Oric and Intersil ICM7170 RTC ?

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HigashiJun
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Oric and Intersil ICM7170 RTC ?

Post by HigashiJun »

I've read somewhere that very few Oric users had an RTC option for their machines.

This RTC was an Intersil ICM7170, still available on Ebay.

Does somebody know how this interface looked like ?

Was it an expansion board or a kind of internal solution ?

Any clues and information are welcome !

Cheers.
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HigashiJun
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Re: Oric and Intersil ICM7170 RTC ?

Post by HigashiJun »

Hmm...

Seems like an Oric mystery will remain unsolved.

:D
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Re: Oric and Intersil ICM7170 RTC ?

Post by Dbug »

If somebody manage to find information, I would be interested to know as well :)
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Dom
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Re: Oric and Intersil ICM7170 RTC ?

Post by Dom »

I'm (very) far from being an hardware specialist, :)
but I was sure I read something about the Oric and real time clock.
After a quick search, I found the description of an extension board in the book "60 solutions pour Oric1 +Atmos" de R.Schulz (ETSF edition)
On pages 37 to 41.
Unfortuantely, the chip used is not an ICM170 RTC but a CIA 6526 ...
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Re: Oric and Intersil ICM7170 RTC ?

Post by HigashiJun »

Here's the link to the article:

http://oric.free.fr/programming.html#rtc

and the appendix:

http://oric.free.fr/HARDWARE/Rtc.txt

Quite nothing, but considering the ICM7170 chip has 24 pins, it's surely an add-on card connected to the expansion port of the Oric, as there's no 24 pins connector inside.

I first thought it would be something you can install under the ROM, like the DS1216E chip...
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Re: Oric and Intersil ICM7170 RTC ?

Post by mikeb »

Datasheet for ICM7170 :-

It is not pin compatible with clever tricks like tucking it under a ROM (as used on an Apple II+ RTC module, complete with some clever port-knocking style dance required to read it ...!)
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ICM7170.pdf
ICM7170 data sheet
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HigashiJun
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Re: Oric and Intersil ICM7170 RTC ?

Post by HigashiJun »

Yeah, so I guess the only way to fit a RTC internally is by using the DS1216E...

It is pin compatible, should fit under the ROM without affecting the clearance and writing a small programme to make use of it should not be so hard.

It would be really nice to have time on our machines.

Have to give it a try, but I first have to repair my Atmos...

Cheers.
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Re: Oric and Intersil ICM7170 RTC ?

Post by Badger »

HigashiJun wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 1:55 am Yeah, so I guess the only way to fit a RTC internally is by using the DS1216E...
Not quite.

I have managed to connect an a I2C RTC module via the printer port to the oric.

Topic is here : viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2054

I dont think it would be hard to mount the moudule internally and wire it up to the printer port, it only needs 4 wires (+5v, GND, SDA , SCL) with the SDA and SCL mapped to 2 pins on the printer port. The code is very rough and totally not optimised in any way for size or speed. But it works as a proof of concept.
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HigashiJun
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Re: Oric and Intersil ICM7170 RTC ?

Post by HigashiJun »

Yes, I remember your interesting topic...

Your idea is an alternative to a more old-school way of getting a clock in our machines.

If I cannot get the DS1216E working, I will give it a try.

Just a question, suppose I manage to connect the I2C RTC internally, wouldn't be there some issues with the printer port if I connect a printer or a joystick adapter to it ?
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Re: Oric and Intersil ICM7170 RTC ?

Post by kenneth »

If the rtc interface is connected on the printer port, it will be difficult to avoid the conflict with the sound processor ant the ijk interface, and an external power is required, otherwise, internally, the empty ROM socket can provide the power, the data bus, A0 to A4 lines adresses. Only two wires must added to connect IO and IOCONTROL, for the page 3 adressing. The IJK or PASE joystick interface will run and all games will be compatibles. The only difficult is the size of the piggyback pcb who permit to close the Oric shell...maybe a CMS-mode pcb could be made ?
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Re: Oric and Intersil ICM7170 RTC ?

Post by Badger »

HigashiJun wrote: Sat May 02, 2020 12:34 pm Just a question, suppose I manage to connect the I2C RTC internally, wouldn't be there some issues with the printer port if I connect a printer or a joystick adapter to it ?
Yes that is true unfortunately.

The I2C module would be ok as that would wait for specific addressing, but not sure how other peripherals would react.

Also, as Kenneth also mentioned, it may have an impact on the soundcard too.

If mounted internally, then power isnt an issue though.

Probably a more elegant solution is to use some kind of internet solution (I know of a few that are in development) and then get the time from an ntp source. Probably needing about the same amount of code as other methods.
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HigashiJun
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Re: Oric and Intersil ICM7170 RTC ?

Post by HigashiJun »

Thank you both for your precious information.

I asked that question because I am interested in the IJK joystick (though I do not know how many games are compatible with it) as it does not jam the sound and my expansion port is already reserved for the Cumana Reborn.

I will then definitely give a try to the DS1216E solution.

By the way Kenneth, didn't you post some IJK schematics on a Spanish forum ?

Cheers.
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Re: Oric and Intersil ICM7170 RTC ?

Post by kenneth »

I made this pcb diagram, but it wasn't tested, the chips are available on Aliexpress site.

download/file.php?id=2076
Last edited by kenneth on Sun May 03, 2020 2:38 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Oric and Intersil ICM7170 RTC ?

Post by HigashiJun »

Thanks a lot Kenneth !

Have to try it for sure.

Cheers.
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Re: Oric and Intersil ICM7170 RTC ?

Post by Symoon »

I think the Real Time Clock reference on Oric World website is the Telestrat one.
Especially since Fabrice is asking Laurent's help at some point, and Laurent was a Telestrat specialist.

I clearly recall l'"horloge en temps réel" (as we say RTC in French) being advertised, I suspect you'd find some information in Theoric magazine.
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