Oric-1 First L̶o̶o̶k̶ Listen

If I remember correctly, the ZAP, PING, and EXPLODE commands were added to make it easier for people to create games in BASIC without having to create their own sound effects. I have to admit I entered 10 ZAP, 20 GOTO 10, and hit ENTER in a computer store before running away, but only once.

3:02 we never could use joysticks because we always have a cup of tea in one hand.

Oric 1 was followed by Oric Atmos (48Kb with a more mecanical keyboard). Also, it was the first programming computer of Eric Chahi who released in 1991 "Another World" (in Europe), "Out of this world" in north america.

Best vintage computer blind review, ever.

The Oric Atmos ROM 1.1b Disassembly is available on line if you search for it. The ZAP EXPLODE PING and SHOOT commands are detailed here. You can copy them into RAM and make alterations to the presets. ZAP is at FAE1 for example.

The display adapter will drive a PAL UHF colour or black and white television receiver on approximately Channel 36. RGB output is also provided on a 5 pin DIN 41524 socket.

The missing bit of the PSU is the earth pin. Not connected on this because it was just plastic but still necessary in the UK because it pushes out covers over the live and neutral pins in the socket (safety system).

You really brought great memories to me, that's the computer where I wrote my very first line of code in my life, back in 1984. That same year in Christmas I got my C64

Lost it at ”very common random music time signature”!!! 😂❤

UK TV channel 36 uses the same video carrier frequency as UHF channel 34 in North America. So with a British computer like this, if you have an old TV with manual tuning knobs and a manual vertical hold control, you should be able to tune it in on channel 34 and then adjust the V-hold knob to lock onto the 50 Hz refresh rate. It won't be in color because of the PAL encoding instead of NTSC, but at least you'd be able to see it in black & white. But newer TVs and VCRs with electronic tuners will just skip over the "foreign" signal on that channel, and even if you could get the TV to display it, the picture would be constantly rolling due to the lack of a manual V-hold adjustment.

The Oric was followed up by The Atmos. Same machine but was black with black & red "real" keys. It had an updated ROM too if memory serves...

This was a great video. Thanks for all the awesome content you produce. You are the reason I’ve gotten into C64 assembly programming.

Love how a little computer from the 1980s has left you quite 'tickled'.

The broken off pin is the earth connection for devices that require one; its also a safety device in that its longer than the live and neutral pins and opens an internal shutter which covers them both. With video, we don't have predefined freqiencies for each channel. Televisions were always programmable. You unfortunately do need a TV Tuner for PAL to get systems like this to work. RGB was very common because of the already mentioned SCART connection (courtosy of France!)

As a kid looking for his first computer at the time. I considered an Oric but in the end went for a Spectrum. The Oric was a rival to the Sinclair Spectrum. Priced 'about' £10 either side of the equivalent Spectrum depending on when you looked. Like all bargain basement machines, it saved money by not including many ports including game controller ports. The keyboard was not pleasant for long term use. It sold OK at the start but lacked the name recognition of Sinclair which was built by the ZX81 in the high street. I only ever remember seeing it in specialist shops. The High Street retailers specifically Boots (A Chemists that did other things) and W.H. Smiths (A stationers and news agents that also did music, books etc) didn't seem to stock the hardware (unlike the Spectrum) but both did stock software for a while. Now these were big retailers with a shop on every high street, and I mean Every High street, so them not stocking a machine would have been to consign it to obscurity/failure in the UK market. The market, just as the US market had its video consol crash in 83, the christmas of 84/new year of 85 the UK market had its own collapse of computer manufacturers. Oric along with Dragon, Camputers and others, collapsed. Some would live on in other places (The Dragon was bought out and production moved to Spain) and the Oric had an afterlife of production in France where it was for a time, a market leader.

Loved it! Thanks for the smiles and chuckles!

I work with a lot of European TV in North America for a living (as well as my love of European retro computers) and many (nearly) modern TVs, as long as they are old enough to still have an analogue tuner, do work with NTSC, PAL and SECAM. Even if they don't advertise it. It's just cheaper to only have one tuner. The cheaper the TV is, the more likely your success. Check a thrift store for an off-brand, smallish TV. It might just work!

"There, that's more dancable" is really the "print on shirt, make a million bucks"-quote from this episode! Thank you! A funny little video.

I would never have expected to take a video in this direction, but you absolutely made it work. That was fun. Can't wait to see it in all it's video glory. ;)

That was stupid… stupid fun! 😀 Glad you made the video and I look forward to seeing more of the ORIC-1 in the future!