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Loading software on a vintage computer, such as a Commodore 64, is a pain. Early eight-bit computers almost never contained any onboard persistent storage, so users had to load software from external media like cassette tapes. To make retro computing far more convenient, RaspberryPioneer developed a method for loading Commodore 64 software from Microsoft Excel.

This workflow starts with a modern computer running Microsoft Excel. RaspberryPioneer created an Excel spreadsheet that acts as a database of Commodore 64 software, linking to the ROMs and containing information such as specific load commands. The spreadsheet integrates Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) programming, so the user can select a software entry and then launch it. Doing so sends that software’s ROM data to the Commodore 64, which loads the software like it came from conventional media.

RaspberryPioneer’s workflow relies on a 5V Arduino board to act as an intermediary between the modern computer and the Commodore 64. The Excel VBA script sends the selected ROM data to the Arduino via a USB serial connection. The Arduino then, in turn, sends the data to the Commodore 64 through a hardware serial connection. That requires a Commodore serial cable, with the standard plug at one end and the other end connected to the Arduino’s pins.

Anyone that frequently uses a Commodore 64 would benefit from adopting RaspberryPioneer’s workflow to load software.

The post Use Excel to load Commodore 64 software appeared first on Arduino Blog.

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USB Datalogging with Arduino using V-USB

arduino, arduino hacks, datalogger, DataLogging, excel, USB, V-USB Commenti disabilitati su USB Datalogging with Arduino using V-USB 

USB_Logger_01_16_14

Adding USB functionality to your Arduino projects used to be a pain, but thankfully, the V-USB project came along and gave your ATMEGA328 the ability to control the USB lines directly and mimic simple (low-speed) USB peripherals. [Ray] shows an implementation of the V-USB project by logging the status of the Arduino’s I/O pins to an open Excel spreadsheet

V-USB (Virtual USB) is especially useful for those of us who build standalone Arduino projects with the ATMEGA328. Unlike the Arduino Leonardo and its ATMEGA32U4, the ATMEGA328 does not have a built-in USB controller. The circuit required to tie into the USB lines is made up of just a few basic components, and [Ray] provides a reference schematic and BOM to get you started. The Arduino is programmed to mimic a keyboard, so the datalogging is achieved by allowing the Arduino to ‘type’ the data into an open Excel spreadsheet. In this example, the status of 8 digital pins and all 6 Analog Input pins are logged.

For those of you who prefer the PIC microcontroller and are in a similar position of not having a built-in USB controller, there is the 16FUSB project to help you out.


Filed under: Arduino Hacks


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