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Cardboard 3

Yzzerdd

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Oct 20, 2006
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So I'm poking around in a box of C64 and VIC-20 stuff I got, and I came across something called the "Cardboard/3." It looks like it plugs into the cartridge slot of the VIC-20, and fits fine. Then, it has 3 extender plugs. Is this for having 3 cartridges in at once or something? Seems pretty cool, and not very technical. Pics upon request.

--Ryan
 
Right, lets you run three carts but other than that I have no idea how it addresses each cart individually. Might have come with a program at one time.

I saw your other pics, looks like you had a nice haul there.

Was the ring to show what you had to also get the wife because you had a truckload of 'toys'? I ask because if I came home with a truckload like that, I'd better have gotten her some jewely (and about a week's worth of chocolate) too! :)

Nathan
 
The VIC-20 memory map is divided into eight blocks of 8K each. Five of those are available on the cartridge bus (well, actually seven but the last two are I/O extention blocks). Each cartridge can map one or more blocks, usually only two at a time.

It means you could plug in e.g. a 16K memory expansion allocating blocks 1+2, a Super Expander allocating half of block 5 and a Programmers' Aid allocating half of block 3. Or maybe a Vicmon machine code monitor allocating the second half of .. well, I can't remember if it is 3 or 5. Or a game cartridge in block 5, but it would be auto starting anyway.

If you plug in two cartridges allocating the same memory block, I think the first one gets preference, but I'm not entirely sure how it works electronically. Some other expansion boards had switches or buttons which would let you choose one of many cartridges, but at the expense you could not have multiple connected simultaneously as I described above. Which approach is better or worse depends on what kind of user you are.
 
Thanks for the help, guys. I know I saw a programmers aid cartridge in there somewhere. I can't wait to start playing with my Commodore. I went to hook it all up, and realized I don't have a PSU! Gahh, I left it in WV!

--Ryan
 
I'm Jack when in WV, Ryan when in TX.

Yeah, well they were really cool machines, but every single one I've had has died of the exact same thing, so I figured maybe it wasn't worth it. Still, I've got like the most complete one in the world, so I'm obligated to keep something going.

--Ryan
 
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