+Random Terrain Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Wonder if they have an English page? Otherwise I'm gonna have to get my German buddy to help me out! I wonder if this would help: http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fretro-donald.de%2Fsinchai-shop%2Findex.php%3Fmain_page%3Dproduct_info%26products_id%3D77 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/198950-vic-20-questions/page/2/#findComment-2539416 Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyRockets Posted June 11, 2012 Author Share Posted June 11, 2012 Ha! I never think about that! Great idea! Really appreciate it. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/198950-vic-20-questions/page/2/#findComment-2539420 Share on other sites More sharing options...
oracle_jedi Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Why do I need the 32K expansion? Most of the best software needs an 8K or 16K expansion. The 32K card covers both of those needs. It also places 8K of RAM in BLK5 to allow dumped ROMs to be played. Such ROMs are easily downloaded from the net and loaded via tape, disk or SD card It does not emulate a 3K expansion card, whereas the MegaCart does. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/198950-vic-20-questions/page/2/#findComment-2539467 Share on other sites More sharing options...
desiv Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 (edited) Why do I need the 32K expansion? It depends what you want to do with your Vic. There are a number of games that require more RAM. Tricky thing about the Vic is that the 3K RAM works differently than the larger memory versions. So, if you want to cover all the bases, you need a 3K and a larger (32k) expansion. If you have the 32K expansion, it's my understanding (not sure, but I've heard this) that you can also copy cartridge roms into the RAM and then play them, so it makes it kind of like a multicart. Also, the kualest homebrew ever, Realms of Quest 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DMBlCaDlD8 requires a 32k expansion and a disk drive (or floppy emulator). That again, is one of the nice things about the Megacart. Not only does it come with just about every Vic-20 (might be every?) ROM, it can emulate any of the RAM expansions also. Of course, if you plan on using your VIC for mostly original carts, you won't need any RAM. desiv Edited June 11, 2012 by desiv 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/198950-vic-20-questions/page/2/#findComment-2539476 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMR Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Why do I need the 32K expansion? An unexpanded VIC has 5K of RAM including the screen and system space leaving you with about 3.5K for your programs, great if you fancy entering a size coding competition but not so great if you have something bigger in mind. And for playing games, some need 3K expansion, others use 8K or 16K and i'd assume any recent RAM expansion would be switchable (the RAM configuration of the VIC changes as it's expanded). Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/198950-vic-20-questions/page/2/#findComment-2539552 Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyRockets Posted June 13, 2012 Author Share Posted June 13, 2012 I stand corrected, apparently Final Expansion 3 is available again: http://retro-donald....&products_id=77 The FE3 gives you the extra RAM and can present SD cards as though they are disks. It includes the IEC cable too. Obviously this WONT work on anything but a VIC. Guys/Gals, Would you recommend a FE3? It looks like the "END-ALL" in VIC-20 coolness... Am I wrong? Wished you didn't have to build it! Not that I can't, more like I don't want to... JR Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/198950-vic-20-questions/page/2/#findComment-2541054 Share on other sites More sharing options...
oracle_jedi Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 I own two uIECs, the MegaCart and two of the 32K cards, I can recommend all of them. I don't own an FE3, but I intend to order at least one later in the year. I expect it won't replace the MegaCart since that provides all memory options as well as all ROM games available from a menu. I do like that the FE3 means I don't have to keep an uIEC connected. If I had to choose between a MegaCart and an FE3 I would choose the MegaCart. The convenience of the ROM games plus the DOS wedge outweight the convenience of having SD card functionality built in on the FE3. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/198950-vic-20-questions/page/2/#findComment-2543407 Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyRockets Posted June 18, 2012 Author Share Posted June 18, 2012 ...The convenience of the ROM games plus the DOS wedge outweight the convenience of having SD card functionality built in on the FE3. Allow me to show my ignorance (again and again), but what is a DOS wedge? Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/198950-vic-20-questions/page/2/#findComment-2543519 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nukey Shay Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 A roundabout patch to make disk operations easier to type in. A "wedge" is a small resident program that is constantly checking what you type in against a list of special commands...such as LOAD"@$",8 to display a disk directory without erasing a program in memory. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/198950-vic-20-questions/page/2/#findComment-2543547 Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyRockets Posted June 18, 2012 Author Share Posted June 18, 2012 Kind of a like a TSR? Terminate and stay resident program from back in the DOS days? JR Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/198950-vic-20-questions/page/2/#findComment-2543560 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Farquhar Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 Kind of like a TSR. It worked by intercepting ("wedging into") BASIC's syntax error routine, then checked for commands it recognized, then passed on anything it didn't recognize. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/198950-vic-20-questions/page/2/#findComment-2543827 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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