Is This The Only C64 Cartridge You Ever Really Need?

Hi everyone and welcome to this look at the Pi1541 With Epyx Fastloader Cartridge for the C64. I'm wondering if this is the only cartridge I'll ever really need for my C64 and in this episode I ask if it's just too good to be true?
P.S. When I say plug the cable into the cassette port - I do of course mean Serial Port! I blame anyone but me for that slip up :) :) Thanks to Jens Droessler for catching that one :)
Thanks for watching!
References:
TapeCartSD
myretrostore.co.uk/product/ta...
Kung Fu Flash
github.com/KimJorgensen/KungF...
www.thefuturewas8bit.com/kung...
Ultimate II+
ultimate64.com/U2P_Cartridge_...
Pi1541
cbm-pi1541.firebaseapp.com/
SD2IEC
retroready.one/products/sd2ie...
www.thefuturewas8bit.com/shop...
3D Case For Pi1541
cemtezcan.com/blog/AnMX/case-...
2015 Ghosts'n'Goblins
csdb.dk/release/?id=139257
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodo...
sinclair.wiki.zxnet.co.uk/wik...

[@stephenwhite506]

I originally created the project as a hobby but mostly because I couldn't afford a U2+ either. I made it for tinkerers like myself that already had raspberry pis around. With an existing raspberry pi and some basic soldering skills you can make an adapter for about $5. I gifted the project to the community not knowing that so many ebayers were going to pick it up and start selling adapters for $35-$100. It is just my hobby and who knows with all the donations that people have generously given me, maybe one day I could actually afford an actual U2+ ;). My next project is a SuperCPU clone along with with drive drive emulation. This time I will connect it to the cartridge port so it will be able to emulate cartridges and be more like U2+, Backbit, Kungfu, EasyFlash etc.

[@TheRetroShack]

Wow - Feel a little honoured to have you in my comments section Stephen! It's like a celebrity drop-in :) I hope I did your creation justice, and if you want someone to review anything you create I'd be more than happy to do so! Thank you so much for watching! (and subscribing hopefully ;) ) Stay in touch!

[@ChrisKewl]

This is why you're an amazing person, this product has given joy to so many enthusiasts like myself. I have a few of these and they are indispensable.

[@ChrisKewl]

@Mr Guru I did not sense that he said he was ripped off. I think you are reading too far into it. If he felt ripped off I highly doubt he'd continue to work and improve the product What I took away from his comment was that he didn't expect the success of the product as he has seen. I welcome his future projects as well, he's a blessing to the C64 community.

[@stephenwhite506]

@Mr Guru I don't mind being ripped off. As I said it is my hobby and I get enough out of that. What I don't like is the community being ripped off.

[@DioBrando-qr6ye]

If this had cartridge emulation it would be a perfect low cost substitute for an ultimate II+. I also have a Pi1541 + a fast loader cartridge and that's the only feature I really miss about the UII+. It would be cool if you made an all in one solution (if it's possible).

[@TheRetroShack]

Hi All - at the 5:00 minute mark I'm saying plug the cable into the Cassette Port - of course I meant to say Serial Port! Thanks to Jens Droessler for pointing that out - I must have been tired/drunk/careless (delete as appropriate) when I recorded that :) Sorry all!

[@phonicsonic]

Drunk is fine.. Thanks for the video!

[@attobos5945]

When your Flashcard got more power than your Computer where put in ;)

[@TheRetroShack]

I know - what a crazy world! :) :)

[@MOS6582]

For the new cart, sharing data with the C64 must be like how a kid feels going for a walk with a grandparent. “Why are we going so slowly? Why can’t I climb that tree while I wait for you?“

[@TheKeymaster316]

I just cleaned off my originial C64 this weekend and have been absolutely fascinated by all of the new items that have been built for it over the years. Thank you so much for posting this review, I may end up buying this as well. Also subscribing, thanks!

[@TheRetroShack]

Glad to have another c64 user on-board! Welcome to the channel, and thanks so much for subscribing!

[@valrond]

This now seems the best alternative. I have ordered an Ultimate II+ 50 days ago, but now I received a mail saying it will not be available for the time being. So, this is the best right now.

[@TheRetroShack]

You won’t regret it - I still use this almost daily and it never disappoints.

