Based on C64_MiSTer by sorgelig.

Based on FPGA64 by Peter Wendrich with heavy later modifications by different people.

• C128, C64 and CP/M modes.
• Chipset versions selectable from original C128 flat and newer C128 DCR.
• Supports international versions of the C128.
• Optional "pure" C64 mode (disables C128 extensions).
• C1541 read/write/format support in raw GCR mode (*.D64, *.G64).
• C1571 read/write/format support in raw GCR or MFM mode (*.D64, *.G64, *.D71, *.G71).
• C1581 read/write support (*.D81).
• Parallel IEC port for faster (~20x) loading time.
• External IEC through USER_IO port, including Fast Serial.
• VIC jailbars.
• VIC register $D030 video manipulation tricks (used in some demos, e.g. RfO part 1)
• VDC with 16k or 64k RAM and multiple colour palettes.
• Almost all C64 and C128 cartridge formats (*.CRT).
• Internal Function ROM support for ROMs up to 1Mb with MegaBit 128 support
• Direct file injection (*.PRG) with detection of C128 or C64 mode.
• Dual SID with several degree of mixing 6581/8580 from stereo to mono.
• Similar to 6581 and 8580 SID filters.
• REU 16MB and GeoRAM 4MB memory expanders.
• OPL2 sound expander.
• Pause option when OSD is opened.
• 4 joysticks mode.
• RS232 with VIC-1011 and UP9600 modes either internal or through USER_IO.
• Loadable Kernal/drive ROMs.
• Special reduced border mode for 16:9 display.
• Smart Turbo mode (up to 4x speed) for the 8502.
• Smart Turbo mode (2x speed) for the Z80.
• Real-time clock.
• (Optional) Multiple ROM sets and hardware variants using MRA files.

Features marked in bold are unique to the C128 core, the other features are inherited from the C64 core.

ROM files need to be provided. The ROM images will be loaded by the MiSTer on start up of the core.

There are two ways to provide the ROMs for the core: using boot ROM files, or using MRA files.

To boot using rom files, a boot0.rom and boot1.rom file need to be placed in the games/C128 directory:

• boot0.rom containing the system ROMs in this order:
  • ROM1: C64 Basic+C64 Kernal (16k total)
  • ROM4: C128 Editor+Z80 bios+C128 Kernal (16k total)
  • ROM2+3: C128 Basic (32k total)
  • Character ROM: C64+C128 or ASCII+DIN (8k)
• boot1.rom containing the drive ROMs in this order:
  • 2x 1541 drive ROM (64k total) (repeat 4x if it's a 16k ROM image)
  • 2x 1571 drive ROM (64k total)
  • 2x 1581 drive ROM (64k total)

Each drive's ROM is repeated twice in boot1.rom. The first ROM is used for drive 8, the second for drive 9. This makes it possible to use different ROMs in the two drives. The 1541 ROM is 16k and needs to be repeated 4 times to fill the 64k space.

There are two optional boot roms:

• boot2.rom for the optional Internal Function ROM (up to 1Mb with MegaBit 128 support)
• boot3.rom for the optional External Function ROM (16 or 32k)
  • This is different from a cartridge (.CRT) file, it should be a plain ROM image without the cartridge headers

(Advanced)

MRA files make it possible to create multiple ROM and hardware configurations and easily switch between them using the MiSTer main menu. Each configuration will show as a separate item in the Computer cores menu. MRA files were designed for use with the arcade cores, but they also work with computer cores.

Using MRA files requires the user to make manual changes to the MiSTer file layout as currently the update script does not support MRA files for computer cores.

An MRA file configures all system and drive roms as well as (optionally) the internal and external function ROMs. It also contains a configuration parameter that configures the "auto" choice of the CIA, SID and VDC chips and how the Caps Lock key is configured, making it possible to quickly switch between a 1985 flat C128 and a C128DCR hardware setup and the multitude of international language versions of the C128.

The following changes need to be made on the MiSTer SD-CARD or USB drive to use MRA files:

• Copy the latest C128_XXXXXXXX.rbf file from the /_Computer/ folder to a (new) /_Computer/cores/ folder,
• Download (some of) the *.mra files from the mra directory and place them in the /_Computer/ folder,
• Download C128rom.zip and place that in the /games/mame/ folder.

