markusc64 / 1541ultimate2 Goto Github PK

System:
Cartridge - 1541 Ultimate II+
C64 - 6510 CPU, 8562 VIC-II (NTSC)
Stock KERNAL, drive ROMs

Fast loaders that seem to fail at some point during load:
n0stalgia - Legacy of the Ancients: Fails at blue LOADING screen before the title screen
ESI - Legend of Blacksilver: fails on load after the title screen

Standard KERNAL loads work fine. Most games work fine. It seems when we start uploading custom code to the drives is when issues arise. I flashed back to 3.9 and these loaders seem to work fine with the exact same setup.

I attempted to upgrade my 1541 Ultimate II from 3.7 to 3.10a (Dual Disk + ACIA). The updater completed, and after rebooting, the 1541 Ultimate II was essentially bricked. Nothing I tried in #31 helped, including ultimate.bin or recover.u2u (using 3.x). Renaming 3.10a's u2u as recover.u2u sometimes booted (other times just giving me the C64/C128 BASIC prompt); when it booted and I selected "Yes" to flash, it would show 176 flash blocks free and then hang.

The only solution I found was from the old 3.0b7 package. Copying revert.u2u to the SD card and renaming it recover.u2u successfully reverted back to 2.6k, at which point I was able to upgrade to 3.0b7, then 3.1, then 3.10.

The 3.10 firmware seems to be working fine; it's only 3.10a that causes the almost-complete brick.

I'll try 3.10a (Audio) next to see if that makes any difference.

D64 are no longer created correctly.

I create a D64, F5 -> Create D64 -> Enter name.
If a D64 is created, which I can also mount.

Displaying the directory, it shows several files of large size(e.g., 57569 blocks).
Nevertheless there are still 664 blocks free.

If I now run a validate with JiffyDos, I get the following error message: 66, Illegal Track or Sector, 34, 33

For instance, when running Compute's Gazette SID Player 128,

For boot up the d64 file
Then you see a blue screen
Wait until you see the Rainbow Colored SID Player screen,
8 out of 10 times the computer would lock up when you press the middle button at this point.

This only happens on the C128 running C128 program while pressing the middle button on the UII and UII+.

See screenshots

I have a similar issue with Ultima V for the C128, it too locks up when pressing the middle button on the UII and UII+, during disk swap or during the game.

These issues do not occur on a real c64 or C128 in c64 mode running Sid Player 64 and Ultima V.

What could be causing this?

This problem happens on 3.0 107 firmware and 3.0f 456v2 firmware for UII and 3.0c and 3.0f 456 v2 firmware for UII+.

I recently found out that if the F10 or Scroll Lock keys on a USB keyboard plugged into the UII+ are pressed, the menu is displayed as if the Menu cartridge button was pressed. Just wondering if it would be possible to define keys to trigger the other two cartridge buttons, namely Freeze and Reset? This would be useful for C128D users so that they wouldn't have to reach around the back of the computer to use the cart buttons.

I also saw that once in the menus, the USB keyboard could be used for navigation. Another nice feature to go along with this would be to be able to re-define these USB function keys. This would allow the use of a small numeric keypad to be used to control the UII+ menus, such as the following:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07NVJ964T

For example, the keypad keys could be configured as follows:

/ for Menu

• to Reset
  Cursor keys to navigate (currently working with non-keypad keyboard keys)

• and - to change values (currently working)
  Enter to select (currently working)
  Del for Back (currently working)
  Ins for F2 setup menu
  PgUp and PgDn mapped to F1 and F7 (also currently working with non-keypad keyboard keys)
  0 for F5 context menu
  etc...

Not a bug, or an issue, but, something I'm really confused about.

In the same day I received two notifications about the U2+ firmware being updated.

One points to https://github.com/markusC64/1541ultimate2/releases/tag/v3.4c
The other to https://github.com/markusC64/1541ultimate2/releases/tag/v3.5

Now, I get that these are different releases/tags/versions. That's absolutely clear. What isn't clear to me is that if 3.5 is out, is that specifically for the U64 since the only assets to that tag seems to be for the U64? Is the U2+ still on 3.4c?

In the 3.5 tag, I don't see anything for the U2+. This is my Ultimate Confusion.

