JiffyDOS vs. Fastload Cartridge?

[+DrVenkman]

Now that I’ve got my “Deadbin” back up and running, I’m enjoying discovering the world of C64 software available through my Pi1541. Disk access times are absurd though and if I’m going to keep enjoying myself, I need to address the issue. I see that TheFutureWas8Bit offers a really neatly-made repro of the Epyx Fastload - that’s who I bought my Dead Test Cart from and I’m very pleased with the quality and service. 

 

But I also see that a lot folks use JiffyDOS. Obviously I’m not at all afraid of opening up the machine and installing JiffDOS, even through I’ll have to remove and socket the kernel ROM. No worries there, as I’ve already got appropriate sockets. 

 

So I ask you, what are the pros and cons of each approach? 

[+save2600]

I have both JiffyDos and the Epyx Fastload cartridge. I prefer JiffyDos mostly because the macro commands are easier to use. Or easier for me to remember anyway. Plus, being an internal mod, you don't have to monkey around with exchanging cartridges. 

 

You can also purchase a JiffyDos ROM file for use with a Flashcart. Easyflash 3 is a great little thing to have if you don't already have one. 

[+OLD CS1]

I started with the Epyx FastLoad I often borrowed from the guy who got me into Commodore 64.  It is great, though you sometimes have to remove it even though it can be disabled in software.  It is also the least obtrusive in that it prints a simple "FASTLOAD" at the "READY." prompt when you first turn it in, unlike others which modify the screen in some manner.

 

From there I went to WarpSpeed, which I absolutely love: a disk menu system, a 1581-compatible version, can be used with the 128 via a switch (which will simply disable it on a 64,) fast 1541 format, fast disk-to-disk file and whole-disk copy, a reset button, disk sector editor, and built-in 6502 monitor which I used to start me into programming assembly on the 64.

 

I would often swap back-and-forth between WarpSpeed and JiffyDOS once I got JD ROMs.  Mostly out of habit, but also for the ease of the built-in monitor.  Once I started serious use of an REU I became JiffyDOS-only.

[motrucker]

Jiffy DOS has the most compatible set of routines, But I also use Warp Speed every now and then, it's an excellent fast loader with excellent utilities built in.

 

[+sm3]

One caveat I think to using JiffyDOS is that the drive also needs to have a ROM.  I know nothing about the Pi1541 so hopefully it offers the ability to use others ROMs.

 

If you choose to go JiffyDOS, you could use the http://store.go4retro.com/easyflash-3/ (EasyFlash 3) cartridge. With it you can use JiffyDOS as a kernal ROM replacement without opening the 64. It also lets you load cartridges as well so has multiple uses.

 

These are $60 so not the cheapest route. 

 

[+OLD CS1]

7 hours ago, sm3 said:

One caveat I think to using JiffyDOS is that the drive also needs to have a ROM.  I know nothing about the Pi1541 so hopefully it offers the ability to use others ROMs.

 

Excellent point.

[+DrVenkman]

Thanks for everyone’s input. The Pi1541 can use JiffyDOS - it’s mentioned explicitly on the project home page. I’m pretty sure it can actually use any drive ROM upgrade firmware, since it’s a cycle-exact drive emulator down to the chips level. So that’s no an issue. I also have a working 1541-II drive so I’ll probably put a JiffyDOS ROM into that as well when I upgrade my system. 

 

I haven’t yet decided if I’m going to go internal with the JiffyDOS install or get an Easy Flash 3 but I’ll figure that out in a week or three ..

 

Thanks everyone!

[+sm3]

15 hours ago, DrVenkman said:

Thanks for everyone’s input. The Pi1541 can use JiffyDOS - it’s mentioned explicitly on the project home page. I’m pretty sure it can actually use any drive ROM upgrade firmware, since it’s a cycle-exact drive emulator down to the chips level. So that’s no an issue. I also have a working 1541-II drive so I’ll probably put a JiffyDOS ROM into that as well when I upgrade my system. 

 

I haven’t yet decided if I’m going to go internal with the JiffyDOS install or get an Easy Flash 3 but I’ll figure that out in a week or three ..

 

Thanks everyone!

 

Sounds like you have some options. I use the Turbo Chameleon 64 with my kernal/drive JiffyDOS ROMs. I have the EasyFlash 3 but no longer use it since the TC 64 can do everything it can and more. But if I did not have the TC 64 or 1541 Ultimate, EasyFlash 3 would be what I'd use myself. 

[+DrVenkman]

Okay, I decided to get an EasyFlash 3 cart and a (legally purchased) JiffyDOS .bin file. I received the cart today and tried to flash my .bin file to one of the kernal slots but even though I get a message indicating success, the kernal slot name is grayed out and cannot be selected. Anyone have any idea what might be wrong?

[+DrVenkman]

Okay, so I figured out the issue and managed to successfully flash kernal rom images to my EasyFlash 3 from my Pi1541. During the process, I managed to accidentally corrupt the cart entirely, figured out how to reflash it using the EasyProg utility which I first had to load from my Pi1541 as a .prg file, then after several further failed attempts (and much googling!) I located a single obscure post on page 59 or 60 of an enormous thread on the Lemon64 forums about the Pi1541.

 

Someone else ran into the same issue trying to flash his EasyFlash 3 from files stored directly on the SD card and *not* contained in an enclosing disk image file. Someone suggested the guy create a container .d64 or .d81 file on his computer, put the .bin or .crt files he wanted to write to the cart onto that disk image, mount it in the Pi1541 and then browse to the mounted disk using the EasyProg utility. That did the trick!

 

So thinking on it further, I guess I understand sort of what happened. The Pi1541 is a full cycle-accurate disk drive emulator. It only replicates most basic SD2IEC functionality, and it says right on the project page that those features could use improvement (a not so veiled request for people to make patches, fixes and updates and make pull requests on GitHub I’m sure!). Loading a .bin as basically a straight data file off the the SD card, not relying on the drive emulation code and the disk drive ROM files to do the heavy lifting, is apparently just buggy. But ironically, because the drive emulation is 100% accurate, putting that same file inside a container image allows it to load perfectly.

 

Anyway, I’m posting a length here because honestly, Professor Google was remarkably unhelpful last night and most of tonight. The workaround I discovered was buried halfway down on a page of random search results for people with unrelated problems or questions and it took way too much effort to find a pretty straightforward way around the probem. Hopefully my wall-of-text here tonight will help anyone who runs into this in the future, given the relative newness of the Pi1541. 

 

 

[+wongojack]

I'm glad you got it working.  I bet your post will help someone some day.

 

I've done straight comparisons and timed program load times.  For some games, the load time is decreased by up to 9x in my experience with JiffyDos.  While FastLoad certainly helps, I don't think it gets anywhere in the neighborhood of JiffyDos.  MAYBE with some Epyx software or something, but I doubt it.