The ZX-UNO project.

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Silicebit.
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The ZX-UNO project.

Post by Silicebit. »

Design and development of an electronic device capable of implementing classical computers and other 8-bit systems, such as the ZX Spectrum, using a FPGA chip.

Being an open software & hardware project, it also serves as a platform for research and development for students or hobbyists.

Oric Atmos core is under development!!

More here: http://zxuno.speccy.org/
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Re: The ZX-UNO project.

Post by Godzil »

Just another FPGA board, why not using the MIST? or any other FPGA board?
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Re: The ZX-UNO project.

Post by Symoon »

Apparently there are developments going on of Oric emulation (or whatever you call it) for ZX-Uno and Mist.
That's great news, although apparently they just might be "proof of concept", and not finished.

The limitation that always stopped me from buying is the connexion to some of the real hardware (for Oric: how to load/save tapes ? For Atari ST: how do I plug my Steinberg dongles to use with my old software?).
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Re: The ZX-UNO project.

Post by ibisum »

I just got a ZXUNO 2VGA, and booted up the Oric core for a bit of fun .. works pretty well, I coded up a simple synth and it sounded pretty much like a real Oric, and everything else seems to be functional, but I haven't figured out how to load anything yet, and usability wise it doesn't match a real Oric with Cumulus .. yet .. but it sure is fun to be able to switch cores so easily. Maybe a great way to do multi-platform testing, a la 8bit Unity, on the automation like ..
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Re: The ZX-UNO project.

Post by xahmol »

Not meant as criticism in any way because enough people will like it and it certainly will have a userbase. Also, more development and userbase for our favourite computers always is nice. So in that sense, great news.

But for myself: really miss the point of having FPGA boards that lack the case, keyboard and hardware look&feel and connectivity of the real machine. For me then there is no advantage whatsoever over just running an emulator on my PC or Raspberry.
Sure, technically FPGA and emulation is a difference, but without the real feel of the old hardware, what is the difference in usability and user experience to emulation?

Certainly not against FPGA. Actually have an Ultimate 64 Elite board in pre-order. Already received the ARM2SID FPGA SID chip replacement to place on that board. But at least that board for 100% can be placed in the real case and keyboard (in my case a breadbin C64 case and keyboard) and can be connected with 100% compatibility to all the old Commodore hardware.
So for me is obtaining the real case and hardware look and feel as close as possible to the original is much more important than the ability to switch cores on the machine. I actually than rather buy seperate boards for all cores I want to use that each match the exterior and connectivity of the original.
If someone (not me, complete n00b in hardware development) comes up with such an FPGA Oric board that comes with or can be placed in a real Atmos case and keyboard with all original connectivity (next to the new ones) I am in. But not for this one.
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Re: The ZX-UNO project.

Post by Chema »

xahmol wrote: Tue Sep 29, 2020 8:33 am But for myself: really miss the point of having FPGA boards that lack the case, keyboard and hardware look&feel and connectivity of the real machine. For me then there is no advantage whatsoever over just running an emulator on my PC or Raspberry.
Sure, technically FPGA and emulation is a difference, but without the real feel of the old hardware, what is the difference in usability and user experience to emulation?
I mostly agree with you. I say mostly, because I understand the benefit of re-creating the old machine to preserve it, but in this case anything different from having each individual chip accurately synthesized, and not just emulated, is just an "almost".

The only real advantage of these FPGA boards against emulators is that they may be connected to a real CRT or, at least, may produce an real TV signal (RCA, RGB,...) and do not need intermediate conversions and adapters, so the image usually resembles the original much better. That and the possibility of using real retro-joysticks for games.

In any case, I think it is great news to see the Oric supported! Magnificent work indeed.
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Re: The ZX-UNO project.

