New Low-Cost 32k RAM expanders

[ral-clan]

Well, I am certainly interested in a multicart. I think my cutoff price would be about $60....I'm just not interested in games that much to pay more than that. Although I realise it may cost more to make, that's just my personal limit....beyond that I can do without it.

However, the multi expander is more useful. If I didn't already have a pretty good collection of expanders for my VIC I would have bought it right away....I still might.

I would rather see a flash cart for the VIC though.

However, I do think that a multi game cartridge would sell 50 units or more. The classic video game craze is booming. People LOVE multi-game-cartridges. The classic programming craze is not really booming - hence the slower sales of the 32K multi-expander.

[Schema]

I'm one of the guilty ones - I've committed verbally to buy the 32K expander, but haven't decided which ROM options to put in and so haven't actually sent eslapion any money yet. I'm not going to have time to enjoy it properly until the new year anyway. But I do want one!

Also, I might get it in raw "kit" form so I can mount it inside a regular VIC cartridge case with the switches on the top with leads instead of on the PCB.

[Schema]

I've started a thread about the multicart topic here, I think it deserves its own thread.

[Centallica]

I've started a thread about the multicart topic here, I think it deserves its own thread.

Da man Leif!

Do you want your cart Vic-1001 compatible for future purchases

Brian

[Schema]

Just placed an order for two Expanders! One complete (to use right away) and a kit (to eventually build into a VIC cartridge case).

As for options, eslapion says I can use 27C256 EPROMs to hold them. That way I can reprogram my own if I change my mind

[damnstraight]

I would like a cartridge or a kit? Is someone selling them?

[gklinger]

I would like a cartridge or a kit? Is someone selling them?

It's funny you should ask because eslapion, the gentleman who started this thread, designed, builds and sells the appropriately named "Ultimate Expander Cartridge". See here for pricing as well as links to a website with everything you need to know about the expander. I saw a demo of the unit at the World of Commodore. It lives up to its name and puts Commodore's RAM expanders to shame.

[eslapion]

Hey Schema,
Give us some feedback here!

Do you like you new expander? Is it up to your expectations ?

A merry Christmas and a happy new year to you and everyone else!

[Centallica]

Hey Schema,
Give us some feedback here!

Do you like you new expander? Is it up to your expectations ?

A merry Christmas and a happy new year to you and everyone else!

He's out at the cottage right now away from the internet...

Brian

[Schema]

Back in civilization again!

Well, I had seen the expander in action at World of Commodore, so there were no surprises. The expander works just fine, exactly as advertised.

As I said in my email, the festive packaging was a nice touch

One of these days I'll burn a 27C56 EPROM with different options and exercise it some more.

The one thing I wish it had (I've mentioned this before) is a 3K mode - there are a handful of VIC games I like that need 3K (and only 3K) expansion. But I might rig up a 3K board inside the VIC itself so I never have to unplug the 32K expander.

[eslapion]

The one thing I wish it had (I've mentioned this before) is a 3K mode - there are a handful of VIC games I like that need 3K (and only 3K) expansion. But I might rig up a 3K board inside the VIC itself so I never have to unplug the 32K expander.

It is possible to add the 3k expansion onto the 32k expander by stacking a 8k SRAM chip on top of the 32k SRAM chip. But this also requires adding 3 high speed diodes, a resistor and a 5th switch to enable/disable this 3k.

It is a rather difficult exercice. I did it once just to check how difficult it would be to modify the expander to offer that and sure enough, the result is nice but performing it takes hours of work.

[eslapion]

I might have a trick to get these programs designed for the 3k RAM to RUN with the expander even if it doesn't have RAM in the actual memory area normally reserved for this type of expansion.

I also noticed most programs which require the 3k RAM are BASIC programs.

In order to run Scott Adams games correctly with the expander, the display RAM must be set for the unexpanded/3k RAM configuration. That is accomplished by setting the expander to read only before turning on the VIC and then back to RW once the basic has started.

At this point, I believe, all that is left to do to get BASIC programs designed for the 3k RAM expansion to run well is to tell the VIC that the space for programs and variables should be in the range $2000-$7FFF instead of the normal $0400-$1DFF.

I suppose a small program containing a series of pokes to the right places should do the trick.

Your point of view on this Schema ?

[orion70]

I suppose a small program containing a series of pokes to the right places should do the trick.

Sorry for my intrusion - the correct series of pokes is reported here. Cheers.
Orion70 (happily playing SA's adventures loaded from a floppy disk, with eslapion's expander in).

[eslapion]

Sorry for my intrusion - the correct series of pokes is reported here. Cheers.
Orion70 (happily playing SA's adventures loaded from a floppy disk, with eslapion's expander in).

Sorry Orion but this is no good. The pokes you indicated makes an expanded VIC looks like it is unexpanded. It does not put all the pointers at right place for the suggested purpose.

Worst, it puts the Basic ram area the normal unexpanded space while we need to have it from BLK1-BLK3.

It may be good for running Scott Adams games but it is no good for running softwares needing 3K RAM.

Schema! HELP!!

[carlsson]

I think only a fraction of programs written for 3K expansion are runnable with 8K expansion, using the approach you suggest. Programs in machine code are of course out of the question, unless we come up with a method to decompile them.