Imma Just Gonna Leave This Here….

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.
DigitalDunc
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Imma Just Gonna Leave This Here….

Post by DigitalDunc »

I have had a little board come back from China, and I hope my first pass design works without too many bodge-wires.

Can you guess what it is yet?
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Dbug
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Re: Imma Just Gonna Leave This Here….

Post by Dbug »

Oric board revision X :) ?
DigitalDunc
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Re: Imma Just Gonna Leave This Here….

Post by DigitalDunc »

It’s a brand new Oric! Dual ROM too for the best of both worlds. I hope to reach the bring-up before Christmas as I have a small shortage of a couple minor parts (not semiconductors).
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Chema
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Re: Imma Just Gonna Leave This Here….

Post by Chema »

Looks terrific!!!!!
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HigashiJun
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Re: Imma Just Gonna Leave This Here….

Post by HigashiJun »

Nice !
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Symoon
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Re: Imma Just Gonna Leave This Here….

Post by Symoon »

Great! Beside the double ROM, is it aimed at having the exact same chips and so on, or did you plan any improvement (like a new video output)?
DigitalDunc
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Re: Imma Just Gonna Leave This Here….

Post by DigitalDunc »

Well, for now this is nearly the same as the original Orics to the point that it will fit in the standard case (sans IC sockets on one edge), but with slightly modernised video output. The idea is that I can use it as a learning platform.

Gone is the very out of production bipolar PROM chip and in is a connector more suitable for SCART this time around.

There’s an improved reset circuit and the extra ROM bank shouldn’t affect peripherals.

This is however still using the regular custom chip, but a tower board could be made to try out ideas there if anyone is up to the challenge.

I wanted to add a joystick interface and some other things but it’s baby steps first.
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Re: Imma Just Gonna Leave This Here….

Post by DigitalDunc »

There has been some minor progress, though I have to make a lead up and do some preliminary tests before putting the RAM in. WRT to slight jank (waiting on a few parts still), please be kind.
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ibisum
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Re: Imma Just Gonna Leave This Here….

Post by ibisum »

This is exciting! Could you foresee pushing it into Oric Exos territory, and making four of them with combined video output?
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Re: Imma Just Gonna Leave This Here….

Post by DigitalDunc »

There’s enough in common that it could be done, but I think improving the expansion capability to add various super features may come first.

It’d be nice to add an SD card slot, an extra more capable sound chip and joystick interface too. USB ROM update would be pretty good for the experimenter, and easily implemented using either a PIC or STM32 microcontroller.

Let your imaginations run wild and some of the ideas may catch on, but never loose the essence of the original.
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Re: Imma Just Gonna Leave This Here….

Post by DigitalDunc »

Just a little Christmas gift to the community but the OriClone-1 boots! Still loads of work to do but here we are.
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Chema
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Re: Imma Just Gonna Leave This Here….

Post by Chema »

My 2 cent would be: standard Oric first. IJK joystick (or some programmable interface). Maybe SD for loading tap files, maybe disc controller too, serial port... Everything compatible. Even at hardware level, so we can plug in devices.

Being able to put a ROM file on the SD to use at boot could be nice!

I am not a fan of superpowers or new features (fast processors, more memory, better graphics or sound) because that departs for what the original Oric was. Makes everything more expensive, complicated and, sometimes, less compatible. And almost no software to make use of it.

But, it is your project, and I am not going to complain :)
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Re: Imma Just Gonna Leave This Here….

Post by DigitalDunc »

Well, I used a rockwell 6502 instead of the current WDC part in this case because of the differing opcode behaviour for reasons of compatibility, and TBH, whilst stronger, better, faster are great, I do appreciate how too many superpowers cause community fragmentation.

The Oric community is too small for trouble like that so super upgrades have to work with standard machines too. That doesn’t preclude upgrades but it does mean careful and considerate design such that normal Oric users can plug something affordable in too.
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Re: Imma Just Gonna Leave This Here….

Post by Symoon »

It works, well done ;)

I tend to second Chema regarding improvements, i'd go for things that make life easier first. Nowadays video output, a switch on/off, things like that. Why not bluetooth audio link or tape in/out link (if that ever works !).
Then hardware improvements like said abovee:joystick, integrating a SD card indeed (why not to read/write WAV files as tape player !), or a controler card (or several ones, we're dreaming right? ;) ), or a vocal synth, well, whatever ;)
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Re: Imma Just Gonna Leave This Here….

Post by DigitalDunc »

I really want people to be able to load and save to SD card and use a joystick too. I also need to get my hands on some addons to ensure hardware compatibility. I guess it’s time to go shopping.
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