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Dumas - Production Delayed

by Sonic_aka_T on 24-07-2007, 20:39
Topic: Hardware
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Source: Konamiman's MSX Page

Some sad news was to be found on Konamiman's MSX Page some time ago. It seems that the production of Dumas, the internet-age multi-purpose-MSX-cart, is postponed for an unspecified period of time. While the small news post doesn't give much information, it does suggest things are not looking too good. Let us all hope this will soon change for the better, so we may still enjoy this handy device which would offer MSX computers an ObsoNET Ethernet Card with USB controller and internal 512kB memory mapper.

Relevant link: Konamiman's MSX Page

Comments (14)

By Manuel

Ascended (19678)

Manuel's picture

24-07-2007, 21:16

Dang! What about a more light-weight approach and just release a cheap ethernet card, similar to Obsonet? There's nothing for sale at the moment... that sucks...

By Morg

Master (142)

Morg's picture

24-07-2007, 21:48

I guess they have problems to find a hardware's designer/producer. Ah... those spanish, they don't take things seriously... Eek!Eek!

By Manuel

Ascended (19678)

Manuel's picture

25-07-2007, 11:00

I'm sure Sunrise would be interested to help out!

At least ask them, I'd say....

By spl

Paragon (1470)

spl's picture

25-07-2007, 12:49

Why not re-edit the obsonet?

By karloch

Prophet (2159)

karloch's picture

25-07-2007, 14:59

Why not re-edit the obsonet?I guess that's *the question*...

By iamweasel2

Paladin (722)

iamweasel2's picture

25-07-2007, 16:04

Or better yet, instead of just reedit the obsonet, why not release a improved version of Obsonet, I mean, one with a cache (16kb?) and a processor that would free the z80 of having to deal with the details of sending/receiving data all the time, this way we could achieve faster data transfer when connected to a network, and we would free the z80 to deal with other tasks (like running SymbOS), in the same way as the mp3 card already does. Smile

By Prodatron

Paragon (1857)

Prodatron's picture

25-07-2007, 17:07

@iamweasel: This is exactly what the new Ethernet hardware for the CPC ("SYMBiFACE 3" ) is doing. On Z80 side you haven't much work anymore and it runs fine in a multitasking environment with a lot of parallel open connections. But wasn't this planned for Dumas as well? Don't know, if this is possible, but if this MSX project is delayed too long, maybe the SF3 can be adapted to the MSX, too?

By karloch

Prophet (2159)

karloch's picture

25-07-2007, 18:09

Well, InterNestor Lite proves that Z80 is perfectly capable of managing a TCP/IP stack, with both ethernet (Obsonet) and RS232 (there is even a MSX Internet game for INL, take a look here); although this could be too much overhead for SymbOS multitasking.

Unless a Symbiface III port for MSX is possible, Obsonet is a ethernet card design that is already done, works perfectly and it's cheap (units were sold at 50 euros or so...). Should not be advisable to take advantage of a lot of hard work that is already done?

By Prodatron

Paragon (1857)

Prodatron's picture

25-07-2007, 19:10

I agree, but currently also Obsonet is not available anymore, so no chance for anyone else to buy such a card...?

By karloch

Prophet (2159)

karloch's picture

25-07-2007, 20:07

Uhm... yep, that's the big issue, it's not possible to buy new ones. What I wondering is: if Obsonet design and bios are done and working, why don't just build new ones? I guess that it's more complicated than it seems...

By Prodatron

Paragon (1857)

Prodatron's picture

25-07-2007, 22:24

Just spoke to Dr.Zed and showed him the catridge port design of the MSX. Seems to be very similiar to the CPCs' one, so an adapter should be possible Big smile

By Morg

Master (142)

Morg's picture

26-07-2007, 09:23

I think that msx freak-fans who make possible such impossible dreams like Dumas, Obsonet, etc are happily married and they have no time to satisfy us. Or may be they are lazy couch-potatoes who doesn't turn on their msx anymore LOL!LOL!LOL!

By iamweasel2

Paladin (722)

iamweasel2's picture

26-07-2007, 14:35

@prodatron: it would be really cool if this project could be brought to MSX! Smile Obsonet is great, but I think that, now that we have SymbOS, we need more and more hardware that won't need the z80 to do most of the work, z80 needs to be free to handle all the SymbOS stuff. Smile Can you ask your friend if he is willing to port his board to MSX and +- how much would cost a cartridge ?

By konamiman

Paragon (1211)

konamiman's picture

27-07-2007, 09:31

Please don't panic.

Actually, the Dumas project is in a redesign phase. We'll, indeed, release an independent ethernet card before (or instead of, not decided yet) Dumas. It will have a supporting coprocessor to relieve Z80 from processing work.

But please, don't ask me for dates, as I can only give a big "don't know yet". Anyway maybe it was not a good idea to say that the project was "frozen".