Post by xahmol »

Chema wrote: Tue Sep 29, 2020 2:22 pm The only real advantage of these FPGA boards against emulators is that they may be connected to a real CRT or, at least, may produce an real TV signal (RCA, RGB,...) and do not need intermediate conversions and adapters, so the image usually resembles the original much better. That and the possibility of using real retro-joysticks for games.
Sure. But dedicated FPGA boards for each original machine do a much more complete job at that as it does not only provide CRT and joystick connectivity, but also connectivity to all the other original stuff..... (exactly the reason that I as said actually have pre-ordered an Ultimate 64 Elite board).
So my point is that I do not get the wish to have one FPGA board to do them all as that automatically compromises a lot on preserving much of the original ones.`

Still on the fence on Evolution FPGA systems like the Mega65 and the Spectrum Next. They come much closer to the real hardware, but then again, it is not the original retro feel either. They look gorgeous, but not nostalgic to me. And they cost a fortune for a lot of features that I probably either will not use (using different cores for example) or that are a lot cheaper to obtain with FPGA solutions much closer to the original.
But admit that I would have joined the Next Kickstarter if I did not already overextend the money I want to spend on retro stuff past months....
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Re: The ZX-UNO project.

Post by ibisum »

I have to explain that I have the -UNO in my collection, which I am curating for general exhibit, because it aligns with a greater purpose - which is to give a useful introduction to the subject of 8-bit in a way that demonstrates the whole subject, in an easy to use package.

Its not for the purist or devoted hardware user, perhaps - but the delight of switching through all of the great old machines for which cores are available - indeed on a dumpster-dived fully working 80's TV (SCART) for legit feel - cannot be understated.

When I put my collection up again next, I'll use the -UNO with a stack of cards printed by, each with instructions for a different machine .. In a single unit I can step through 12 machines, and type a few one-pager demos, and so on.

Indeed, I have most of the real machines in the room, too. Actually, it is delightful to have relatively decent facsimiles of the original hardware and video for each system to compare with the real machines - and attests to certain levels of brilliance on behalf of the folks behind the project.

In fact, I have all I need in the Oric world, plus, and I would never say the -UNO can replace my favoured Atmos rig - which I rigorously defend as the ultimate example of the Atmos experience, through and through.

But the -UNO is a delightfully safe introduction to all of the systems. I'm not afraid of damage to an old machine - nor was it in any way difficult to set up, a la many emulators, because: FPGA. The only issue - which in the case of a public demo station is a grace - is that the storage capabilities for many machines (i.e. Oric) are not there yet...
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Re: The ZX-UNO project.

Post by Chema »

ibisum wrote: Tue Sep 29, 2020 7:50 pm The only issue - which in the case of a public demo station is a grace - is that the storage capabilities for many machines (i.e. Oric) are not there yet...
It is for Mist, Mistica and Sidi, though :wink:

I fully agree, by the way.
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Re: The ZX-UNO project.

Post by xahmol »

Fair point. Proves that it indeed surely will have an audience.
But unless I somehow obtain an unlimited budget to spend on retro stuff for me very low on the potential buy long list ;-) My list already way longer than I am willing to spend the next two years at least.
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Re: The ZX-UNO project.

Post by Dbug »

Budget, time, space, are the reasons why I restricted myself to the Oric and Atari - in the computer department -.
And the side channels (Minitel, retro midi equipment, tape drives) are losely related to both the Oric and Atari.

Too many computer, too many games, too much of everything, at some point it become more stress than pleasure: What if it burns, what if it gets stolen, what if this one of a kind "still boxed" device starts to leak capacitors, what if... what if...
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Re: The ZX-UNO project.

Post by xahmol »

Dbug wrote: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:20 am Too many computer, too many games, too much of everything, at some point it become more stress than pleasure:
Haha, so true. My focus is to basically get the machines back that I actually did some own programming on back in my youth (alas not for all machines that own programming survived, only for my Commodore 128 I still have my original storage media with own programs left), but that is already four machines (C128D, Oric Atmos, ZX Spectrum 128 and TI-99/4a). And strive to have those machines complete with modern niceties as SD card storage for tape images, disk emulation, joystick connectivity and preferably network access.
But only to obtain that, I still have several hundreds of euros left on my want list......

And because my original own software and present new software library is the biggest for the Commodore 64, that is also the one where I started a project to build an FPGA machine for.

Would love to extend to other machines in time, Atari and Acorn Archimedes being at the moment highest on my want list. But that is only after completing the above.
Only reason I might jumpstart the Acorn Archimedes is that I recently realized that modern day ARM processors are basically Acorn Archimedes machines.... (ARM standing for Acorn RISC Machine), making that you can actually quite easy run Archimedes software on a Raspberry Pi. Natively, no emulation or FPGA needed.
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