The above steps need to be repeated when a new version of the core is released, as the update script will not update the *.rbf in the /_Computer/cores/ folder, and also the *.mra files might have been updated in the repository.

ROMs can also be loaded from the OSD via Hardware->System ROMs and Hardware->Drive ROMs menu options. These expect a ROM file with the same layout as boot0.rom and boot1.rom as described above respectively.

The Internal Function ROM can also be loaded from the OSD via Hardware->Internal Function ROM and this is similar to using the optional boot2.rom.

• End - Run stop
• F2, F4, F6, F8, Left/Up keys automatically activate Shift key.
• F9 - 🡹 key.
• F10 - = key.
• F11 - Restore key, or Freeze key for some cartridges (e.g. Action Replay).
• Super keys (Win/Apple) - C= key.
• PgUp - Tape play/pause
• PgDn - Line feed
• Print Screen - Display 40/80
• Pause/Break - No Scroll (* see note below)
• Numpad * - Help

The AltGr key (right Alt) is used to access alternative function keys. Combined with AltGr the function keys are the C128 top-row special keys. To access these functions, press and hold AltGr while pressing any of the function keys:

• AltGr+F1 - Esc
• AltGr+F2 - Alt
• AltGr+F3 - Tab
• AltGr+F4 - Caps Lock or ASCII/DIN
• AltGr+F5 - Help
• AltGr+F6 - Line feed
• AltGr+F7 - 40/80 display
• AltGr+F8 - No scroll
• AltGr+F11 - Restore (if a cartridge using Freeze key is active)

It is possible to access the C128 top-row cursor keys, and the numpad keys on a PC keyboard without numpad using AltGr combined with the similar keys:

• AltGr+return - Numpad enter
• AltGr+1 through 0 - Numpad 1 through 0
• AltGr+- - Numpad -
• AltGr++ - Numpad +
• AltGr+. - Numpad .
• AltGr+Cursor keys - Top-row cursor keys (** see note below)

Shift lock can be activated by pressing AltGr+Shift. This is a toggle, to release Shift lock, press the AltGr+Shift combination again.

Keys marked in blue are the keys sent when combined with AltGr.

*): The Pause/Break key acts like the No scroll key, however the Pause/Break PC key is special as it does not send a signal when it is released. To solve this, when the Pause/Break key is pressed, the No scroll key signal to the C128 is pulsed for short period. To hold No scroll on the C128 for longer, either use AltGr+F8, or quickly double press Pause/break and press any key to release No scroll.

**): When the Z80 CPU is active the top-row cursor keys become the default and AltGr selects the regular cursor keys.

If your joystick/gamepad has more than 4 buttons then you can have some limited usage of keyboard. Joystick buttons Mod1 and Mod2 adds 12 frequently used keys to skip the intros and start the game. Considering default button maps RLDU, Fire1, Fire2,Fire3, Paddle Btn, following keys are possible to enter:

• With holding Mod1: Cursor RLDU, Enter, Space, End (Run stop), Shift+End (DLOAD"*" then RUN)
• With holding Mod2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 0, Y, N
• With holding Mod1+Mod2: F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7, F8

In the OSD->Hardware menu, internal memory size can be selected as 128K or 256K. The latter activates RAM in banks 2 and 3. C128 basic does not detect or use this memory however, so it will still show 122365 bytes free.

On a C128, the 40/80 Display switch on the keyboard selects which video mode the system will boot on, or switch to when pressing the Run stop+Restore key combination.

Since the MiSTer has a single video output, the video mode being shown needs to be selectable. The video output can be selected from the OSD menu or using the keyboard. Use the OSD->Video Output option to either make the video output follow the 40/80 Display state, or select the VIC or VDC video outputs independent of the state of the 40/80 Display switch.

In OSD->Audio & Video the VDC version, memory size and colour palette can be selected.