[@RDJ134]

Just found this channel today, and subbed. Love the video and the other content. :)

[@TheRetroShack]

Glad to have you on board, and glad you’re enjoying the content :)

[@sidder74]

Thank you for a great video and thank you Stephen White for creating this! I think this might be exactly what I need to get back to using a C64 regularly again (It's about time!) I have a C64C and a 1530 but no disk drive, nor any disks, for that matter. I'm on the lookout for an Oceanic OC-118N/Excelerator +/KY-1000 since that's what I had back in the days but a Pi1541 or an U2 would get me into business quickly while I keep looking and also help keep my son's interest in the C64 up (I have a C64 Mini which he loves to use but it really is far too limited). The plan is that once I'm fully set with both a disk emulator and a physical drive and floppies I can download whatever I want and, in some cases, copy from the emulator to physical floppies to get the full experience when I wish. Sorry for my long rant but this video really got me excited! 🤣

[@TheRetroShack]

Thanks for sharing! You’re very welcome, it’s kind of what I’m here for :) :) Hope you and your son enjoy many years of fun with your C64!

[@DanieleVetrucci]

At 8:02 there is an error: baud are bit/s non byte/s so 1364 baud are 170,5 byte/s slower than a c64 disc

[@TheRetroShack]

Thanks, yes - someone else has pointed that out - it's on my errata list for the follow up video :) Good to see you're all on the ball :) :)

[@richretrotech9426]

Really great video. I took a look at the links and it really does seem as simple as you make it sound. I have a pi3 knocking about I could use but using the pi zero for the sake of a fiver looks far better. Keep up the great work.

[@TheRetroShack]

Thanks very much! Appreciate the support and glad you’re enjoying the channel. :)

[@richretrotech9426]

I checked eBay right after watching your video. Went back today and all the regular price items are gone! I blame your video! In all seriousness great video!

[@TheRetroShack]

I wish I could take the credit :) I also wish I got a cut of the profits! Glad you’re enjoying the channel :)

[@delscoville]

I love my Ultimate II+. But most of it's features aren't needed by everyone. Like the ability to play Amiga MOD files, etc. But here's the best argument, if you have an NTSC Commodore 64, you need the REU functionality to play Sam's Journey. It's one of the best games ever made for the C64.

[@TheRetroShack]

I couldn’t resist the Ultimate Elite - got one on the way :) :)

[@delscoville]

@@TheRetroShack I've been contemplating getting one myself. But then I'd have a 1541 UII+ just sitting on the shelf.

[@claudioquintanilla1471]

I play Sam's Journey CRT image (PAL) with my KungfuFlash over my NTSC C64 machine and works excellent with some minor garbage on graphics.

[@mistermark8755]

good vid ordered mine few days ago hopefully be here tomoz i can use yur info setup nice vid :)

[@TheRetroShack]

Have fun!

[@GoWstingray]

Hi where did you order, cant see a link on the site cheers?

[@kke]

I guess it only needs the cartridge port for power and to load the Epyx ROM, which has no knowledge of the drive being a Pi1541. The Pi1541 part would work fine by just providing the power to the correct pins and hooking up the IEC connector to the serial port. So.... It should be quite doable to make a version of the Kung-Fu Flash cartridge, that would also have all of the Pi1541-bits of this one. With this combination, you could load EF3, use any speed loader cartridges such as the Epyx here, Action Replay, FC3, etc and also load cartridge games. I think that would be pretty close to the best a man can get like Gillette.

[@TheRetroShack]

Give it a week and the Internet will provide :) Thanks for watching and sharing - appreciate it !

[@numberg8238]

I hadn't seen one using a Zero before, looks good! I have subscribed

[@TheRetroShack]

Thanks for the sub! Much appreciated and hope you continue to enjoy the channel :)

[@roberteager2803]

Does anyone know where to buy a kit, with parts, the website listed doesn't

[@TheRetrospective]

Lovely review, thanks!

[@sunnykhan5451]

is it possible to have wifi module so I can access folder on my lan?

[@RudysRetroIntel]

Excellent device!! I use the Back Bit cartridge as it doesn't need a cable for the serial port and easy-to-use

[@TheRetroShack]

Thanks for the info!

[@juzziepope]

Can you run the SD2IEC menu thing on the PI1541 FB64?

[@walliswizard]

Adding one of these to my shopping list!

[@TheRetroShack]

It’s a nice solution and can’t really fault it for the money :) Thanks for watching!

[@macrohard007]

I use this with my c128. I just have to power it externally uninstalled from the c128 to use it in c128 mode. If you have the cartridge installed, it boots straight into c64 mode. I have a jiffyDos rom image loaded on it as well so even if the epyx fastloader isn't installed, it still loads fast in c128 mode. great little product.

[@AlForte13]

Tapper bring back such fun times. I do have a question. What software or how are you putting the C64 screen image in PIP?

