Testing my repaired Commodore VC-20.

Having some robotic fun with my repaired Commodore VC-20.

 

Here’s better, less wobbly video showing Berzerk MMX in action.

‘Chicken…fight like a robot’

Commodore VC20 and 128 repaired and returned.

Thanks to my good friend and fellow RCM’er Jon over at Jamma Arcade http://www.jammarcade.net who has not only repaired my non booting german Commodore VC20 I brought a few month back but has also breathed new life back into my faulty Commodore 128!

The VC20 has had a new VIC chipped fitted as if you recall, on previous boot up all I’d get was a blank white screen. I’m keen to get this computer up and running as my other VIC-20, although is in working condition, appears to have a faulty serial socket so I can’t use it with my SD2iec device.

The VC20 has a very aged yellow outer case so come the sunshine, this will be restored to it’s former whiter colour with a few RetroBrite sessions.

My C128 was booting into monitor mode and after diagnostic, Jon found one of the MOS CIA chips to be faulty. I can’t wait to get this up and running again and after RetroBriting the c128 case during last summer, it’s all looking as good as new and in a very nice condition (although the keys could do with another session).

It’s currently in bits stored away but I’ll be rebuilding it this weekend and so I’ll post a few more pictures…assuming they’ve survived transit?

The third item in the parcel made me smile. It’s a revised 28 – 24 pin JiffyDos adaptor for the old style C64. Are we calling this Mk-II Jon?

Check out the customisation

I can’t thank you enough for these Jon, especially my C128, I didn’t think it would live again! You’ve also rekindled my interest in electronics again so will be following your Spectrum 48k composite mod tutorial soon.

My ION iCade

Over the holidays I found time to unpack and build my iCade and what a great piece of retro gaming kit it is, especially when coupled with iMame and a whole host of vintage arcade classics. The iCade is a mini desktop arcade cabinet for the Apple iPad complete with Stick Ball joystick and micro switch arcade buttons. The controls connect to the iPad via Bluetooth therefore there’s no wiring to worry about, simply plug and play.

Opening the box I found all parts to very well packaged in individual bags and the wooden parts wrapped in foam padded bags to prevent damage to the colourful side art.

Building the iCade was a breeze with just eight screws to fix the side, front and back panel. Each screw has it’s own fixing hole and a small hex key driver is included in the package.

The control panel is a sealed unit so no need to worry about wiring etc, simply screw on the joystick top and you’re done.

iCade built and ready for play.

Simply insert your iPad either in portrait mode into the iCade mount or In landscape mode into the groove just below the iCade mount. This is perfect for Mame as it allows you to quickly swap between those classic vertical shooters and horizontal games on the fly.

Lifting the iCade lid shows the how to connect the pair the controls to the iPad.

The iCade supports a Eight buttons in total giving you ample for arcade titles like Street Fighter II as well as start and coin buttons. I was surprised on how well the digital stick performed on non digital controlled games such as Outrun and Afterburner for example and they play really well. With iMame, as with the PC version, you can configure the controls to use the defaults or specific controls per game which is perfect if you like your controls set in a certain way.

My only criticism with the controls is that the micro switches are very loud and so when the action gets intense and you’re bashing away at the buttons, it can get quite noisy. Research online shows plenty of examples of modded iCade’s where folk have replaced these with silent switches, replaced buttons and even swapped the joystick with Sanwa arcade parts. It’s also nice to read that the stock iCade joystick also have a 8/4-way restrictor plate fitted as standard.

No doubt in the next few weeks I’ll be taking a closer look at the actual workings of the control panel and making a few adjustments myself!

Overall though, I’m loving the iCade. It’s a lot sturdier and well built than what I originally thought to be a flimsy plastic box. Games supporting the iCade are a little thin on the ground at the moment although Atari’s Greatest hits does let you sample some great arcade classics with authentic arcade controls. If you were one of the lucky ones to pick up a copy of iMame before it disappeared from the app store then this is where the iCade really excels as a desktop arcade machine. It works better than i’d hoped it would and much easier to setup and get playing than my own DIY mini Mame cab (although not as fun to build).

Air Swimmer – Clown Fish test flight.

Christmas Day has come and gone and what a wonderful two days its been with family and friends. Here on the 27th, and after a weekend of visits and parties it’s time to chill out and a chance to investigate all of those cool toys (and consume copious amounts of chocolate) that we’ve received.

This Air Swimmer was a gift we brought our niece and after borrowing it yesterday to show our other niece and nephews we thought we’d give it one final flight before returning it to it’s rightful owner.

These things are amazing, take one giant helium filled balloon, strap on some fins and a tail (motor), a remote counter balance and you have yourself an Air Swimmer.

