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rubber_jonnie
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Re: General Stuff(tm)

Post by rubber_jonnie »

stephen_usher wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2023 10:50 am At last the capacitors I ordered over a week ago are out for delivery. Not that I need them now.

:crossed1: :crossed2: :crossed1:
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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stephen_usher
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Re: General Stuff(tm)

Post by stephen_usher »

One step forward, one step back last night.

Seeing as the AM27C256 chips had arrived I wrote the image of the OPD mask ROM I'd extracted over the weekend onto one of them and fitted it the machine. The result was that it started from cold.

Everything seemed OK until I tried to format a Microdrive at which point, before it had started the drive the "Housekeeping" program crashes, suggesting that there's corruption somewhere in the ROM. *sigh*

Oh, and still no advance on getting the QL(s) to write cartridges that the OPD can reliably read, even with my second QL I get the same issues.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
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PhilC
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Re: General Stuff(tm)

Post by PhilC »

That's gotta be annoying @stephen_usher, sounds like you need to fetch the other QL down just to rule out a failure on this one.
If it ain't broke, test it to Destruction.
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stephen_usher
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Re: General Stuff(tm)

Post by stephen_usher »

Yeah, I've tried with both machines.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
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stephen_usher
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Re: General Stuff(tm)

Post by stephen_usher »

Someone posted a set of their ROM images on the QL Forum so I checked the XBAD03 image against the one I extracted from the dying mask ROM, and they're the same, so obviously the inability to format is a new problem.

I spent yesterday evening using the information I have, including images of the PCB layout (top and bottom) to reverse engineer and document in KiCAD the Computer One floppy disk interface with the view to re-creating it. Probably about a third of the way there.

P.S. This is the PCB image I have (I combined the separate layers in GIMP).

PCB-Full.jpg
PCB-Full.jpg (456.9 KiB) Viewed 12392 times
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
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stephen_usher
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Re: General Stuff(tm)

Post by stephen_usher »

Other than the pull-ups and decoupling caps the schematic is finished. Phew!

c1-floppy-schematic-1.jpg
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Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
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stephen_usher
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Re: General Stuff(tm)

Post by stephen_usher »

Today I received...

A QIMSI. A "hard drive" and USB-PS/2 keyboard and mouse unit for the Sinclair QL which plugs into the ROM port.

IMG_3475.JPG
IMG_3475.JPG (299.51 KiB) Viewed 12324 times

Once I get a 3D printer I can make a case for it.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: General Stuff(tm)

Post by rubber_jonnie »

stephen_usher wrote: Fri Dec 08, 2023 11:56 am Today I received...

A QIMSI. A "hard drive" and USB-PS/2 keyboard and mouse unit for the Sinclair QL which plugs into the ROM port.


IMG_3475.JPG


Once I get a 3D printer I can make a case for it.
Looks interesting, it'd be good to see it running.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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stephen_usher
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Re: General Stuff(tm)

Post by stephen_usher »

rubber_jonnie wrote: Fri Dec 08, 2023 12:01 pm Looks interesting, it'd be good to see it running.
Same here. I won't have time tonight and anyway I need an SD card, which I've ordered from Amazon with delivery tomorrow. I won't have much time tomorrow either as I'm in work most of the day upgrading one of our virtual windows servers (2012R2 -> 2019 -> 2022).
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
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Icky
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Re: General Stuff(tm)

Post by Icky »

stephen_usher wrote: Fri Dec 08, 2023 12:18 pm
rubber_jonnie wrote: Fri Dec 08, 2023 12:01 pm Looks interesting, it'd be good to see it running.
Same here. I won't have time tonight and anyway I need an SD card, which I've ordered from Amazon with delivery tomorrow. I won't have much time tomorrow either as I'm in work most of the day upgrading one of our virtual windows servers (2012R2 -> 2019 -> 2022).
Very, interesting. Waiting to hear how you get on with the QIMSI. If its any good may have to get one for my QL.
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