FPGA VIC chip drop in replacement?

[protek]

Are there any projects or discussions going on about creating an FPGA based drop-in replacement for the VIC-II chip in the C64 with additional features? Something similar to Speccy's ULAPlus?

I know that for example the DTV V2 and later support 256 color mode and blitter. Those features in a C64 would open up all kinds of nice possibilities, don't you think.

 

[Amiga Forever]

Do you mean C64 in 256 colors?:O Would Amazing see old games for upgrade graphics or new games for it!

Loading screen of it show almost working

http://c65gs.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/256-colour-modes-now-mostly-working.html

 

[Astral]

I am sure the Chameleon emulates the VIC chip in order to output VGA graphics. So I'd say it's quite possible that part of the technology could be reformed into an actual physically and electrically compatible VIC style chip.

Start of rant

BUT - as for enhancements to the VIC design...I am NOT a big fan of that at all. Why? Well...The C64 *basically* comes in one flavour. Across the board graphics, across the board sound, and so on. One C64 is the same as the next (as much as it is practical to compare easily). And, year after year, this same platform is developed for, pushed to (and past) it's limits. You know one C64 and you know them all. But, the Amiga is a different story. There's so many frikken models - "classic", "NG", "alternative". So many CPU levels. So many variations on the original design. So many operating systems. So much frikken carcass regurgitation and dead horse beating. And it's hard to keep up with. And if you really had to decide on keeping * O N E * Amiga only, let's face it, it's IMPOSSIBLE

But yet one C64 is all you need. And it's pretty much been that way for over 30 years. Let's keep the C64 simple, and not get all caught up in the technical enhancements that have made the Amiga such as scattered remnant of what it used to be. 256 colours? No thanks. As they say "less is more".

End of rant

 

[demolition]

Let's keep the C64 simple, and not get all caught up in the technical enhancements that have made the Amiga such as scattered remnant of what it used to be. 256 colours? No thanks. As they say "less is more".

Fully agree - if you want more colors and higher resolution, use an Amiga instead.
With that being said, I have no problem with people developing this kind of stuff. I know it can be fun to do and also teaches you a lot about the inner workings of the machine. I just have no interest in using it, and I think it will be very hard to convince other people to make software for it.

A 100% compatible replacement for the VIC-II could be relevant just like the Super-PLA, as C64s will eventually die of old age. If it has some updated features that is also fine, as long as it doesn't ruin compatibility. This is like the Grafitti mode on Indivisions. It is there for those who want to use it, otherwise it doesn't do anything bad for compatibility.

Edit: One very useful update for an FPGA version would be to have a high quality HDMI output, possibly with CRT scanline emulation, or it could be quite blocky on a modern TV. Not to get more colors and higher resolution, just improved connectivity.

 

[protek]

Well I'd think you're able to stick with one C64, even if you put a backwards compatible but with added features VIC replacement into it. As the C64 software base is 99% usable with a stock machine, it's not anyone's loss, if a component designed primarily to replace an ageing component offers a few extras that you can tinker with. I mean, people could've made the ULAPlus a 100% compatible replacement but they decided to add a few extra features while they were at it.

 

[b00mer]

@protek I believe you are missing a point about the one and only C64. It's not about backwards compatibility, it's about software that works on each and every C64. Once you have a software that supports additional features and "gurus" on your unexpanded C64 there is no one and only C64 any more. The C64 scene even despises the usage of REU. That being said there is a limited amount of software that uses REU and 256 colours. Some examples of 256+ colours just to wet your appetite even more or to make you buy DTV:

http://csdb.dk/release/?id=49214
http://csdb.dk/release/?id=51451
http://csdb.dk/release/?id=62935
http://csdb.dk/release/?id=101730
http://csdb.dk/release/?id=110216

Who said only Amiga makes it possible?

 

[protek]

Hmm, there seems to be some difference between the C64 scene and the other scenes, then. Spectrum and Amstrad scenes seem to be more excited about hardware expansions. Paradoxally, despite having owned the C64 as a kid, I haven't followed the C64 scene very actively during the twelwe years, I've been into reteo computing. Now that I think of it, all the C64 related hardware projects seem to have been biased to storage solutions.

I do have a PAL DTV but with the exception of the luma (or was it chroma) fix it's stock.