Only a couple of issues for me to point out, which occurs in current (1.20) and previous firmware built for the Ultimate 64.

The first one is the game Gryphon by Quiksilva. This event seems to occur on every version I tried to play so far. The front end runs okay, but after pressing fire on the game. It crashes.

Secondly, the .D64 and .TAP original version of Flimbo's Quest fails to run the IRQ loader, which should display a loading picture with music. Instead, I get a plain black screen and the loader locks out.

Current when deleting directories with many files the system seems to be frozen as their is no 'in progress' kind of indicator. With very long and 'deep' directory structures this can take a significant amount of time.
It would be very nice if the UI would show a dialog indicating a delete is in progress (similar to the copying of files).
I don't think this should try to display the number of files still to be deleted as it will likely take quite a lot of time to first scan for all the files and only then start to delete them.

After a discussion in the forum we learnt that it should be possible to provide DMA load for games that are not one-filers, and that don't use a custom loading routine for other parts.

This would speed up all games, that will load with the standards loading routine during the game.

Hi there,

I noticed this (I hope) visual problem with enabling/disabling the Ultimate-Audio-mapping configuration introduced in the 3.1d_20171224+_v1 release of the firmware.
I have made screenshots of it since pictures say more than words ;-)

As reported in this thread: on Lemon64,
it looks like Desterm128 v3 does not automatically recognize the ACIA emulation of the U2+ with firmware 3.7
Maybe the software uses a non-canon recognition routine.
Works well with CCGMS

I have tested that starting ( without flashing ) any type of .crt the REU go off.
To renable the Reu when the .crt image is runing it is possible changing any settings in sub-menu ( C64 AND CARTRIDGE SETTINGS ) for example changing the "cpu adds valid after phi2" ( saving or not new settings ).
It would be perfect if the REU stayed on starting .crt images.

Thnaks

I just updated from 2.6k to 3.0c_433+_v5.audio and loading of t64 files seems to be gone.

The demo Treu Love has visual artifacts in some parts where sprites should show in the side border when running it on the Ultimate. A real REU does not show these artifacts.

http://csdb.dk/getinternalfile.php/144854/TreuLove_ForReal1750Reu.d64

VICE had similar problems and was fixed in revision r31436:
svn log -v -r r31436 https://svn.code.sf.net/p/vice-emu/code/trunk/vice

This comment in VICE gives some clues:

/* The REU can use an additional cycle at the point where the dma of sprite 0 is turned on */
/* this is because of late setting of BA due to internal delays */
/* The CPU can't use this cycle as it checks the state later */

On 3.9 1541u2+ the SIDPLAY64 for U2 CMD interface - sidplay64-reu-1541u2cmd.prg (https://sourceforge.net/projects/sidplay64/) does not load SID files anymore. You get an error each time you try to load a SID file through it.
Also first file or directory is not displayed anymore in the filelist, instead an empty file is shown.
Everything working fine with 3.7 firmware.

When using Retro Replay on C128 on UII and UII+, the screen shimmers if power down and power up.

See video, and ignore the rolling, thats from my iPhone camera.

When using Retro Replay on C128 on UII and UII+, the screen doesn't shimmer if power down and power up with the commodore key press down on start up.

This happens on C128 on UII with 3.0 107 and 3.0f 456v2 firmware and UII+ on firmware 3.0c and 3.0f.
shimmering.mp4.zip

This doesn't happen on a C64, only the C128

Ultima 6 doesn't load with firmware 3.0f 456 v2 but Ultima 6 works on 3.0 107 firmware. After typing in: LOAD"*",8,1 it is stuck on a black screen load indefinitely for NTSC Commodore 64, 64c and C128.

However Ultima 6 works fine for firmware 3.0 107 and 3.0c firmeware.

