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MADrigal

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Posts posted by MADrigal

    Creativision - a challenge

    in Prototypes

    Posted · Edited by MADrigal

    Thanks for your reply!

    Unfortunately the "freezing" method was attempted AFTER the damage to the "traces" had occurred.

    I believe the 4K (partial) dump was done with cartridge adaptor before desoldering the EPROM.

    All other dumps (8K) were done directly with the EPROM desoldered (and hence, damaged). I attempted to get "a slightly better dump" by freezing it, hoping it would "restore" the traces. I believe that is the "best" of the "bad" dumps overall.

    I believe if anyone was able to decap the rom, it could be possible to use a laser to re-solder the DIE to the legs - and the problem would be solved.

    Anyway I lost hope about recovering that EPROM. :(

    Re gauges: very clever. I use those gauges in my job (diagnostics engineer)

    • Like 1

    Creativision - a challenge

    in Prototypes

    Posted · Edited by MADrigal

    Hi all - MADrigal here (the owner of the CreatiVision EPROM and person who did the dumps loooong ago)

     

    Firstly, thanks Andrew for bringing this to the attention of the community.

     

    The situation is quite desperate. I understand that my precious EPROM is lost forever. Have been trying to track it for more than 10 years - with no success.

     

    Just providing a few clarifications here

     

    • The cart is still in my possession, but the EPROM is missing.
    • Yes, the CPU test cart in question came with "Diagnostic A+B" cart - they were part of a single package. No surprise some parts of the code are similar as they were all made for internal use therefore coded by I assume the same persons.
    • The first dump I made (in cronological order) was incorrect in the sense that I dumped the low 4Kb only, so the high 4Kb are missing. On that dump, one only bit is incorrect (bit 1 from memory). So bit 6 is significant - or at least it appears to be.
    • Let's say that missing is: bit 1 in the lowest 4K (first dump) and bits 1 and 6 in the highest 4K (all other dumps). One dump was made after putting the EPROM in the freezer, therefore some data of bits 1 and 6 may be correct or fluctuating - rather than completely incorrect.
    • In relation to writing to $3000 and $3001: this is the CreatiVision VDP address for read/write - see attached "Issue 3" of the Wizzdom fan newsletter containing the entire CreatiVision memory map - needed to understand how the 6502 code is mapped.
    • It is also important to know that the 8K EPROM data end up being "mirrored" in the CPU address space: The 16KB "ROM1" bank ($8000 to $BFFF) is filled up with the EPROM data wtice - which means the same identical content at $8000-$9FFF repeats into $A000-$BFFF. The 6502 can access the same exact content at either $8001 or $A001 getting to the same result.
    • However the ROM code typically assumes the program is at $A000-$BFFF only and the rest is ignored. However there is at least one case of commercial ROM that erroneously points to the "mirrored" area at $8000-$9FFF.
    • When the console boots, the BIOS at $F800 is accessed, the BIOS program does a few inits, then "jumps" in the ROM1 area somewhere around $A000, then the actual EPROM program starts.
    • The BIOS is needed because it tells you where in the ROM1 space the "jump" is (EPROM vector address). The BIOS ROM is available for download from the CreatiVEmu webwsite at: http://www.madrigaldesign.it/creativemu/roms.php
    • All four Wizzdom fanzines contain a lot of info, too, and are tremendously useful: http://www.madrigaldesign.it/creativemu/fanzines.php
    • On a side note - yes the EPROM die is imo intact, but the "traces" between the "legs" (entire) and the actualdie is what I believe went damaged/cut. The idea was for the MAME collaborator to dump via decap, although a bit ambitious because it is not a masked PROM, but an EPROM so I believe the data in the die could look different at microscope.

     

     

     

     

    I hope this helps and I look forward to seeing *ANY* form of improvement, theories, data, attempts to fix the EPROM etc. Best program to test the ROM is MAME, followed by CreatiVision Emulator and FunnyMu Unofficial (by myself).

     

    Thanks

    wizzdom3.pdf bioscv.zip

    • Like 3

    Laser 2001 (Salora Manager) Expansion Module #1 (Colecovision)

    in ColecoVision / Adam

    Posted

     

    That is so sweet! Is it playing games slower than a normal NTSC Colecovision, though? Q*Bert seemed sluggish to me.

     

    The unit is PAL and so are the games.

    To be honest, I have never played the NTSC Colecovision so I cannot really make a comparison.

    But by watching at videos on Youtube, yes it seems to me that the PAL games are a little bit slower (50hz vs 60hz).

    This Colecovision Module exists in PAL version only.

    Strange joystick interface - help needed to identify it

    in Classic Console Discussion

    Posted

    Hi all

    I just received a parcel with some retrogaming stuff from Finland.

    The parcel contains a very strange joystick interface, which I had never seen before.

    All the stuff in the parcel comes from a Finnish collector. The lot was a computer with peripherals, and everything is 1984-1985.

    This particular joystick interface does not look homebrew. The casing appears professionally made, also the printings on it are actual factory-made prints, not stickers.

    I have no joystick to test it so don't really know how it works

    But I can speculate that you connect the interface to 2 female computer joystick ports (for example on the C64 joy ports 1 and 2), and then one joystick to the centre plug (male).

    Then with the switch, you choose whether you want the joystick to be connected to port 1 or 2.

    The labels read 'KB' and 'ANKB' - I really have no idea what language it is, maybe Finnish? What would this mean?

    Anyone has any clue what is the interface, who made it, etc.?

