OCULA - a ULA replacement concept

[Sodiumlightbaby]

New FW release published
https://github.com/sodiumlb/ocula-pivic ... tag/v0.1.1


Add PIVIC address masking PIO program and DMA. by @sodiumlb in #24
Fix OCULA splash screen configurability. by @sodiumlb in #25
Fix OCULA decode PIO program. I by @sodiumlb in #26
Fix Correct CVBS PAL colour definiton for light green odd lines to th… by @sodiumlb in #27
Fix Make RnW sampling related to PHI clock, not RnW signal edge, to a… by @sodiumlb in #28
Added missing look up of border colour before outputting last 4 border pixels prior to hblanking by @lanceewing in #31
Reverse mode changes are one pixel off by @lanceewing in #33
29 pivic ntsc palette issues by @sodiumlb in #34
adding memory usage stats after build by @iss000 in #32

New Contributors

@iss000 made their first contribution in #32

Key for OCULA is the updated decode program which should greatly help stability. Testers, enjoy!

[iss]

I've tested the update and it works stable for me.

[Sodiumlightbaby]

I've tested the update and it works stable for me.

Great to hear! I think @Chema had the most issues last?

Edit: Update is basically like on LOCI. https://github.com/sodiumlb/ocula-docs/ ... are-update

[Chema]

Great! I will test asap. I am currently under some pressure are work, but will try to find some time!

[Sodiumlightbaby]

It's been good seeing the clip-on mux bridges have been working well, but I've been worried about the need for special pins and tricky soldering needed to make them for those who wants to produce OCULA. I used some board stacking headers that had thin enough pins to work as the flexible clamp-on contacts, but it was not a great process so I've been trying to think of better solutions for the pins.

Then occured to me to give flex PCB a try. Basically have the connector PCB and pins done as one piece that fits inside the PLA 3D printed clamp-on frame. Now, assembling components on the flex PCBs cost extra so the cost-reduced prototype I'm going for simple short bridges. First trial so this we'll see in time if this is a good option or not.

ocula_mux_bridge_cr_top.jpg

ocula_mux_bridge_cr_bottom.jpg

[Vyper68]

Flex PCB is an interesting alternative to the Mux bridges as they currently exist. They work fine for me but I can see how it would make it more ... for want of a better word "foolproof".
I haven't tested the new firmware as I have been ill for a few days but will give it a go tomorrow.

[Sodiumlightbaby]

Flex PCB is an interesting alternative to the Mux bridges as they currently exist. They work fine for me but I can see how it would make it more ... for want of a better word "foolproof".
I haven't tested the new firmware as I have been ill for a few days but will give it a go tomorrow.

Good to hear you are feeling better
Yeah, thinking is to use a 3D printed clip-on frame simular to the old one, but have the bridge PCB and the "leach pins" be produced in one body, instead of the fiddly soldering job of the non-standard contact pins of the prototype.

[ftmb]

I'm going to resume my tests

first on Oric
then on Telestrat

[ftmb]

So I resumed testing

with an Oric card modified according to the latest Oric issues

with the Erebus: I'm sticking with the Ocula splash screen
with loci: it only starts after resetting the loci
With Cumana Reborn: it starts by pressing the reset button on the Cumana Reborn

Note: I haven't modified the capability because it would be good if Ocula worked with a recent, unmodded Oric.

[coco.oric]

Hello

I've found time to update ocula (version 13.2.1 20231009) and it's fine. Always on my atmos with bad ram and cm issue 4

So I resumed testing
with loci: it only starts after resetting the loci

I've not yet tried disk and tape.

[Sodiumlightbaby]

New FW release:
https://github.com/sodiumlb/ocula-pivic ... tag/v0.1.2

One key thing for OCULA: screen data bus output during ULA phase of clk - makes LOCI screen mode detection work correctly

This may later be replaced by an active API based method but a bit more work to be done before we get there. Now OCULA should be working well enough as generic ULA replacement

[iss]

Great, and all that pio things are pure magic.

[Magoric]

I've been out the radar for a long time. Life is life, but I'm trying to go back to the retro in an active way, and watching for news in the Oric world I've found this impressive work.

All I have to say is COGRATULATIONS @Vyper68. It is awsome ! brillant !. A real good work.

The first step to build a new generation of Oric machines or to expands them.

I will try to replicant it.

Thank you very much for your work !.

[Vyper68]

It was Sodium's project not mine I just helped test it a little bit.

[Sodiumlightbaby]

It was Sodium's project not mine I just helped test it a little bit.

It's a very good opportunity to extend a thanks to everyone who's contributing to this and other projects. I may have started and driving the progress, but it's all in the spirit of spreading the fun and together with you all.

So OCULA is looking pretty stable. The thing that needs some more fiddling is the mux bridge clip-ons. While investigating Dbug's hauned Atmos, I got my old set working but not with the greatest fit compared to by test Oric, so I should have a look to see if they can be improved a little.