Tap files To files for Cumulus

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Steve M
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Re: Tap files To files for Cumulus

Post by Steve M »

I don't think there is a list like that. We're still trying to get the tapes available. There is a list of software generally but not a specific disk based list.
There may be a list of CEO disks. They did a quarterly disk with different items. They also had a few separate disks with games like Mah jong which were new titles rather than conversions.

It gets more complicated. Some games are easy to convert to disk. Others have been altered, so they aren't in the original form. Some games get updated/ improved like the Shoot Again series http://dominique.pessan.pagesperso-oran ... ystick.htm
Some titles that were originally on Oric-1 tapes are converted to Atmos disk versions.

Disks werent' generally used as tapes were smaller file sizes and easier to email etc. I don't think that is a consideration now with faster internet.

My own disk need converting from real disks to disk images. It's going to take a while !
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coco.oric
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Re: Tap files To files for Cumulas

Post by coco.oric »

StarshipUK wrote:With the release of the Cumulus (and no other similar device for Tape images) I am surprised no one has converted the majority of original games yet and made them available to use with the Cumulus. I have been waiting a while silently with the hope that it would just need some time for someone to do this. For example when the C4CPC was released for the Amstrad GX4000 the community started (and still is) converting CPC464 games to work on the console with the C4CPC, making the games playable without a keyboard on the console.
Two years ago, i purposed people to collect disk images and putting them on oric.org (after test). In the case of 1 tape = 1 dsk file
(if you compiled several games on a disk, you'll need a catalog software to know what's on the disks)

I've got 0 files converted (hxc and dsk).
Last year, i started a tosec catalog update for oric. In this case, i've listed mainly basic files tap & dsk to update slowly oric.org. Last game was captain's log. I hope that i'll be available with next tosec release and files available on oric.org
But the work of transferring tap files to dsk files is always on the starting blocks. I'm sure, StarshipUK, that you can help your community.
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Re: Tap files To files for Cumulas

Post by StarshipUK »

coco.oric wrote:
StarshipUK wrote:With the release of the Cumulus (and no other similar device for Tape images) I am surprised no one has converted the majority of original games yet and made them available to use with the Cumulus. I have been waiting a while silently with the hope that it would just need some time for someone to do this. For example when the C4CPC was released for the Amstrad GX4000 the community started (and still is) converting CPC464 games to work on the console with the C4CPC, making the games playable without a keyboard on the console.
Two years ago, i purposed people to collect disk images and putting them on oric.org (after test). In the case of 1 tape = 1 dsk file
(if you compiled several games on a disk, you'll need a catalog software to know what's on the disks)

I've got 0 files converted (hxc and dsk).
Last year, i started a tosec catalog update for oric. In this case, i've listed mainly basic files tap & dsk to update slowly oric.org. Last game was captain's log. I hope that i'll be available with next tosec release and files available on oric.org
But the work of transferring tap files to dsk files is always on the starting blocks. I'm sure, StarshipUK, that you can help your community.
The problem is I have very little time, and do not poses the skills to do this. I run my own one man self employed business, which uses up all my work time and more (I am just about to enter a batch of invoices and chase up VAT Invoices, as I don't get time to do this during the week being out at customer sites all day, getting home exhausted and then having to cook dinner and do housework and sort out important other life stuff which takes time). Looking after more than 10 different server systems for 10 different clients, along with iPads, Androids and Chrome devices is not easy with different needs and requirements from all clients. On top of this I have my retro computer and console collection hobby which does not pay the bills and now has over 160 systems, and while I know what I need to know for each system, the basics to use them I do not have time to master every single one of them and learn everything. I have done some projects, one of the most time consuming was re-sorting to Commodore 16\Plus 4 game collection, which I then made available to that community, and if there is something I do know I will step in to help. I also take those systems to gaming events to allow others to use and enjoy the systems, which no other collectors out there do in the UK, where they prefer the keep them in their boxes in private hidden rooms gathering dust. Then I have a small singing project also, when I find time to work on it. Finally I am having spend lots of time dealing with court cases for my Ex who owes me a lot of money I lent her (talking thousands here), and the legal process is not simple and also using up a lot of my time. Hence the reason I do not have the time on a project like this myself, but expect those who are sensible (unlike myself) and just have an interest in the Oric machines would have more knowledge and time to pull off a project like this. Its not as if I am looking for this just for myself. The machine and games will be going to gaming events for others to play and enjoy, and if I ever have anything to share back to this community I will. I have tried using systems with cassettes at events in the past and it just does not work well (they take ages to load and reload if people reset the machine), so using SD card devices is the way forward.
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Steve M
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Re: Tap files To files for Cumulus

Post by Steve M »

I have my own business too, so appreciate the lack of time.
The Rhetoric disks compilations were made available on Oric .org which may be useful for you. I think I also posted the IJK disks here somewhere which collect all the IJK software.

One alternative I think is Jorodr's SD card system which - I think - can load tape images. Apologies if I am wrong on that. )

I think if you have specific needs then if you list the programs that would be useful, someone could pop them onto a disk for you.
I think some programs wouldn't be too easy to work with odd keypresses etc, some have lengthy introductions and some just aren't that great.

Personally I think it'd be useful if the Cumulus could be made to read a tape image from the SD card instead of loading from the cassette port. Would this be feasible or would it require too much code ?
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Symoon
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Re: Tap files To files for Cumulus

Post by Symoon »

I'm afraid we're all simply facing the same problem: spare time!
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Hialmar
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Re: Tap files To files for Cumulus

Post by Hialmar »

Jorodr's current SD card system can't play TAP files directly. I have one.

I think Jorodr is waiting for Fabrice to finish his TAP/SD card system in order to propose it to the community. Or that's what I understood the last time I talked about that with Fabrice. The biggest problem right now is that Fabrice's Tap/SD system works at the normal speed of tapes.
He wanted to include some acceleration code like the one used in tap2cd but this code doesn't always work IIRC.

Anyway I think all this was in standby while Fabrice worked on his multi-game cartridge system. As this is finished maybe he will work again on it. But his schedule is the same as all of us.

Fabrice also worked on a system to connect an Oric to a PC through USB or Bluetooth. Coupled with the cartridge system, it might be possible to bank switch the ROM with some patched version on a cartridge that would CLOAD/CSAVE through the USB or BT connection. But this is a long term solution.
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Re: Tap files To files for Cumulus

Post by Godzil »

Ok, I've checked, the Cumulus Rev2 have some spare IO on the uC, with two of them I could do something interesting... :)
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