The Way We Played: The Golden Age of Computer Games is a new Kickstarter project. This project want to publish a book about the games about the five major platforms of the golden age of computer games (1985-1993): Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore Amiga, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum.

4-Mat developed a program that can be used to make music with the SFX FM Expander cartridge. This makes it possible to use 12 channels in total. The channels 1-3 are SID and the channels 4-12 are FM. You can use 256 FM instruments and 256 SID instruments.

Ravi Abbott made a video about removing yellowing on plastics. Instead of using RetroBright he experimented with Bblonde and Oxi-Action. Bblonde is a commercially available hair bleach and works the same as RetroBright.

Epsilon wrote a blog about upgrading the Commodore CDTV. This included adding Joystick and mouse support, 8MB Fast-RAM, Workbench 3.1 extended CDTV ROMS, SCSI hard disk support and the AztecMonster SCSI to CF Card converter.

Lukas F. Hartmann is developing a graphics card for the Amiga 2000. He build an adaptor card that fits into a Zorro II slot and connects to a miniSpartan6+ FPGA development board. The project is open source and you can build the graphics card yourself or order one from Lukas.

A new Indiegogo project is started to produce a modern version of the Commodore C64. The 64 will be available as a console and as a handheld. The features are: ARM Cortex SoC, HDMI, cartridge slot, audio, USB and SD card.

Egretz is working on a modern version of the TurboCard64. The original TurboCard64, from the year 1987, is an hardware expansion for the Commodore C64 with an 4 MHz 65816 CPU and 256 kByte RAM. You can follow his progress on his web page (German language).

Riq developed a new way to play games. What you need is a smartphone attached to your uni-cycle. The smartphone sends the movements via Wi-Fi to your C64. The game on your C64 can be controlled with the signals from the Wi-Fi receiver.

The Vampire600 turbo card uses the Apollo FPGA-core to emulate the 68000 CPU and the SAGA graphics chip. The changes for Apollo are: Improvements for the reset, BFTST, Super-Scalar and SAGA video out (24Bit, 32Bit, YUV422).

GI-Joe developed a small hardware expansion for the joystick. With this expansion you can add auto-fire to a standard joystick. The auto-fire expansion has an on and off switch and can be connected between the joystick and your Commodore computer.

GadgetUK164 made a video about the repair of a Commodore 1541 disk drive. This 1541 was suffering from a flashing LED and the fault seemed to be temperature related.

You can follow a new project that connects two joysticks via Bluetooth. The hardware is 2 x Arduino Nano and 2x Bluetooth module HC-05. The proto type is now tested on a Commodore C64 and the total signal delay is about 20 ms.

Paul Gardner-Stephen is working on a FPGA version of the Commodore C65. His goal is to make an 8-bit computer for the 21st century. In the last month he has been working on the keyboard for the Mega65. The prototype is made by WASD and is almost identical to the original keyboard.

The Sum adapter makes it possible to connect USB HID keyboards to your Amiga CD32. The Sum is based upon a 16-bit Microchip micro-controller. Features: PS2-DIN adapter, built-in USB stack, configuration mode, built-in EEPROM memory for preferences storage, boot-loader for firmware upgrades and a status LED.

Andreas Wagener has "upgraded" his Commodore C64c. The specifications are: CPU 1: Mos Technology 8500 @ 1,02 MHz, CPU 2: Intel X5-Z8300 4 x 1440 MHz, Memory 1: 64 KB Ram, Memory 2: 2GB DDR3 Ram, SSD, USB 3.0, HDMI, LAN, WLAN 300 and Bluetooth.

Jim Brain has finished his work on the UltiMem cartridge for the Commodore VIC-20. The UltiMem is now available in his web store. The specifications are: 8 MBytes FLASH ROM storage and 1 MByte RAM storage. You can configure the extra RAM or ROM as you like.

The MSD2IEC is a classic SD2IEC device but with an extra EEPROM. The 8 kByte EEPROM is an Basic extension with the following commands: .I - Info, .ACT - Drive number, .B - File browser, .L- Load, .S - SJLOAD, .T - Tape-load and much more.

