Cumulus Preorder Thread

[Godzil]

Hi everyone, I'm asking metadata if he could raise my cumulus higher in the waiting queue, and I have two reason for this, the first is to be able to really help on the current problem we have on some Oric as I have experience in hardware/software design and I suspect that I have an Oric where it would fail with current build of the cumulus (this Oric is reluctant with a standard microdisc so..)
I really hope we find soon the problem so peacer and other people will be able to use their cumulus.
The second reason is that I will attend a retro computing convention in the beggining of next month and I would like to dedicate an Oric stand to Twilighte by showing some of his work and as I will be short on space if I can get a cumulus instead of my microdisc it will be really better.

I hope that you will understand, and please tell it if you don't agree.
Thanks

[ibisum]

Godzil - I have two Cumulus', so I can send you one if its going to take metadata a little longer to get yours sent to you (as long as I get it back, or if metadata sends me a replacement when its ready). If you think thats worth the fuss, then lets do it - metadata, what do you think?

[Steve M]

I used to hear odd things about some Orics that wouldn't load. But if you plugged in a cassette lead it'd work. (Something like that.)

It may be useful to photograph the incompatible boards so we can see if there any changes to the circuit. I've seen a few added components.

I've recently had problems with the Atmos not loading cassettes with the disk interface attached. I never used to have that problem, but I am using a different Atmos.

Other obvious differences are the ROMs. Is it a particular ROM that causes the problem?
(By typing ?PEEK (#E4B6) you can discover which version you have. A result of 162 is the earlier Rom and 142 is the later version. (Oric-1 ROMs should give a result of 48).)

[Godzil]

Hi ibisum, thanks for your offer, I'll prefer for a "brand new one" as I may need to make modification on the board, but I'll keep it under my hat


Steve: the tape probleme is a know problem and related to the DOS not the hardware, some version of Sedoric provide a correction for this. For the PCB and ROM version, on topic on Cumulus issue we already ask for this, but thanks for your suggestion

[Steve M]

I used to be able to transfer programs OK. I'm using the same disks which did work, so the same DOS that worked now isn't working.

[metadata]

Other obvious differences are the ROMs. Is it a particular ROM that causes the problem?

i tryed that. I burnt all 3 version of the roms and the Cumulus works fine with all of it. It now also work with the 1.22 ROM.
So it is not a ROM thing. I think maybe some other parts on the oric pcb. Peacer's Oric hat two chip with HCT and my three Oric's has all LS chip.

[Godzil]

The CMOS/TTL mix may be a problem, but I think it's not our current problem.

Steve: that's weird, with the same hardware and software it no longuer work? Are you using it in the same conditions and environment? (The oric tape is sensible to RF perturbation) another problem that may rise is a faulty capacitor, if I recall correctly, there are some chemical one on the tape circuitry, you should check them (and if you please can you post photos of both side of the PCB of you oric, maybe in another topic as it is not related to the cumulus nor it's preorder, thanks)

[metadata]

The case in black/white

[Godzil]

You have a good fun time

[Steve M]

Steve: that's weird, with the same hardware and software it no longuer work? Are you using it in the same conditions and environment? (The oric tape is sensible to RF perturbation) another problem that may rise is a faulty capacitor, if I recall correctly, there are some chemical one on the tape circuitry, you should check them (and if you please can you post photos of both side of the PCB of you oric, maybe in another topic as it is not related to the cumulus nor it's preorder, thanks)

Same software and hardware but a different Oric to the one I used to use. My Atmos had the twin ROMs fitted and I had a switch for speaker on/off but I switched the wrong switch and damaged it. I sent it for repair to someone I met via Ebay who called himself 'Paul Bunyon'. I sent my favourite Oric to him to see if he could repair it and never heard anything more. Turns out Paul Bunyon is a fictional character from some American story.
So anyway, I've got several other Atmoses and just plugged in another one but it doesn't like BDDISK. Tapes load fine with just the tape player attached. Disks work. Can't get the two working together.

My Cumulus is on the way and I'll test a few Atmoses if I can get to the box that has them. I am being sent some more Orics which I will need to find homes for so I can send Peacer one if they work OK.

[Godzil]

My Cumulus is on the way and I'll test a few Atmoses if I can get to the box that has them. I am being sent some more Orics which I will need to find homes for so I can send Peacer one if they work OK.

If I understand correctly, you have a lot of atmos and you give (sell?) some, can you tell me if one of them have an atmos 48K with a 16K layout (only 2 DRAM chip) ?

[metadata]

.. or maybe a case complete in white

[Symoon]

Steve: the tape probleme is a know problem and related to the DOS not the hardware, some version of Sedoric provide a correction for this. For the PCB and ROM version, on topic on Cumulus issue we already ask for this, but thanks for your suggestion

There is indeed some hardware problem too (added to Sedoric bug). I'm a bit lazy searching again (it's posted somewhere on the forum ), but on some machine some signals were too weak for tape management when a disk drive was plugged. It required an ampli bus. There are articles in Theoric about that, too.
I experienced it myself on a large majority of my machines, that's why I tested the tape loading ability with Cumulus (which seems to work perfectly with any machine).

[Godzil]

Symoon: that's true, but I suspect it's due to the fact that the Oric is powered from the ExpBus and not from the power socket.

[peacer]

My Cumulus is on the way and I'll test a few Atmoses if I can get to the box that has them. I am being sent some more Orics which I will need to find homes for so I can send Peacer one if they work OK.

From your facebook account, One of them, maybe ?

Well, that would be muchly appreciated for sure, thanks.

About "returning" the cumulus as Boris explained, Personally, I don't have any intention like that. I'm pretty sure that, in very near future the problem will be solved and I could wait for that. I've been waiting to play oric games on my 30 years old Oric since 1980's and I can wait couple of more years too for that

I know that, recent problem is absolutely not Metadata's fault but inconsistency of Oric hardware and I'm sure this is something amendable.. Even if it won't be possible to use it with my cumulus, I'll choose to keep it..