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Oric Next ..

Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2020 4:54 pm
by ibisum
I see the Spectrum Next is shipping, and I'm a bit green about it to be honest - so I figured I'd ask if anyone here is planning to do a Kickstarter for "Oric Next", and if so .. can we please get on with it .. ;)

Re: Oric Next ..

Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 2:30 am
by Bodhi
I would definetly be there in any case. :D

Re: Oric Next ..

Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 6:23 pm
by jbperin
Not sure there are enough people to fund such a development .. But that would be really cool.

Someone has just posted about an ORIC core made with FPGA .. that might be a good start :D

Re: Oric Next ..

Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 8:54 pm
by Dbug
jbperin wrote: Sat Jan 07, 2023 6:23 pm Not sure there are enough people to fund such a development .. But that would be really cool.

Someone has just posted about an ORIC core made with FPGA .. that might be a good start :D
The MiSTer Oric core has been usable for quite a while now.

Maybe all is needed is to basically get a case with a mechanical keyboard, and a bunch of connectors to connect a MiSTer or whatever else required to emulate the Oric.

One note about the Spectrum Next: It is compatible with a number of legacy hardware like cartridges and microdrives, that my itself makes it usable as a decent Spectrum replacement.

Re: Oric Next ..

Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 10:37 pm
by xahmol
I would only be interested in a FPGA replacement that a) fits in an original case and b) can run all the original hardware.

So for me a pass on the Spectrum Next. Am actually more interested in the N-Go, which is a Next clone that does fit in an original case. Pity it is the rubber key one, would already have bought one if it would fit in a Toastrack case.

Therefore also a pass on the Mega65, but avid fan of the Ultimate64 I own.

Re: Oric Next ..

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2023 2:00 am
by Bodhi
I found this one while traveling trough the internet:http://passionoric.free.fr/fr/junior/hjrspec.htm

I don't know if this guy still works on this project but it shows that there are people thinking about "revitalisation". :wink:

Re: Oric Next ..

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2023 12:38 pm
by Symoon
This is a topic we're discussing from time to time.
A new machine won't be easy to design if you want to meet the requirements of all (or most) Oric users. Some will want "the same machine but easier to use/plug/power". Some will want to carry on using their extensions, which are many (drives, optical pen, speech synth, joysticks, loading their old tapes, ...)
Some will ask for a more comfortable programming machine: new video modes, more RAM, faster CPU... But backwards compatible. With ROM 1.0 or ROM 1.1. With Atmos keyboard or Oric-1... (to play Zorgons Revenge :p ). And Telesrat?
My point is that the list might be endless.

Looking back at the most serious attempts, the Super Oric (based on a SNES) was made as a new machine, and despite actually working with better specs and having support of famous Oricians (André, Thierry, Fabrice), very few people used it - less than ten, if not less than 6.
Now there's Orix, another attempt at upgrading our systems, but in another spirit: plugging on the original machines.

If I'm not mistaken, I would say that the most successful hardware made so far for our machines is the Erebus: available to non-eletronicians/soldering people, and making life easier on certain things. Sold more than 300 times on ebay IIRC. That could be an indicator on what most people are expecting.

Re: Oric Next ..

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2023 1:58 pm
by rampa
xahmol wrote: Sat Jan 07, 2023 10:37 pm I would only be interested in a FPGA replacement that a) fits in an original case and b) can run all the original hardware.

So for me a pass on the Spectrum Next. Am actually more interested in the N-Go, which is a Next clone that does fit in an original case. Pity it is the rubber key one, would already have bought one if it would fit in a Toastrack case.

Therefore also a pass on the Mega65, but avid fan of the Ultimate64 I own.
The same oric core than in mister is also on next/n-go (not using the integrated keyboard nor hdmi. only ps2 and VGA) but i think nobody used this one :-)

About peripherals... You need a FPGA with a lot of spare i/o pin. I have the oric core running on a development board with printer support and a real microdisc running. But this is not a dedicated pcb and will be hard to fit inside a real case.

Oric is also running on zx1 hardware. you can use on this one https://www.antoniovillena.es/store/product/plus-uno/ and there was also zxuno boards prepared to fit on real cases. But this one is a real small fpga (only 9kle)

Sidi and mist are a beter/cheaper option (but no externalk slots)

I wrote jede two weeks ago. I am insterested his twilighte board. I think it is the best upgrade i have seen. and may be it can be connected to an fpga and cased in a good kbd....

Re: Oric Next ..

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2023 3:48 pm
by Bodhi
I wrote jede two weeks ago. I am insterested his twilighte board. I think it is the best upgrade i have seen. and may be it can be connected to an fpga and cased in a good kbd....
That sounds interesting.

Re: Oric Next ..

Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2023 9:24 pm
by xahmol
Bodhi wrote: Sun Jan 08, 2023 3:48 pm
I wrote jede two weeks ago. I am insterested his twilighte board. I think it is the best upgrade i have seen. and may be it can be connected to an fpga and cased in a good kbd....
That sounds interesting.
Well, I have a Twilighte board, but last I used it it was too unstable and too alpha for serious use. But honestly, that is more than a year ago, and a lot has been developed since. But lack time to investigate again so far.