Most liked posts in thread: What's new Pussycat too?

Thank you very much, fellas.

Hossie should have been in touch today with Bev's operation date but as ever if it aint COVID you're on the back burner and she had to chase them and pull a few strings with folks she knows there who are in the know with the orthopaedic team.

Anyway, we go to the fracture clinic tomorrow for them to assess her x-rays and then they'll take bloods and maybe come up with a date sometime soon (preferably not Christmas Day).

We do appreciate your kind thoughts and sentiments as it's been a total write off this year for everyone so I'm sure feeling sorry for ourselves won't help - we'll just do what everyone else has done, roll our sleeves up and get on with the rest of what life's got to chuck at us - I mean anything's better than the thought of me cooking the sprouts... how hairy do you want em?!

 

All

I'd like to think we are all adult enough to realise a few written words are not a rant at each other, just a way of letting a lttle steam out, rather than the pressure relief valve failing ..

I wish every one all the best and like to think that 2021 will be better, I suspect that the worst is'nt over just yet but at least some light at the end of the tunnel.

I do however wonder how, 'WE' (UK) seem to have a variant of the virus that's so much more virulent

 

Fellas, all I can say in response is here, here, here and amen to prayers to deliver us from this crappy shitty situation we've all been dumped in and find ourselves incredulous due to way, way, way too late responses we've all seen to this pandemic. Border closures too slow, PPE gear issued too slow, Track and Trace apps... too crap, protecting the care homes....too slow and now leaving schools open far too long with folks testing postive...too ridiculous for words.
The whole world has gone to rat shit these past 12 months.
If we didn't let off a bit of steam and have a laugh on here I reckon there's every chance we'd be hurling Orics at folks down the street and foaming at our user ports etc.
As Paul said, so sorry for folks on here such as Graham who are seeing the suffering at close quarters (my mam and step dad are at each others' throats and she's threatening to leave him - it's all got too much for them) so we can totally appreciate the kind of family concerns going on around us and affecting our nearest and dearest. We've got to be there for them and we've got to pull together in the same direction, remember a bit of humour and patience and see it from the other point of view.
Graham, as Rich hinted, we have some news for you... we have (thanks to Richie) got you a now fully working....

SEE NEW THREAD!!

 

That sounds about right, @Graham , and my thoughts exactly (minus the component names like "bucking spring"

It's an RT101 sold by NEC. And supposedly a Hi-Tek, though I wouldn't know for sure without pictures or opening it up, but what I can see of it with plungers and feel, it's made by Hi-Tek.

 

Cheers, Graham.

As you know, one of the strengths of this little group is that everyone's keen to help others - as you've been doing from day one.

It's a pleasure and it sounds like you're now even busier with the XL, microdisc, PCBs, diagnostic boards, Oric Atmos to play with and heaven knows what other projects you've got up your sleeves, mate.

Enjoy and here's to a catch-up tomorrow.

I'm not sure Rich will be available as he said he was a little tied up during January but he'll be back with us for a video group chat as soon as.

Hoping we hear from Andy V, Matt B, Manu K and anyone else who is keen to join Al, me and thee.

Theme for tomorrow - build your own 3D printer.... with a 3D printer!

 

Good luck on building your own, Graham, I never really thought of that, but I think I have enough engineering ahead of me with the robot, and yes, I will definitely be using the printer where I can for parts for it. Actually, I was given links on AA to some things to print out to upgrade the printer itself once I get it too. Though the robot arm I have an eye on is a kit made of aluminum parts for me to have fun assembling. I may upgrade it with parts I design and print out...we'll see, I need to learn to use the printer first, and learn whatever new CAD program I need to design my own parts, and I think the printer itself require assembly on my own.

I don't know yet if I'll design my own tracks to make the robot mobile or not, but I will be designing my own body to go on the track base and have one or two arms attached to it and an 800 motherboard stashed inside. I'm sure there's a lot I haven't thought of yet, so the body won't be designed until the 11 hour. I do know It'll have camera's and sensors galore so it can find it's way around and no pre-programmed movements like the toy robots of old. I'll probably use sheet metal for the body, and I'll have to design a rudimentary brake-press to bend the sheet metal to my will. Luckily I had a job for six months running a brake-press and learned to set it up for different jobs, on the job, so I have an idea...

But I'm not and educated engineer, just an educated electronics techie, though I do my own minor engineering sometimes, but this is all about the learning process including teaching myself to be a bit of an engineer. I'm educated in art and sculpting and self-taught with construction, plumbing, electrical (well I really learned that bit when I was got my associate's in electronics). I've built a home, I've built a green house, I designed and built my own trailer for my business, etc. I learned to learn and that's what I do.

