Microdisc replacement project

This is the right place to discuss on how to implement hardware vsync, adding a VIA or AY chipset, puting multiple roms, or how to design a new flash expansion card.
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Dbug
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Post by Dbug »

Sure, if you can provide some kind of interface for the Oric to access the LCD screen, write stuff, etc... that would be awesome for developing, like showing performance profiling results, debugging messages, status of the application, etc...

Side question: Your board, does it has some kind of on board memory used to transfer stuff from the SD card, or is it accessing SD card data in real time?
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Post by retromaster »

The board does not use any separate RAM chips, but uses the internal RAM of the PIC to read data from SD Card. Sectors are first transferred to RAM, and then transferred to the Oric.

I could have also implemented it in a completely simultaneous way, that is, data could be streamed directly to Oric while it is being read from SD card (byte by byte). Perhaps I'll take this route in later firmware.
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ibisum
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Post by ibisum »

I'll take 5! :) One for each of my Atmos .. ;)
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Symoon
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Post by Symoon »

retromaster wrote:Another possibility is to provide an additional specialized interface (let's say a new peripheral at a couple of free addresses at page 03) that lets software (a menu application) on the 6502 side directly communicate with the FD emulator to get SD card directory and select images, etc.

Having an LCD on board is cool of course... You can see what drive/track/sector is being accessed in real-time, which is nice. And ultimately more flexible than a menu application. And having the LCD was quite helpful during debugging, too. Given the low cost, I intend to keep it in place :)
Both options would be fantastic.
Especially if there's a way to select the disk from software, it would then allow to use some kind of directories (each directory being actually a disk image).
OK, I'm wandering maybe too far away, let's get first the disk emulation ;)

BTW, new update at http://retromaster.wordpress.com/ !
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peacer
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Post by peacer »

It's an honour for me to see such a Miracleous project is run by one of my Citizen from Turkey :)

I've been thinking that I am the only Turkish Oric supporter so far but Tolga made a perfect work and made me proud.
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Chema
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Post by Chema »

And again news on this project:
http://retromaster.wordpress.com/2011/0 ... s-working/

Isn't it exciting? :D
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Post by coco.oric »

Waow

It seems to be great
Bravo
coco.oric as DidierV, CEO Member
Historic owner of Oric, Apple II, Atari ST, Amiga
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Chema
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Post by Chema »

Cumuls has now a proper UI in the LCD display, mounts up to four disk images and supports sector writes (still under test).

http://retromaster.wordpress.com/

Mmm... I am sure all of us are following the progress of this little marvel, so not sure if posting here adds anything :)
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Xeron
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Post by Xeron »

Chema wrote: Mmm... I am sure all of us are following the progress of this little marvel, so not sure if posting here adds anything :)
Please keep posting here. I am following Cumulus progress, but I do so by following the links posted in this thread.
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Post by Antiriad2097 »

Me too. I pretty much rely on this forum for all my Oric news.
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Dbug
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Post by Dbug »

I agree with continuing to post.

If many people get aware that Retromaster is very near the completion stage for a new device that perfectly emulate a microdisc drive using sd cards to load virtual image disks, it may make it easier to get a kind of group order/build for a bunch of devices.

Apparently somebody was ready to buy 5 of these, me I know that I would buy at least two of these. The way it goes I would be surprised if a first batch of 20 would not go away super fast :)

And yes, my second paragraph was convoluted on purpose to up the hits on the search engines for anyone looking for an Oric Microdisc for sale!
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Post by ibisum »

Thats me, who would buy 5 of these .. one for every one of my Oric machines! I can't wait! :)
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Post by Chema »

Small update this time http://retromaster.wordpress.com/, though already found a bug and solved it in the sector writting...

And the save/load feature of Space:1999 works with Cumulus, which is good. Most probably all those sector-based accessing routines we use in games are working.

This is very very near :)
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Dbug
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Post by Dbug »

The code of the firmware is now available on the SVN depot:

http://miniserve.defence-force.org/svn/ ... e/cumulus/
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