[@AppliedCryogenics]

I tried to save money with a sd2iec, but that wasn't good enough. Then built a PI1541 with color LCD.. the UI was clunky, and not being able to use a pi Zero (at that time) raised the overall price significantly. Finally, I took the plunge and bought an Ultimate-II+ and never looked back! It is worth every penny, and the fact it can emulate every fastloader, kernel, memory expansion and even freezer cart make it truly the ultimate solution. I'd suggest the ultimate-ii+ and a dead test cart.

[@TheRetroShack]

I guess i’m going to have to just bite the bullet and get an Ultimate II - just need to convince Mrs RetroShack ;)

[@AppliedCryogenics]

@@TheRetroShack I fully agree that the pi1541 is a reasonable substitute when the retro budget is tight, especially now that you've shown me they got pi zero working!

[@doctordapp]

Is it possible to replace the epix rom for another rom like the final cartridge or kcs power cartridge? Looks like the pi1541 and the epix fast load are 2 parts not working together any further.

[@TheRetroShack]

unfortunately I don’t think so, however the Pi1541 itself supports (supposedly) any disk based fast loader. I’ve found it to be really quite good value for money considering what it does. It’ll do me until I can afford an Ultimate II :)

[@sharptoothtrex4486]

That figures why there should be a specified All C64 games selection on one custom Raspberry PI cartridge. This is something makes the C64 very useful.

[@michailokeefeMooMoo]

Great video will have to get one these cartridges

[@TheRetroShack]

Thanks for watching and yes, for the money it's an impressive piece of kit!

[@meneerjansen00]

It's not possible to use cartridges like Super Snapshot if you've got one of these connected is it?

[@jkeelsnc]

Nope. You could use one of those cartridge expander boards but it still wouldn't allow the super snapshot (a very good cartridge) to work at the same time with the PI1541. You would only be able to switch between them. It would be nice if they included 3 or 4 different utility cartridges in the ROM and allow you to pick between them. 1. Fast load 2. FCIII 3. Super Snapshot 4. Action Replay. This would give a lot of great choices to load software and utilities for different purposes. Perhaps in time these things will be added.

[@slowlymakingsmoke]

Another great video, thanks. I think I might even try make this, based off Stephen’s comments below. One request, could you squeeze your C64 screen back to 4:3. It is all kinds of ungentlemanly behaviour not to.

[@TheRetroShack]

Consider me smacked on the bottom! :)

[@wettuga2762]

Due to the semi-conductor shortage, a Pi Zero is very expensive and nowhere to be found. Let's hope it returns to the £5-£10 price range when it becomes available again. I'm guessing the one used in this project is the Pi Zero v1.3 with 1Ghz CPU and 512MB RAM? Does it need any kind of overclocking or is this just related to other Pi models?

[@juzziepope]

Yes I am going where the hell do you get a zero for fiver

[@Brewskii2117]

Is there a gerber file for the board and a list components some where for the board in this video? People are asking stupid prices on ebay. (like $90 dollars for a prebiult unit)

[@TheRetroShack]

Hi there, thanks for watching! Found this on pcbway projects :) www.pcbway.com/project/shareproject/_DIY__Pi1541___EPYX_FAST_LOAD_CARTRIDGE_for_COMMODORE_64.html

[@hippocrates72]

2:05 start HERE >> *Pi1541 & EPYX Fastload Cartridge*

[@flatstickretrocreations]

Great video! I wish I had of seen this pi zero version before I got mine, as a Pi 3B seems overkill for the job, but such a brilliant device!

[@TheRetroShack]

Glad you liked it!

[@Huddison]

I have an Ultimate II+ cartridge, but still want one of these; I think the Pi1541 is a very innovative piece of kit.

[@TheRetroShack]

I'm amazed almost every day at the uses people find for these little PI Zeros... Such a powerful piece of tech!

[@Kiatrasi]

Ultimate 2+ is actually the only cartridge you'll ever need :)

[@Huddison]

@@Kiatrasi Amen to that.

[@mauriciofranco3492]

Changing C-64 kernal ROM to JiffyDOS (or JaffyDOS) makes it faster than Epyx Fastloader. For the Pi1541 just need to replace the kernal.bin file to the JiffyDOS file for the 1541-II.

[@TheRetroShack]

Guess what I'm doing at the weekend :) :) Thanks!

[@ejarnot]

Is it safe to power up pizero,pi1541 and screen directly by c64?

[@TheRetroShack]

Yep, the Pi literally sips power :)

[@joecan]

Well done. Thank you sir!

