High Voltage SID Collection Update 55
Date: June 25, 2011

Resulting Version: 55
 Previous Version: 54

Hello fellow lover of SID music!
Nice you found some time to read through this script, to see what has been
changed in the HVSC and for what reason.


After this update, the collection should contain 40,400 SID files!

This update features (all approximates):
     804 new SIDs (62 2SIDs)
     113 fixed/better rips
       4 PlaySID/Sidplay1 specific SIDs eliminated
      30 repeats/bad rips eliminated
     742 SID credit fixes
     176 SID model/clock infos
      16 tunes from /DEMOS/UNKNOWN/ identified
       4 tunes from /GAMES/ identified
      36 tunes moved out of /DEMOS/ to their composers' directories
       2 tunes moved out of /GAMES/ to their composers' directories

Please note that from this update we've introduced PSID v3 format to allow
SID files meant to be played in stereo, and the 31 character limit on the
text fields AUTHOR, TITLE, RELEASED of SID files has been relaxed, allowing
now all 32 chars to be used. Also filename length limit is completely gone,
to allow filenames longer than 32 characters.

We are always looking for others to help make HVSC a better collection.
If you find any errors or have new rips to add, please email:

 iAN CooG  <hvsc@c64.org>


Thanks to all the people who have helped to make HVSC the
collection that it is today, without your help it would be
a much tougher task.


SID RELATED NEWS:


############################################
# 1541 Ultimate II cartridge SID emulation #
############################################

A new firmware for the 1541 Ultimate II cartridge has been released. Since
version 2.1 it includes full SID emulation. It supports emulation of 2 SID
chips and it also has a special mode to give every SID 5 channels more.
Wouldn't it be nice to see a music player/editor making use of 16 SID voices?

With the emulation of 2 SID chips it is now possible to play 2SID (stereo SID)
files on the 1541 Ultimate II cartridge without modifying your C64/C128.

More info: http://1541ultimate.net/


##################
# SID Known v1.0 #
##################

Wilfred Bos has released SID Known v1.0. SID Known is a command line tool which
you can use to identify SID tunes from SID and PRG files.

This tool can be used if e.g. you want to know which SID tune is used in a
specific C64 demo or C64 game, or you have a SID tune found or ripped and you
want to know if it is already in your SID collection.

SID Known can be used to identify music but it also helps to find out which
tunes are not in the High Voltage SID Collection. If you find music not found
by SID Known, it would be appreciated if you report this to the HVSC crew
(http://hvsc.de) or post it in one of the CSDb forums (http://csdb.dk) like
"SIDs that aren't in HVSC yet".

Get the tool here: http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=99895


############################
# JCH-editor 3.1 + NP22-25 #
############################

Dane from Booze Design released a new version of the JCH-editor. This is an
updated version of the JCH-editor together with a pack of different music
players for that system.

More info: http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=100406


######################
# CheeseCutter 0.4.0 #
######################

CheeseCutter is an open source cross-platform music editor build around the
JCH-editor. CheeseCutter is made by Adaddon of Fairlight.

http://noname.c64.org/csdb/release/?id=98644


############
# Vice 2.3 #
############

Vice 2.3 has been released. Vice is an open source cross-platform emulator of
several Commodore machines.

This version has a lot of fixes and improvements. It also has a major reSID
overhaul:

* Emulation of all known pipeline delays for full cycle accuracy.
* New shift register model based on revectorized die photograps.
* Accurate DAC models based on revectorized die photograps.
* Emulation of floating waveform DAC input for waveform 0.
* Advanced 6581 transistor level filter model based on revectorized
  die photograps, yielding unprecedented accuracy.
* ReSID's resampler has been optimized with MMX assembly. Some long-standing
  bugs in resample-interpolate mode were also fixed.
* ReSID-FP has been optimized, too. It clocks the analog parts at half the
  rate now, which saves CPU during filter emulation especially for 6581 modes.

Check it out at: http://vice-emu.sourceforge.net/


###################
# Hoxs64 v1.0.7.2 #
###################

Hoxs64 v1.0.7.2 has been released. Hoxs64 is a C64 emulator for Windows XP/7.

Changes:

* Fixed broken 320x200 and 320x240 modes.
* Added option for disabling DWM (Aero) for full screen mode.
* Text rendering bug fix to disassembly window.
* Added trace till IRQ/NMI function.
* Potential missed breakpoint while tracing bug fix.
* Miscellaneous monitor GUI fixes and improvements.
* VIC sprite collision timing fixes.
* VIC phase 2 fetch fix for Ruined Art demo.
* Improved CPU disassembly monitor. Instruction based scrolling. Separate CPU
  windows allow both clock step and instruction step with ablility to step
  through the IRQ and NMI cycles. VIC raster line and cycle is displayed.
* Fix to CIA Timer B bug.
* ALT Q key nuisance fixed.

See: http://www.hoxs64.net/


#####################################
# Stereo SID board for C64 and C128 #
#####################################

Digital Audio Concepts released a compact, feature-filled dual-SID board,
designed to provide a proper way to mount a second SID inside your C64 or C128
without resorting to the old piggyback hack.

More info: http://digitalaudioconcepts.com/


#############
# HybridSID #
#############

Markus Gritsch has designed and build a hybrid between an emulated and a
hardware SID player. The CPU and CIA stuff runs emulated on a PIC32 and the
sound is generated by a hardware SID chip.

http://dangerousprototypes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=2197


#####################################
# 8580 SID player in a Pioneer case #
#####################################

Peter has finished building a MOS8580 SID player build in a Pioneer DT 555
case.

More info: http://noname.c64.org/csdb/forums/?roomid=7&topicid=84611


#######################
# SID on ZX Spectrum  #
#######################

Alexander has modified his russian clone of the ZX Spectrum, the Scorpion
ZS-256, and connected a 8580 SID chip to it. He ported a SID player and can now
play SID tunes on has ZX Spectrum clone.

Have a look here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1MKvA46Os0
More info: http://www.lemon64.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37669
