diff --git a/src/asm/6502/nes/nes.i b/src/asm/6502/nes/nes.i
index cf161934a..c15bf64ea 100644
--- a/src/asm/6502/nes/nes.i
+++ b/src/asm/6502/nes/nes.i
@@ -1,23 +1,51 @@
 ; this is a definition file for a NES ROM.
 
+; addresses
+PPUCTRL=$2000
+PPUMASK=$2001
+PPUSTATUS=$2002
+OAMADDR=$2003
+OAMDATA=$2004
+PPUSCROLL=$2005
+PPUADDR=$2006
+PPUDATA=$2007
+
+APUBASE=$4000
+OAMDMA=$4014
+
+; memory map
 .MEMORYMAP
 DEFAULTSLOT 1
 ; 2KB RAM
 SLOT 0 START $0000 SIZE $800
 ; 32KB ROM
 SLOT 1 START $8000 SIZE $8000
+; 8KB character ROM
+SLOT 2 START $10000 SIZE $2000
+SLOT 3 START $12000 SIZE $10
 .ENDME
 
 .ROMBANKMAP
-BANKSTOTAL 2
+BANKSTOTAL 3
 ; iNES header
 BANKSIZE $10
+BANKS 1
 ; program ROM data
 BANKSIZE $8000
 BANKS 1
 ; character ROM data
-
+BANKSIZE $2000
+BANKS 1
 .ENDRO
 
-.BANK 1 SLOT 1
-.ORGA $8000
+; iNES header goes here
+.BANK 0 SLOT 3
+
+.db "NES"
+.db $1a
+; program size
+.db $02
+; character size
+.db $01
+; flags/padding
+.db $00, $00, $00, $00, $00, $00, $00, $00, $00, $00
diff --git a/src/asm/6502/nes/test.ini b/src/asm/6502/nes/test.ini
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..02a5a2eaa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/asm/6502/nes/test.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+[objects]
+test.o
diff --git a/src/asm/6502/nes/test.s b/src/asm/6502/nes/test.s
index c7f2433d9..848ec05d9 100644
--- a/src/asm/6502/nes/test.s
+++ b/src/asm/6502/nes/test.s
@@ -3,4 +3,123 @@
 
 .include "nes.i"
 
+pendingTick=$400
+
+; program ROM
+.BANK 1 SLOT 1
+.ORGA $8000
+
 main:
+  ; initialize processor
+  sei
+  cld
+  ldx #$ff
+  txs
+  ; clear all memory
+  ldx #$07
+  stx $01
+  lda #$00
+  sta $00
+  tay
+- sta ($00),y
+  dey
+  bne -
+  dex
+  bne -
+  ; clear zero page
+  ldx #$00
+- sta $00,x
+  dex
+  bne -
+initPlayer:
+  ; initialize command stream player
+  jsr fcsInit
+initPPU:
+  ; wait for PPU to be ready
+  bit PPUSTATUS
+  ; wait two frames
+- bit PPUSTATUS
+  bpl -
+- bit PPUSTATUS
+  bpl -
+startPlayer:
+  ; draw some text
+  lda #$21
+  sta PPUADDR
+  lda #$02
+  sta PPUADDR
+
+  ldx #$00
+- lda helloWorld.w,x
+  beq +
+  sta PPUDATA
+  inx
+  bne -
+
+  ; set up PPU
++ lda #$07
+  sta PPUMASK
+  ; reset scroll position
+  bit PPUSTATUS
+  lda #$00
+  sta PPUSCROLL
+  sta PPUSCROLL
+  ; set up VBlank interrupt
+  lda #$80
+  sta PPUCTRL
+loop:
+  lda pendingTick
+  beq loop
+  jsr fcsTick
+  lda #0
+  sta pendingTick
+  jmp loop
+
+; interrupt handlers
+nmi:
+  lda #1
+  sta pendingTick
+  rti
+
+irq:
+  rti
+
+; command stream player definition
+FCS_MAX_CHAN=4
+FCS_MAX_STACK=16
+
+fcsAddrBase=$20
+fcsZeroPage=$10
+fcsGlobalStack=$200
+fcsPtr=cmdStream
+fcsVolMax=volMaxArray
+
+; command call table
+fcsCmdTableLow=fcsCmdTableExample
+fcsCmdTableHigh=fcsCmdTableExample
+
+.include "../stream.s"
+
+; data
+helloWorld:
+  .db "Hello, World!"
+  .db 0
+
+volMaxArray:
+  .dw $40, $40, $40, $40
+
+cmdStream:
+  .incbin "../seq.bin"
+
+; vectors
+.ORGA $FFFA
+
+.dw nmi
+.dw main
+.dw irq
+
+; character ROM
+.BANK 2 SLOT 2
+.ORGA $10000
+
+.incbin "chr.bin"
diff --git a/src/asm/6502/stream.s b/src/asm/6502/stream.s
index 1dadeb1b0..775ae11c8 100644
--- a/src/asm/6502/stream.s
+++ b/src/asm/6502/stream.s
@@ -2,6 +2,17 @@
 ; written by tildearrow
 
