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Version 4 - November 25, 2022
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@sy2002 sy2002 released this 25 Nov 09:23
· 1037 commits to master since this release
V4
258ccd2

Productivity release: Write support for the virtual C1541 and a 512 KB RAM Expansion Unit (1750 REU) are the main features: Save your high-scores and your gaming progress to disk (D64) and work productively with GEOS by speeding up 10x using the REU and by saving your work persistently to disk. Demo fans can now enjoy all the awesome REU releases on CSDB and gamers can play the fantastic Sonic the Hedgehog for REU.

New Features

  • C1541 write support using D64 image files on the SD card.

  • Read/write support for non-standard D64 images with 40 tracks and no error bytes, i.e. additionally to D64 files that are exactly 174,848 bytes in size you can now also use files that are 196,608 bytes in size.

  • 1750 REU support: The REU is as close to cycle accurate as it can go. It is not perfect, but 99.9% perfect - it even runs the picky TreuLove_ForReal1750Reu.d64 version of Booze Design's Treu Love demo (see CSDB page) that is supposed to only run on real hardware. The REU also works perfectly with GEOS. You can switch the REU on/off using the options menu.

  • Choice between 16:9 or 4:3 HDMI output resolutions: By default the core outputs 720p on HDMI which is a 16:9 resolution (even though the actual C64's output is pixel-perfect 4:3 as we are adding black bars left and right). With this new feature you can switch from 720p to 576p aka PAL over HDMI (720x576 pixels) and then select if you have a 4:3 monitor or a 5:4 monitor and then enjoy the best possible image.

  • Ability to save the configuration settings of the core. You need to copy the file c64mega65 to the folder /c64 to activate this feature.

  • CIA: New option to configure CIA version (6526 or 8521): There is at least one demo known - XXX from Lethargy - where the demo only runs flawlessly if the CIA is a 8521.

  • Mouse: Support for C64 mice and MouSTer

  • Reduced joystick latency from 5ms to 1ms by decreasing the stable time of the signal debouncer.

Bugfixes

  • The drive led is not blinking any more during normal read/write operations. It behaves now like the real drive led and only blinks on errors.

  • Fixed a small (probably inaudible) SID bug by merging this an upstream fix from MiSTer.

  • Fixed several bugs in the file browser that you use for mounting D64 files:

    • The file browser was not able to display the "+" sign due to a bug in the font. Instead, a space (empty character, " ") was printed, for example the file name "C64+" was shown as "C64 ".

    • Directories where not aways being sorted in proper alphabetical order and ascending numbers.

    • While browsing directories with a large amount of subdirectories (e.g. large game libraries): When you entered a subdirectory located on a page other than page one (e.g. by scrolling down quite a bit) and then left this very subdirectory (one level up), then the selection cursor jumped back to page one.

    • Fixed file browsing bug that still displayed the old SD card's directory when you changed the SD card while the file browser was not open. (The bug did not occur when you changed the SD card while the file was open.)

Known problems that we plan to fix in Version 5

  • Formatting disks does not work. We know how to fix it but this will need a larger refactoring (see "Technical Roadmap" in ROADMAP.md).

  • The demo "All Hallows' Eve" (https://demozoo.org/productions/314618/) is crashing towards the end of disk 2. We fixed the issue in an experimental core that you can download here on GitHub: #9

  • There is a compatibility issue due to the "HDMI: Flicker-free" mode. We only saw it occur at the German disk magazine "Input 64 Issue 1/85" and at the 1991 demo Unbounded by Demotion (https://csdb.dk/release/?id=2464). We fixed the issue in an experimental core that you can download here on GitHub: #2

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