Disk Drive Emulator Pi1541 & Epyx Fastload for Commodore

The device is a combination of the Epyx Fastload cartridge and Pi1541 on a Raspberry Pi Zero.

Pi1541 Features

Pi1541 allows the playback of disk images on Commodore computers using a microSD card. Compatible models include:

• Commodore 64
• Commodore 128
• Commodore Vic20
• Commodore 16
• Commodore Plus4

Project: https://cbm-pi1541.firebaseapp.com/

The device is complete and includes:

• Raspberry Pi Zero
• 32Gb microSD card with complete contents, including hundreds of games and demos
• Serial cable to connect Pi1541 to Commodore

Customization Options

• Case color: white, red, beige, light blue, dark blue, sea green, black, light gray, dark gray, brown, gray, light gray, matte transparent, yellow, vanilla, ivory, chestnut.
• LED color: red, white, blue, green, yellow.
• OLED display types: white or yellow-blue.

The device emulates 6502 and 6522 processors.

Hey, captain of the pixel fleet!

Imagine: Your Commodore 64, a faithful steed from 1982, finally freed from grinding floppy disks and loading times longer than a VHS series. Pi1541 with Epyx Fastload on Raspberry Pi Zero is a compact cartridge-wunderwaffe – a cycle-exact 1541 drive emulator, enhanced by the legendary Epyx module from 1984, which increases loading speed up to 25 times (or more, depending on the game!).

Everything fits into the tiny Pi Zero HAT, which resembles an old floppy disk but has the power of modern silicon. Goodbye "ERROR 74" – welcome to an era where Manic Miner starts before you can say "BASIC"!

What makes this retro wonder?

• Full throttle emulation:

  • Connect to the cartridge port of C64 (or C128, VIC-20, Plus/4 – compatible with the entire IEC family).
  • Pi Zero (not included but cheap as chips) turns the microSD card into a virtual D64/PRG storage (up to 32GB, FAT32).
  • Choose a file via OLED screen and buttons – LED flashes like an old head.

• Epyx Fastload – cheat code from the museum:

  • This iconic module (with EPROM inside) sends magical commands over the IEC bus to speed up loading.
  • High compatibility with demos, cracks, and originals – no heuristic tricks like in SD2IEC.
  • Want to disable? Type "£" and "D" in BASIC, and fastload sleeps like a bear.

• Setup easier than POKE 53280,0:

  • Format the SD, load the image from GitHub (version 1.23 for maximum compatibility with Epyx – avoid 1.24 due to LED bugs).
  • Connect the serial cable and... voilà!
  • Powered by C64 (5V, low current), no soldering (unless DIY from PCBWay).
  • For C128? Turn off the fastload switch to avoid conflict with JiffyDOS.

A playful twist

It's like a hybrid of a DeLorean and an old 1541 – a time travel journey where Pi Zero pretends to be a floppy disk, and Epyx adds nitro. Perfect for geeks who prefer scrolling folders with an encoder rather than hunting rusty floppies on eBay.