CYNCART
CYNCART allows you to Synchronize a Commodore 64 to a Nintendo NES in order to use both systems as a Synthesizer at the same time.
Commodore C64
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First step of the project was to modify Cynthcart so that data is sent out of the user port on the C64. Cynthcart allows you to play upto three voices at the same time, however only data for the first two voices gets sent out of the C64. It became too buggy when I tried to sync all 3 voices.
Nintendo NES
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Connection is made from the C64's User Port directly to the 4021 chip in NES Controller 2. Controller 1 is programmed to adjust the sound settings on the NES. Since data for 2 voices are coming into the NES, you can use either 2 Square channels, or 1 Square and 1 Triangle channel. For the two square channels, you can set the Duty and Envelope of each channel. By default the Triangle channel plays an octave below the Square channel, however you can raise it an octave so that it matches. You can also select if the Triangle channel is voice 1 or 2.
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Comments
I noticed you used donors for NESK-1. If you want to do a new-pcb run for CYNcart, let me know. Granted you can get it running without proprietary Nintendo IC's, I have access to CYClones and a PCB already designed.
This is damned exciting.
Cheers,
Jazz
I emailed retrousb back in the day about a bulk order of shells/boards/cyclones for the NESK-1 but never heard back, so i ended up going w/ donor carts instead.
I think the environmentalist in me prefers recycling old carts. Just get a kick out of breathing new life into the old boards. Plus they also come with the lockout chip and shells as well.
To answer your questions, its an NROM, and not sure about the distro. Depends how much interest there is. Thinking about doing a limited run of kits that would include the modified Cynthcart, the NES cart, and the cable that would go from the C64 user port to the NES controller.