Expert Cartridge

Power Cartridge Screenshots
Technical Info
RAM	8 kbyte
Hardware features	1 tristate Switch PRG/OFF/ON 1 button RESET and optionally (later default on cart): 1 button FREEZE (E.S.M.)
Manual	Expert Cartridge V3.1 Manual Project64.txt Expert Cartridge V4.1 Manual Project64.txt
CRT ID	6
Programming
Programming	See Tech Section

Expert Cartridge by the english company Trilogic came in the middle of 1986 relatively late to the european market but got into quite a success story due to it's excellent software. Expert Cartridge is a RAM only cartridge carrying 8 kbyte of RAM which can be pre-programmed just like an ISEPIC. The difference apart from the larger available RAM is that it was relatively easy to change the software and add own functionality. LOADing the software of course takes some time but developers added speed loaders whereever possible and suitable and of course the loaded operating system is reset-proof. The name Expert fits pretty well since all of the software if really targetted to be used by the experienced user.

On initial release of the hardware just a C64 only version was available quickly being followed by a C128 compatible version. Just a few months later Trilogic started offering an add-on cartridge going by the name of E.S.M. and included this functionality into the most recent cartridge edition. So after about six to nine months all Expert Cardridge sales went with ESM included.

No explanation for the meaning of ESM / E.S.M. could be found as of yet but the importance of a freeze button nobody will deny and ESM delivers just that with a shiny LED added. Users without ESM will have to hit RESTORE to gain access to the monitor mode (which represents the freezer).

Starting with version 3 of the software Trilogic was not the only apparent name on the product anymore. Cat & Korsh International somewhat took over distribution and the company name was placed within the software. Some production runs of the cartridge have the Trilogic logo removed completely but in the UK the original and Trilogic as the company advertising the Expert remained.

This Australia advert carries a note "Australia made" which raised some laughter and the article below from Your Commdore Issue 48, Sep 1988 is simply dumped here since it gives a few nice infos:

Expert Cartridge Advert 05/1986

Your Commodore Issue 20, 05/1986

Expert Cartridge Advert 12/1986

Your Commodore Issue 27, 12/1986

As you can see there are lots of pictures and little information or words to utter on the Expert Cartridge itself. The software speaks for itself mostly but whenever you have things to add - please let us know.

Tech

As usual the following was shamelessly copied off the VICE repository:

 - one 8K RAM (!) bank
 - any access to IO1 area disables the cartridge (if ON)

 the cartridge has a 3 way switch:
 
   PRG:
     - RAM is mapped to 8000 and writeable

   ON:
     - NMI logic is active. on NMI the cartridge will be mapped to E000 for
       just the few cycles it takes the cpu to fetch the NMI vector, then it
       will be mapped to 8000 again. the "freezer" can now be activated by
       either pressing restore or the freezer button.
  
   OFF:
     - according to the documentation, the cartridge is disabled. however,
       the NMI logic of the cart still seems to interfer somehow and makes
       some program misbehave. the solution for this was to put an additional
       switch at the NMI line of the cartridge port, which then allows to
       completely disable the cartridge for real.

Revision 22440 was chosen due to changes making Expert Cartridge emulation usable again.

Missing

• English PDF Manual Scan (especially of a 2.x manual)

Binaries

Expert_Cartridge_binaries_rr.c64.org_2010-04.rar contains just the C64 binaries:

• Trilogic (Cat & Korsh) originally supplied software:
  • v2.7 stock, "d" and "m" (whatever that means, someone compare them) - disk includes v2.8 stock
  • v2.9 stock - coming with 2.7m again
  • v2.10 disk has added quite a few new things: Immortaliser, Sprite Editor, Sprite Extractor and Screen Grabber being some of them
  • v3.1
  • v3.2
  • v3.2r got the Rocket Turboloader added - said to be the Expert answer to Warp25. See the test in Your Commodore Issue 47
  • v3.5
  • v4.1 is trying to integrate the software on a more modular base. See also Expert v4.1 software announcement

• Custom hacks:
  • v2.9a software by Expert Userclub
  • v2.10+ by Tim (of Stoat&Tim)
  • v2.10c by Mad Mekon Cracking (MMC)
  • v2.11 software by CAS CAS??
  • v4.0 / Star-Expert 5.2 modified by Micron/SCS

• Trilogic Utility Disk 3.2 MOS
• Turbo Utility for use with Expert Cartridge by Relax ("Fastload ROM" one could say)

Expert_Cartridge_all_rr.c64.org_2010-04.rar contains:

• all of the above
• A mirror of Martin Sikström's Expert Cartridge reverse engineering site - check the real site for most recent version!
• Larger version of the Expert Cartridge Schematics
• Expert Cartridge V3.1 Manual Project64.txt
• Expert Cartridge V4.1 Manual Project64.txt
• Your Commodore Issue 63, Expert Cartridge Memory Restorer Tip and Listing. (Whoever types this in has to send over a copy! :) )

Trivia

• The 2.10 software for Expert Cartridge was written by John Twiddy

Weblinks

• Expert 2.10+ software by Tim (of Stoat&Tim) at CSDb
• Expert 2.10c software by Mad Mekon Cracking (MMC) at CSDb
• Martin Sikström's Expert Cartridge reverse engineering
• Expert Cartridge at Commodore Info Page
• Retroport.de
• Some info and a 3.5 scan by Jarno Beumer at Lemon64