SD2IEC - User manual ENG



 1. Introduction
The SD2IEC is a SD card reader designed for Commodore computers.
It is compatible with: Commodore 64, C64C, C128, C128D, VIC-20,
C16, C116, PLUS4, and SX64.
It allows for reading and writing of files: *.D64, *.D71, *.D81, *.PRG, and *.P00.
This version of SD2IEC comes with a display and a real-time clock (RTC).

2. Preparing the SD card
If you received your SD card with SD2IEC, you can skip this step.
SD2IEC supports SD cards up to 32 GB.
Before use the card must be formatted in the FAT32 file system.


You can download the SD2IEC file pack here:
https://download.nc92.eu/sd2iec_pack.zip

SD2IEC displays files and folders in the order in which they were copied to the SD card.
If the first file on the card is FB, you can load the file browser with the command:
LOAD "*",8
instead of:
LOAD "FB",8

You can then copy the folders in the order in which they should be displayed.
Finally, copy files such as FB16, FB20 etc. which will appear at the end of the list.


 
3. Setup
Connect the serial cable to C64 and SD2IEC.
It doesn't matter which SD2IEC port you choose.
You can connect another device to the second port, e.g. a 1541 drive.

SD2IEC requires 5v DC voltage.
It can be powered from any USB charger or cassette port with an included adapter.

The drive number can be changed using a switch on the back of the SD2IEC housing.
The current drive number is displayed on the LCD.
Typically SD2IEC is set as drive number 8.
Please note that some games only run from drive number 8.

 
4. First Run
After starting the computer type:
LOAD "*",8
or
LOAD "FB",8
where 8 is the drive number.

Press RETURN

Then type:
RUN

And press RETURN again.
The file browser will start.
 
5. Multi-disk games
Some games take up several D64 images.
When the game asks you to insert another floppy disk, you can change the D64 image using the buttons on the front of the case.
For the buttons to work, there must be an autoswap.lst file in the game folder.
Autoswap.lst is a text file containing the names of the D64 images in the folder.
All games in the "c64 multi d64" folder have an autoswap.lst file.
 
6. T64 Files
SD2IEC does not support T64 files.
However, a supported PRG file can be exported from T64.
The easiest way to do this is with DirMaster program:

https://style64.org/dirmaster

Once installed, open the T64 file you want to work on, right-click on the line showing the correct PRG file, and then left-click on Export.
 
7. RTC - Real Time Clock
The new version of SD2IEC has a built-in real-time clock.
The real-time clock allows programs, e.g., C64 OS, to display the current time.
Time can also be displayed with a BASIC command, allowing for the implementation of RTC in your programs.
Additionally, files saved on the SD card have the correct creation date.
 
Open the SD2IEC by separating both case halves, starting from the back.
Inside you will find a blue RTC module with a battery holder.
To use the RTC, you need to insert a CR2032 battery.
It should last for several years.
Then set the time using the configurator.prg program located in the TOOLS folder.
The time from the RTC can be displayed with a simple BASIC program:
 
10 OPEN15,10,15,"T-RA"
20 GET#15,A$:T$=T$+A$:IFST<>64THEN20
30 PRINT T$:CLOSE15
 
And here's a video about using RTC with C64 OS:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnY7r8wbvWk
 
8. Software Archiving
To be able to use Commodore Datasette and SD2IEC simultaneously, the reader can be powered from any USB charger.
 
When it comes to copying software from cassettes or individual PRG files from disks, the process is very simple.
First, load the file into your computer's memory.
To save the file to the SD card use the command:
 
SAVE"filename.prg",9
 
where 9 is the SD2IEC drive number.
 
The picture below shows a game that has been loaded from 1541 disk drive number 8 to the computer memory, and then saved to a SD2IEC set as drive number 9.
 
To copy the entire disk, it is best to use an empty D64 image.
You can download empty images here:
 
https://download.nc92.eu/empty_images.zip

Copy the file to the SD card and rename it.
Then run the dc64.prg program from the TOOLS folder.
Here you can select your 1541 drive and an empty file.
To start the process of copying, press the F8 key (SHIFT + F7)
Make sure you are not writing an empty image to your floppy disk.
It is easy to lose data this way.