Silver Dream developed a DolphinDos 3 system for inside a Commodore 1541-II disk drive. The problem with the 1541-II disk drive is that it is very small and there is not much room for expansions. You can see how to install the system and how you can order the PCB for the system.

SIDFX is a hardware expansion for two SID chips inside the Commodore C64. This makes it possible to choose between two different SID chips with a simple switch. It is also possible to use both SIDs together. The system can be installed without soldering.

On the Youtube channel Cainers Commodore Capers! you can see the repair of a Commodore C128. This Commodore C128 was not working at all. In the video you can follow all the steps from diagnostics, schematics, (de)soldering and testing the system.

Biosrhythm tested the new LumaFix64 for the Commodore C64. The LumaFix 64 is a small PCB that is placed between the VIC-II and the motherboard. It can adjust the signals AEC, PHI0 and Chroma to hide the vertical stripes on the output image of the C64.

Speeding On The A81 is racing game for the Commodore C64. The game has 24 classical car models and can be played with a joysticks, paddles and even a PC steering wheel. For the steering wheel you will need the Jocopod interface.

Jocopod interface.

New additions to the Big Book of Amiga Hardware web page: American Laser Games: Mad Dog McRee, C-Ltd (Cardco Ltd): A1000 Scsi Controller, MacroSystem (US & Germany): Falcon 1240, Microbotics: StarBoard 2 adaptor (SB2000), DKB: Battdisk, Custom Chips: Buster, HiSoft: Whippet, Phoenix Micro Technologies: Phoenix Expansion Box (A1000 version & A500 version), Commodore: Diagnostics aid for A1000 - 314066-01, Newtek: DigiView, Commodore: Sync Dongle - VGA Adaptor, Scala: Workstation 040, Commodore: A1000 TV Modulator, Commodore: AA3000, Commodore: A3000+, Commodore: 020/030 prototype CPU board, Commodore: 2.0 ROM tower and Commodore: A1000+ '040 prototype.

Tommy Helgevold made a video about the early portable computers. Besides computers from Apple, Amstrad, Casio, Atari and many PDA's our beloved Commodore SX-64 is also in this video.

GadgetUK164 made a video about the repair of an Commodore 1451 disk drive. After examining, cleaning and a repair the drive now works like it should.

GadgetUK164 made a video about the repair of a "Zydec" power supply for an Amiga 500. The power supply can also be used for an A600 or A1200.

A500Flash is a Kickstart switcher that makes it possible to switch between available ROM images by holding down the CTRL+A+A keys. Features: Amiga A500, A500+ and A2000 models. Support for 512kB or 1 MB ROM images. Flash chips programming with native AmigaOS software.

This new accessory for the Princess cartridge can be used to grab the content of Commodore tapes in stand-alone mode. It can be used for cassettes of all 8-bit commodore computers. The power for this system is an USB connection.

Todd George build an business card printer for his Commodore C64. He used an Epson TM-325UD model M133A printer and a serial connection for his C64. The printer program can make an QR code and print it on the business card.

In the COREi64 store you can find all sorts of 3D printed parts for your Commodore 64/128 and VIC-20 computer. A few examples are: C8D Joystick Switcher case, SuperCard Pro case, KryoFlux case, UK1541 case, Commodore 1571 Floppy drive lever and many more.

NatureAndTech made a video about the Rohde & Schwarz PUC Process Controller. This piece of retro computing is based on the Commodore PET, and is used for control of test equipment using a built-in GPIB controller.

Bart Venneker made a video about a defective Commodore C64. He bought a Commodore 64 on Marktplaats, but after switching it on there was a memory error. The solution was to replace the memory chips.

On the Youtube channel Cainers Commodore Capers! you can see the repair of a Commodore C64. This Commodore C64 had a bad colour RAM. In the video you can follow all the steps from diagnostics, schematics, (de)soldering and testing the system.

GGLABS has developed the A520HD. The GGLABS A520HD is the HDTV equivalent of the classic Commodore A520 TV modulator. Instead of encoding the Amiga video signal to a low quality composite output it converts the RGB output to a high quality YPbPr signal compatible with HDTVs with a component input.