You use the program disk (Disk 1) to load up the game.
Ultima 6.zip

Unlike StarCommander and WarpCopy, Ulticopy does not write the 683 bytes of error-log to the D64. This is valuable information for those who want to archive disks.

hello, i would like to get non blocking datagram socket without connect() call.

to not to break the API, it would be a new UDP connect command (for example: NET_CMD_OPEN_UDP_NONBLOCK)
what i'm asking:

• tv.tv_sec should be zero if 'NET_CMD_OPEN_UDP_NONBLOCK' was called.
• don't call connect() if 'NET_CMD_OPEN_UDP_NONBLOCK' was called.

that is all :)

In all U64 firmware versions. Programs, which are frozen with Trilogic's Expert Cartridge V3.2 and possibly higher (i.e. magazine cover tapes, Armalyte, Super Space Invaders disk and tape originals) fail to unfreeze and gets stuck. Therefore causes the Ultimate 64 to crash. Programs which used Expert Cartridge freezers Trilogic V3.1 and lower seem to work fine. I have included a couple of Tilogic Test files, which one uses V3.1, which works. Also one that uses V3.2 that fails, but does work in VICE and previously worked on My C64.

Trilogic_Freezer_Test.zip

1. connect one or two playstation 2 gamepads to the u2+ and use them in c64 games.
2. mirror the c64 SID on the emulated ones (as you do now) and record the sound on a wav file (missing).
3. full iec (sniffing) and tape log to file
4. add missing STOP and reset TAPE in dropdown menu
5. capture tape to TAP starts right away, while it should wait for the motor to start and stop (like in vice)
6. tape and drive wobbling and alignment are not emulated.
7. a machine code monitor would be very useful to have without using any cartridge, like in vice. it could be started by pressing the freeze button and offer a similar functionality (vice is opensource) of the vice monitor.
8. the freeze button could also be customizable, for example to run a program or disable drive A or other functions without needing to go to the menu.

Another great function would be to be abe to connect a usb cable between the u2+ and a pc and have a virtual XOOM cable to talk directly to IEC bus.

P.S.
The emulated sid is decent but the 6581 emulation sounds different from the original.
I hope this can be improved in the future.

Excellent product and excellent support with continuous firmware updates and new features.

I have an issue in that thePrince of Persia crt is not working on my C128D setup. The crt will launch to its menu, but as soon as the game is started, the screen goes haywire, as if the VIC is driven at 2MHz all the time. I believe this game will normally run in 2MHz mode during vblank to enable smoother scrolling on the C128.

I have tried with no drives connected, JiffyDOS on and off and with all UII+ enchancements on and off, except obviously the crt functionality.

My setup is a plastic UK C128D, upgraded with 64kb VDC RAM, latest ROMs, switchable address 1751 internal drive and JiffyDOS. I am using an Ultimate II+ with latest 3.10 firmware (issue present with previous firmwares).

Thanks in advance.

Steps to reproduce:

• create a d64 and mount it using ultimate 1541 II+
• run the Super Bread Bin .crt using ultimate 1541 II+
• manually save from SBB64 3 or 4 times
• inspect the directory containing the d64 and notice all that the entire directory is corrupted

Hi, I have a 1541U-II (not +) with fw 3.9. I downloaded and triggered a new fw 3.10 update (file update_3.10_au.u2u). It went good, but after a question "About to flash? Yes/No" (before the flash process) I accidentally answered "No". The C64 then asked to turn off. I turned it off and on again and since that the 1541U-II doesn't respond on the middle button. The only reset button works. I tried to find any solution on the Internet but I wasn't lucky. The recovery mode (holding middle button then turning the C64 on) doesn't work (asi I suppose it's the 1541U-II+ feature only). It seems that the Updater software has a bug that shows on a specific hardware. Is there any workaround how to solve this problem? Thanks :)

Hey There Markus,

This concerns the Ultimate 2+ with firmware: 3.0g_466+_v1:

When using the Ultimate in standalone mode, the press-middle-button-for-at-least-2-seconds does not work for selecting the next disk. When connected to the cart port of the C64, it does work.

Yours,

Rolf (Mr.Ammo)

If I save a file to unit 10 (which saves to my pendrive)
the file date is wrong.
I saved a few today and they appear with the wrong year 2022 instead of 2023.
Obviously the date in the ultimate 2+ menu is correct.

Hi there Markus,

I noticed that when using drive B of the dual drive firmware on the U2+, the drive leds are off while using drive B. I used a physical drive for device 8 and used drive b as on device 9. I tested this on firmware 3.0g_466+_v1 and did not try any earlier firmware.

