Frank Buss Kerberos C64 User manual

Kerberos C64/C128 MIDI Flash Interface
User's Guide
Copyright 2014 Frank Buss

Kerberos C64/C128 MIDI Flash Inter ace User's Guide
table of contents
Quick Start............................................................................................................................................3
Kerberos cartridge description.............................................................................................................4
Pre-installed programs..........................................................................................................................5
1: Steinberg-Pro16-2.4.....................................................................................................................5
2: Cynthcart-1.5.0............................................................................................................................5
3: SID-Wizard-1.7............................................................................................................................5
4: Synthesizer...................................................................................................................................5
5: Joe-Gunn......................................................................................................................................5
6: FlappyBird...................................................................................................................................5
7: EasyProg......................................................................................................................................6
8: FileBrowser..................................................................................................................................6
Cartridge Disk 1...............................................................................................................................6
Cartridge Disk 2...............................................................................................................................6
EasyFlash: SID Collection...............................................................................................................6
Menu description..................................................................................................................................6
S: Start rom slot..............................................................................................................................6
E: EasyFlash start.............................................................................................................................6
T: Trans er rom PC/Mac.................................................................................................................6
C: Con iguration..............................................................................................................................7
H: Hardware reset / Kerberos o .....................................................................................................7
R: Reset to C64 BASIC prompt.......................................................................................................7
M: MIDI test....................................................................................................................................7
A: About...........................................................................................................................................7
Kerberos App, the PC/Mac program....................................................................................................8
Installation.......................................................................................................................................8
“File trans er” page..........................................................................................................................8
“Disk tools” page.............................................................................................................................8
“MIDI con ig and test” page............................................................................................................9
Credits.................................................................................................................................................10
Contact and more in ormation............................................................................................................11
Legal in ormation...............................................................................................................................12
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Kerberos C64/C128 MIDI Flash Inter ace User's Guide
Quick Start
1. Turn o your C64 or C128
2. Insert the cartridge into the cartridge port at the back o your C64/C128, on the right side:
3. Turn on your C64/C128. You should see the start menu:
4. Press the „S“ key to list all pre-installed programs, and then a number key to start a
program, or press E to start the pre-installed EasyFlash program
5. Press the reset button at the le t side o the cartridge to go back to the menu
6. For connecting a MIDI keyboard to use with Cynthcart or other MIDI programs, connect it
with a MIDI cable to the MIDI-in connector at the le t side. For uploading programs rom a
PC or Mac to the lash memory o the cartridge, connect MIDI-out o an USB MIDI adapter
to MIDI-in o the cartridge.
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Kerberos C64/C128 MIDI Flash Inter ace User's Guide
Kerberos cartridge description
•MIDI-in, MIDI-out and one MIDI-thru port (can be con igured as MIDI-out mirror)
•DATEL/Siel/JMS, Sequential Circuits Inc., Passport & Syntech and Nameso t MIDI
emulation, with an original MC68B50 chip
•delivered with many pre-installed programs and a sophisticated menu system and PC/Mac
ile and image trans er program
•2 MB lash memory, or up to 25 PRG iles, or 9 PRG iles and one EasyFlash 1 image
•128 kB RAM extension, or using in your own programs (not REU compatible)
•two lash cartridge disks or two D64 images
•custom BASIC and KERNAL ROM unctionality
•current consumption: 250 mA max.
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Kerberos C64/C128 MIDI Flash Inter ace User's Guide
Pre-installed programs
1: Steinberg-Pro16-2.4
This is a power ul sequencer program or the C64. See http://csdb.dk/release/?id=131003 or the
archive with the PDF manual.
Quick start: Connect a MIDI keyboard to MIDI-in o the Kerberos inter ace and a synthesizer to
MIDI-out. Then press the “R” key and wait until the white border lash. Then play some notes on
the keyboard. Press Run/Stop to stop the recording. Press Return to play back the recording.
2: Cynthcart-1.5.0
This program is pre-installed, i you bought a Cynthcart licence. With Cynthcart you can use the
C64 as a synthesizer with an external MIDI keyboard, or with the C64 keyboard.
Quick start: Play some notes with QWRTY... or with a MIDI keyboard, select some cool patches
with ZXCVB.
See http://www.qotile.net/cynthcart.html or a detailed description.
3: SID-Wizard-1.
SID Wizard allows you to compose SID musics on the C64, as you know rom games and demos,
and rom the High Voltage SID Collection.
Quick start or MIDI support: Press “Return” to start it in normal mode, press F8 to open the menu,
go down to “MIDIDEV” and press Return until it shows “DATELJMS”, then one item below at
MIDICHANNEL select ALL. Press F8 to close the menu.
You can ind a detailed instruction how to use the program in this book: Creating Chiptunes with
SID-Wizard, http://csdb.dk/release/?id=129032
4: Synthesizer
This is a simple synthesizer program to demonstrate how to use the assembler MIDI library to write
your own assembler or C programs or the Kerberos cartridge.
Quick start: Connect a MIDI keyboard to MIDI-in o the cartridge, then play some notes. You can
use channel 1-4 or di erent wave orms.