[@TheRetroShack]

You’re very welcome! :)

[@XRPSwan]

I wonder if that can daisy chain with a 1541 or 1581, so that I can copy my floppy disks back into the SDCard

[@methanoid]

Where did you source the Pi1541Zero please?

[@TheRetroShack]

Hi there - I grabbed mine off good old eBay :) Just do a search for Pi1541 and you’ll find them :) Happy shopping!

[@El_Guapo74]

I see these advertised working on vic-20. Is that one powered through cassette port?

[@TheRetroShack]

Provided you power the device, I can't see why not as the 1541 was backwards compatible with the Vic-20. Clearly you wouldn't get the Epyx Fastload as the cartridge won't fit the Vic. I've got an old Vic lying around - I'll give it a go! :)

[@marcoslmerayo]

One baud is not equal to a byte. Taking the same example shown with the ZX Spectrum, a 1541 would be roughly 1.8 times faster than a cassette load on a ZX.

[@TheRetroShack]

Whoops - silly maths. However it’s still not too pretty a sight for the C64. I’ll add the correction to the description: Datasette 50 bytes / second: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_Datasette 1541 Drive 300 bytes / second: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_1541 Spectrum Cassette 163 bytes / second: spectrumforeveryone.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Spectrum-Brochure.pdf

[@marcoslmerayo]

@@TheRetroShack Baud and byte / s comparisons are never exact. I forgot to comment: Great video! You have a subscriber ;-)

[@stuartwilson4960]

Fast loaders brought the 1541 up to 4KB/s ie. 38400 baud and like the games you demonstrated there were a lot that would bypass the slow rom routines. There were also fast loaders you load off disk before loading a game.

[@TheRetroShack]

Still using this cartridge on an almost daily basis and can't fault it so far :)

[@jkeelsnc]

@@TheRetroShack The Epyx Fastload helps a lot. Now it is not the fastest one available but it is very highly compatible with most software including much software that has its own fastload routines. I found out years ago that the few programs that didn't work with FastLoad usually had their own fastload routines anyway. It is a good cartridge if not quite as speedy as JiffyDos but jiffydos required replacing roms in the C64 and drive and it also cost quite a bit more than the FastLoad cartridge. I am surprised you didn't use any of the dos wedge commands from the Fastload as those are nice as well. It is a simple but good fast load product for the c64.

[@darkstatehk]

Great channel! Got a sub from me :) Keep an eye on Randy Rossi's VIC-II drop-in replacement as well - super excited about that.

[@TheRetroShack]

Thanks! Will do! And thanks for the sub!

[@tenminutetokyo2643]

But did you jam in a TSR-1 2450?

[@teddym2808]

Subbed as soon as I watched the first 2 minutes.

[@TheRetroShack]

Thanks, and welcome aboard :)

[@MSBomberman94]

Any chance to buy this complete and ready to go?

[@TheRetroShack]

Hi there - you can get them ready made on eBay for about £66 at the moment (in the UK at least)

[@GRayDefender]

Really nice video! I was wondering what the point of this device was, now I know.

[@TheRetroShack]

Glad I could help! :)

[@charlesfatt]

Thanks for the video

[@Darkuni]

I am having issues finding the exact Pi1541 in the video on ebay. Could you provide a link?

[@TheRetroShack]

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pi1541-Zero-Epyx-Fastload-Combo-Cartridge-for-Commodore-64-C64-SD2IEC-alt/133457648596?hash=item1f12b21bd4:g:zxgAAOSwbmJgRNIJ

[@Darkuni]

@@TheRetroShack Thank you!

[@michaelhill6453]

Brilliant. Excellent presentation, thank you. My only question would be: can you save games in progress and return to them later. I'm a big fan of C64 RPGs and war games, the catalogue is amazing and they all need save files. Thanks again.

[@TheRetroShack]

Well, I’m playing through Pool Of Radiance at the moment, so hopefully that answers your question :) There’s no ‘Freeze’ function but it works exactly like a disk drive, so you create a save disk and then when you’re asked to insert that disk, you navigate to it using the buttons on the cart - a bit like a gotek drive if you’ve ever used one of those. Thanks for watching!

[@michaelhill6453]

@@TheRetroShack Brilliant. Thanks so much. That's one of my faves, all the Gold Box games were great.

[@RichardHallas]

What about people with no 3D printer? Does anyone supply cases for this? I haven’t yet found a source.

[@TheRetroShack]

If I find one, I'll let you know :)

[@RichardHallas]

@@TheRetroShack Thanks!

