64HDD System Plug-ins:

These plug-ins expand the capabilities of your 64HDD set-up allowing your Commodore /64HDD combination to either work better, faster, or to take advantage of features previously reserved for "modern" computers. Please contact me if you want to write plug-ins for 64HDD so that I can support them with their own command channel functions.

• LongFileName Support (125kb) - with this plug-in 64HDD supports 16-character filenames in MSDOS using the Win95 LongFileName format. This means most Commodore filenames can be transferred as PRG files and have their names preserved rather than being truncated to DOS's 8.3 format.

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• CD-Audio Extensions (72kb) - By adding this software to your 64HDD system you can control the playback of audio CDs from your Commodore. To listen to the playback all you need is a set of headphones or speakers connected to your CD-ROMs front panel socket or with the special audio-lead connected you can mix the CD sound using the C64's SID chip. Use the CD sound for your latest programming project or just sit back and listening to music whilst you work on your Commodore. Be sure to check out the Commodore CD-Player available for download elsewhere on this page.

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• Power-Loader Extensions (80kb) - By adding these loaders and a parallel cable to your 64HDD system you can reduce loading times to a minimum. The Pwr-Load plug-ins speed-up access to single file programs by 30-50times compared to standard 1541 loads. The speed up is available to standard Commodores, however with a replacement Kernal ROM or 64HDD Cartridge you can use Pwr-Load transparently with almost every application. Instructions for the Pwr-Load cable are included in the plug-in download. Alternately, the Pwr/XE cable can be ordered from 64HDD Shop.

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• PSID for DOS - 64HDD user Nils Andreas came up with this idea to interface Roland Hermans' SID file convertor to 64HDD. Roland oblidged by porting his software to DOS, whilst Nils put together a simple utility to control it directly from the C64 keyboard. Now you can sample all those SID tunes with ease!

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• Networking with 64HDD - 64HDD user Peter Simmonds worked out how to network 64HDD systems running in DOS with other PC which are running either DOS or Windows. The NETWORK.TXT file included with 64HDD has the details, but you may need to download the MS networking client package.

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• USB Drives with 64HDD - this MSDOS device driver allows many USB "mass storage class" devices to be identified and made available to DOS programs. Mass storage class devices include "thumb drives" (Flash memory sticks), card readers (for CompactFlash, SD, MMC, etc) and even many new Digital cameras. By using this driver, the USB devices identified when DOS boots will be accessible by your Commodore through 64HDD.

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64HDD Applications:

• CD-Player (3kb) is a multi-platform Audio CD Player allowing you to play, pause, and otherwise control the playing of Audio CDs directly from the keyboard of your Commodore. One version of the software works on all CBM models supported by 64HDD, whilst the other is for non-Vic20 computers allowing a wider display area. Anybody out there want to write a GEOS CD-Player Desk Accessory?

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• C=ommPedia64 (not actively being worked on at the moment) this was to be the first full featured multimedia encyclopedia to be released for the C64. Featuring over 35,000 reference articles, 3,400 images, audio clips, videos and an atlas. This mammoth application had taken man-months to create, but interest for it by 64HDD users was limited and progress had slowed whilst I worked on other projects such as Power-Loader, video players.... needed to optimise the performance of the application. I would have liked to like have gotten back on to this project, but cannot see it happening any time soon. All graphics and text had been converted. Just the videos and a browser remained to go....

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64HDD Tools:

• A64 Video Creator (75kb, pre-beta release!) is a tool for converting PC AVI files into a format playable on a Commodore. Not all save functions are supported yet. For C64 playback an REU, RAMLINK or 64HDD Pwr-Load connection would be a must have. Sound tracks can be played if using the CD-Audio plug-in for 64HDD. The proposed A64 format even allows raster and interlaced colour changes!

  The AVI Video Converter is a MSDOS tool and requires that you pre-process the AVI to remove compression and to palettise it to 8-bit colour. Sound should also be stripped out as WAV files for writing to a mixed-mode CD. Inside the tool you can configure what colour modes will be used and other play-back features.

  A german programmer "Toby" got a few demo movies up and running with his set of playback software and even invented a new high-colour video mode, however a user friendly tool has not yet been released. Any offers for help in programming one are greatfully welcomed.

  PS: For a demo of the various modes, download these demo files (925kb) and run DEMO.