The ull source code is available in GitHub:
https://github.com/FrankBuss/kerberos/blob/master/c64/src/synthesizer.c
5: Joe-Gunn
A nice new homebrew game.
6: FlappyBird
A Flappy Bird port or the C64.
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Kerberos C64/C128 MIDI Flash Inter ace User's Guide
: EasyProg
This is the original EasyProg program rom the EasyFlash project, with a special lash driver or the
Kerberos cartridge. It can be used to lash the EasyFlash part o the lash memory rom a SD2IEC
card, i you don't want to use the PC/Mac program or it.
8: FileBrowser
This is a ile browser or an attached IEC drive ( loppy, SD2IEC etc.) and or the internal cartridge
disks. Press “D” to change the drive number. It is con igured with the cartridge disk con iguration
enabled, which is experimental at the moment and read-ony, and it has problems on a C128. But on
a C64 you can start SID-Wizard rom cartridge disk 1 (drive 9), then press F8 and “LOAD TUNE”,
select a tune with Return and play it with F1.
Cartridge Disk 1
A special patched version o SID-Wizard, which works with the cartridge disk on a C64, and some
demo tunes rom the SID-Wizard author.
Cartridge Disk 2
Lots o instruments or SID-Wizard. Select the drive with F8 and “SELECT DRIVE” to 10, then
you can select “LOAD INSTRUMENT”.
EasyFlash: SID Collection
On the 1 MB EasyFlash area is a SID Collection installed.
Menu description
The menu starts at reset (in C64 mode on a C128). Use the irst character o the menu items to start
a unction or to open a sub menu.
S: Start from slot
This lists all installed programs on the cartridge. Programs 1-9 are always available and can be
changed with the PC/Mac Kerberos App. Programs A-P are available only, i you don't use the
EasyFlash unction (it shares the same lash memory area). Press ← (le t arrow) to go back to the
main menu.
E: EasyFlash start
I an EasyFlash image is lashed, you can start this image with E.
T: Transfer from PC/Mac
To trans er programs and EasyFlash images to the cartridge lash, select this menu and then start the
PC/Mac Kerberos App. You can leave this menu with ←.
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Kerberos C64/C128 MIDI Flash Inter ace User's Guide
C: Configuration
Allows you to con igure some global unctions o the cartridge, which are in e ect when you start a
program:
I: Mirror MIDI in to MIDI thru: i this is set to “on”, then signals on MIDI-in will be mirrored to
MIDI thru
O: Mirror MIDI out to MIDI thru: i this is set to “on”, then MIDI-out is duplicated to MIDI-thru,
so that you have two out connectors with the same signal. Note: You can set both to “on”, or a poor
man's MIDI-merger, which merges the MIDI-out signals generated by the C64 and the MIDI-in
signals to MIDI-thru. But i the C64 sends at the same time when signals are received at MIDI-in,
there will be garbage at MIDI-thru with this setting.
1/2: Cartridge disk 1/2 drive number: Selects a drive number or the cartridge disk 1/2. The
cartridge disks are only available or programs which are lashed with the “Enable cartridge disks”
setting in the PC/Mac Kerberos App.
A: Autostart slot (0=o ): With this con iguration you can de ine a slot which will be started
automatically a ter reset. Press “0” (or 25 times “A”) to disable it. You can stop the autostart with a
key press a ter reset, and then go to the con iguration menu again to disable it.
S: Save and back: Saves the con iguration and goes back to the main menu.
←: Back without save
H: Hardware reset / Kerberos off
Disables the Kerberos cartridge and generates a hardware reset. On a C64 this is the same as the
next menu item, but on a C128 it starts in C128 mode.
R: Reset to C64 BASIC prompt
Disables the Kerberos cartridge and does a so tware reset.
M: MIDI test
For testing your MIDI connections. You can use this in combination with the PC/Mac Kerberos App
and the “MIDI con ig and test” page, or with MIDI keyboards or synthesizers to test the hardware,
cables etc.
A: About
Some credits.
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Kerberos C64/C128 MIDI Flash Inter ace User's Guide
Kerberos App, the PC/Mac program
With the Kerberos App you can lash programs, EasyFlash images, cartridge D64 disks, read/write
loppy disks, start programs on your C64/C128 without lashing and do some KERNAL and BASIC
hacking.
Installation
Download “kerberos.zip” or Windows or “kerberos.dmg” or Mac. Unpack the archive, connect
your USB MIDI adapter, then start “kerberos.exe” on Windows, or the “kerberos” application
bundle on Mac. First go to the “MIDI con ig and test” page to setup your MIDI inter aces.
“File transfer” page
The idea o this page is that irst you select a ile with “Select ile”. Then you can use “Send PRG
and start, no lash” to start this program on your C64/C128. Or you can select a PRG slot number
and lash it to this slot with “Flash PRG”. This page requires that you connect MIDI-in o Kerberos
to MIDI-out o your USB MIDI adapter. You don't need to connect MIDI-out o Kerberos.
The “PRG start settings” are used when starting or lashing a program to a slot. So you can choose a
di erent MIDI emulation or each slot.
