Kung Fu Flash Cartridge - Forum64 (2025)

Hi!

Inspiredby Carsten’s RasPIC64 project and my experience with Tapecard SD Ihave created a new cartridge called Kung FuFlash and released it as open source.

KungFu Flash can emulate different cartridge types, load PRG and D64 files from the microSD card and support EasyFlash 3 USB. Itis what I call a Software DefinedCartridge, where a fast microcontroller emulates cartridge hardwarein software.

Youcan find the project here:https://github.com/KimJorgensen/KungFuFlash

Thisis still work in progress; there is no write support, only the PALversion of the Commodore 64 is supported and the latest version ofthe gerber has not been tested yet.

Thank you. Yes, it is quite flexible and hopefully not too hard to build.

I still amazed with the performance you can get out of a STM32, even though it was close to the limit when implementing VIC-II reads and 2MHz reads for the C128.

Oh Mann, schon wieder so eine coole Entwicklung. Man ist in dieser Community eigentlich konstant am bestellen.

Great project! Thanks for publishing it as opensource.

Hopefully I can build one soon. Keep up the good work.

Sehr schönes Projekt.

Thank you

Please note that I haven't tested the latest gerbers yet as I'm still waiting for the PCBs to arrive. But let me know how it goes should you decide to build one.

I'll keep you updated once I have tested the new PCB.

That looks like a great project and feature list is superb

Hope it will fully replace the SD2IEC... filebrowser looks a bit like FIBR.

Zitat von pastors

Hope it will fully replace the SD2IEC...

Not quite. It will only support single-load files from D64.

For multi-load games you will still need a disk drive/SD2IEC or an EasyFlash release of the game.

Zitat von bigby

I have to admit curiosity got the better of me. So I ordered a few of the PCBs and some components.

I know the feeling and have good news for you: I just got the new PCB assembled and it works fine. The only difference between mine and the one on github is the silkscreen logo.

If you buy the microcontroller in China there is a chance that it is not erased and has the read out protection enabled. In that case you need a ST-Link v2 and the ST-Link Utility from ST to unlock it.

That's great news, thanks for the update! Can't wait for the PCBs to arrive now. I ordered a few of the MCUs on Aliexpress but -- expecting the worst and to be sure -- a couple more from LCSC that should be new. I have a cheap ST-Link v2 clone, too. I hope that'll do.

Yesterday, I took a brief look at the schematics and at your code and I must say again that I'm very impressed. I like the simplicity and flexibility of your design and also how you build on some previous work (like the EF3 protocol, DraBrowse, or Frenetic 's work) instead of inventing everything from scratch. Well done! Now I'm very curious to see how all of this works in practice.

Zitat von bigby

I have a cheap ST-Link v2 clone, too. I hope that'll do.

Yes, that is fine I also have a cheap clone. Just make sure to use the software from ST.

Zitat von bigby

Yesterday, I took a brief look at the schematics and at your code and I must say again that I'm very impressed. I like the simplicity and flexibility of your design and also how you build on some previous work (like the EF3 protocol, DraBrowse, or Frenetic 's work) instead of inventing everything from scratch. Well done! Now I'm very curious to see how all of this works in practice.

Thank you! One of my goals was to keep it as simple as I could, you can always add more features later. Building on other people's work saved a lot of work and shows where open source really works well.

Please post some pictures once you got it assembled.

Zitat von kim_jorgensen

Please post some pictures once you got it assembled.

I certainly will! The PCBs are shipping from China though, so it‘ll still take a couple of weeks.

I got some newcartridge casesto test my ideaof placing the LED close to the resetbutton and use a transparent button cap. TFW8b was nice enough toinclude additional button caps upon request, and here is the result:

Itworks fine for some angles behind the C64, but it is hard to seethe LED from other angles:

I have ordered some ultra bright LEDsto see if that helps, otherwise I may have to move the LED on the PCBto a better place for this to work.

Of course a clear case won’thave this problem

Just received a small package from China containing:

Unfortunately, I will probably not have the time to assemble it this weekend...

Zitat von bigby

Just received a small package from China containing:

Unfortunately, I will probably not have the time to assemble it this weekend...

Funny, the same thing has arrived here only in a different color. I am still missing all components, I have to order first.