Derivavision - a Creativision clone

[cheshirenoir]

One of the tape deck quirks is one of the stereo channels is read in as data and the other is mixed into the audio stream. That way you can have a programme loading while music or speech plays out of the other channel. It's bizarre loading a programme and having Dick Smith himself gush about how great the console is at the same time.

Scouter3D has a great guide on using a Commodore C2N as the cassette deck here: http://www.8bit-homecomputermuseum.at/r ... rface.html

John

[Mobsie]

Yeah, this is an Amazing feature with the sound. When we saw the Creativision first time here i was impressed.

The guy who write „werben und informieren“ was the guy.

[MADrigal]

This really is incredible!!! I look forward to the progress

[leadedsolder]

I got a capture of the Sonic Invaders demo mode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXS8kWi8RUY

It looks surprisingly good. I did a slightly different version of the composite video output circuit than I have on my previous clones, and I think this is the best looking one yet (check out the detail on the buildings in the background.)

Next up is trying to figure out a controller so I can actually play it.

[Scouter3d]

Very nice :0)

[cheshirenoir]

Awesome work!
Now, as for the controller. I've been thinking about this. If you're hitting the 6821 directly for your controller solution, I was wondering if you could do something clever with a Teensy 2, or some other similarly embedded microprocessor?
Because of the commonality of the pins, you can drive all relevant pins on the 6821 with only 12 pins. You could then have (say) SNES controller ports and a PS/2 port hanging off the other and that would add 8 pins. Call it 20 pins all up. Too many for an Arduino Pro Mini but well within the range of a bunch of other 5v tolerant boards.
With level shifters, you're in range of the Pico, and then you could get really silly. No I can't think exactly what you would need it for, but tape emulation (With direct ties to the tape data lines so you have 100% reliable writing) comes to mind.

Just some food for thought.

(Once you release this, I'll definitely have to do a remix using the 992X variants so we can have a PAL version )

John

[Mobsie]

Hi, any new here ?

[leadedsolder]

Not much lately, I’ve been really busy, but I started mocking out the controller/keyboard adapter in KiCad. Hope to have something this month - it’ll be Pico-based with a PS/2 and SNES controller ports to start.