    Thanks

    post-12399-0-61455000-1552118840_thumb.jpg

    post-12399-0-71870000-1552118935_thumb.jpg

    Laser 2001 (Salora Manager) Expansion Module #1 (Colecovision)

    in ColecoVision / Adam

    Posted · Edited by MADrigal

    I have just received my new Salora Manager computer today, with a lot of peripherals, floppy disk drive and a few original software floppy disks

    At last, after months and months of waiting, I had the chance to test my Coleco Vision module.

    I have 3 Coleco Vision games only: Donkey Kong, Q*Bert and Space Panic.

    Donkey Kong and Q*Bert work flawlessly. Space Panic did not work, but maybe the cartridge is broken (I cannot test it on another machine because I have no Coleco Vision console at all)

    And I love the boot messages of the module in case you switch it on with or without game inserted :-)

    These are the links to 2 Youtube videos of the module in action:

     

     

     

    Hopefully within a few days I will be able to upload a video of the floppy disk system in action, and play obscure original software diskettes! Can't wait :-)

    • Like 5

    Laser 2001 (Salora Manager) Expansion Module #1 (Colecovision)

    in ColecoVision / Adam

    Posted · Edited by MADrigal

    There is a power jack at its back, but I suspect it is of no use with the 'current layout' of the module.

     

    I believe that the power jack was probably there since the module was first designed - as it was originally intended to work on the Creativision, which does provide enough power through its cartridge connector. Hence, an additional (external) power supply would have been necessary.

     

    But since the actual item was then released for the Laser 2001 (which provides enough power through the connector where you attach the module), I believe that the power jack was just left there but was left disconnected intentionally.

     

    Because I am having my unit repaired (I bought an untested module and it is not 100% working at the moment), I was seeking advice/confirmation from someone who actually owns a working module.

     

    Don't want to necessarily connect the power module, if it is actually unneeded.

     

    Manu has one of these, fully working, so I hope he can shed some light.

    Videos of the largest CreatiVision collection in the world

    in Classic Console Discussion

    Posted

    Hi everyone!
    I have recorded 3 videos of myself with an old friend, showing my collection of CreatiVision items. A sort of video-interview where I show the items and tell a lot about them, with also descriptions of hardware, etc. And a video review of games running on the console, etc.
    The videos are in Italian but you can use the "subtitles" in your preferred language.
    You will see a few very nice items!
    In my videos I also mention my friends that helped me over the years, such as Dieter, Michael, Kurt, Thomas, Kym, Jarkko, Adrian, Ian, Maurizio and many more!
    You don't want to miss these videos icon_e_smile.gif

    Part 1


    Part 2

    Part 3


    Also a short video of my Italian MB Vectrex - recorded just for fun icon_e_smile.gif

    Vectrex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6sv6TltkB0

    I hope you enjoy them! Please feel free to comment on Youtube or here.

    Cheers

    MAD
    • Like 4

    pong-picture-page is dead?

    in Dedicated Systems

    Posted

    Unfortunately Adrian's website had a few issues with the hosting service.

    This wasnt the first time it happened.

    A few years ago hist hosting services required him to update a few chunks of the website software, to make it compatible with the "new web server".

    I helped him with that task and was able to make the website up and running again.

    A couple of years ago he encountered the same issue again, but unfortunately I was unable to assist him

    So he was given the opportunity to relocate the website to another server, and he did so.

    That worked for some time, but then eventually it went offline again.

    He offered me to be the new owner but sadly I do not have the time for that so I dropped his offer.

    I am not sure what his intentions are.

    As far as his collection, I am not entirely sure that he has sold all of it. Definitely he sold some of it, but as per 2016, he still had most of the items.

    Stone Age (CCE)

    in Atari 2600

    Posted

    Hi all

     

    Just wanted to let you know that, after years and years of research, I was able to get good quality scans of the Stone Age game box.

     

    The one I found is the 'Salora Manager' version - this being the Finnish version of the Laser 2001 (computer being the 'sequel' to the CreatiVision).

     

    Salora Manager, Laser 2001, and CreatiVision were all made by VTech (Video Technology), who also released games for VCS 2600 under the 'TechnoVision' label.

     

    Artworks utilised in Manager and Laser 2001 game boxes were utilised also on CreatiVision game boxes.

     

    So even though I have never seen any CreatiVision Stone Age box, I am keen to think the artwork is the same as the Finnish Salora version.

     

    Scans of box, manual and cartridge of the Salora Manager game are available on my website:

     

    http://www.madrigaldesign.it/creativemu/cartridge.php?id=101

     

    Hopefully this will help graphic artists to design a true-to-life Technovision Stone Age box :-)

    Classic US gaming/computing magazines - REQ FOR HELP

    in Classic Console Discussion

    Posted

    Hello,

     

    I am the webmaster of the CreatiVEmu website - the main resource on the web, totally devoted to the VTech CreatiVision gaming console.

     

    I am looking for some lucky owner of the magazines listed below, that is willing to contribute the CreatiVEmu website by submitting high resolutions scans.

     

    The magazines can all be found online, but unfortunately the scans are at very low resolution, not good for my preservation project.

     

    Every contributor will be credited on the CreatiVEmu website.

     

    This is the list:

     

    Billboard, October 1982 (about the copyright controversy)
    Radio Electronics, February 1983
    COMPUTE!, March 1983
    InfoWorld, March 1983
    Creative Computing, April 1983
    Byte Magazine, May 1983
    Popular Mechanics, August 1983

     

    Thanks for your time!

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