 ; usage:
+; define the following constants:
+; - FCS_MAX_CHAN: the number of channels in your stream
+; - FCS_MAX_STACK: the maximum stack size
+; - fcsAddrBase: player state address base
+; - fcsZeroPage: player state address base for zero-page-mandatory variables
+; - fcsGlobalStack: player stack (best placed in a page)
+; - fcsPtr: pointer to command stream
+; - fcsVolMax: pointer to max channel volume array
+; - fcsCmdTableLow: low address of command table
+; - fcsCmdTableHigh: high address of command table
+; - see stream_example.i for an example
 ; call fcsInit - this sets A to 0 on success or 1 on failure
 ; call fcsTick on every frame/tick/whatever
 ; - call your dispatch implementation's tick function afterwards
@@ -10,33 +21,12 @@
 ; - short pointers only
 ; - little-endian only!
 
-.include "6502base.i"
-
 ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
 
-; constants
-FCS_MAX_CHAN=8 ; maximum number of channels (up to 127, but see below!)
-FCS_MAX_STACK=16 ; stack depth per channel (FCS_MAX_STACK*FCS_MAX_CHAN<256)
-
-; player constants - change if necessary
-fcsAddrBase=$20 ; player state address base
-fcsZeroPage=$10 ; player state address base for zero-page-mandatory variables
-fcsGlobalStack=$200 ; player stack (best placed in a page)
-fcsPtr=$8000 ; pointer to command stream
-fcsVolMax=fcsVolMaxExample ; pointer to max channel volume array
-
 ; calculated from player constants
 fcsDelays=fcsPtr+8
 fcsSpeedDial=fcsPtr+24
 
-; command call table
-; - see src/engine/dispatch.h for a list of commands to be potentially handled
-;   - do not implement HINT commands - the player will never send these
-;   - no need to implement commands not pertaining to the target system
-; - a zero pointer means "don't handle"
-fcsCmdTableLow=fcsCmdTableExample
-fcsCmdTableHigh=fcsCmdTableExample
-
 ; variables
 ; these may be read by your command handling routines
 fcsArg0=fcsAddrBase ; int
@@ -495,10 +485,13 @@ fcsInit:
   ; set channel program counters
   ldx #(FCS_MAX_CHAN*2)
 - dex
-  lda fcsPtr+40,x
+  lda fcsPtr+40.w,x
   sta chanPC,x
   bne -
 
+  ; set volumes
+  ; TODO
+
   ; success
   lda #0
   rts
@@ -572,7 +565,14 @@ fcsDummyFunc:
   rts
 
 fcsVolMaxExample:
-  .db 127, 127, 127, 127, 127, 127, 127, 127
+  .dw $7f00
+  .dw $7f00
+  .dw $7f00
+  .dw $7f00
+  .dw $7f00
+  .dw $7f00
+  .dw $7f00
+  .dw $7f00
 
 ; first 64 commands
 fcsCmdTableExample:
diff --git a/src/asm/6502/stream_example.i b/src/asm/6502/stream_example.i
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..950fd71eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/asm/6502/stream_example.i
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+; this is an example file.
+
+; constants
+FCS_MAX_CHAN=8 ; maximum number of channels (up to 127, but see below!)
+FCS_MAX_STACK=16 ; stack depth per channel (FCS_MAX_STACK*FCS_MAX_CHAN<256)
+
+; player constants - change if necessary
+fcsAddrBase=$20 ; player state address base
+fcsZeroPage=$10 ; player state address base for zero-page-mandatory variables
+fcsGlobalStack=$200 ; player stack (best placed in a page)
+fcsPtr=$8000 ; pointer to command stream
+fcsVolMax=fcsVolMaxExample ; pointer to max channel volume array
+
+; command call table
+; - see src/engine/dispatch.h for a list of commands to be potentially handled
+;   - do not implement HINT commands - the player will never send these
+;   - no need to implement commands not pertaining to the target system
+; - a zero pointer means "don't handle"
+fcsCmdTableLow=fcsCmdTableExample
+fcsCmdTableHigh=fcsCmdTableExample