Tynemouth Software LLP is working on a new cartridge for the Commodore VIC20. The features are: RAM expansion 3 kByte - 32 kByte. Read only option for RAM blocks 3 and 5. Configuration and reset switches and game cartridge emulation.

VIC20 - The Penultimate Cartridge - Part 1

A new version of the Amiga core for the FPGA Arcade is now available. Changes in this version: 2 kByte instruction and 2 kByte data cache. The performance is around 11.3 mips / 10800 dhrystones with sysinfo 4.0. The RTG dedicated blitter is now working and the scan doubler has been improved for better results on DVI monitors.

A new Kickstarter project is started for part two of the book Commodore 64: a visual Commpendium. The book celebrates the beauty of the greatest home computer ever made; the C64. The focus of the book is on the beautiful loading screens and game images.

Mc68k is working on an accelerator card for the Amiga 500. The specifications are: 68HC000 CPU (50 MHz), 40 pin IDE connector (5 MB/s) for HDD, CD ROM etc., integrated CF card connector (3.2 MB/s), 8 MB Fast RAM and 512k FlashROM for Kickstart.

Video demonstration about the HC508.

Thomas Lövskog is developing cartridges for the Commodore VIC-20. The GCart Junior is a RAM expansion for the VIC-20. The recent changes are: PCB v2.1. 16 Mbyte internal flash. LED for SD card and USB activity. 512k SRAM for BLK5. The EEPROM is removed and single colour LEDs, instead of bi-colour LED's.

Clay Cowgill made and demonstration video on how to remove chips from a circuit board. He uses an Hakko 850 hot air system to remove DIP chips from a 1987 era two-layer computer printed circuit board (Atari 130XE).

GadgetUK164 made a video about the repair of a Amiga 500 Plus. The repair is about the reconstruction of the printed circuit board after a leakage of the internal battery. (part 1). In part two he also cleans the internal disk drive.

GadgetUK164 made a video about the repair of an Commodore 1531 mouse. It is only a small device, but it took a while to make the mouse work correctly.

All the repair videos from GadgetUK164.

Elbox has introduced two new Mediators for the Amiga. The Mediator 1200 TX now has a extra status LED. The Mediator PCI 4000 Di is a bus board with four PCI 2.2 slots, with supports for 3.3 Volt PCI cards, and four Zorro III/II slots.

The Sum adapter makes it possible to connect USB HID keyboards to your Amiga 2000, 3000, 4000 or CD32. The Sum is based upon a 16-bit Microchip micro-controller. Features: PS2-DIN adapter, built-in USB stack, configuration mode, built-in EEPROM memory for preferences storage, boot-loader for firmware upgrades and a status LED.

Biosrhythm has converted an Commodore SX-64 to a DX-64. In his blog you can read how this conversion is possible. He had to deal with problems such as the cartridge connector, IEC connectors and that the original SX-64 has very little space inside for this conversion.

Individual Computers has released a new turbo card for the Amiga 1200. The turbo card has an 40, 50 or 55.5 MHz 68030 processor with an MMU and 128 MB memory. It is possible to reserve 1 MB of the RAM memory for a copy of the Kickstart ROM.

GadgetUK164 made a video about the repair of a Commodore VIC20. During this repair the 6522 was replaced with a new 6522. But if you want to use an 6522 from the company Rockwell a small modification needs to be to the 6522.

All the repair videos from GadgetUK164.

Luigi Di Fraia has developed a new version of the DC2N. This version is especially made for preservation of cassette software. (It does not offer playback.) You can attach this device to a Commodore Datassette and the USB port on your PC and make back-ups of your cassette software.

Andi 6510 is working on the his FPGASID Project. This project will produce an drop-in replacement for the SID chip. The features are: Cycle exact reproduction of all digital parts including sound and envelope generation and paddle readouts. Exact modelling of the analogue parts and extras like wavetables, stereo sound, more voices etc.

GadgetUK164 made a video about the repair of a Commodore VIC20. The VIC chip was replaced and the new chip has now extra cooling. And a small modification was implemented to improve the composite video.

All the repair videos from GadgetUK164.