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Re: Next Cumulus batch

Posted: Wed May 13, 2015 4:20 pm
by ntrs
second survey done 8)

Re: Next Cumulus batch

Posted: Wed May 20, 2015 7:46 pm
by AndyGarton
I would still like one please.

Re: Next Cumulus batch

Posted: Thu May 21, 2015 10:36 am
by Godzil
So please fill the gdoc survey!

Re: Next Cumulus batch

Posted: Mon May 25, 2015 10:09 pm
by JonB
My order is already in.. I presume I still have that place in the queue?

Re: Next Cumulus batch

Posted: Tue May 26, 2015 10:15 am
by Godzil
Don't worry, if you fill the gdoc survey you are in the wait list :)

Re: Next Cumulus batch

Posted: Fri May 29, 2015 10:25 am
by Godzil
After removal of the duplicate entry, I have currently 39 cumulus requested, as we are still bellow the minimum quota I need for a batch, I will check for other solutions (I don't really want to pay for 50 and have 11 on my hands that no one wants ;) :p).
I have currently a more urgent project which is near completion, I will be able to work back on the cumulus rev2 just after :)

To answer some of the question left in the survey:
Uk psu or Europe psu- and is it needed?
When I originally look for the price, it was for the eur plug version, but a UK or US one will not change the price. Anyway when "ordering" will be ready, if you want a power plug, the choice of plugtype will be open of course :)

It could be needed if the power supply you use for your oric is too low on spec, the cumulus consume some mA, so cumulus+oric could draw more current more than normally supported by the original oric power supply. You are not forced to buy the one I will propose, it's just to let people that want one buy it :)
Any idea when the new culmulus could be available?
I project before the end of 2015, I can't be more precise right now.
I find the target price (70€) too expensive -- what is costing so much?
I know that 70€ is lots of money for some of us, I try to keep the price as low as possible, for now the target price of 70€ is the price that metadata asked to us for the cumulus he build. I really hope to get a lower price
does the Cumulus need an Amplibus as well?
No it won't. The Cumulus come with it's own version of the Amplibus which is the CumuluBus. There is no need to add an AmpliBus.
What is exactly the compatibility problem, and what models f Oric are affected?
Some Oric won't boot with a cumulus attached. The main problem is a purely electrical problem, that is simple to explain, but complex to solve. The mix of old technology (the oric) and new technology (the cumulus) and the fact that the Oric expansion port was poorly designed (from a modern point of view) even if the chips used in the cumulus are compatible with the one used in the Oric, there are some electrical artefact that's happen on the cable used to connect the Cumulus with the Oric that add delay or generate incorrect signals and the Oric/ULA is confused by this.

I have a potential solution that I need to test, and it will be part of the Rev2 cumulus, and I will be able to provide a "patch" for the existing one (in the form of two small card addons).
The second problem, is that it is quite rare, and happen only on a few Orices, and no common trait has been found yet.

Another reason for a Rev2 is that Retromaster leave to us only pictures of the schematic and gerber files for the PCB, making changes difficult, if not impossible.
I'm surprised you have to change the design of the Cumulus, especialy about the screen. Are you realy sure it's imposible to find the original one ?
The main reason for change in the design is to solve the problem with some Orices.
The other reason for the screen change is because the screen selected by retromaster was cheap, that right, but they are clone of a nokia screen, they are hard to find, and can't be used in mass production as they are not sourcable from normal sources. And even on website like dx.com they start to get difficult to find.
I could stick with this screen if I was making less than 10 boards. For 50 or 100 it will be much easier to use a more standard part that could be bought in one time from reputable sources. Also the screen is really fragile, and hard to put on the board because of it's connector. Another screen would allow better case design.

I have waited a long time for this ORIC interface and I can't wait to get one ,I presume you would need my address to sent it to me ,plus I will need your address to send the money too ,do you have a preference what form the money tranfer takes ?
Thanks!
I need to finish the redesign of the Cumulus before starting to ask for these point.

And don't worry, it's not a complet redesign, the Rev2 will be mostly compatible with the original Cumulus, same ROM, same CPLD, same MCU, mainly some change on the board layout and the screen part. I will also try to make the board smaller, and add a few bonuses.. You will see :) The goal is to keep the firmware compatible with the two versions :)

Re: Next Cumulus batch

Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2015 2:33 pm
by robione
Hello everybody,

I was registered in the first list to get a Cumulus.
I'm still interested in this type of interface.

I was surprised that the package was 3D printed before (money and time costs !!)
Maybe it could be interesting to send the board as it is, without package (but in a no-electrostatic plastic ) to reduce the price and developement time.

I am really impressed of the work done around an old little computer of early 80's (I've got my first atmos in 1984), Bravo !!!
It looks always so nice !

Ciao,
Robin

Re: Next Cumulus batch

Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2015 6:08 pm
by Hialmar
Would it be possible to replace the screen with something like what Nishida used for his UNISDISK air: http://tulip-house.ddo.jp/DIGITAL/UNISD ... index.html ?

It seems cheaper and easier to use. Ok you need a smartphone, tablet or computer to access it but I suppose everyone has some.

Another solution would be something connected to a computer through an USB port and have the GUI on the computer much like the HxC USB version.

Re: Next Cumulus batch

Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2015 7:26 pm
by coco.oric
Hello Godzil

I think that it'll be a good idea to publish the list of the 39 items and buyers.
May be some of us will increase their order to reach the 50
May the - like the metadata list - will post an order like the long list we had before.

I think that after publishing the list, we can make an advert on ceo-mag (i'm sure that a lot of french people could be interested but non reading df forum
We can also put the information on facebook groups & g+

Didier

Re: Next Cumulus batch

Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2015 11:26 pm
by Igotafro
I agree, I was on the old list and I wonder if I'm included in these 39. The old list had a lot more than 39 in queue.

Re: Next Cumulus batch

Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2015 5:52 pm
by Hialmar
The problem with the old list is that several people on the list disappeared a long time ago and we have no idea if they are still interested.

This is why we need another solution.

Re: Next Cumulus batch

Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2015 7:57 pm
by Dbug
Hialmar wrote:The problem with the old list is that several people on the list disappeared a long time ago and we have no idea if they are still interested.
This is why we need another solution.
It's still possible to contact them through the private messages system, but as far as I know there's no easy way to contact all these persons at the same time.

Re: Next Cumulus batch

Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2015 10:28 am
by Godzil
The current list which is easily visible on the first post as there is the survey resume link, does NOT include the original list, for the simple reason that this is a new list, and I can't rely on the original one.

But I will make a table that I will put in the first post of this topic.

So if you were in the original list, but never answered my survey, you are not in my list.

And for the Rev2 Cumulus, I don't plan to do big changes on the PCB, I will do change to make is smaller and have modifiable Cumulus schematic/PCB as we only have images of the Schematics and gerber for the PCB.

I will not make changes that need external hardware, even a smartphone, it will make this thing really complex, will get the BOM much more higher, and will need unnecessary development on smartphone. So no, no big changes on the Cumulus Rev 2.

Re: Next Cumulus batch

Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2015 11:25 pm
by Steve M

Re: Next Cumulus batch

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2015 9:59 am
by Chema
Steve M wrote:Here's another option
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SD-S-HXC-Flop ... 27fff064df
Yeah, but that is only a floppy emulator. It emulates a drive from disk images stored on a SD card. You still need a controller (such as a Microdisc). The smart thing on Cumulus is that it integrates both on a single device!

Besides HxC is expensive and needs a specific software to convert DSK files into its own image format. It has been proven it works with Microdisc controllers, though.