The “Expert PRG settings” are used or KERNAL and BASIC hacking. With the Kerberos cartridge
you can install your own BASIC or KERNAL ROM. First enable the “Expert PRG settings”. Then
you can choose “Custom BASIC” or “Custom KERNAL” (in combination with the HIRAM hack,
which allows a ully transparent implementation o the KERNAL unction, but doesn't work on a
C128). I you lash a program with “Flash PRG” or start a program with “Send PRG and start, no
lash”, these settings will be used.
To install a KERNAL or BASIC, use “Flash BASIC BIN” and “Flash KERNAL BIN”. For ast
turnaround testing while developing your own ROMs, you can use “Custom BASIC rom RAM” or
“Custom KERNAL rom RAM” instead o “Custom BASIC” and “Custom KERNAL”. Then you
can use “Upload BASIC to RAM” and “Upload KERNAL to RAM” to upload your ROMs. Theses
settings are in e ect then or the start and lash buttons, and or the “Back to BASIC” button, i you
want to test some BASIC extensions.
“Disk tools” page
On this page are some utilities to trans er D64 iles to a loppy disk or to one o the two internal
cartridge disks, or read a loppy disk or a cartridge disk and save it to a D64 ile on your PC or Mac.
This page requires that you connect both, MIDI-in o Kerberos to MIDI-out o your USB MIDI
adapter, and MIDI-out o Kerberos to MIDI-in o your USB MIDI adapter.
Trans er a D64 ile to a loppy disk: First open a D64 ile with “Open D64 ile” on the le t side.
Then choose “IEC drive 8” (or 9..11) on the right side and then click “Upload D64”. Same or
uploading to Cartridge disk 1 or 2.
Download a loppy disk or Cartridge disk to a D64 ile: First select the drive on the right side, and
click “Read directory” to see what's on the disk. The click “Download D64”. The application will
prompt you to enter a D64 ilename to which the content o the disk is then saved.
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Kerberos C64/C128 MIDI Flash Inter ace User's Guide
“MIDI config and test” page
When you irst start the Kerberos App, go to this page and select your MIDI devices. With the MIDI
test buttons you can send test signals, and in the MIDI-in data area you can see received signals.
Note: or some devices on Mac it looks like MIDI-in and MIDI-out shows the same devices, e.g.
“USB device 1” and “USB device 2”. Choose the irst device or “MIDI-in” and the second device
or “MIDI-out”. Then restart the Kerberos App (the settings will be saved).
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Kerberos C64/C128 MIDI Flash Inter ace User's Guide
Credits
equencer software Pro-16, by Steinberg (with kind permission o the publisher,
http://www.steinberg.net ). O course, Steinberg doesn't guarantee anything or support this so tware
anymore.
ID Wizard, by hermit. The current version 1.7 support this MIDI inter ace:
http://source orge.net/projects/sid-wizard/
Joe Gunn, the Gold Edition (with kind permission o the publisher)
Programmer:
http://georg-rottensteiner.de/de/index.html
Publisher:
http://www.binaryzone.org/retrostore/index.php?main_page=product_in o&products_id=451
Flappy Bird port or the C64 by SOS:
http://sos.gd/ lappy64/
ID Collection, or EasyFlash by mACTROn, see http://csdb.dk/release/?id=83665
EasyFlash: A great lash cartridge rom Skoe. He released all source code as Open Source and
allowed me to use parts o it or my EasyFlash emulation in the Kerberos cartridge. See the project
page:
http://skoe.de/easy lash/doku.php?id=e intro
CBM FileBrowser v.1.6, (C) 2010-2013 by nbla000, see http://www.vic20.it/cbm ilebrowser/ or
the proejct page with ull source code.
Cynthcart, a great synthesizer or the C64, by Paul Slocum, see
http://www.qotile.net/cynthcart.html
Top tartnext crowdfunding backers
Benjamin Schneider
Bram Crul
doj/cubic
reQvibez/O ence!
Mads Troest
Matt Shively
Remute (www.remute.org)
Robert Bernardo
Ziili/EXT
Beta testers
Gert Borovcak
Marcel Andre
About screen music
Vomitoxin by Svetlana, created with SID-Wizard
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Kerberos C64/C128 MIDI Flash Inter ace User's Guide
Contact and more information
For latest in ormation, menu and Kerberos App updates, visit
http://www. rank-buss.de/kerberos
The hardware and all source code is Open Source (BSD licence), see
https://github.com/FrankBuss/kerberos/
For bug reports you can use the GitHub “issues” system, or send me an eMail to b@ rank-buss.de
I you want to discuss new eatures or write about what you do with your Kerberos cartridge, or
read what other people do with it, visit the Kerberos MIDI newsgroup:
https://groups.google.com/ orum/#! orum/kerberos-midi
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Kerberos C64/C128 MIDI Flash Inter ace User's Guide
Legal information
Frank Buss
UID / VAT: DE210870802
WEEE-Reg.-Nr. DE 14171019
CE declaration: The Kerberos Cartridge corresponds to EU dreictive 2004/108/EC: With the CE
sign Frank Buss ensures that the product is con irmed to the basic standards and directives.
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