 

My 800 version Sophia 2 arrived today. I may install it tonight, but soon anyway.

 

Are you able to display a 4:3 screen ratio through HDMI on your TV/monitor or are you stuck with 16:9 wide screen stretching everything? I'm going with VGA I think, so I can get a 4:3 ratio which my LCD screens won't display in HDMI, or RGB which will work with my 1084S when I repair it, or I have a converter/upscaler to turn it to VGA. But if I'm not mistaken, I believe the pre-programmed modes on the Sophia 2 are DVI out on the main area of the plug/port and VGA where the 4 pins are grouped together. Anything else I believe you have to reflash the firmware, or it's programmable and savable in some way. I have to go read the PDF's on the Sophia 2 again, now that I have it.

As per getting the cable from your mate...you are probably right, it might not be such a good idea...I can see it now..."Yes Officer, I know no one's suppose to be about unless it's an emergency, but how can I live without my Atari displaying RGB!? Are we to live like barbarians!?"

 

With the config program you can get a 4:3

And yes, I don't think I want to ruffle the feathers of a Policeman..

 

I did not know there was a 4:3 option that way. My LCD monitors will only display HDMI in 16:9 ratio currently. If it's possible to change that at the source to display a 4:3 screen on my monitors, then I will stick with DVI and the 1084 monitor will stay with the 1200XL (I already painted it to match the XL livery anyway, and would have had to repaint)

 

It sounds very much like you will be tied up for the forseeable future, fella!

Do come up for air from time to time and report in, won't you, bud.

See you around Easter, mate.

You are sincerely sorted in a major way and like you say, have Atari times ever been sweeter in terms of the amazing possibilities out there?

I think not - grab these goodies with both hands and enjoy, Matt.

 

Nice Richie

Where did you get yours from again, any import charges?

 

Someone is going to be retro brighting...

 

Hi all,

hope you are all well?

Does anyone have a complete collection of the Page 6 issue disks that came with the magazine?

regards

Andy

 

What exactly the FujiNet is for? I mean, what services does it provide? Loading cartridges, disks or cassette images? Network connectivity? Thanks.

 

Matt is your man for a full breakdown but yes, all of the things you said...And more..

 

Great result, Graham.

Hope you have many happy hours with the old fruit!

Richie, as ever, thank you for assisting in this repair and we have one new happy Oric user!

Thanks, Graham.

Very kind to look over the microdisc to see what you can do.

No rush as ever.

 

That's great news about Bev... I'm sure I can speak for us all in wishing her a speedy recovery back to normal.

As you may have realised my post code is one that's affected by the South African varient of Covid. very strange to me knowing our local area and its inhabitents and we are between two larger Urban area's .. Good news (maybe) is that we can get tested every 10 days even if not showing any symptoms, so may catch it much earlier if we do become infected in some way ( really can only be Pam's children she looks after) I've had to cut off visiting Mum, puts the onus on my sister.

It's also given me a little more time to try and tidy my workshop.. well thats what I thought anyway.
That and Ian from 'retro computers' was on holiday the whole of Jan, and I was to lazy to make my own video cable..

@Vyper68 Thank you for the heads up on the negative rail voltage regulators, last time I searched for something similar were over £20 pound, nearer £10 now. good to know about the reset circuit capacitor as well.
@Andy Barr if you havn't had one fitted by Richie ... it's something I'd recomend to any oric owner. & works exactly the same way as the two regulators I replaced in the microdrive...

Last thing for this morning, the XEGS I'm building is now running. used a XEGS MMU & an EPROM ,, not sure why the U1MB boards not working, as installed correctly and are pretested in other computers, but that was all thats wrong.
if peeps need any MMU'S either XL/XE or XEGS I know I can now program these

 

@M.D.Baker
I think I've found away of turning something like these :- https://uk.banggood.com/Geekcreit-E...MIi-2x6JvV7gIVWPhRCh0ZHw5pEAQYAyABEgL6ZPD_BwE
and replacing the modual with one of these
https://www.digikey.co.uk/product-d...16MB/1965-ESP32-WROVER-IE-16MB-CT-ND/11613179
a few small capacitors to change plus a daughter board with three leds buttons and a few 74ls07 buffers two fets and some resistors..
into a fuji net.