[@maxf2417]

I checked the other comments but I don't think anyone asked this yet, can you please tell me how you hook up a c64 to a modern Monitor?

[@TheRetroShack]

I use a simple SCART > HDMI adaptor from Amazon. Works a treat for OBS Studio too :)

[@laszloditelyan4127]

I have the Kung Fu Flash cart and i have to say it is way faster than anything else i used before. It is basicly a cart emulator with extra, disk image handling abilities. The only con I can say about it that is yet unable to handle multiple disk games, that asks you to flip the disk or insert another one while playing. But the developer keeps up improving the thing so anything can happen.

[@TheRetroShack]

I've heard good things about them but yes, the multi-disk thing is the Achilles heal at the moment. Perhaps one might make it's way to me - if so, I'll pop a review up here :)

[@gaborszabo6406]

Szia! I agree, i love my kung fu flash!

[@zulucain]

My Kung Fu Flash is kind of unreliable sometimes it will "boot" sometimes blue screen... :-( other cartridges work well...?

[@claudioquintanilla1471]

@@zulucain dirty edge connector problems, you have to clean it , using isopropyl alcohol and a piece of cardboard for cleaning.

[@zulucain]

@@claudioquintanilla1471 Eventually that worked! Sprayed it with contact cleaner.

[@z1ph0n3]

this would be perfect if it would allow different CRT to be used instead of the epyx fast load, like the AR6 to name one.

[@TheRetroShack]

Let's consider that a challenge to the community! :) Must be someone clever enough out there to do this :) Thanks for watching!

[@gaborszabo6406]

I would test this with more sided demoscene demos, it would show if its really full compatible with 1541

[@TheRetroShack]

Will do! :)

[@channelclosingastrollshave9447]

Looks mint would be nice to see it in use more....they would sell very good also ;))

[@TheRetroShack]

I’m thinking that :) :) If I only had the time!

[@Testacabeza]

So it takes power from the C64 itself via the cartridge port?

[@TheRetroShack]

It does - I've been running mine this way since I posted the video and it's been perfectly fine :)

[@Testacabeza]

@@TheRetroShack Oh so cool. I got the one for the Rasp 3+. Will try this one as soon as my credit is replenished :)

[@WillisZzz]

Thanks for this! As a MSSIAH cartridge user, it doesn't look like I will be able to take advantage of any cartridge-based solutions, as the MSSIAH has a MIDI input port right on the top of the cartridge. I plan to get a pi1541, but I'm waiting to source a nice looking case and a pi1541 hat that will fit inside the case, as well as the pi 3b+ itself. While I wait, can anyone suggest any dirt-cheap file-saving solutions that are compatible with MSSIAH? I was looking into Tapecart SD, as it makes use of the tape port (mine is currently not in use), but I can't find any info about whether or not it's compatible with the MSSIAH software. Thanks and take care!

[@TheRetroShack]

Never used a MSSIAH cartridge but hopefully someone in the community can help out :)

[@JesusisJesus]

You can find multi-cart adapters on eBay.

[@johandenhertog6878]

Can it play CRT. Use 10 years the Turbo Chameleon 64 V1 and the 1541 Ultimate II. The 1541 Ultimate II you can use a 1541-II diskdrive as device 9. And copy the D64 files on a floppy. There are more you can do such as dual SID, Turbo CPU and REU on it.

[@TheRetroShack]

Oh there’s no doubt that those cartridges you mention are FAR more feature rich, but this is a good option if all you want to do is have an inexpensive way to access most c64 titles - can’t wait to get my hands on a U2+ :) Thanks for watching!

[@blackcountryme]

Ah teh kid in the shop, but the shop was Tandy, and the words on the quotes were along the lines of "Tandy`s is sh.... not very good"

[@RetroHackShack]

What's this? Another Retro Shack? :) Nice video. Subscribed. We should do some sort of across the pond collaboration since our channel names are so similar.

[@TheRetroShack]

Hi there fellow Shack-er! Welcome to the channel and I'll certainly take a look at yours too :) We shack owners have to stick together :)

[@surfinbirdzx]

I have one. Great device!

[@TheRetroShack]

Yep, still loving mine :)

[@HifiCentret]

Well. I don't know about a few years ago. But certainly not today. Sure it is cheap. But it also has it limits. A far better combo will be a Kung Fu Flash and a standalone Pi1541. Then you'll have just about the best of all worlds. The KFF might read floppy images that don't rely on fastloaders but it does FAST as fast as if on "real" cartridges. Then of course it also supports a multitude of cartridges including Epyx Fastload (though my favorite is BKS - way faster then Epyx). So just about no matter you want to load except things you don't have cartridge files for, external stereo sid or other exotic stuff then you can load it without out periferals lessen wear on ports.