I have not tested this on the U2, but it will probably show the same behaviour.
Yours,

Rolf

SID Audio in is mute while playing mod file with internal MOD-player of U2+

It gets unmuted after pressing middle button twice.

Where to download the latest "markus" version for ultimate 2 plus?

I have to find that most issues are posted here under the wrong repository. They should have been posted under Gideon's repository at https://github.com/GideonZ/1541ultimate

They really have nothing to do with my additions to the firmware.

Do I really have to disable "Github issues"?! You see, I don't want to.

Wierd issue I discovered on my NTSC C128DCR with the Ultimate II+ Cartridge- when playing sid files and I press run/stop key, it does not exit the sid file playing but instead it causes the borders to flash and if paused by presssing space bar, pressing the run/stop key changes the borders of the screen.
On my flat NTSC C128 and breadbin NTSC C64, when playing sid files from ultimate + cartridge, when pressing run/stop key, it exits from playing.
Can anyone replicate this issue or explain or have a solution?
I'm running the latest firmware 3.11

Would like to have a sort of Datasette counter (no Index file), emulation,
together with other Datasette functions.
Would be possible to add it please?
Would be enough a counter that counts seconds of time that is passed from begin of tap file

This because exists a lot of multiple games in a single tap that are not usable after first game
(ATM there is not way for loading directly second, third and so on game)

Thank you very much
Best Regards
Roberto

Although the option 'Sample Tape to TAP' works. Capture Save Tape to Tap has a fault and only can save a 20KB .tap file, which is unreadable.

Hi,

It seems all firmware versions for the U64 after 3.3a_181125+_v1 no longer support the SFX Sound Expander ( I believe the issue also applies to the FM YAM). This can be tested usng 4MATs FMSID tool and the associated SID + SFX demos. Rolling back to 3.3a_181125+_v1 fixes the issue.

Thanks Ross.

Deleting a (nested) directory with any hidden files and or directories (created by MacOSX for example), is currently impossible. It will delete all 'non-hidden' files and then when attempting the delete the directory causes the Illegal Access error. The directory will still be on the file system, with no means to delete the 'hidden' files 'on device'. This is mostly a problem with drives connected to the 'internal' usb port.

Ulticopy doesn't start the copy of a real disk in 1571 (Drive ID 9) to an image .d64 on the 1541U2 (Drive ID 8).

Steps to reproduce

1. Set 1571 to Device ID 9 via the jumper on the back
2. Connect 1571 to C64, and connect 1541U2 to 1571 (interface port)
3. Put the original floppy in the 1571. Browse to a location on your SD card or USB stick to save the new d64 file to. Press F5 and select Ulticopy 9 (because 1571 is the source).
4. The reading of the floppy doesn't start...

Flashing the 1541U2 back to 1541u2_3.0_417 resolves the issue.

This is a proposal for the Ultimate dos:
DOS_CMD_GET_TIME (0x26) with argument 2 to obtain the date in the classic unix epoch format.
For consistency DOS_CMD_SET_TIME (0x27) should accept the same arguments to parse it correctly.

Epoch time is much easier to handle.

Mounting d64's doesn't seem to work with the latest firmware. Would be really great to get it working again.

Hi MarkusC64,

Would it be possible to get in contact to discuss some C128(D) specific features for the UII+

On one hand to discuss if you could take them on an implement into your fork of the release.
In that case I will add them to this 'issue' list individually.

Alternatively, if with your knowledge from the UII+ architecture you could provide guidance if they can be implemented at all in the UII+. Where we find others to do the leg work of coding and provide you with the code to add to your release.

Looking forward hearing from you, Would be great to receive a private message so our communications doesn't pollute your 'issues list'

Thanks in advance,

Tested on FW 3.2 and 3.7 with same result.
I have two 1541-II one from 1988 with belt drive and one from 1990 with direct drive motor.
The new one with direct drive is making random reading errors "-" during disk reading.
The other disk utilitities (from carttridge) are working fine and making disk image without any error.

All tests with mechanics are passing OK. Speed of disk is 300.7 rpm
The floppy disk created in this drive is readable without error in another (belt) drive, and ulticopy reads it without error

Can anyone verify this problem with direct drive mechanics?

It must be some timing issue.