Tools

HVSC

High Voltage SID Collection

The High Voltage SID Collection preserves over 50,000 Commodore 64 music files, becoming the definitive archive of SID chip music history.

C64 preservationaudioarchive

Overview

The High Voltage SID Collection is the largest archive of Commodore 64 music in existence. Beginning in 1996, dedicated volunteers have catalogued, credited, and preserved over 50,000 SID tunes. From Rob Hubbard’s classics to obscure game music, HVSC ensures this musical heritage survives.

Fast facts

  • Founded: 1996.
  • Current size: 50,000+ SID files.
  • Format: .sid files (SID chip captures).
  • Updates: Regular releases with new additions.

Collection scope

CategoryContent
Game musicTitle screens, in-game, endings
Demo musicScene productions
Original compositionsMusician showcases
CoversArrangements of other music

File format

The .sid format includes:

  • Music data
  • Player routine
  • Composer credits
  • Song information
  • Metadata (year, platform)

Organisation

HierarchyStructure
By composer/MUSICIANS/[Letter]/[Name]/
By game/GAMES/[Letter]/[Title]/
Demos/DEMOS/[Group]/
Unknown/VARIOUS/

Quality standards

HVSC enforces:

  • Accurate credits
  • Verified dates
  • Clean rips (no cracktro interference)
  • Proper song lengths
  • Consistent metadata

Major composers represented

ComposerApproximate tunes
Rob Hubbard100+
Martin Galway75+
Ben Daglish80+
Jeroen Tel200+
Tim Follin30+

Playback

Play SID files with:

  • VICE emulator
  • Dedicated SID players
  • Hardware playback devices
  • Web-based players

Community contribution

HVSC depends on:

  • Rippers extracting music from games
  • Researchers identifying composers
  • Collectors finding rare software
  • Volunteers maintaining database

Cultural significance

HVSC enables:

  • Chiptune research
  • Composer retrospectives
  • Game music appreciation
  • Historical documentation
ProjectFocus
SOASCC64 scene music
Project SidologieProfessional recordings
Remix64SID remixes

See also