[@elamriti]

but why the need of a rasberry pi ? and whats on the sd card

[@TheRetroShack]

Hi there - The raspberry PI is what's doing the heavy lifting of emulating all of the 1541 hardware. There is a custom kernel.img supplied for the Pi1541 which loads into the PI when the cartridge powers up. This kernel contains all of the software needed to get this thing working. All the details can be found on Steve's page: cbm-pi1541.firebaseapp.com/ Thanks for watching :)

[@velazcodiego]

The Ultimate 2+ is simply amazing, the one and only piece of hardware you wil ever need to enjoy your C64 forever!!!

[@AiOinc1]

I bet if this guy gets a decent microphone his channel will absolutely take off

[@TheRetroShack]

Yep - seems to be the consensus. Sound is terrible. Next purchase is a Rode Mic! Thanks for bearing with me through the troubleshooting!

[@jimbox114]

Would be a nice thing to have. Sadly a year later none of the components are cheap anymore.

[@sunderark]

Ah, remember when a Pi Zero was a fiver? 2022's been brutal.

[@proxy1035]

a RaspPi seems pretty overkill but i guess that's just because of the Emulation overhead? though i still i feel like an STM32 could also run an emulated 1541 drive... what exactly does "cycle accurate" mean for a disk drive? AFAIK the C64 only expects the data to come in in a specific format with specific timing, so as long as those match, and all the commands the C64 can send are handled as a real drive, shouldn't it work fine no matter what is on the other side of the cable?

[@TheRetroShack]

That's where we are today :) A $5 chip is more powerful as a co-processor than all of the other chips in the main thing :) 'Cycle Accurate' just means that it's emulating the hardware inside the 1541, not just supplying the data in the format that the c64 wants it. That means that anything that needs to happen 'drive-side' like copy protection, or exploits, or hacks work exactly like they did on the original drive. I don't pretend to understand exactly how that works because I'm simply not clever enough :)

[@sheep83]

Many fastloaders and copy protection methods execute code on the fly using the 1541's 6502 chip. An sd2iec or similar will fail to load these as they are merely file loaders. Everyone seems to hail the U2 as the be all and end all of C64 carts. I have a Turbo Chameleon and fair to say it blows the U2 away as far as features go. They are however rarer than rocking horse shit.

[@paulgraves1392]

'Cycle accurate' implies that the Pi is simulating the hardware at the circuit board level, not just recompiling binary data.

[@jkeelsnc]

@@paulgraves1392 Yes and also the 6502 on board the 1541. It is not enough just to emulate the data transfer.

[@diegocesar316]

Can an average C64 power supply handle the energy needed to power a pi-1541 without problems?

[@TheRetroShack]

Yep, the draw on the PI is minimal and the cartridge port can handle it - however, no-one should still be using an original c64 power supply - they're machine killers! Get a nice shiny new one :)

[@diegocesar316]

@@TheRetroShack It is true. I have long had a modern power supply that has 1.5 times the original power of the c128 power supply and from which 2 cables come out, one to power the c64 and another cable for the c128 (dual source). and I understand that all modern ones have at least the power of the c128 ones.

[@armorgeddon]

@@TheRetroShack Why/how are they machine killers?

[@TheRetroShack]

@@armorgeddon Basically it’s down to the voltage regulator on the 5v dc output. It fails and sends a whopping big voltage through the 5v lines, frying the chips it reaches - which is most of them :( Avoid! :)

[@armorgeddon]

@@TheRetroShack Oh wow, thanks for letting me know! I need to tell that to my neighbors who still love their C64 for family gatherings.

[@HelloKittyFanMan]

"We'll plug the cable into the cassette port..." No, that's the serial drive/printer, etc. port.

[@saganandroid4175]

0:58 Cathode Ray Tube cartridge files???

[@TheRetroShack]

CRT - Shortening of CaRTridge :) Although I like yours better :) :)

[@brostenen]

I love my PI1541/FastLoader as well. 😋

[@TheRetroShack]

As well you should - it's an awesome piece of kit for the price :) :)

[@brostenen]

@@TheRetroShack Exactly. I love it. I was not able to load Testdrive from my SD2EIC, and this little piece of tech, solved it for me. Also, it is wonderfull for loading demo's.

[@ChrisKewl]

I have a few of these from different manufacturers, they are indeed the bees knees.

[@TheRetroShack]

Have you noticed any difference in performance between the different versions? Thanks for watching btw - I appreciate you taking the time.

