Why all C64 cartridged dont work at SX64 ??

[Mika]

What are C64 and SX64 differences..

I have had couple of cartridges that work on C64, but not at SX64.

I had problems with Page Fox, Tapper and Up´N Down cartridges.

Everything that works on C64 should work on SX64 too.. Right?

[Six of DLoC]

I never had problems with cartridges on the C64, but then again I only
used a very few cartridges on the SX64. The SX64 has a slightly modified
ROM (tape routines removed, different start-up colors), though that
should not have a major impact on its compatibility with the C64. Maybe
the cartridge connector on your SX64 is dirty or broken?

I dont think so, couse most of my C64 cartridges work on my SX64.
I just wonder why few of them dont work on SX64, but work on C64.

The cart port on the SX-64 is very touchy about cleanliness of pins,
placement, and position. My Super-Snapshot wouldn't work on my SX-64 until
I took some gaff tape and tightly sealed the case of it closed. I've had
problems with other carts too, but I've always been able to get them to
work on the SX-64 with some tinkering, either cleaning their pins, or
putting the cart. body into a different case.

Hope that helps...

S.o.D.

[Linards Ticmanis]

Post by Mika
What are C64 and SX64 differences..
I have had couple of cartridges that work on C64, but not at SX64.
I had problems with Page Fox, Tapper and Up´N Down cartridges.
Everything that works on C64 should work on SX64 too.. Right?

Thus I have heard:

At one time, the Master was staying with the German 64er mag. And he
taught: Ananda, The SX64 cart port is a bit on the edge. It's connected
to the main board with a flat cable which is too long for its own good.
The signals get polloted sometimes, depending on what exactly the cart
is trying to do.

And all heard the teaching of the Master and they were glad.

[Pheuque]

Yep, as I recall, that was an issue with the RAMlink working on the SX64.
The ribbon cable is much more finicky than a real Commodore cart port.
Some RAMlinks worked. some didn't.

Post by Linards Ticmanis

Post by Mika
What are C64 and SX64 differences..
I have had couple of cartridges that work on C64, but not at SX64.
I had problems with Page Fox, Tapper and UpŽN Down cartridges.
Everything that works on C64 should work on SX64 too.. Right?

At one time, the Master was staying with the German 64er mag. And he
taught: Ananda, The SX64 cart port is a bit on the edge. It's connected
to the main board with a flat cable which is too long for its own good.
The signals get polloted sometimes, depending on what exactly the cart
is trying to do.
And all heard the teaching of the Master and they were glad.
--
Linards Ticmanis
The Master said, "The business of laying on the colors follows the
preparation of the plain ground."

[Mr. X]

Post by Linards Ticmanis
At one time, the Master was staying with the German 64er mag. And he
taught: Ananda, The SX64 cart port is a bit on the edge. It's connected
to the main board with a flat cable which is too long for its own good.
The signals get polloted sometimes, depending on what exactly the cart
is trying to do.

Maybe the orginal cable could be replaced with a new style 80 wire IDE cable
with every other wire grounded for shielding? Recycleing the orginal
connectors and cutting off the unneeded wires of course. I don't have an
SX64 handy to test, so I'll have to leave it to somebody else. :)


X

[Paul Rosenzweig]

Post by Mika
I have had couple of cartridges that work on C64, but not at SX64.
I had problems with Page Fox, Tapper and Up´N Down cartridges.
Everything that works on C64 should work on SX64 too.. Right?

My SX chokes on the 512K REU 1750 clone and the EPYX FASTLOAD
cartridges. When the local Commodore club was still active, we had
a meeting with the topic of the SX 64 and these cartriges. The
cartridges that choke my SX work on the SX's of my fellow local
CBMers. If you don't have any local friends with SX 64's, somebody
on the newsgroup could try these troubling cardtridges in their SX.
The problem with my SX is thought to be caused by a weak PLA chip.

[Mika Leinonen]

There are two problems: not enough power, and too much interference on
the port extension cable. Some carts just use more power than the
SX-64's PSU can supply, notably REUs and the SuperCPU. The ribbon
cable used to extend the cartridge port to the top of the SX-64 case
needs to be replaced on some machines. Find a high quality shielded
cable and you shouldn't have any more problems.

BTW, how long is that ribbon cable? AFAIK there is rule that says that
wires for TTL-signals should not be over 40 cm in total (including
PCB-traces). Here TTL = 74LS-series. One other thing is, that there are
not too many ground-contacts in the cartridge connector.

[Ramlink666]

Try plugging a RAMLink into your SX. I did this and the carts that didn't work
suddenly did. Not sure why...

Shaun.

[Ramlink666]

"There are two problems: not enough power, and too much interference on
the port extension cable. Some carts just use more power than the
SX-64's PSU can supply, notably REUs and the SuperCPU. The ribbon
cable used to extend the cartridge port to the top of the SX-64 case
needs to be replaced on some machines. Find a high quality shielded
cable and you shouldn't have any more problems. "

Hmm... My SCPU 128 seems 100% stable on my SX (revision a), I wonder if later
revisions had cheaper power supplies with less current?

Shaun.