Tag: vintage

Upgrades an Atari 1050 disk drive for divisor-6 high speed, 180 KB per side, and flashable firmware slots.

Lotharek marks 1050E discontinued. The seller calls installation solderless, but it still requires opening the drive, removing three chips, moving the 6507 CPU, and preserving socket orientation. Confirm that a used kit is complete, that all original chips and sockets are healthy, and that suitable 1050E firmware and host software are available.

Replaces the CPU in Commodore 264-series computers and can add 512 KB of Hannes-compatible expanded memory.

Lotharek marks the module discontinued. CPU-only use requires correct pin-1 orientation and a compatible socket or safe desoldering. Enabling the 512 KB expansion is invasive: remove the original DRAM and connect CAS to pin 15 on an eight-chip, 1-bit layout or pin 16 on a two-chip, 4-bit layout. Confirm the exact motherboard, CPU package, memory layout, and software's Hannes banking support before buying or installing a used module.

Adds two configurable joystick ports, reset control, activity indicators, and an expansion pass-through to ZX Spectrum hardware.

Lotharek marks the interface discontinued and explicitly says it does not work on the Timex 2048. A used unit can contain first-release or later firmware with different mode choices and address decoding, so identify the firmware and test pass-through hardware before relying on it.

Period SIO floppy drive adds double-sided, double-density 5.25-inch storage and faster double-density transfers to Atari 8-bit computers.

Find a complete used drive with the correct AC adapter and SIO cable. The bundled DOS 2.5 supports single and enhanced density but not the XF551's full double-sided, double-density capacity; use DOS XE or compatible third-party software for that mode. Most drives use a Mitsumi mechanism with a rectangular activity LED, while later Chinon examples have a round LED and stricter flippy-disk limitations. The 300 RPM mechanism can also conflict with a small amount of speed-sensitive copy protection.

Adds an internal AY or Yamaha sound generator and stereo output to a ZX Spectrum through a CPU adapter.

Lotharek marks the interface discontinued. The AY chip and audio connector are not included. Plug-in installation assumes a socketed CPU; otherwise safe CPU desoldering and socket work are required. Preserve pin-1 orientation at the CPU adapter, ribbon cable, and sound-chip board, then provide the documented stereo and ULA-audio wiring.

Adds CompactFlash storage, selectable disk firmware, an LCD, and a five-mode joystick interface to original ZX Spectrum computers.

Lotharek marks this revision discontinued. The seller says its joystick functions were tested on original Sinclair and Amstrad ZX Spectrum computers and does not guarantee clones. Media needs one active FAT16 partition, and compatibility still depends on selected firmware and correctly prepared software images. Identify the installed firmware and switch settings before using a second-hand unit.

Adds 1 MB of Chip RAM, a battery-backed clock, an Indivision ECS connector, and two A1200-style clock ports to an Amiga 600.

Lotharek marks eX601n discontinued. The archived page does not document installation order, motherboard revisions, backup-battery type, clock-port orientation, power budget, or clearance with all companion devices. Inspect those details and verify any used board for battery leakage before installation.

Replaces the Atari FREDDIE memory-management chip with a CPLD module.

Lotharek marks FreddieCPLD discontinued. It is a full replacement for a computer already fitted with a FREDDIE chip, unlike the current Freddy Module v2 companion clock board. Installation requires safe removal of the original chip and correct orientation. The supplied bottom socket can make the module too tall in XE cases; the seller recommends removing it after testing and soldering the module into place. Confirm that the exact motherboard actually uses FREDDIE.

Vintage C64 machine-language monitor cartridge with assembly, debugging, memory, and relocation tools.

ConsoleMAD listed one original cartridge-only unit at GBP 24 on 2026-07-30; it was missing its label. RavenWolf's tested USD 12 cartridge was sold out and had been recovered from a workshop with harsh long-term storage conditions. Treat every offer as an individual used item. The HES software and manual remain copyrighted, so this record does not present an unlicensed ROM download as a DIY route.

Vintage and DIY C64 freezer cartridge that saves restartable memory snapshots to disk, tape, or EPROM-oriented cartridge files.

DDI's Re-Capture page still exposes Gerbers, a parts list, a Capture ROM archive, and a manual link. The parts list specifies the EPROM, SRAM, logic, passives, and switch choices, but ReplayResources says the schematic is still missing and no complete assembly or test guide was found. Neither page supplies a clear license for the reproduction files or Capture software. ReplayResources quotes permission relating to Jason-Ranheim's separate Promenade materials but explicitly says its own Capture permission requests went unanswered, so the catalog does not treat the Capture ROM as open or freely licensed. Original cartridges remain worth searching for used.

Adds a vintage 1 MB banked-memory board to an Atari 800XL or 1200XL with several selectable PIA banking configurations.

Only archived installation instructions and the used market were verified. Installation requires the original Newell board or a faithful equivalent, memory devices, extensive motherboard wiring, isolated IC pins, and model-specific changes; a 1200XL also needs three address-trace changes. The recommended banking method preserves OS control and ANTIC banking but repurposes other PIA bits and may require BASIC and diagnostic switches. The top RF shield may no longer fit.

Period accelerator that upgrades a 4.77 MHz 8088 IBM PC or XT with an 8 MHz 80286 processor and 8K of cache.

This is a period product obtained used. The documentation project cannot produce a working clone until the original PAL devices are reverse engineered.

Tested period 6510 and 8500 processors for repairing a Commodore 64 with an original CPU.

Retroleum listed several tested 6510 and 8500 variants with stock on 2026-07-30, but the store was temporarily closed until approximately the beginning of August. These are finite harvested period parts. Confirm that ordering has resumed, whether the selected chip was socket-pulled or desoldered, its pin condition, and the return terms.

