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RhinoDevel committed Apr 13, 2021
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***Warning**: This README is **work-in-progress**, I am currently creating the release that will bring you fast mode via wedge and Pi 3 support! Please come back soon to check out v1.7.0.*

# CBM Tape Pi
*Marcel Timm, RhinoDevel, 2021, [rhinodevel.com](http://rhinodevel.com/)*

![CBM Tape Pi hardware](./docs/title.jpg)

Use a Raspberry Pi as fast storage device with your Commodore 8-bit computer (CBM/PET, VIC 20, C64, etc.) via tape port connector!

CBM Tape Pi is using a very simple hardware interface and Open Source software, only.
The main goal was to provide such a solution for the **CBM/PET** machines with as less hardware effort as possible while using Open Source software, the Raspberry Pi and the Commodore's datassette port, only.

- Latest release: CBM Tape Pi v1.7.0 **coming soon!**
- Latest release: [CBM Tape Pi v1.7.0](https://github.com/RhinoDevel/cbmtapepi/releases/tag/v1.7.0)

- Older video (compatibility mode, v1.6.1): [CBM 3032 (please excuse the cuts, there was no fast mode, yet..)](https://youtu.be/CkLR3lkHjh4)
- Older/outdated video (slow compatibility mode, v1.6.1): [CBM 3032 (please excuse the cuts, there was no fast mode, yet..)](https://youtu.be/CkLR3lkHjh4)

## Features

Expand All @@ -22,7 +20,7 @@ CBM Tape Pi is using a very simple hardware interface and Open Source software,
- List current directory's content.
- Delete files.
- **Fast mode** via wedge for CBM/PET, VIC 20 and C64.
- Compatibility mode for CBM/PET, VIC 20, C64, etc.
- Compatibility mode for all machines listed above and maybe more (C16, etc. - untested).

- Easy to build hardware interface:
- No ICs, just a minimum amount of discrete components.
Expand All @@ -40,7 +38,7 @@ You need:
- 10x 10k Ohm resistors (two of these are used to get a 20k Ohm resistor).
- 1x Commodore cassette port plug.
- 1x Raspberry Pi 1, 2, 3 or Zero (other models may also work, not tested, yet).
- 1x SD card (I am using an old 64MB card).
- 1x SD card supported by your Raspberry Pi.
- Optional: A push button (to be able to soft-reset the Raspberry Pi).

## Warning and disclaimer
Expand All @@ -51,15 +49,15 @@ You need:
## Preparations

1) Setup connections (see [picture](./docs/CBM%20tape%20to%20Raspberry%20Pi%20(Marcel%20Timm%2C%20RhinoDevel).png) below).
2) Put compiled kernel.img (or kernel7.img for Raspberry Pi 2 and 3) from **latest release** *(coming soon!)* on the first FAT32 partition on an SD card with MBR partition table (easiest way is to use an SD card having Raspbian installed).
2) Put compiled kernel.img (or kernel7.img for Raspberry Pi 2 and 3) from **latest release** [v1.7.0](https://github.com/RhinoDevel/cbmtapepi/releases/tag/v1.7.0) on the first FAT32 partition on an SD card with MBR partition table (easiest way is to use an SD card having Raspbian installed).
3) Delete (if existing) config.txt and cmdline.txt from boot partition.
4) Overwrite fixup.dat, start.elf and bootcode.bin with the files having the same names from [Raspberry Pi firmware release 1.20171029](https://github.com/raspberrypi/firmware/tree/1.20171029/boot).

## The LEDs

- The Pi's ACT LED will flash every second to show that CBM Tape Pi is running.
- The interface's LED will be on, if waiting for commands.
- The interface's LED will be off during transfer of a PRG to Commodore (LOAD).
- The interface's LED will be off during transfer of a PRG to Commodore.
- The interface's LED will flash to indicate an error that occurred during last command execution (e.g. file not found), but it will still wait for the next command from the Commodore.

## How to use CBM Tape Pi
Expand All @@ -78,7 +76,7 @@ should do no harm.

## How to enter and use fast mode

After the first start of CBM Tape Pi it is in compatibility mode (see below).
After the first start of CBM Tape Pi it is in (slow) compatibility mode (see below).

You can toggle to another mode from compatibility mode this way:

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -107,7 +105,7 @@ Feel free to enter all commands described below for compatibility mode, but now

## How to use compatibility mode

- The commands to the Pi will be send via Commodore SAVE command.
- The commands to the Pi will be send via Commodore SAVE command (no need for a wedge).
- If you have a (big) PRG loaded in memory, consider executing ```NEW``` before ```SAVE```, to avoid that the PRG will unnecessarily be sent to the Pi.
- **LOAD**: E.g. a PRG file named ```mycbmapp.prg```:

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -162,10 +160,10 @@ Connect Raspberry Pi and Commodore machine this way:

## Supported Commodore machines

- CBM / PET computers (tested with BASIC v1, v2 & v4 on a 2001 and a 3032, tested with BASIC v4 on an 8032-SK).
- CBM/PET computers (tested with BASIC v1, v2 & v4 on a 2001 and a 3032, tested with BASIC v4 on an 8032-SK).
- VIC 20.
- C64.
- Other Commodore computers with tape interface (not tested, yet).
- Other Commodore computers with tape interface (C16, etc. - not tested, yet).

## Supported Raspberry Pis

Expand Down

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