RetroAxis.TV

Part 2/4 : In this four part series, I explore several Pascal programming languages for Commodore 64. Part two explores G-Pascal, a game development focused pascal language with powerful graphics and sound features.

Part 3/4 : In this four part series, I explore several Pascal programming languages for Commodore 64. Part three covers Pascal64, a simple yet powerful compiler.

Episode 012: I explore the history of 3D Printing and draw some general correlations to retro computing. Is 3D Printing a retro technology? Dating back to the 1980's, it has taken 30 years for this technology to become readily available to the average consumer.

Part 1/4 : In this four part series, I explore several Pascal programming languages for Commodore 64. Part one looks at Kyan Pascal, an easy to use tool with a fullscreen editor, and straightforward runtime.

Episode 011: In this episode, I revisit the classic retro game, Nibbles written in QBasic for MS-DOS and compare it to a modern PS4 game called SnakeyBus. Snake games are simple, but somehow fun and challenging. This modern nod to the past has great sound, gameplay, and graphics.

Part 4/4 : In this four part series, I explore several Pascal programming languages for Commodore 64. Part four looks at Super Pascal, a much larger compiler suite with its own DOS runtime. I show why using MultiDisk as described in Episode 1, is important when running on the c64 mini.

In this summary short, I closeout the series on Pascal Programming using the C64 Mini with some conclusions and recommendations for anyone interested in writing Commodore programs today.

Episode 005 : In this summarized version of the extended build, watch as I build a working proof of concept for adapting Atari compatible joysticks to work on the ZX Spectrum without modifying the computer. I demonstrate playing Dizzy.

Episode 007 : In this episode I review the DivMMC & ZX-HD expansion cards for for the ZX Spectrum from maker ByteDelight. Also a short explanation on Kempston joysticks and lastly a quick round of games. You can also read some additional thoughts in my written review: https://www.retroaxis.tv/2019/04/19/review-divmmc-zx-spectrum.html Background Music License Laser Groove Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode of Retro Axis, I bring back the Colour Maximite computer, which I assembled back in 2013. Learn about the basic capabilities, expansion, and games for this amazing device. I 3D print a case and build a DB9 interface to connect joysticks and controllers easily to 20 pin ribbon expansion port.

In this video short, I teardown the ZX Spectrum +2A that I picked up in London, clean the components, and re assemble it in a time-lapse.

Episode 004 : What made the SEGA Dreamcast great? What is a GD-ROM? Is running an alternative operating system on the console worth it today? Also a quick look at one of my favorite games, Wild Metal Country.

Episode 013 : I review a recent build of LEGO's officially licensed Nintendo NES replica. The amount of detail and thought that went into this design is mind blowing! 2646 Pieces to assemble.

Episode 009 : I destroy a brand new out of the box UPS Battery Backup. UPS units are great for game consoles and avoiding interruptions due to power fluctuations or outages. I investigate a noise coming from inside a chassis, and follow manufacturer instructions to field destroy it.

Episode 010 : In my previous video (Episode 009), I field destroyed a CyberPower brand battery backup unit per the manufacturer's RMA process. The new unit arrived, and I test it before putting it into service.

I backed the Atari VCS in April of 2018. Nearly three years later, do I even care? Over the next several weeks, I will kick off a series covering this controversial console. Subscribe Now and stay tuned.

Should Atari package and distribute the VCS Store to other Operating Systems? Doing so could expand their customer reach, and offer a potentially compelling alternative to Steam. Does hardware limit the potential of the VCS' business model? What do you think?

Episode 027 : The recent Atari VCS BIOS update to revision 20 changed (or disabled) accessing the BIOS Password with the one I previously exposed. In this video, I demonstrate how to disable (partially) the Secure Boot verification for booting unsigned operating systems (Lakka, Batocera, etc), show some of the techniques I used to try and find the password, discuss a risky but reported proven way to get into the setup tool, and lastly share my final thoughts of why I am moving on from the Atari VCS (for now). The Lenovo in the video is a ThinkCentre M720 Tiny Part Number: 10T700DJUS Specs are: * 9th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-9500T Processor with vPro™ (2.20 GHz, up to 3.70 GHz Turbo Boost, 6 Cores, 6 Threads, 9 MB Cache) * 8 GB DDR4 2666MHz * Integrated Intel® UHD Graphics 630 * 256 GB PCIe SSD

I submitted an RFE (request for enhancement) to the Atari VCS Team with lots of support from other VCS Community members. Atari finally responded and acknowledged our desire to have BIOS access. Will a new BIOS be available soon? This is what Atari had to say: ``` Our goal is to provide access to the BIOS. We know the community wants that access, and we are working on some solutions that give more experienced users the access they need ... also trying to come up with a solution that keeps less experienced users away from things that could brick the VCS ... or at least give them clear warnings that they are off piste and could do damage that is outside their warranty And yes, we do hear the community on this issue and it has been an active discussion within our team. Changing the BIOS password was something we felt we needed to do, but did not really want to do, and we see it as a temporary step ```

Episode 028: In this introduction to a new series on Operating Systems, I introduce some consideration factors and criteria to begin your research. The use-case, hardware requirements, CPU architecture, workload and other aspects will drive some of your choices. I offer my perspective on these subjects and set the stage for the next episode.

Episode 026: In this episode, I demonstrate a script to setup and enter a 'chroot' environment from a Linux OS running on the Atari VCS, into the AtariOS filesystem as a means to further explore the internals. If you are interested in deeply exploring the AtariOS this script simplifies creating a jailed environment from a Linux live environment or installed OS on the M.2 SATA SSD. I wrote the script referenced in this video for both novice and experienced Linux users to have a shortcut into creating a jail shell. Enjoy! Download https://content.retroaxis.tv/episodes/026/ Git Repository: https://github.com/sharkos/atarivcs

In this video, I add RAM and an SSD to the Atari VCS console.

Episode 021 : Several weeks have passed since I began the series on the Atari VCS. I discuss my opinions on the hardware, upgradeability, controllers, software, and other features of the system that I appreciate or find annoying. What do you think?

Episode 022: DISCLAIMER: I do not recommend making any changes to your Atari VCS settings. This is for informational purposes only. Touring inside the Atari VCS BIOS Settings. No changes made. What can we learn from this? There are advanced settings that are clearly not made for the average consumer. Put your comments below and let me know what you find.

I am testing the Atari VCS as a Virtual Machine host using Linux-KVM. In this is short video, I show a quick screen capture of me installing two additional linux distros as virtual machines on the VCS. Also discussing what I will be testing over the next few days with the BIOS unlocked. Lastly, 1000 youtube subs + 1000 Rumbles THANK YOU!