The instructions might be a little confusing at first (or am i getting old) but once it’s up it’s a breeze to fly with the remote control. Left/Right button wags it’s tail providing momentum and the dive/climb button moves the counterweight under the fish’s belly to lower its nose and tail.

Have a look at the Shark model and scare someone silly

Bluetooth Keyboard Test.

Here’s hoping you’re having a wonderful Christmas so far. All is going swimmingly here and just wanted to write a quick post about….well, nothing actually. I’ve received a Bluetooth mini keyboard for my iPad for Christmas and needed somewhere to type and test it out

Back to the festivities!

Merry Christmas!

Wherever you may be, I’d like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

Best wishes

StiGGy

iOS retro gaming: iMame

Now here’s something special for the holiday season that us iOS retro gamers have been waiting for. iMame the port of MAME (Multiple Arcade Machine Emulator) has bizarrely appeared on the Apple App store as a free download! You can even side load your own classic game roms without having to jailbreak your iOS device! Arcade-Tastic!

Obviously with something like this, It’s not going to be on the app store for long so i’d download it now whilst you can.

As well as the game roms, (which I’m sure you know where to get them), you will need a copy of iExplorer installed on your PC to transfer the files to the iMame/documents folder on your iOS device. I’ve posted about this great little program a few posts ago regarding transferring ZX Spectrum games to the ios Spectrum emulator so you might want to check that out.

Here’s the iMame front end including the few legal roms bundled with the app and a few that I’ve added myself for testing

On my iPad2 the emulation is spot on and so far have been playing full screen/full speed arcade classics like Double Dragon, Galaga and Gorf.

There’s a huge amount of configurable options for both landscape and portrait mode as well as a host of control options including setting 2,4 or 8 way analogue/digital sticks and from one to six fire buttons.

Everyone’s favourite side scrolling brawler Final Fight played in portrait half size mode.

Double Dragon in fullscreen landscape mode.

Pressing the start and coin button simultaneously within a game brings up the familiar Mame console menu giving you even greater options for the emulator and rom.

…and the best bit that just blow my retro gaming socks off – iMame has support for the iCade arcade cabinet…

….which so happens to be on sale at our local PC World store at the moment.

So…where do you think I went before heading off to work this morning?

As an extra bonus, the store assistant offered me the iCade at the web exclusive price too so I saved myself £30.

I’m actually going to resist the urge to setup the iCade straight away and instead wait Christmas day….hopefully

Don’t forget, download iMame for your ipad or iphone ASAP, it won’t be up for long!

Awesome-ness

Three random images today courtesy of my Flipboard iPad app that deserve the Geek Awesome-ness which I’ve clearly just made up award.

Mr. Stay Puff Snowman – Awesome

Boba Fett Woolley hat – Awesome on an epic scale because it’s Boba Fett.

Latex Stormtrooper – with schoolboy giggles but awesome-ness.

Crash Magazine – Kindle editions

My earlier adventures today with Your Sinclair magazine has also led me to online editions of Crash Magazine, the no.1 best selling Sinclair Spectrum magazine from the 80′s and 90′s, and it’s here that I note that issues 1-11 have been converted for Kindle/Kindle app.

I was never a regular reader back in the day being a Commodore 64 user and therefore my monthly rag was always going to be Crash’s sister publication – Zzap64. I did, however, have a few Spectrum owning friends and would love to pour over those Oli Frey paintings on the covers and articles inside.

It’s not until now, thanks to the impressive Kindle app for my iPad that I’m rediscovering what a cracking read Crash Magazine really was/is….and best of all, both the app and magazines are free!

My current Kindle bookshelf.

Each issue contains a hefty amount of content transcribed for this new electronic edition.

Including those lovely covers that can be examined in full screen glory.

One of the many reviews from the first edition of Crash.

More Oli Frey work inside.

Woo, Pheenix review, one of my favorite early Spectrum games.

So, if you’re a retro gaming fan and have an iPad, Kindle or Android based tablet on your Christmas list, then keep a note of this URL.

http://www.crashonline.org.uk/

Wouldn’t it be great if Zzap64 and Amtix were Kindle-ified too!

Your Sinclair – Christmas Advent Calendar

Strolling along the web visiting various vintage computer magazines of the 80′s (I’m on the hunt for those quintessential Christmas editions) I happen to come across the website for Your Sinclair magazine and have been lost for the past hour in the their Christmas advent calendar feature. Each day celebrates the Speccy Christmases of the 80′s and focuses on the big games at the time coupled with music, documents, interviews and tv clips of the period. You even get a naff advent calendar chocolate each day

It’s such a wonderful look back and highly recommended..especially if you’re a brit/speccy owner!

http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/cgi-bin/advent.pl

Dec 1st – Robocop