Cumana Reborn DSK support

This is the best place to discuss about the various Oric operating systems like Sedoric, Randos, FT-Dos, and others, as well as serious software, utilities, word processors, disassemblers, etc... that runs on oric computers.
User avatar
xahmol
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 437
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2020 7:32 pm
Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Cumana Reborn DSK support

Post by xahmol »

No idea, I have never encountered any non-working HFE on my Cumana Reborn.

All files in the USB delivered with it work, and also all DSKs I have converted myself work.
User avatar
Bieno
Officer Cadet
Posts: 47
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 11:36 am
Location: Reus - Spain
Contact:

Re: Cumana Reborn DSK support

Post by Bieno »

Please, can you share some of the files ? To rule out possible errors, I will put them inside my memory stick and I will test them :D
User avatar
xahmol
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 437
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2020 7:32 pm
Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Cumana Reborn DSK support

Post by xahmol »

Bieno wrote: Mon Feb 15, 2021 7:35 am Please, can you share some of the files ?
Will do, but at the moment alas all my 8 bit computers are temporarily stowed away due to some construction work in that room. That work is now finished, but probably have no time before next weekend to place evything back again. So not sure if I will be able to post those on short notice.

Did you get the USB stick with your Cumana Reborn? I got my initial batch of files on a pre-installed USB stick together with my Cumana. So did not format it myself, it was already formatted and pre-installed. If you got the same USB drive with it as I did, I would be very surprised if these files are not exactly the same as mine, as I did not change anything in those.
What would be most interesting is why the Blake7 one works and the rest not. If all were not working it would have been more logical (received a non wokring version of the drive, or you encounter some kind of hardware conflict), but one working and the rest not sounds weird. @all Is there something tha the Blake7 game does differently than others that might cause that? Because knowing that might be helpful to diagnose the issue.

Did you contact the seller of the Cumana Reborn already? (might be challenging sometimes, he is sometimes not very responsive if busy).
User avatar
Bieno
Officer Cadet
Posts: 47
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 11:36 am
Location: Reus - Spain
Contact:

Re: Cumana Reborn DSK support

Post by Bieno »

Hello
I got the same USB drive with it as you did.
What happened is that, before testing it, I put several directories inside with software that I later deleted when I saw that it did not work. I did not try it as it originally came to me.
I have the original USB, as it came to me and formatted in FAT32
When you can, without rushing, send me the files and thanks :D

PD I have contacted Piotr but it is what you comment, he takes time to respond.
User avatar
Bieno
Officer Cadet
Posts: 47
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 11:36 am
Location: Reus - Spain
Contact:

Re: Cumana Reborn DSK support

Post by Bieno »

I have been doing various tests. I have formatted the Memory Stick to FAT32 and have only recorded the SEDORIC file in HFE.
The result, I don't know why, is changing. Normally the track counter stays stopped at 03 and others reaches 20, always without success.
I have done the tests with 2 different Atmos and 2 different Memory Sticks. Here I attach some images of the result

Image
Image
Image
User avatar
Chema
Game master
Posts: 3014
Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2006 10:55 am
Location: Gijón, SPAIN
Contact:

Re: Cumana Reborn DSK support

Post by Chema »

Plug the Amplibus in for a quick test. Everything points to problems in the bus signals.
User avatar
Bieno
Officer Cadet
Posts: 47
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 11:36 am
Location: Reus - Spain
Contact:

Re: Cumana Reborn DSK support

Post by Bieno »

I also connected the Amplibus between the ORIC and the Cumana Reborn but then the ORIC does not turn on
User avatar
xahmol
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 437
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2020 7:32 pm
Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Cumana Reborn DSK support

Post by xahmol »

If I see this I think it is not the files on the USB that is the problem but indeed communication issues. Which is a nuisance, because that is not so easy to fix I think (but I am by far an expert on Atmos hardware, or even any hardware).
It looks very much the same as the issues I have getting the Twilighte board, another modern hardware extension intended to work with the Oric Atmos, to work on my Atmos, without success yet.
Starting to feel it is really hard to develop hardware for the Atmos that works on all Atmosses. What works on one not necessarily works on another it seems.