[@ChrisKewl]

@@TheRetroShack Not really, they feel the same. That's the testament to Steve's hard work.

[@BillAnt]

Nah, gotta have all the carts as a true collector. lol

[@jimmyhillgren7479]

I was hoping Manosoft Princess v4 would grow into a Queen project before they canceled further development. A device 100% compatible with 1541 like U2+ and connected to the IEC port instead of taking up the cartridge port. Then I can use my 64HDD there instead.

[@eranfeit]

very nice

[@TheRetroShack]

Thanks very much! :) And thanks for watching :)

[@SirRandallDoesStuff]

Who the heck puts a space in the load command. I heard of being rebellious but this is taking it too far :P Joking aside awesome video I am really going to have to try this cart.

[@TheRetroShack]

Good grammar costs nothing :) :) It's a fabulous cartridge and I use it almost every day.

[@HelloKittyFanMan]

How weird that a disk-related loader would be slower than a tape-related one, even if they are just electronics at this point -- partially because of how the tape signals from this era were audio-based.

[@craigjohnson119]

I`d just buy the Ulitmate II plus , i have one and would never look back,...they are that good SERIOUSLY!"

[@TheRetroShack]

Given the funds most people would (me included!) but as an option for the more casual c64 user you can’t fault this device for the money :)

[@nameprivate2194]

One question: Emulated drive sounds? E.g.: Different sounds per drive (1541, 1541-II, 1571, 1581, etc.)? kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6W1h4ePgqZrbc0si=QKb0p6rm8wVpFfYt

[@overdriver99]

thanks for info. now I don't know where to buy this.. I will search.

[@TheRetroShack]

Got mine off eBay :) Thanks for watching!

[@OlivierSimpleLife]

Sure it's a nice solution and you made a very cool video about. However when it come to the comparison with the Ultimate cartridge, here are a few things : The Ultimate has been here since many years now, many, many years. When i consider all the alternatives i have bought (which were cheaper) and with which i was not really satisified, I came to the conclusion the i could have bought an Ultimate. And i did it. What i mean is that, the Ultimate obviously costs a lot, but when you buy it, you won't buy anything else. So to me the comparison is only fair for newcomers ;)

[@TheRetroShack]

Very true - and as I said in the video, do I still want an Ultimate II+? Yes. (And probably will get one at some point) but for now, for me and I suspect many other people who don’t need or want all the extra features, this is a much cheaper way of enjoying the c64. Beginners maybe - but everyone is a beginner at some point and may want to dip their toes in before spending a lot of money :) Thanks for watching :)

[@deanolium]

@@TheRetroShack It's kinda down to what you want from the cart. The UII+ is awesome (I've got one in the post - excite!) but if all you want is a disk emulator, then this cart looks like it'll do you -- having a display built in should make swapping disks really nice and easy. Whilst the UII+ is useful if you want Cart emulation as well as a REU. Which, to be fair, most C64 hobbyists at this stage probably do, but if you just want to play old games, then it's not needed.

[@TheRetroShack]

@@deanolium consider me jealous of your new cart :). It also comes down to finances and use cases. If you just want the nostalgia, and don’t have a ton of cash, this just may do :)

[@deanolium]

@@TheRetroShack Totally - whilst the U2+ is really cool, it's really not needed to get a tonne of enjoyment from the C64. This cart looks like really good value for the money and a cool sign of how far the DIY community has come

[@RetroDawn]

@@deanolium An EasyFlash(3) will cover the cart side of things fairly cheaply. The SuperCPU implementation in the UII+ is very exciting, though! And the other features are quite swell.

[@joshuaharper4439]

Hi there I had a question for someone either the person that has this KZbin channel or the original maker of this cartridge I am legally blind and I don’t see very well I was wondering if somebody could make this cartridge put this cartridge together for me and I would pay you for it also was wondering where do you get the ultimate 2+ cartridge thanks for any help and information oh also one more thing will either one of these cartridges work in a SX 64 thanks again

[@TheRetroShack]

Hi Joshua - I'm sure some kind soul in the community may be able to put one together for you. If not, you can get them pre-built on eBay: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133716054219?hash=item1f221910cb:g:zxgAAOSwbmJgRNIJ Good luck!