This will save me having to try and solder this https://www.digikey.co.uk/product-detail/en/silicon-labs/CP2102N-A02-GQFN24/336-5887-ND/9863476
it has 6 legs on each side and is 4mm square they do one thats 3mm square and stopped production of the larger varients

 

It certainly looks like it would work to me too, though you are much more knowledgeable than I with my measly associates degree and lack of experience in really ever designing my own stuff from the ground up. But I see it has the integrated SD slot, so I guess you could avoid the CP210. But would the CP210x driver still be used or would it require another driver?

 

I'm home now @M.D.Baker .. Matt I'll add that I don't hold a degree of any sort, so don't knock your education..
My eldest Daughter has a B.Sc and in her 2nd year of an M.Sc. so the genes passed something on
Your mention of the device driver has lead me to possiably rethink the CP2102, I mention this as you can easily purchase just the USB to TTL UART boards. I wonder If I just designed something with the ESP32, SD card, lights and buttons and buffers but left the USB port to be plugged in when needed when needed.
Hmm. As I've not read through all the documentation you have so kindly linked, apart from programming new software into it, is the USB used for anything else, maybe it see's the mSD card as a plug in memory.
I could use something like this thats ready made :-
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-to-T...081201&hash=item3d1b1fcca5:g:lhMAAOSwokVdMdA3

Or better still this :- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6-Pin-CP...452357?hash=item48ed1884c5:g:RSsAAOSwUvFfW5zS

@Vyper68 Richie any thoughts at all, this would get round trying to solder the CP2102 directly?

 

@Graham I guess I'm lost a bit myself here, as I don't know what 500 series you speak of.

Oh, I just realized, you mean my Oscilloscope! No, I haven't yet, I did open her up when I noticed there were a few wires hanging out that were apparently meant to go to something else to make up for a missing board in it that must have died at some point, but I've no idea what is now missing and need to do more research on it. But I intend to look over everything thoroughly before I do power it up.

Also, the power cord had been cut, and as I mentioned I think it was salvaged from a Good Will charity store dumpster as I worked at one for a while (while attending school for electronics actually) and they didn't keep and sell electronics in my region because the idiot woman regional manager heard that electronics contained "PCB's" and so were dangerous (wrong kind of "PCB's of course, which is why I refer to her as an idiot) and they made us cut cords and throw them out. As if that would have been better, going to landfills IF the type of "PCB's" (polychlorinated biphenyls), the idiot woman thought were in them actually were! I tried to have it stopped but I was a lowly part-time worker so no one listened, and I actually salvaged a few computers including two TI=99/4A's from the dumpster while I worked there; something I would have been fired for doing if caught. Apparently the idiotic idea has spread since that time. It's really amazing the morons that get put in charge of things in this world; The U.S. elected officials being a prime example of pure idiocy.

 

That's awful, Daz.

So, so sorry - is there anyone amongst us who hasn't had a crap 2020-21?

Sometimes it feels like one awful thing after another. I've known of two other fellas living within 2mins of us here who were hit whilst out on their bikes. One smashed his face (aged 70) and the other his collar bone (guy in his 40s so he's got age on his side in terms of recovery) when vehicles have driven too close to them and then they've hit a sudden / hidden pothole and.... yeah, come off and had a bad impact with the ruddy road tarmac/concrete.

Your poor, poor dad. The same leg as Bev and you do worry at that age, Daz, and also what else he might get in hospitals right now and are they giving the same priority to such patients as opposed to those being treated for the virus...? You just wonder and so it's natural to be worried.

I truly and sincerely hope you get some better news soon, mate.
You take good care of you, your family and see what you can do to help your dear dad.
Tough times indeed all round.

 

Sorry to hear Daz, best wishes for a speedy recovery...

He's in the right place although as hospitals are full of COVID people its a worry but those places get sanitised 24hrs a day..

 

Today my 3 SRAM chargers for Indus GT and CA-2001 finally arrived. Sent out to me by tf_hh in early December. The only difference betweed GT and 2001 versions is the orientation of the pin-header socket. Also tha latest version 1.2 OS roms as he said he could include them and I've no idea what version I have and it saves me the time of burning my own, though I could. I think he only charged me the cost of the eproms.

So once installed, all three of those drives will have full CP/M capability and SIO speed with Super Synchromesh up to divisor 6 (68K; compared to 57K Happy Ultra Speed on my two 1050's (and eventually my 810). Even though Fujinet is able to go up to divisor 0 (126K), I have also been using divisor 6 on it as that seems the fastest stable speed to guarantee most things load and run properly. It's fast enough for me. I have MyIDE II and Incognito Side, The!Cart and battery-backed ramdisk on Turbo Freezer if I need faster loading for stuff.