C64 Emulation Guide


0. Introduction

This guide was written to guide people with easy steps and answer questions on howto use the enormous amount of emulation programs and files that are available. It was written after I had recived numerous letters with questions on howto run their favorite program and saw the need for an easy guide.

0.1 Howto find the latest version of this guide

This is version 0.6 - 970228. The latest C64 Emulation Guide is available in HTML format at: http://www.df.lth.se/~ola/c64-dummies.html

0.2 Topics

 0. Introduction

    0.1 Howto find the latest version of this guide

    0.2 Topics

 1. Choose an emulator

    1.1 Additional ROM

 2. Download your favourite program (game)

 3. How do I use my downloaded files?

    3.1 T64/D64 formats

    3.2 LNX format

    3.3 Zipcode format

    3.4 SFX/LHA format

    3.5 ARC/SDA format

    3.6 ARK format

    3.7 RAW/BINARY format

    3.8 DAT or PSID format

 4. Transfer files between computers

 5. 64 CD-Roms

90. Questions and feedback

99. Disclaimer and Copyright

1. Choose an emulator

First choose an emulator for your OS. I can recommend:

1.1 Additional ROM

Some emulators (mostly UN*X) are not distributed with nessesary ROM and these must therefor be downloaded seperately, from ftp.funet.fi. There are four different ROM's necessary:

2. Download your favourite program (game)

Next download your favourite program from the net from one of many 64-sites. Two of the biggest archives are:

3. How do I use my downloaded files?

3. 1 T64/D64 formats

The most commonly used formats are the .T64 and .D64 files, almost all emulators support these formats, or at least the .D64 format. There are numerous programs available to convert between different formats. There are programs available in both DOS/UN*X or C64 environment, where the first is recommended due to speed. Programs can be found at: One easy to use DOS program is dt64_10.zip. With this your can easily handle D64/T64 files.

3.2 LNX format

Lynx is an archiving format to compress several files into one archive.

3.3 Zipcode format

Zipcode is a compression format to split a disk image into several smaller files, this format is common for demos. File names are different from other formats, a disk consist of 5 files:

3.4 SFX/LHA format

LHA is the normal archive format, the SFX is a "SelF eXtraction" LHA-archive.

3.5 ARC/SDA format

ARC and Self-Dissolving ARC archives.

3.6 ARK format

Arkive is another archive format.

3.7 RAW/BINARY format

It's important to understand that programs transfered directly from an original 64 are in raw format and must be converted into on of the above. Whenever you download a file which has an unknown extension or no extension at all the file is usually raw data.

Raw formats can normally be identified by examining the first bytes in a file. Here you find a 4 digit number which represent the load adress of the program in memory.

This formats must normally be converted into one of the above since very few emulators suppert them.

3.8 DAT or PSID format

PSID is a music-format for playing SID-tunes. Most SID-Players available support the PlaySID single-file-format or more generally known as the PSID-format. By convetion, raw data or PSID-files are named *.DATA *.DAT or *.PSID or PSID.*.

Different SID-tune formats:

4. Transfer files between computers

To transfer files from C64/1541 to another computer you have to make a cable to connect you hardware and then use a transfer program: To convert a file from the net to your original C64 you simply convert the downloaded file into raw-format and transfer the file to your 64.

5. 64 CD-Roms

There are some 64-CD-Roms available.
  • High voltage CD
  • 64 by XAKK
  • hacktic
  • Back in Time

    • 90. Questions and feedback

    If you still have questions on emulation or anything not covered in this guide feel free to mail me, or use some other way to contact me.

    99. Disclaimer and Copyright

    Note that this document is provided as is.  The information in it is *not*
warranted to be correct; you use it at your own risk.

C64 Emulation Guide is Copyright 1998 by
Ola Mårtensson <ola(_)df.lth.se>.
 
It may be reproduced and distributed in its entirity (including this
authorship, copyright and permission notice) provided that either:
 
* the distribution is not commercial (commercial means any situation in
  which you benefit financially - directly or indirectly such as by
  inclusion in a publication which carries commercial advertising), or
* the distribution is in machine-readable form (ie, a form intended to be
  easily processed by a computer).

Any distribution of a partial copy or extract, a translation or a
derivative work must be approved by me before distribution.  Email me -
I'll probably be happy to oblige !

Exceptions to these rules may be granted, and I shall be happy to answer
any questions about this copyright -- email:
ola(_)df.lth.se
 
These restrictions are here to protect the contributor, not to restrict
the reader.

Ola Mårtensson asserts the right to be identified as the author of this work,
and claims the moral rights of paternity and integrity.

    Back SYS 49152

    Ola Mårtensson:http://www.df.lth.se/~ola
    Time-stamp: <2012-10-23 14:06:37 ola>