of Cartridge images. Many of/most of these CRTs (the ones in the root folder) has built in loading screens/music. The ones that came from tape. So Ocean loaders, Konami, loading pictures and so on. As an example. If you start Batman - the caped crusader CRT it starts up the loading screen/loading stripes and music from the tape loader. So you can look at/listen to this as long as you want. When you're done you just hit the spacebar, and the game starts. This kinda 'replaces' not having tape support. As the loading screen/music is the big nostalgic factor for me.


    As for D81s. Alot of multidisk D64 games was converted to one D81. Well, under the the 'Extras/Other' folder in this collection, I believe most of the multidisk games that was converted to D81s have their own cartridge version. If it's missing from here, you will probably find it by googling.


    As an example. I couldn't find California Games or Winter Games under the 'Other' folder. These are multidisk games that was converted to one D81. Wouldn't you know it, there is a CRT image under the 'Other' folder called 'Epyx Games' [EasyFlash]. This cartridge contains all the Epyx sports games. Like Summer games 1 and 2. Winter games, california games and World Games. So sometimes the game you're looking for can be in a collection like this.

  • The last reply was more than 365 days ago, this thread is most likely obsolete. It is recommended to create a new thread instead.