[@Theshadowsnose]

I really wonder why you want to combine the Pi1541 with an EPYX Fastload cartridge. It's not that fast and it doesn't even put the most common commands you need to load and run games on the F-Keys, just like any other Cartridge does. I understand that the EPYX cartridge is very useful in combination with the SD2IEC because it is able to accelerate loading from that device, but since the Pi1541 is compatible with any fastloader, it doesn't make too much sense to me. Especially if you already have a Kung-Fu Flash which can emulate quite a few other Fastloaders. I use a 'full' Pi1541. The one with a Pi3 and I use the Kung-Fu Flash to emulate an Action Replay Mk6. It loads about 3 times faster than the Epyx one and I also didn't have many compatibility issues with games. Not even with multi load ones that come with their own fastloader. I think it's less than 5% out of about 400 games I've tested that did not work properly when loaded with the AR and I doubt that the Epyx cartridge is more compatible. One downside of all the cartridge based fastloaders is that they rarely accelerate loading in multiload games other than loading the first file. Everything that is loaded afterwards is usually not accelerated. That's the huge advantage of hardware based speedloaders. I had SpeedDOS back in the days and it was great with games like Maniac Mansion and Pirates which loaded a lot during gameplay. I haven't tested Jiffy DOS yet, but that should in theory do the same. Just try playing Maniac Mansion with SpeedDOS and after that play it with the Epyx cartridge... you will REALLY feel a difference.

[@elrincondelukas]

Hi. I suscribe your channel . A big Like

[@Kw1161]

One cartridge to run them all.....

[@TheRetroShack]

:) :) Thanks for watching!

[@Kw1161]

TheRetroShack You’re welcome!

[@ultramac1550]

Really good hardware.

[@TheRetroShack]

Agreed :) Thanks for watching!

[@gdawwg1125]

I really need food , air, a home . I’m not sure if anyone ‘really needs’ any c64 cartridge

[@ZxSpectrumplus]

Just learnt today the 1541 is 4.5 TIMES SLOWER THAN A SPECTRUM CASSETTE. Should have use this to gloat at C64 owners back then...LOL.

[@lundsweden]

I remember loading old C64 games on floppy. I would turn on the computer, insert disk and type command. I'd go away, make a cup of tea, return and it would be done. My friend, who had a Datacassette, well, we'd go outside and play for one hour, come back and see if the load was successful. Most of the time it was, but sometimes we'd have to put off playing until another day, as we did not have another hour left before I had to go home!

[@TheRetroShack]

Crazy to think this was the norm and we were happy with it - but we were! :)

[@choppergirl]

I skipped through this video, and still could not figure out what it was about... and I'm an ex C64 programmer from back in the day.... :-/ I had to look it up. Apparently, it's nothing more than a fast loader cart? "Kung Fu Flash can emulate different cartridge types, load PRG files and use D64 disk images. Just place your desired CRT, PRG or D64 files on a FAT formatted microSD card and use the built-in launcher to execute them."

[@edgarmatzinger9742]

A virtual cassette deck? OK. Even with a "fastloader" slow as hell.

[@AmstradExin]

Wish the PI in it could do more than just the floppy drive, since it should be fast enough to emulate the whole thing.

[@TheRetroShack]

Yep - it’s a bit ridiculous when these 8bit machines have ‘co-processors’ that are literally 1,000’s of times faster than the main machine :)

[@AmstradExin]

@@TheRetroShack Yeah, they could like add some media player that is passed through, REU Support, Internet connectivity and so on....

[@robertplestenjak]

You should try backbit.

[@TheRetroShack]

I’ll take l look - thanks!

[@robertkilbourne323]

Yeah the 1541 was slow but we were all blown away at the speed compared to tapes. 400 bytes/second? Ye gods!

[@TheRetroShack]

I was so surprised at how slow the c64 tape deck actually was :) I guess at the time we were just used to it :)

[@samcoupe4608KB]

if it's got a pie why can't u use HDMI output

[@TheRetroShack]

The c64 doesn’t send a video signal through the cartridge port unfortunately :(

[@samcoupe4608KB]

@@TheRetroShack some kind of video input connection in order then?

[@jayjay-xk1zn]

I liked messing about with the action replay cartridges in the day. Using shoot em up construction kits to make sprites and saving them to put my own sprites into different games. Yes good old days and we never had mobile phones ahhhh bliss, bloody annoying things but thats life now

[@dr.ignacioglez.9677]

I LOVE C64 👍🥂🎩

[@cathrynm]

That C64 screen looks too wide to my eyes? Not sure.

[@TheRetroShack]

Plugged into a capture unit through a SCART connection. So hard to film CRT screens :(

[@MrIain73]

All your doing here is building your computer back up to speck adding bits on and on till you have a up to date computer can they no already come like this in the shop. ( I forgot they be out date in 6 months time if you do that lol )