There are four colour palettes selectable for the VDC:

• Default: the "standard" TTL RGBI colour palette
• Analogue: the palette when using resistors to convert TTL RGBI to analogue RGB
• Monochrome: TTL monochrome monitor, with two levels of intensity
• Composite: the black and white image on the composite pin of the DB9 TTL RGBI connector

The VDC can be programmed to generate non-standard video modes that the MiSTer video scaler does not handle very well. These modes would not work with most monitors on a real C128 either. They can cause the scaler to stop working (it will usually recover when switching video output to the VIC) or produce extreme flickering on the video output.

To load a cartridge from the OSD menu it must be in .CRT format. C64 and C128 cartridges will be detected based on the CRT header and the core will start in the correct mode.

To convert a binary ROM image into a .CRT, the cartconv tool from Vice can be used, usually like this:

cartconv.exe -t c128 -l 0x8000 -i cart.bin -o cart.crt

The -t c128 option is needed for C128 cartridges to add the header indicating this is a C128 cartridge. Otherwise the cartridge will be detected as a C64 cartridge and the core will start up in C64 mode.

The -l 0x8000 option is needed to indicate the image should be located at address $8000. Some external ROMs might need to be located at $C000, in that case -l 0xC000 should be used.

In OSD->Hardware page you can choose Boot Cartridge or Internal Function ROM, so everytime the core is loaded, this cartridge or ROM will be loaded too.

Turbo mode can be enabled separately for each CPU. Turbo modes are mostly useful for software written in Basic, or "productivity" software. Software that is dependant on exact system timing, like some games and demos, will generally not function correctly when turbo mode is enabled. Any disk access will disable the turbo mode for a short time enough to finish disk operations.

8502 Speed: x2 mode makes the 8502 CPU always run in 2 MHz mode, equal to the standard C128 turbo mode, but with the VIC still operational. The x3 and x4 modes run the 8502 even faster at 3 and 4 MHz respectively.

Z80 Speed: The Z80 in a C128 runs at 4 MHz, but is throttled half the time to give the VIC access to the system bus, effectively making it execute at 2 MHz. The x2 speed setting runs the Z80 CPU without throtteling at the full 4 MHz.

Primary function of RS232 is emulated dial-up connection to old-fashioned BBS.

Note: Most turbo drive ROM kernals have no RS232 routines so most RS232 software don't work with these kernals!

Supported up to 4MB of memory. GeoRAM is connected if no other cart is loaded. It's automatically disabled when cart is loaded, then enabled when cart unloaded.

Supported standard 512KB, expanded 2MB with wrapping inside 512KB blocks (for compatibility) and linear 16MB size with full 16MB counter wrap. Support for REU files.

GeoRAM and REU don't conflict each other and can be both enabled.

All signals are 3.3V LVTTL and must be properly converted to required levels!

The IEC /SRQ (USER_IO6) line is required for IEC fast serial operation with an external 1571 or 1581 drive. You will need a MiSTer user port adapter that connects the /SRQ line. Assume a MiSTer user port to IEC adapter does not connect this line unless it is explicitly stated that it supports the C128 fast serial protocol.

RTC is PCF8583 connected to tape port. To get real time in GEOS, copy CP-CLOCK64-1.3 from supplied disk to GEOS system disk.

C1541/C1571 implementation works in raw GCR mode (D64/D71 format is converted to GCR and then back when saved), so some non-standard tracks are supported if G64/G71 file format is used. Support formatting and some copiers using raw track copy. Speed zones aren't supported (yet), but system follows the speed setting, so variable speed within a track should work. Protected disk in most cases won't work yet and still require further tuning of access times to comply with different protections.

With OSD->Hardware->C64 mode the C64 mode of the C128 can be switched between "C128 extensions" and "Pure 64". In "C128 extensions" the 64 mode is identical to the C64 mode of the C128, which is not 100% identical to a real C64. When set to "Pure 64", the 64 mode is more similar to a real C64.

In "pure" mode the I/O space is identical to a real C64 instead of the C128 extended I/O which includes the VDC and two extra registers for the VIC. Also, the keyboard layout is modified, e.g. the keys on the numeric keypad map to the normal keys instead of the C128 extended keys.