Commodore 64 Flash Cart?

[scooby105]

I recently found my C64 when I moved. I was wondering if there is any sort of flash cart for the C64 like there is on the Atari or NES or GBA.

[Family Computer]

yeah there is a flashcart type device as well as an ethernet solution for the C64...check out the forums at www.lemon64.com for more details

[Raster]

yeah there is a flashcart type device as well as an ethernet solution for the C64...check out the forums at www.lemon64.com for more details

Is that the MMC64? (http://www.vesalia.de/e_mmc64.htm)

[Family Computer]

yeah i believe the preferred solutions is MM64 + RRNet so you can use flash memory as well as network your C64 & get on the Internet

[Kid Ice]

Oh yeah...4 gigs of Commodore files through the cartridge port? I dig that.

[98PaceCar]

The only downside to the MMC64 right now is that support for multi load games (ie, disk games) is weak to non-existant. There are some that have been ide fixed that are supposed to work, but I haven't tried any with mine.

Pretty much all of the tape games work though and you can get a plugin that will allow you to write out disk games to a real C= drive and then run them that way. It's a bit slow (about 5-7 mins to write a disk), but it works great.

[PsychedelicShaman]

The only downside to the MMC64 right now is that support for multi load games (ie, disk games) is weak to non-existant.

If you get the mmc64 and the Retro Replay, it's possible to have 10 virtual disks running using the utility at the bottom of this page:
http://www.protovision-online.de/hardw/hardwstart.htm
This should allow for multi-loading right? I don't have one, but am definitely going to purchase them soon. Is there other problems that you've encountered?

[icbrkr]

The only downside to the MMC64 right now is that support for multi load games (ie, disk games) is weak to non-existant. There are some that have been ide fixed that are supposed to work, but I haven't tried any with mine.

Pretty much all of the tape games work though and you can get a plugin that will allow you to write out disk games to a real C= drive and then run them that way. It's a bit slow (about 5-7 mins to write a disk), but it works great.

The 1541-III is taking preorders it seems (there was a blurb on it on Lemon64). Once I hear some things about it, I'm all over it.

Basically, it's a CF card that hooks through the IEC bus so that you can book D64s as if they were real disks - major compatibility issues solved.

[DarthKur]

I think I prefer the 1541-III. Sadly it seems that the designer of the device is so backed up with people wanting one and with working on fixing a small glitch that he's no longer taking orders. He suggests on "building your own" which there's not even a remote chance that I'd even venture to do. I see in the Lemon64 forums that someone is offering one built into one of those plug and play games but I want one of the original versions that plugs directly into the C64. Guess I'll have to wait until the original designer catches up or another person starts building and offering them for sale.

[c0ldb33r]

Any update to c64 flash carts?

[98PaceCar]

Any update to c64 flash carts?

1541u is the king as far as playing games. uIEC is a much cheaper option, but can't handle any custom fastloaders so most multi-load games won't work with it.

Personally, I have been using a 1541u since it first came out and I don't see myself ever changing. There's a pretty long waiting list to get one, but it's worth it.

www.1541ultimate.net

[c0ldb33r]

Cool thanks

I've seen online that some flash carts also allow you to plug your c64 into Ethernet. Is this worth doing? Can the 1541u do it?

[Greg2600]

It says Ethernet via software update, which isn't ready yet. Did you look at the price though, about $186 USD to North America? And most of those C64 "devices" require soldering?

[c0ldb33r]

I did not notice that. wow.

I've got a few flash carts and most ran about $100. I'm surprised that this one would be so pricey.

[98PaceCar]

Cool thanks

I've seen online that some flash carts also allow you to plug your c64 into Ethernet. Is this worth doing? Can the 1541u do it?

Like Greg2600 said, the ethernet portion of the latest hardware iteration is not ready yet. The prior revision did have ethernet built in. I never found a use for it beyond the initial wow factor of being able to have my C= on the internet. It's slow, but works.

It says Ethernet via software update, which isn't ready yet. Did you look at the price though, about $186 USD to North America? And most of those C64 "devices" require soldering?

This one is a ready to go unit. The latest version is even enclosed in a nice cart shell and comes with everything you need.

It is pricy. The trick to this is that the 1541 is an "intelligent" device that has its own processor and ram built in. Due to this, emulation requires more than just mounting a disk like other computers require.

If cost is an issue, the uIEC is about $50 from Jim Brain, but it does not fully emulate the 1541 and a lot of software won't work with it. You can look for ide fixed games and find some multi load that should work with it.

But, the 1541u is the only one that fully emulates the 1541 and is the most compatible.

[Sanriostar]

Jumpman, Realm of Impossibility, and Mail Order Monsters are 'breakers' for me. How do those 3 stand up to the MMC or the 1541u?

[98PaceCar]

Jumpman, Realm of Impossibility, and Mail Order Monsters are 'breakers' for me. How do those 3 stand up to the MMC or the 1541u?

I can tell you for sure that Jumpman and Mail Order Monsters work on the 1541u. I have not tried Realm, but I have no reason to think it won't work. I believe that Jumpman will work on the uIEC as there are single load versions of it out there. Mail Order Monsters probably doesn't, but I'm not 100% on that.

[Flack]

Like 98PaceCar said, the 1541u is damn near 100% compatible with a real 1541 disk drive. The only D64 images I've ever found that didn't work turned out to be corrupt D64 images.