Grateful that my Cumana Reborn works flawlessly with my Atmos, but out of ideas in your case. Would ask the seller if he has ideas or otherwise ask for a refund or sell.

Which is really a pity, because the Cumana Reborn is a great piece of hardware if it works, delivering tremendously more than the only real alternative that you can presently buy, the Erebus. And maybe I am not retro nostalgic enough, but personally do not have the patience for the trial and error that most tape emulations are, let alone real tape. And that is not even counting the fact that having disk access enables things like save games and on the fly loading of new files that tape (emulation) can never do.
But knowing this, I probably am going to be more careful recommending it as apparently mileage might vary depending on the specific Atmos you have.

Curious though: why did the hardware sold back in the 80ies like the original Microdrive not have these kind of difficulties? Or did they? (never owned a disk system for the Oric back then)
User avatar
Dbug
Site Admin
Posts: 4444
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2006 10:00 pm
Location: Oslo, Norway
Contact:

Re: Cumana Reborn DSK support

Post by Dbug »

xahmol wrote: Thu Feb 18, 2021 9:15 am Curious though: why did the hardware sold back in the 80ies like the original Microdrive not have these kind of difficulties? Or did they? (never owned a disk system for the Oric back then)
They did, back in the days, you would sent back your Microdisc and Atmos to Oric, and they would tinker with them until they work fine together.
Which, my all means, mean the Atmos would work with ANOTHER microdisc or this Microdisc with ANOTHER oric.
User avatar
xahmol
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 437
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2020 7:32 pm
Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Cumana Reborn DSK support

Post by xahmol »

Oh great. Would not want to be the one for technical support on selling those original Microdrives then....
User avatar
Bieno
Officer Cadet
Posts: 47
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 11:36 am
Location: Reus - Spain
Contact:

Re: Cumana Reborn DSK support

Post by Bieno »

Anyway tonight I will do more tests, with an ATMOS that a friend leaves me and also changing the power supply of the CUMANA for a different one.
User avatar
xahmol
Flight Lieutenant
Posts: 437
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2020 7:32 pm
Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands
Contact:

Re: Cumana Reborn DSK support

Post by xahmol »

Bieno wrote: Thu Feb 18, 2021 11:36 am Anyway tonight I will do more tests, with an ATMOS that a friend leaves me and also changing the power supply of the CUMANA for a different one.
Good luck!
User avatar
Chema
Game master
Posts: 3014
Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2006 10:55 am
Location: Gijón, SPAIN
Contact:

Re: Cumana Reborn DSK support

Post by Chema »

Bieno wrote: Thu Feb 18, 2021 7:46 am I also connected the Amplibus between the ORIC and the Cumana Reborn but then the ORIC does not turn on
Okay, I am definitely lost. This does not make sense to me. You'd better let Piotr help you. Maybe your unit is simply bad.
User avatar
Bieno
Officer Cadet
Posts: 47
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2012 11:36 am
Location: Reus - Spain
Contact:

Re: Cumana Reborn DSK support

Post by Bieno »

Tested again with another power supply and another Atmos with no luck :(
Again Blake's 7 works but the rest no.
I must talk with the seller.
User avatar
ibisum
Wing Commander
Posts: 1645
Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2009 8:56 am
Location: Vienna, Austria
Contact:

Re: Cumana Reborn DSK support

Post by ibisum »

I have a couple of Cumana and a small fleet of Oric-1/Atmos machines .. and as well the reborn .. and I can say that while they are finicky, its usually the cable and/or power supply.

If you've got the amplibus, you can check the signals .. and if you haven't got a really, really good, 1A power supply, then try another really great power supply, until you get a good signal.

In the early days of Cumana, there were also issues, and I found a functioning Amplibus is essential ..
Post Reply