Mailbag #1 - Thanks to Beaps & Vic

Mailbag 1 – 30/03/2013

A quick video of some packages that arrived in the mailbag this week, their contents and what’s happening with them.  Many thanks to Brian (beaps) and Vic (VirtVic) for supplying these to me.

In this video I receive a CPS2 kick harness adaptor and a breadbin style Commodore 64 – also known as a Mk1.

The CPS2 adaptor is needed so that I can make a Street Fighter Zero 2 work with its additional six “kick” buttons (hence why it’s known as a kick harness) and the Commodore 64 Mk1 is to replace my C64C.  While there’s nothing wrong with the other one, i’ve wanted a proper working Mk1 for a while as I just think they look the part.  I always loved my C64 as a child.

The other reason is that the SID-II chip in the early commodore 64′s have a different filter system in them which allows sampled speech to play properly.  The later models had a different chip which either muffled or entirely prevented sampled sound playback.

The samples were achieved by continuously changing the volume setting which in the older chips would emanate a ‘click’ – play these clicks fast enough and you have actual sound.

It never ceased to amaze me that mailbag episodes are so popular, a number of other YouTube and bloggers produce videos about what turned up in their mail so I thought i’d follow suit but try and show some things working or lead to progress on other projects at the same time.

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RGP Arcade Access All Areas Tour - March 2013

After many months, much nagging, a lot of hard work and some sleepless nights, it was time to upload a video of the arcade room at RGP HQ.  This is just a short video walkaround of the place with all the machines switched on in their glory.  Some 32 machines pictured here all working including the concluded recent conversion/restoration/reproduction project – Mr Do!

Direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHdtnpNDvio

Machines featured here are (in no order): Juno First, Galaxian, Missile Storm, Zaccaria Puck-Man (Pac-Man), Zaccaria Invaders, Millipede (Euro Version), Mr Do (DECO Cassette System Conversion), Crazy Kong pt II, Namco Assault, Phoenix, 1942, Mr Do vs Unicorns (JAMMA cabinet), Williams Blackout, Zaccaria Moon Flight, 3 x Zaccaria Technoplay Universal Upright JAMMA cabs with Pac-Land, Bubble Bobble and Kung-Fu Master, Out Run, Super Hang On, After Burner, Space Harrier, 9 x Electrocoin Goliath JAMMA cabinet with Commando, Nemesis, Ghosts & Goblins, Bombjack, Frogger, Arkanoid, Salamander 2, Terra Cresta and Track & Field (switchable to Hyper Sports), a Star Wars cockpit (not currently operational), Pole Position, Road Blasters and finally Return Of The Jedi.

I also had a few computers out as well but weren’t powered up – BBC Micro Model B, Commodore 64 and an arcade supergun which had Side Arms by Capcom plugged into it.

Theres a dedicated videos page on the site where i’ll make sure all the videos are listed and organised somehow.

Please subscribe to the youtube channel and feel free to leave comments and suggestions below or on YouTube.  Check back soon for our events section, don’t be shy, come along and play the games – that’s what they’re there for.