Tested period 6526, 6526A, and 6526B interface chips for repairing either CIA position in a Commodore 64.

Retroleum listed tested original CIA variants with stock on 2026-07-30, but the store was temporarily closed until approximately the beginning of August. These are finite harvested period parts. Confirm that ordering has resumed, the pin and test condition of the selected part, and the return terms.

Period original SID chips restore authentic 6581 or 8580 sound when matched to the computer's motherboard voltage and filter circuit.

AMI64 offered soak-tested original 6581 and 8580R5 chips from GBP 97 on 2026-07-28. These are finite period parts even when a dealer has stock. Confirm authenticity, revision, test history, socket condition, motherboard voltage, filter components, and return terms. Installing a 9 V 8580 in a 12 V 6581 board can destroy it.

Discontinued SD-card mass-storage device for Commodore PET computers with an IEEE-488 bus.

Manufacturing and new orders ended on 2021-02-01. The project still publishes hardware notes, a parts list, assembly instructions, firmware, and user documentation, but a complete current PCB-fabrication package was not verified. Look for a used unit or an original board or kit.

Replaces the Atari 8-bit CPU with a 20 MHz WDC 65C816 accelerator backed by fast SRAM, SDRAM, flash, and software-selectable modes.

Both Lotharek hardware packages are discontinued. The 800XL package includes two Adaptus boards and requires CPU and OS ROM removal, socket work, a correctly oriented ribbon cable, and EXTSEL, MPD, and ground connections that differ between Freddie and non-Freddie boards. Its page says replacing DRAM with the separate SRAM module is mandatory and records additional O2 timing workarounds for Ultimate 1MB. The XE package may need four or five precision sockets to clear the cartridge slot. The official Rapidus PDF remains unavailable to automated extraction under WF-001, so obtain complete documentation before installing a used board.

A historical relay protector with alternate DC and AC inputs for several Commodore power configurations.

The surviving Round 4 sale thread is explicitly titled SOLD and dates to 2017. It offered complete kits at USD 45 and assembled units at USD 85. C64 OS repeated those prices in 2022, but that does not establish later production. The former hookturn.com user-guide URL now resolves to a parked domain. Use the preserved feature and forum specifications for identification, and search the used market rather than contacting the old seller as though stock were current.

Adds cartridge-based CompactFlash or SD storage, SpartaDOS X, a real-time clock, and loader functions to Atari 8-bit systems.

Lotharek marks both generations discontinued. SIDE2 needs at least 128 KB for its FDISK workflow, and full ATR loading requires Ultimate 1MB. Some systems need a faster 74F08 or buffered O2 timing path. Lotharek ended SIDE3 sales because it could not supply firmware that worked reliably across all computers; Revision 3.2 uses a Gowin FPGA, needs its matching firmware and programming path, and does not accept the older CPLD updates. Identify the exact hardware and firmware revision before buying or flashing a used cartridge.

Discontinued C64C RF-modulator replacement with rear-panel S-Video and 3.5 mm audio jacks.

The original maker site is gone, and a 2020 discussion describes the closed design as dead. An independent review tested an older version on an Assy 250469 Rev. 4 C64C: the first board was faulty, the replacement worked, CRT S-Video improved slightly, flat-panel results were worse, and composite output was unusable in that setup. A later eBay version once claimed C64C and C128D support plus an AEC fix, but no surviving manual or seller page establishes its exact differences or safe C128 installation. Buy used only with a return option and exact revision documentation.

Replaces a C64 or SX-64 KERNAL ROM with 36 selectable ROM or program slots, file browsing, firmware updates, and optional WLAN and FTP access.

No current official retailer or reproducible fabrication package was verified. A July 2026 hobby report says units had reappeared on Kleinanzeigen, so treat SuperKernal as used-market hardware and verify that the module, WLAN board, headers, firmware, and documentation are included. Supply only ROM images you are licensed to use.

Captures audio into a Commodore 64 and plays recordings back in 8-bit digital sound with DigiMaster software.

Shareware Plus said in April 2026 that it no longer sells the SUX 6400 and suggested looking on eBay. The surviving pages do not provide a complete manual, connector description, or detailed recording limits, so inspect any used package carefully.

Period enhanced SwinSID replacement adds configurable 6581- and 8580-style sound, readable oscillator and envelope registers, analog input, and paddle or mouse support.

Production ended in 2018 and no current maker or build path was verified. Buy used only with the original manual and configuration software. The documented 6581-board installation recommends disconnecting the 1K output pull-down, while EXT IN needs the specified termination. This is unrelated to current Commodore 64 Ultimate hardware despite the old product name.

Adds banked programmable flash and configurable RAM for storing and launching VIC-20 software.

The official project page preserves GPL-licensed menu and programming software plus detailed operation notes, but its RETRO Innovations product link is no longer a verified order path and no complete open hardware fabrication package was confirmed. Search for a used cartridge or choose a current UltiMem-compatible device such as VIC-MIDI.

Vintage VIC-20 multifunction cartridge combining configurable RAM, flash storage, SD2IEC storage, a real-time clock, and a launcher menu.

Historic Revision 11 production batches sold out. No current primary order path or complete, current fabrication package was verified on 2026-07-27, so look for a used unit and confirm its revision and condition.

Expands an Atari Falcon030 to 14 MB with a dedicated board populated by 50 ns DRAM.

Lotharek marks the Vulture board discontinued. Its page establishes the Falcon030 and 14 MB purpose but provides no written installation, board-revision, clearance, diagnostic, or original-memory requirements. Compare a used board against the archived photographs and obtain experienced Falcon installation guidance before fitting it.